Japanese Visual Media Graph 2: Building a research-oriented and accessible service

• Applicants: Dr. Martin Hennig; Professor Magnus Pfeffer; Professor Dr. Martin Roth; Regine Tobias, since 1/2024
• Subject Area: Asian Studies ; Data Management, Data-Intensive Systems, Computer Science Methods in Business Informatics ; Theatre and Media Studies
• Term: since 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 408030995

The aim of the Japanese Visual Media Graph project is the creation of a researcher-oriented, graph-based, highly interconnected database of Japanese visual media resources (anime, manga, Japanese video games, printed matter etc.) along with a suite of flexible search and analytic tools. This knowledge graph is aimed at researchers in Japanese Studies or Media Studies who focus on modern media and their expressions, themes, topics, characters, and reception. The project mainly relies on data created and curated by internet-based enthusiast communities. In the first project phase, the project has secured access to most of the primary data sources and shown that such a knowledge graph is not only technologically possible, but also a valid and versatile tool for data-driven research. The project team has started a dialog with multiple enthusiast communities and obtained data sharing agreements. An adaptable data model covering the domain of Japanese visual media was drafted based on the models employed by individual communities. The collected data has been made available as Linked Open Data with a custom frontend and both simple and complex search APIs. Several exemplary research cases have helped shape the data model and interface and proven both the quality and utility of the knowledge graph. This second phase of the Japanese Visual Media Graph project is focussed on moving the experimental and prototypical results of the first phase into a stable, sustainable service available to a diverse group of interested researchers. The first objective is to further develop the knowledge graph contents by adding relevant data sources, to refine the data model and to continue data quality control. The project team will work with several researchers and research groups on diverse research scenarios to guide this content extension process. The second objective is to develop the technological foundations and user interface further, with a focus on creating a scalable and locally deployable service infrastructure as well as connecting external tools or research environments by providing specific data APIs and extending the search and "quick analysis" functionality available in the web frontend. The third objective is to make the contents, data model and research approaches using the knowledge graph more accessible to the intended users by providing a researcher-oriented, user-friendly documentation, code examples and online tutorials. Conducting multiple hands-on, on-site, face-to-face workshops will provide opportunities to engage directly with the research needs and technical problems of humanities researchers and provide valuable feedback on our services.

• DFG Programme: Research data and software (Scientific Library Services and Information Systems)
• International Connection: Japan, Netherlands
• Co-Investigators: Olaf Brandt; Professor Dr. Kai Eckert; Professorin Dr. Heidrun Wiesenmüller
• Cooperation Partners: Professor Bryan Hikari Hartzheim; Professor Federico Pianzola; Professor Steve Suan
• Ehemalige Antragstellerin: Dr. Marianne Dörr, until 1/2024