Book review: A deep dive into the obscure world of North Korean animation



Evergreen Book review: A deep dive into the obscure world of North Korean animation In ‘The Complete Encyclopaedia of North Korean Anime,’ a Japanese IT worker explores seven decades of DPRK cartoons Stephen Mercado December 26, 2023 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON A scene from the North Korean animated series "Clever Racoon Dog" \| Image: KCTV (Sept. 9, 2022) The Japanese publisher Publit specializes in books about subcultures, debuting in 2015 with a voluming on death metal in Sub-Saharan Africa and following that up with a 2019 work on animation in South Korea. And in its latest release in August this year, the company takes a deep dive into an obscure corner of one of the world’s most secretive countries — the animation industry of the DPRK. “The Complete Encyclopaedia of North Korean Anime” (北朝鮮アニメ大全) is the work of a Japanese Japanese writer who goes by a pen name that is pronounced Oeru Joji (大江・留・丈二), also read as “George © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update & Podcast Updates Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by Trending

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Book review: A deep dive into the obscure world of North Korean animation

In ‘The Complete Encyclopaedia of North Korean Anime,’ a Japanese IT worker explores seven decades of DPRK cartoons

Stephen Mercado December 26, 2023

Book review: A deep dive into the obscure world of North Korean animation

A scene from the North Korean animated series "Clever Racoon Dog" | Image: KCTV (Sept. 9, 2022)

The Japanese publisher Publit specializes in books about subcultures, debuting in 2015 with a voluming on death metal in Sub-Saharan Africa and following that up with a 2019 work on animation in South Korea.

And in its latest release in August this year, the company takes a deep dive into an obscure corner of one of the world’s most secretive countries — the animation industry of the DPRK.

“The Complete Encyclopaedia of North Korean Anime” (北朝鮮アニメ大全) is the work of a Japanese Japanese writer who goes by a pen name that is pronounced Oeru Joji (大江・留・丈二), also read as “George

About the Author

Stephen Mercado

Stephen Mercado is a retired officer of the CIA’s Open Source Enterprise (originally the Foreign Broadcast Information Service). A researcher primarily interested in Japanese intelligence history and Asian open-source intelligence, he earned a master’s degree in international affairs at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. He is the author of "Japanese Spy Gear and Special Weapons: How Noborito's Scientists and Technicians Served in the Second World War and the Cold War" (Pen & Sword Military, 2025), "The Shadow Warriors of Nakano: A History of the Imperial Japanese Army’s Elite Intelligence School" (Brassey’s, 2002), a dozen articles and several dozen book reviews.

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About the Author

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