Fan Culture

In the article “A Study of Fan Culture”, J. S. Chen (2007) explored Anime/manga and Cosplay as a subculture and how the methodology of Anime/manga and Cosplay can help educators to fill the gap between adolescents subculture and mainstream school culture. According to Chen.J (2007), “Anime/manga fans have been forming a culture of their own specific type, in which a Comic World convention is the most intensive sociocultural event. This has an enormously influential effect on youngsters as this subcultural phenomenon propagates itself quickly among adolescents in Taiwan.” (p. 15). This indicates that the article agrees that imagery can be built on a specific type of culture. And the subculture is spreading rapidly, which makes it so powerful

Dauppe (2011) argues that if graphic design relied on visual culture, it would be more effective, productive and highly pertinent. She started with recognizing the provenance of the term visual culture. Moving on to how she thinks that visual communication is approaching graphic design as a method, and it is poorly related to history and considered as undeveloped, because visual culture in only paying attention to the history of visual communication. She had evidence that visual culture has moved beyond art history, and it can adjust graphic design complexities. She linked visual culture and graphic design as an approach in visual communication by explaining how the audience relies on multitudes and cultural understanding to decode graphic design. As Dauppe (2011) asserted in the article, “anthropology has traditionally looked at such [cultural] activity as something that has utilitarian value. Images are created for some purpose. Images do things. They are social objects, not simply aesthetic ones. They are meaningful only when seen in relationship to a wider social network of beliefs and practices, economies and exchanges.” (Batchen, 2008, p.128) This totally supports the importance of using culture in visual communication, and how the design acquires the full meaning of its effectiveness and aesthetic when it is seen and interpreted through different beliefs

She began with questioning the reader about the meaning of visual culture, and she assumed in terms of its origin that there is no accepted or agreed definition of its use. However, the context was filled with examples in terms of design history study and criticizing the history of visual communication. Her arguing points were crystal clear, but it would be hard for some researchers to understand, because there were not enough definitions of the main terms of her paper. She argued for its relevance and hoped that she made a case for its potential. Winkler (2009) Defined gave great and easy definitions of the main terms in his paper, which can be understood by the reader. He demonstrated the topic clearly from different aspects. In the other hand, his paper was very broad for me and it talked not only about the cultural theory and visual communication, it also included some scientific aspect and how it relates to art. That could benefit some other researchers who are interested in relationship between science and visual communication. Chen (2007) introduced the topic by defining a particular type of culture (subculture). He also specified the target audience of his study and its region, which made it easier for a researcher to understand and follow his point. I found it very beneficial for my paper, because it included all the information I needed to support my