This interdisciplinary theory course introduces students to Japanese animation and games as unique forms of visual storytelling culture and a rich repository of local and universal themes. In this course, students will learn about the social, cultural, economic, and political history of Japanese animation and games as well as their global impacts, transnational flows, and the ways they explore the universal human issues and concerns in forms that are unique to the Japanese animating and gaming culture, shared transculturally. The course will also cover a range of newly emerging cyber phenomena including VTubers and cyber idols.