Don't let the syllabus fool you ¡V the illustrated books, video games, and animated movies might be a little more entertaining than your average textbook, but they offer just as much academic insight.

Ron Morse, the Tokyo Foundation Professor of Japan Studies, says the seemingly unorthodox class content is a reflection of today's globalization. His course, Japanese Manga and Anime, explores the historical and artistic sides of graphic novels, and their impact on the youth culture in the United States.

While a discussion of Pokemon vs. Spongebob Squarepants might seem sophomoric, Morse delights in the relevance to today's economy; pop culture and entertainment are serious business in Las Vegas. "UNLV is a very community-minded institution," Morse says. "We are a resource for students and scholars because we're in the hotbed of the entertainment culture. Equally important is the university's position as a resource for Nevada's expanding Asian population."

Morse joined the College of Liberal Arts this summer as the result of a multiyear charitable commitment from the Tokyo Foundation. His appointment comes on the heels of the creation in January of the Asian Studies Center, a new area of excellence that explores the political and cultural influences that Asia has in the community.

The Tokyo Foundation, founded in 1997 as a catalyst for research and scholarship, pledged in June to financially support the developing Asian studies program and its faculty. The Tokyo Foundation's goals to promote intellectual activities related to Japan's social sciences and humanities align directly with the mission of UNLV's Asian Studies Center.

Many top universities have Asian studies programs, but they are generally rooted in traditional research in literature, history, languages, and anthropology, Morse explains. "While scholars are often interested in the old stuff, UNLV's program will have a reverse structure," he says. "We will look at current cultural and trade issues like the digitization of gaming and entertainment engineering, our global economy, and the emergence of the service industry across Asia."

The Tokyo Foundation is also funding visits by a cadre of experts from Japan. During weeklong visits to Southern Nevada, they will teach seminars in engineering, history, and animation at UNLV and area high schools.

The Asian studies program is one example of UNLV's innovative degree programs, says history professor Janet Ward, director of interdisciplinary programs. "Training across disciplines is becoming more important," she stresses.

Three dozen faculty members are leading Asian studies coursework and research in areas from tourism to criminal justice.

Partnerships like that with the Tokyo Foundation are increasingly attractive to Asian companies eager to develop global relationships in Nevada, according to Morse. "UNLV is in the mix of America's new entertainment society. This platform has huge relevance for students and the rest of the world."