ABSTRACT
For centuries, ‘literature’ has generally been considered to mean written works on paper media. The global rise of digital media along with the development of computer networks from the late 1980s has changed the view of literature. While new media have enjoyed their prosperity in the global market, a return to paper media has also been observed in Japan at the same time. These paper media, closely tied to anime, manga, and larger media franchises, are widely called ‘light novels’ (raitonoberu or ranobe).
