I have to throw together a report by the end of the semester for one of my long put off courses so I can graduate and get my degree..

In this course, you're suppose to cooperatively write a report with your employer (assuming you have a job in your field of study, which is Computer Design & Animation).. I've only got a shifty retail job at the moment, so my paper can be on anything I'm interested in that pertains to art or design or engineering in some form.

To get to the point, my teacher okayed a report for Japanese art and animation. I'm not a slimey otaku (no disrespect to those of you that are :p), but I do have a strong adoration for art and design.

Can anyone reference me some good reading or viewing material on Japanese art in general?

I'll probably be focusing on the post war era of artwork, because it's in line with my degree but I would also like to familiarize myself with the origins and progression of the arts in Japan.

I bought a great book called 'Manga: Sixty Years of Japanese Comics', but again, I need a broader spectrum on the subject.. Any recommendations would be great. Thanks! ^_^

There are loads of books aimed at graphic designers re: the Japanese design aesthetic, especially with regards to retail: packaging, advertising, etc. Unfortunately, most of them are way expensive. If there is a Half-Price Books (or equivalent) in your neighborhood, you might check out the "graphic design" shelves. A nearby university library will probably have the same material. As an example, Japanese Graphics: Beautiful Streamline, by Bill Cranfield, is a gorgeous book.

Fashion design is also a fertile field... Issey Miyake, Hanae Mori, etc...

Check out Ukiyo-e, especially Hokusai's work, like 北斎漫画 - this is where the origin of manga is... This is a broader spectrum then 60 years of history. :-)

Even though it kind of falls in the 60 years of history category, I'd definitely look further into 手塚 治虫 Tezuka Osamu's work. His life is pretty interesting and he pioneered a lot of things used in the medium today.

I would say: go to a library! Especially a university library if you can have access. I'm sure you will find lots of books on Japanese history of art.