The word “Dongman” is widely used in China and has become one of the top buzz words. But what exactly is “Dongman”? There are multiple definitions of “Dongman” from the internet community, and different dictionaries offer different explanations. Some believe that “Dongman” is equivalent to anime, some assert that “Dongman” is animated manga, while others argue that “Dongman” is a combination of anime and manga. There is no consensus over the exact meaning of the word.
In the past few years, Dongman has been incorporated into China’s national cultural strategy. Right ahead of G20 Osaka, China’s central government has hosted the conference “Chinese Dongman comes to Japan”, aiming at promoting Chinese animation in Japan. Yet despite Dongman’s growing importance, the history of how Chinese animation and manga developed into “Dongman” is still unclear.
Recently, some studies have suggested the word “Dongman” originated in the 1990s. However, the author believes that the root of Dongman goes further back. Two aspects of the 1980s come into focus in this article. First, the frequent exchange of ideas, works and people between the animation and manga industries in the two countries that started and flourished in the 1980s. Second, the introduction of Japanese anime to Chinese television and the adaptations of Japanese manga into “Xiaorenshu” in China, also in the 1980s. Through the investigation into these two perspectives, the author strives to demonstrate that the foundations of Dongman was laid in the 1980s.
