Possessing an encyclopedic knowledge of Japanese anime culture, Ebihara delves into rich plots and enduring characters using the skill of an artist to draw contrasts and comparisons between the genre's well-known authors, including Hayao Miyazaki, Leiji Matsumoto, Go Nagai, and Hideaki Anno.

The Yasukuni Shrine or Yasukuni Jinja, with the literal meaning "peaceful nation shrine" is a controversial Shinto monument located in Tokyo, Japan. It is dedicated to the spirits of soldiers and others who died fighting on behalf of the Japanese emperor. In the decades since World War II, the Shrine has been a source of many controversies among them the inclusion of 14 Convicted Class-A War Criminals (crimes against peace). The shrine's account of Japan's wartime actions are considered by many to be revisionist. Its museum's exhibits and pamphlets propose that Japan entered the World War II...

For the past century, Japan has been a center of attention due to its rapid industrialization and modernization. Still, certain aspects of the nation's culture remain an enigma to outsiders; particularly, Japan's religious foundations. To most of the world the ancient spirituality of this modern nation remains a mystery. Raising this ancient veil of secrecy, Dr. Isao Ebihara examines myths and legends of Japan, from antiquity to today's modern tales of anime and manga. He explores the culture's shrouded world of ghosts, spirits and supernatural phenomena, and discovers the very roots of...