Skip to Main Content
site header image

FYS Anime, Manga, J-Pop, J-Horror: Introduction to Japanese Pop Culture

Writing and Citation Assistance

Writing

You can get help from a writing tutor at the Center for Student Success/Learning Services at E-town.

Writing Tutors are also in the High Library Sunday-Thursday 7-9 pm and are available on a drop-in basis.

Citing

Check out the Citation Research Guide.

Or, ask a librarian! Feel free to stop by the reference desk, email, call, or text with your question!

Selected MLA Works Cited Examples

MLA Handbook (9th Edition)

 

Book with one author

Author's name: Last Name, First Name. Book Title (italicized). Publisher, year.

Sparks, Nicholas. The Best of Me. Grand Central Publishing, 2011.

 

Article from a database (e.g. Academic Search Ultimate) - For three or more authors

Author's Name(s): Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Journal Title (italicized), volume, issue, month year, page numbers. name of database (italicized), DOI (if none can be found use a permalink or URL).

Segal, Scott, et al. "Plagiarism in Residency Application Essays." Annals of Internal Medicine, vol. 153, no. 2, July 2010, pp. 112-120. MEDLINE Complete, https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-153-2-201007200-00007.

 

Webpage

Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Page Title.” Name of Website, Publisher, Date, URL.

Howell, Elizabeth. “Exoplanets: Worlds Beyond Our Solar System.” Space.com, 30 Mar. 2018, www.space.com/17738-exoplanets.html.

 

MLA Citations for TV/Film/Multivolume Books

TV Show / Movie (ie: Anime)

Notes on Contributors: Many of these samples include the director's name; you may leave it out if it is not important for your citation, or if you don't know it. Alternately, if the director is the focus of your citation, you may begin the citation with the director's name. Similarly, you may choose to include other contributors, such as the name of the original creator (created by), lead performers (performances by), or translators (translated by).

Notes on Missing Information: If you don't know the information for an element, you can leave it out or include what you do know. For example, if you don't know the date an episode aired, you can just use the year. If you don't know the name of a studio or distributor, leave it out. Make sure the first letter after a period is capitalized, unless it is preceded by a number.

 

Whole Series

Title of Show. Directed by Director’s Name, Name of Studio / Distributor, Year-Range. Name of Streaming Platform, URL.

Series - Streamed (shown w/ Studio)

Natsume's Book of Friends. Brains Base, 2008-2017. Funimation, www.funimation.com/shows/natsumes-book-of-friends/.

Series - DVD (shown w/ Author, Director, Studio / Distributor)

Natsume's Book of Friends. Created by Yuki Midorikawa, directed by Takahiro Omori, Brains Base / NIS America, 2008.

 

Single Episode

“Title of Episode.” Title of Series, directed by Director’s Name, season #, episode #, Name of Studio / Distributor, 1 Jan. 2020. Name of Streaming Platform, URL.

Episode - Streamed (shown w/ Studio)

"The Fox Child's Watch." Natsume's Book of Friends, season 3, episode 8, Brains Base, 23 Aug. 2011. Funimation, www.funimation.com/shows/natsumes-book-of-friends/.

Episode - DVD (shown w/ Director, Studio / Distributor)

"The Fox Child's Watch." Natsume's Book of Friends: Season 3, directed by Takahiro Omori, season 3, episode 8, Brains Base / NIS America, 2008, disc 2. DVD.

 

Movie

Title of Film. Directed by Director, Name of Studio / Distributor, Year. Name of Streaming Platform, URL.

Movie - Streamed (shown w/ Director, Streaming app)

My Neighbor Totoro. Directed by Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli, 1990. Amazon Prime Video app.

 

Director as Focus

Director's Last Name, First Name, director. Title of Film. Name of Studio / Distributor, Year. Name of Streaming Platform, URL.

Movie - Streamed (shown w/ Director as focus, Streaming app)

Miyazaki, Hayao, director. My Neighbor Totoro. Studio Ghibli, 1990. Amazon Prime Video app.

 

 

Multivolume Books (ie: Manga)

These examples are for works published in multiple volumes. If your whole series has been published as a compilation in one physical book, use the standard format for a book instead.

 

Whole Series

Author's Last Name, First Name. Title. Publisher, Year-Range. # vols.

Manga Series

Midorikawa, Yuki. Natsume's Book of Friends. VIZ Media, 2010-2023. 28 vols.

 

Single Volume

Author's Last Name, First Name. Title. Vol. #, Publisher, Year.

Single Volume

Midorikawa, Yuki. Natsume's Book of Friends. Vol. 10, VIZ Media, 2011.

 

 

Notes on Translations in Citations

Titles may be given either in English or in the language you are reading/viewing the source. For Japanese, you may use kanji or romaji, just be consistent. You may include an English translation in brackets, if your audience is unfamiliar with the language.

Author and contributor names should always be romanized into the Latin alphabet. For Japanese names, use romaji. You may choose to leave out the comma between the last and first name, when the last name is traditionally given first.

Include the publication information (publisher & dates) for the version (English/Japanese) you are reading/watching.

Manga Series (Read in Japanese)

Midorikawa Yuki. Natsume Yuujinchou [Natsume's Book of Friends]. Hakusensha, 2005-2023. 29 vols.

 

MLA Ninth Edition (Updated 4/23)