For many of us in the kawaii community, anime and manga played a big part in sparking our interest in Japanese cute culture. With so many series being released, though, it can be overwhelming to keep track of everything you’ve watched and read. That said, as a spiritual follow-up to my kawaii gaming journal guide, here’s a post to help you set up a journal to log all of your favorite anime and manga series.
What anime and manga do I log?
You can have a catch-all for the series you’ve watched and read, or you can have two separate ones. The former is what I opted for, though I split my journal into two segments so that it’s more organized. I used a zipper pouch to separate my entries for anime and manga, which also makes for a pocket to hold cute stickers and other ephemera.
You could also set up and organize your journal/s by:
- Genre (e.g., shoujo, slice of life)
- Year or decade of release (e.g., ‘80s or ‘90s anime)
- Your favorite mangaka/author (e.g., Naoko Takeuchi, Yuu Watase)
- Your favorite animation studio/s (e.g., Studio Ghibli, Ufotable)
What kind of journal and materials should I use?
As cliché as it sounds, your imagination is the limit! But feel free to check out the posts below for journal and planner suggestions on how to start off:
- Kawaii Journaling Setup Ideas
- Journaling Inspiration For Hobbies & Daily Life
- Getting Started With Kawaii Journaling
- Our blog archives on planners and stationery
I highly recommend using stickers and washi tapes to make your journal even cuter. There are loads of anime-themed stationery available, both official and fan-made. Discover and support a small business via Etsy and Instagram, or check out our Super Cute Shopping Guide and Artists & Makers We Love.
If you’re eyeing some official or licensed stationery, our guide on How To Buy Kawaii From Japan is another helpful resource. On a more limited budget? Keep your eyes peeled for secondhand or surplus shops for great deals. I was lucky enough to get a set of Demon Slayer memo sheets from a local reseller!
As your journal is for personal use, you can print out screenshots of your favorite scenes or panels. You can even draw your favorite characters. Memes are also pretty big in the anime scene, so if you’d like to keep things lighthearted and humorous, you can add those in as well.
If you like collecting anime merchandise like keychains or rubber straps, why not keep the packaging and use it when decorating your pages? You can think of it as “free” stationery that adds texture, especially for mixed media spreads.
What should I write about?
Here are some ideas when writing about the anime and manga you log:
- Story (e.g., plot summary, plot twists, pacing)
- Characters (e.g., main and supporting cast, character development, relationships)
- Status (e.g. completed, ongoing, dropped)
- Date you started and ended watching or reading
- Favorite seasons & episodes or volumes & chapters
- Favorite opening/ending songs or soundtracks
- Favorite seiyuu/voice actors
- Memorable quotes and dialogues
- A checklist of tropes
- Your overall rating
Also, if you like a series in particular, why not make spreads for both the manga and anime adaptation? For reference, I made two different layouts to write about both versions of Spy x Family:
Journaling about your favorite anime and manga is a good way to look back and reminisce how you felt—it may even inspire you to rewatch, reread or recommend them to friends and family.
Do you own an anime/manga journal or plan on making one? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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