The Zany Aesthetic of Manga for Women: A Reading of Anno Moyoko’s Happy Mania

This chapter draws attention to the bookstore category of manga for women (josei manga or josei komikku) and its neglect within academic discourse. This neglect correlates with the academic trend of seeing non-pornographic manga for women as part of a larger category of shōjo manga, defined by formal and thematic features rather than the age of the readership. The chapter’s author argues that we should treat manga for women as a separate genre in order to uncover its diverse themes and visual vocabulary. Anno Moyoko’s Happy Mania (1996–2001) is used as an example. This popular manga for women parodically incorporates formal elements of shōjo manga to achieve a zany aesthetic that infuses with humor the protagonist’s disappointing romantic adventures.