“Let the examinations begin!”
“YATTA!!!”

Well this is a most appropriate piece of Japanophilia news for the start of September because the schools are opening again…at least in the UK anyway.

It has been known for awhile among the Anime, Manga and Japanophile communities that you can now attend “Manga University Courses” in the Manga Faculty of the Kyoto Seika University, Japan. Now, there is a national Japanese exam on Anime for everybody and 2007 will be the debut of the Anime Exam.

People have started attending multiple monthly seminars and talks on Anime at the Bunkyo Gakuin University Hongo Campus. There have been 100 people attending, and all classes cost ¥3500 (inclusive of tax). The classes and the final examination are sponsored by the Anime Examination Executive Council.

The final exam, called the National General Anime Culture Knowledge Certification Exam, will consist of a test of general knowledge in Anime and is open to everybody. It will provide the candidates with an official qualification. Tutor materials and exam questions are based on the book honed by a variety of Anime industry experts, the Anime Exam Official Question Book – 2007 (Shogakukan Productions).

This is the list of seminars that are/will be taking place. The final examination is on 23rd November 2007. For more information (Japanese language) on the exam board go to the official exam board website. For more information on the seminars, go to the board’s calender.

• Session 1 Theme – Voice Acting & Sound, Music & Themes
• Session 2 Theme – Projects & Stories, Authors & Studios
• Session 3 Theme – Enterprises & Levels, Regions & Topography
• Session 4 Theme – Technique & Science
• Session 5 Theme – The Industry & Market, Products & Distribution
• Session 6 Theme – Scripts & Presentation, Art & Design
• Session 7 Theme – Overseas Expansion & World Trends
• Session 8 Theme – Original Works & Adaptations, History & Development
• Session 9 Theme – Anime Exam Preparation Strategy
• 23rd November 2007-National General Anime Culture Knowledge Certification Exam

Now when am I going to see this on the Edexcel board of A Levels/GCEs!?

Now available from the Student Shop-Standard Issue Anime Laptop!

Useful Links:

• Other wacky Japanese qualifications