Humanities Symposia discusses Seikigahara’s influence over manga’s storytelling

The final Trine Humanities Symposia of the spring will take place on April 13 as assistant director of library services Patrick Ridout discusses, “Barrier in the Field: Seikigahara’s Influence over Manga’s Storytelling.”

The event will surround how mythical adaptations of the Battle of Sekigahara played an impactful role in history and feudal manga.

The Battle of Sekigahara is known to be the largest battle in the history of feudal Japan. It took place in 1600 on the grounds of modern-day Gifu Prefecture. The battle was fought between Tokugawa Ieyasu and groups of Toyotomi loyalists who wanted to save the Toyotomi clan and put an end to Ieyasu’s powerful leadership.

Ridout will explain how this battle has altered manga storytelling. Even in present day, the roots of feudal manga stories can be intricately traced back to The Battle of Sekigahara. 

Held in Wells Theater inside Taylor Hall, Trine’s Humanities Symposia is free and open to the public. Talks, beginning at 3 p.m., usually last about 30 minutes and are immediately followed by time for any questions, which usually leads to a total time of one hour. 

Wells Theater seats 75 guests, so attendees are encouraged to arrive early if they have specific seating preferences. 

For more information about the Symposia, contact Melissa Mayus, Ph.D., associate professor in Trine’s Department of Humanities and Communication, at mayusm@trine.edu.