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Infinite Zenith · 2015-02-09, 23:31

Quite recently, I chanced upon a rather, shall we say, unusual volume at my university's library. It's titled "Kyoto Animation: A Critical Study and Filmography", by Dani Cavallaro, and I began leafing through its contents, eventually coming across a section on the K-On! Movie. I was interested, but as I kept reading, it surprised me as to how many errors the book had been filled with, almost as if the author had never watched the movie. My curiosity took the better or me, and I looked up Dani Cavallaro.

It turns out she's a rather prolific author who's published several books, including those on Studio Ghibli and CLAMP. However, reviews for these books are lukewarm at best, with some readers saying that she's plagiarised from sources like Wikipedia and personal blogs, then rewrote everything with jargon-filled prose and giving it a seemingly scholarly tone while obfuscating the meaning. I had been wondering why her discussion on K-On! involved The Disappearance of Suzumiya Haruhi: the movies were intended to be very different works and the former was not intended to compete with the latter in any way. A blogger (whose name escapes me) once made this comparison, but it was not to assert that the K-On! Movie had to be bigger or better than the latter, and merely point out the differences in the movie's accessibility to their audiences. There is no way this can be coincidence; if Cavallaro is plagiarising (or coming close to, while making use of minimal citations to avoid being classified as such), one wonders how her books are even published. So fraught with errors are Cavallaro's books that scholars do not consider them to be an acceptable resource, and her books are only cited to refute the points that she bring up.

This leaves me with the question: has anyone else heard of Dani Cavallaro's books? If so, what are your thoughts? I personally dislike them, as Cavallaro makes extensive use of resources considered to be completely inappropriate for her books (such as personal blogs), engages in practises that are frowned upon in academia, and her prose is remarkably dry: it takes her a paragraph to convey what can be done within a sentence or two.

itisjustme · 2015-02-10, 06:31

I don't know this book or person but aren't you too quick to establish some reader comment as fact. Plagiarism is a serious accusation you know. :P

Marcus H. · 2015-02-10, 07:38

Here is the Wikipedia discussion about Dani Cavallaro taking out excerpts from VN-related articles.

2015-02-09, 23:31	Link #1
Infinite Zenith Operation sneaky sneaks IT Support Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Hic et ubique	Has anyone heard of Dani Cavallaro? Quite recently, I chanced upon a rather, shall we say, unusual volume at my university's library. It's titled "Kyoto Animation: A Critical Study and Filmography", by Dani Cavallaro, and I began leafing through its contents, eventually coming across a section on the K-On! Movie. I was interested, but as I kept reading, it surprised me as to how many errors the book had been filled with, almost as if the author had never watched the movie. My curiosity took the better or me, and I looked up Dani Cavallaro. It turns out she's a rather prolific author who's published several books, including those on Studio Ghibli and CLAMP. However, reviews for these books are lukewarm at best, with some readers saying that she's plagiarised from sources like Wikipedia and personal blogs, then rewrote everything with jargon-filled prose and giving it a seemingly scholarly tone while obfuscating the meaning. I had been wondering why her discussion on K-On! involved The Disappearance of Suzumiya Haruhi: the movies were intended to be very different works and the former was not intended to compete with the latter in any way. A blogger (whose name escapes me) once made this comparison, but it was not to assert that the K-On! Movie had to be bigger or better than the latter, and merely point out the differences in the movie's accessibility to their audiences. There is no way this can be coincidence; if Cavallaro is plagiarising (or coming close to, while making use of minimal citations to avoid being classified as such), one wonders how her books are even published. So fraught with errors are Cavallaro's books that scholars do not consider them to be an acceptable resource, and her books are only cited to refute the points that she bring up. This leaves me with the question: has anyone else heard of Dani Cavallaro's books? If so, what are your thoughts? I personally dislike them, as Cavallaro makes extensive use of resources considered to be completely inappropriate for her books (such as personal blogs), engages in practises that are frowned upon in academia, and her prose is remarkably dry: it takes her a paragraph to convey what can be done within a sentence or two. __________________

2015-02-10, 07:38	Link #3
Marcus H. Princess or Plunderer? Join Date: May 2009 Location: the Philippines	Here is the Wikipedia discussion about Dani Cavallaro taking out excerpts from VN-related articles. __________________ Continuing: White Sand Aquatope (6/24) and Vanitas S2 (0/12), The Vampire Dies in No Time S2 and Bofuri S2 (3/12). 2021: Restaurant to Another World S2 (3/12), takt Op. Destiny (1/12) and Taisho Maiden Fairy Tale (1/12). 2022: Yuusha Yamemasu (1/12), Kaguya-sama S3, Mob Psycho 100 III (Oct06), Bleach: 1000 Year Blood War (2/13) and Chainsaw Man (6/12). Spring 2023: Yamada-kun to Lv999 no Koi wo Suru, Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear Punch! (4/12), Skip to Loafer, Tonikaku Kawaii S2 (1/12), Otonari ni Ginga (5/12) and Kimi wa Houkago Insomnia (3/13). Contact me on Wikia and MyAnimeList. Anime List Status ~ Watching: 33. Completed: 468. Plan to watch: 39.

2015-02-10, 06:31	Link #2
itisjustme Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009	I don't know this book or person but aren't you too quick to establish some reader comment as fact. Plagiarism is a serious accusation you know. :P