SUMMARY ― 185 ― Emergence and Fluctuation of the Slang Term, Dòngmàn , in the Chinese Magazine of Anime and Manga, The Age of Dòngmàn（offi cial English title : Anime Comic Time ） Meng Lü A slang expression unique to Chinese-speaking countries, dòngmàn（a portmanteau of dong [animation, moving images] and man [manga/manhua, still images, comics]）, has long demonstrated much semantic fl uctuation. A close relationship between anime and the graphic novel, or manga, became evident following the popularization of Japanese animation productions in China that began in the 1990s, and it resulted in the birth of this portmanteau, dòngmàn , an expression which highlights the close connection between animated and non-animated character illustrations. With the permeation of Japanese anime and manga culture, a new understanding and sensibility developed among Chinese recipients of otaku culture. These diff ered from those of Japanese recipients due to factors unique to the environments of people in Chinese countries such as diff erent transmission methods, base cultures, and customs. The term dòngmàn , derives from the reception of otaku culture, and a range of meanings have occurred which correlate with varying degrees of permeation of its dissemination. Examples of the use of dòngmàn diff er with the distinct experiences and contexts of each user and contextual gaps. This monograph applies discourse analysis to the language in China's first magazine of anime and manga, The Age of Dòngmàn , to illuminate how otaku cultures have been disseminated and interpreted in China. Specifi cally, I have collected data on the term, dòngmàn , in The Age of Dòngmàn , seizing variations in number of occurrences, meaning, and form. In examining transitions in the meaning of dòngmàn , I analyze transformations in interpretations of otaku culture in China and examine the relevance of the formation of a sense of community enabled by recipients of otaku culture to the polymorphism of dòngmàn ..