Okay, begin your speculation of what anime/manga floats US President Barack Obama's boat. During a recent trip to Japan, the head of the free world thanked the country of Japan for manga and anime. I can see it now. After a long day of dealing with terrorists and a fragile economy, he shoves aside his work, loosens his tie, shucks aside his sport coat and settles in for an evening of adventure in The Oval Office with Ash, Pikachu and Pokemon . Maybe Michelle makes Popcorn?
At a formal ambassador ceremony, the president expressed his gratitude to the country of Japan for the way it has shared its culture with the first family since his election some six years ago.
"Today is also a chance for Americans, especially our young people, to say thank you for all the things we love from Japan. Like karate and karaoke. Manga and anime. And, of course, emojis," Mr. Obama addressed the ceremony.
No, the purpose of the ceremony was not for Obama to find out what's going to happen in the new Naruto limited edition manga or if Sgt. Keroro will finally realize his dream and finally find the perfect Gundum model in Sgt. Frog. As fun as it is might be to speculate what manga Obama reads in his spare time or what anime he watches, the purpose was to celebrate the cultural ties that bind the US and Japan together.
There has been no stronger export in recent memory than anime and manga. All across the United States, cosplay conventions and festivals have sprung up and get more and more visitors every year. According to asianavenuemagazine.com, in the early part of the new century, the Japanese government employed a team of experts from Colorado to explore the treason for the popularity of manga in the US.
