Professor Nakagaki has selected some comparatively recent works from basic literature to provide an understanding of English-language research in animation, mainly focusing on works from the U.S. From a non-fiction account of Walt Disney Studios, based on the perspective of women, to books about Winsor McCay, the Fleischer brothers, United Productions of America (UPA), Pixar, the profession of voice actors and to censorship and the recent trends of animated documentaries, this selection should provide valuable insight.

Dobson, Nichola, et al eds. The Animation Studies Reader, Bloomsbury, 2018.

This is a collection of 22 studies on animation theory by English-speaking researchers, mainly from the U.K. With a three-part structure consisting of theory, genres, and representation, this collection gives an overview of current trends in animation studies among English-speaking researchers.

Bukatman, Scott. The Poetics of Slumberland: Animated Spirits and the Animating Spirit, University of California Press, 2012.

This is a study from the perspective of media research, looking at the legacy of Winsor McCay, who is known as the author of Little Nemo in Slumberland. He was a pioneer of newspaper comics, animation, and early motion pictures in the U.S.

Pointer, Ray. The Art and Inventions of Max Fleischer: American Animation Pioneer, McFarland, 2017.

This is a biographical study of Max Fleischer (one of the Fleischer brothers), a pioneer in the art of animation in the U.S. This book traces the history of the studio, based on numerous interviews with relevant individuals.

Holt, Nathalia. The Queens of Animation: The Untold Story of the Women Who Transformed the World of Disney and Made Cinematic History, Little Brown, 2019.

This is a nonfiction account highlighting the contribution of female artists to Walt Disney Studios. The book traces how women had a huge impact on the development of Walt Disney Studios and the direction of its animations.

Bashara, Dan. Cartoon Vision: UPA Animation and Postwar Aesthetics, University of California Press, 2019.

The history of animation in the United States tends to concentrate on Disney, but this study focuses on the production company United Productions of America (UPA), which played an active role in animation from the 1940s to the 1970s.

Cohen, Karl F. Forbidden Animation: Censored Cartoons and Blacklisted Animators in America, McFarland, 1998(2004).

This book traces the history of animation in the U.S. from the standpoint of censorship. It is informative and gives insight into criticism of racial stereotypes, the attitude of resistance toward censorship, and the media environment of TV animation. First published in 1998, it is now available in paperback.

Herhuth, Eric. Pixar and the Aesthetic Imagination: Animation, Storytelling, and Digital Culture, University of California Press, 2017.

This study examines the impact of digitization on the history of animation, through analyses of several major works by Pixar that were pioneers of full computer graphics (CG) animation.

Beckman, Karen, ed. Animating Film Theory, Duke University Press, 2014.

This is a collection of 17 studies, mainly by media researchers in the U.S. In a four-part structure, this book attempts to place animation into context from perspectives such as history and film theory, as well as comparison with media, including photography and documentaries.

Lawson, Tim, and Alisa Persons. The Magic Behind the Voices: A Who's Who of Cartoon Voice Actors, University Press of Mississippi, 2004.

This is a comprehensive guide to voice actors in animated works produced in the U.S. Looking at how voice acting has developed as a profession, this book features a huge amount of references based on interviews.

Roe, Annabelle Honess. Animated Documentary, Palgrave Macmillan, 2013.

This is a study by a British media researcher into animated documentaries, an area of interest in recent years. It gives valuable insight into topics such as introducing animation to interviews and recollections, as well as the creation of reality in the digital age.