Matt Thorn
Encyclopedia
Matt Thorn is a cultural anthropologist
and an Associate Professor
in the Department of Manga Production at Kyoto Seika University
's Faculty of Manga in Japan
. He is most well known in North America
for his work dealing with shōjo manga. He has appeared at multiple anime
conventions, including Otakon 2004
. He chose to translate shōjo manga into English after reading Thomas no Shinzō by Moto Hagio
in the mid-1980s.
In March 2010 it was announced that Thorn would edit a line of manga
co-published by Shogakukan
and Fantagraphics.
Cultural anthropology
Cultural anthropology is a branch of anthropology focused on the study of cultural variation among humans, collecting data about the impact of global economic and political processes on local cultural realities. Anthropologists use a variety of methods, including participant observation,...
and an Associate Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
in the Department of Manga Production at Kyoto Seika University
Kyoto Seika University
is a private university, located in Seika, Kyoto, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1968, and it was chartered as a university in 1979....
's Faculty of Manga in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. He is most well known in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
for his work dealing with shōjo manga. He has appeared at multiple anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
conventions, including Otakon 2004
Otakon
Otakon is a fan convention in the United States focusing on East Asian popular culture and its fandom. The name is a portmanteau derived from convention and the Japanese word otaku...
. He chose to translate shōjo manga into English after reading Thomas no Shinzō by Moto Hagio
Moto Hagio
is a manga artist born on May 12, 1949 in Ōmuta, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, though she currently lives in Saitama Prefecture. She is considered a "founding mother" of modern shōjo manga, especially shōnen-ai. She is also a member of the Year 24 Group...
in the mid-1980s.
In March 2010 it was announced that Thorn would edit a line of manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
co-published by Shogakukan
Shogakukan
is a Japanese publisher of dictionaries, literature, manga, non-fiction, DVDs, and other media in Japan.Shogakukan founded Shueisha which founded Hakusensha. These are three separate companies, but are together called the Hitotsubashi Group, one of the largest publishing groups in Japan...
and Fantagraphics.