Term
Fall 2026
Artifact 02 · Course
ENC 3375: Rhetoric in Pop Culture (Anime)
A 16-week study of Japanese media as rhetoric — from wartime propaganda and postwar reconstruction to mecha, globalization, and the rhetorics of artificial intelligence.
Course Description
Anime as a rhetorical medium.
This course traces the multimodal use of rhetoric in Japanese media, focusing on anime through its rhetorical genre conventions. Both Western and global rhetorical theory are used for analysis. No prior instruction in Japanese language, culture, or media studies is necessary.
Catalog: ENC 3375 CAH-WRITE RHET 3(3,0). Prerequisite: Grade of C (2.0) or better in ENC 1102 or equivalent. Exploration of rhetorical theories and strategies in a specific popular-culture discourse or medium such as sports, comics, and food. Repeatable once with different content.
Student Learning Outcomes
After this course, students will be able to…
- Recognize the role that rhetorical theories, methods, and practices play out in popular culture.
- Discuss their understanding of the skills, values, ideologies, constraints, and freedoms of being a rhetorician in the public sphere.
- Write with confidence in a range of genres and media.
- Discuss rhetoric in media in global contexts, particularly across cultural and linguistic differences mediated by translation and localization.
Assessment & Grading
How the grade is built.
Five components, weighted toward process and revision over one-shot performance.
Grading Scale
A
94–100
A-
90–93
B+
87–89
B
84–86
B-
80–83
C+
77–79
C
74–76
C-
70–73
D+
67–69
D
64–66
D-
61–63
F
0–60
The Assignments
What students make.
30%Weekly
Weekly Viewing & Reading Responses
Most weeks, students get a “choose your own adventure” list of three or four anime and one prompt tied to the week's readings and lecture. They pick a single piece to watch and analyze, writing 300–400 words with at least one reference to each course reading. The mechanic gives students choice and agency and accounts for uneven access to streaming services and hard media.
25%Signature Assignment
AI Position Research Posterboard & Reflection
Students build a research posterboard presenting strong, evidence-based claims both for and against GenAI tools in anime production, paired with a 2–4 page reflection where they stop being neutral and take a side, defended with textual evidence. Submitted as a draft (12.5 pts) and a full draft (12.5 pts), with an optional revision to win back lost points.
Explore the full assignment25%Major Paper
Rhetorical Analysis Paper
An 8–10 page double-spaced rhetorical analysis of an anime of the student's choosing, staged across five graded moments:
Proposal 5%First draft 5%Peer workshop 5%Conference 5%Revised draft 5%
15% + 5%Presence & Reflection
Participation & Final Reflection
Attendance and participation (15%) is valued at one point per class across twelve weekly meetings — a design that leaves a little wiggle room for a single missed session. The semester closes with a 2–3 page Final Reflection (5%) on how the posterboard, the rhetorical analysis, and the weekly responses deepened students' understanding of anime as rhetorical.
Class Schedule
Sixteen weeks through anime history and theory.
Each week pairs a “choose your own adventure” screening with anchoring readings. Weeks tied to the signature assignment are marked.
| Week | Topic & Focus | Screening / Task | Anchoring Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 8/24–8/30 |
Course Introduction & Reminders about Rhetoric | Watch one film: Spirited Away, Your Name, The First Slam Dunk, or Jujutsu Kaisen 0 · Reflection 1 | Baseel, “Overseas Anime Market… a Cultural Tipping Point?” (SoraNews24); Losh & Cannon, “Why Rhetoric?” |
| 02 8/31–9/6 |
Studying Rhetoric in Popular Culture No in-person class (football week) |
Watch one episode: Frieren, PLUTO, or Attack on Titan · Reflection 2 | Levitt, What Is Popular Culture…?; Craig, Japan Pop! |
| 03 9/7–9/13 |
Studying Anime: Approaches, Tensions & How Rhetoric Helps | Watch one: Time of Eve, Reboot, The Legend of Korra, or My Adventures with Superman · Reflection 3 | Berndt, Anime in Academia; Levitt (cont.) |
| 04 9/14–9/20 |
A Brief History of Anime | Watch one episode: Astro Boy (1963), Mobile Suit Gundam (1979), Lupin III, or Galaxy Express 999 · Reflection 4 | Novielli, Floating Worlds: A Short History of Japanese Animation |
| 05 9/21–9/27 |
Propaganda & War Rhetoric in the 1940s | In class: Momotaro's Sea Eagles + Walt Disney cartoons · Watch your choice · Homework: Rhetorical Analysis proposal | Selections from Walt Disney Cartoons |
| 06 9/28–10/4 |
The Pacific War in Japan | Homework: Grave of the Fireflies or The Wind Rises · Reflection 5 · In class: Barefoot Gen | TBA |
| 07 10/5–10/11 |
The Postwar: Reconstruction | Watch one: In This Corner of the World (2016) or Rainbow (2010) · Reflection 6 | TBA |
| 08 10/12–10/18 |
The Postwar: Rhetoric & Technology, Part I | Watch one: Akira (1988) or Ghost in the Shell (1995) · Reflection 7 | Bolton chapter |
| 09 10/19–10/25 |
Rhetoric & Technology, Part II: Mecha | Watch one episode: Gundam (1979), Neon Genesis Evangelion, or The Vision of Escaflowne · Half-draft of Rhetorical Analysis | TBA |
| 10 10/26–11/1 |
Rhetorics of Artificial Intelligence in Anime Signature Assignment |
Watch one episode: PLUTO, Ghost in the Shell: SAC, or Psycho-Pass · Reflection 8 · Research Posterboard draft (11/1) | TBA |
| 11 11/2–11/8 |
Rhetorics of Globalization: Global Japanese Pop-Culture & Remix Signature Assignment |
Watch one (in Japanese): Sailor Moon, Pokémon, Crayon Shin-chan, or Ghost Stories · Reflection 9 · Posterboard & Reflection due (11/8) · In class: Robotech | TBA |
| 12 11/9–11/15 |
Rhetorics of Translation: Pop-Culture Localization | Reflection 10 · Rhetorical Analysis half-draft · Homework: workshop full draft | Iwabuchi, “How Japanese Is Pokémon?” from Pikachu's Global Adventure |
| 13 11/16–11/22 |
Individual Conferences | One-on-one conferences with Professor Kennedy on final Rhetorical Analysis papers | TBA |
| 14 11/23–11/29 |
No Class — Thanksgiving | — | — |
| 15 11/30–12/6 |
Course Wrap-Ups: Rhetorics in Pop Culture & Futures | Course reflection & synthesis | — |
| 16 12/7–12/13 |
Finals — No In-Person Meeting | Final Rhetorical Analysis paper due Dec 11, 11:59 PM | — |
Policies
Technology, integrity, and access.
The course's distinctive AI policies are highlighted below; standard institutional policies are summarized beneath them, with full text in the official syllabus PDF.
AI Use Policy
A strong proponent of using digital tools with integrity. There are stated moments where students are encouraged, but never required, to use AI — with UCF's Microsoft CoPilot recommended for its protections. Submitting AI output where it is forbidden is never acceptable.
AI Overuse & Misuse
Overusing or misusing AI beyond an assignment's stated parameters earns a “0” with a chance to revise and resubmit within 48 hours for partial credit. Misuse includes text that is in no part human-written or that contains fabricated (“hallucinated”) quotations or sources.
AI Conscientious Objection
Because the heart of the course's prompting activities is analysis of model output rather than prompt-engineering, students with moral or ethical objections to using GenAI can request alternative exercises, handled case by case.
Attendance, Late Work & Communication
In-person attendance. The course runs on collaboration and discussion, plus in-class viewing of hard-to-access material, so regular attendance is expected outside of illness or authorized university events. Advance notice is appreciated; documentation may be requested for repeated absences.
Missed / late assignments. Most assignments have a week-long grace period with a 10% per-day deduction before the assignment locks and closes on the 7th day. Work submitted more than seven days late is not considered for partial credit.
Extensions. Sometimes available, but must be requested before the deadline — no retroactive extensions. Extended work is submitted via Webcourses message or email.
Communication. All communication runs through UCF email or Webcourses; expect a reply within 24–48 hours on weekdays (not weekends).
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to know UCF's Code of Conduct through the Student Conduct and Integrity Office. Academic misconduct includes plagiarism, unauthorized assistance, falsifying or misrepresenting work, unauthorized commercial use of course materials, and soliciting assistance without authorization. Penalties range from a zero on the exercise to an “F” in the course, with possible referral to the Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity. As the syllabus puts it: “take the zero, not a shortcut.”
Disability Access & Accommodations
UCF is committed to equal access for all students with disabilities. To receive accommodations, students register with Student Accessibility Services (SAS; Ferrell Commons 185 · sas@ucf.edu · 407-823-2371) and complete the review process. Approved accommodations are shared with instructors via the SAS Course Accessibility Letter, and implementing certain accommodations may involve discussion of course design and objectives.
University Policies — Title IX, Make-Up Work, Safety & Financial Aid
Title IX prohibits sex discrimination, sexual misconduct, harassment, and retaliation; confidential resources and reporting options are available through Let's Be Clear and UCF Cares.
Make-up work for authorized university events or religious observances is arranged in advance with documentation, following UCF Policy 4-401 and Regulation 5-020.
Deployed active-duty military students should contact the instructor as soon as possible to arrange accommodations.
Campus safety. Every classroom posts an Emergency Procedure Guide; in an active threat, remember AVOID · DENY · DEFEND, and dial 911. UCF Alert delivers email and text emergency notifications.
Financial-aid accountability. A first-week academic-activity task documents course participation so financial-aid disbursement is not delayed.