He earned his Ph.D. in Japanese from Indiana University, Bloomington, in 2004; his M.A. in East Asian Studies from that same institution in 2000; and his B.A. in English from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in 1991. He lived in Japan as a teacher and/or student from 1992-1994, 1996-1997, and 2002. Dr. Munson has taught at Randolph-Macon College since 2003. He teaches first- and second-year Japanese as well as courses on Asian and Japanese history, literature, and film. He also serves as advisor to the Macon Anime Club and the Japanese Club. His current research interests include the history of Japanese information media, and the manga author/artist Osamu Tezuka.