To the Western world, Japan, its’ people and culture included, is an intimidating mystery. Yet, the intimidation that Westerners associate with the Japanese comes not from Japan’s foreignness (relative to Westerners), but rather from the image of Japan and its’ people that Westerners have grown up with. Focused solely on their work and success, the Japanese people turn their backs on their personal pleasures and emotions; the romantic and passionate does not apply to the Japanese. That is the picture that Westerners have created of Japan and her people. That is the stereotype that Westerners have crowned the Japanese with. But that stereotype does not do justice to the Japanese soul. Westerners are oblivious to the existence of the Japanese soul, a soul that beats with passion and yearns “for something profound and beautiful” (Izawa 1), but sometimes, the Japanese themselves, under all of the work and pressure of having to succeed, forget their own soul and ignore its’ passionate beating. Yet, in these past few years, the Japanese have rediscovered their souls and Westerners have taken notice. Westerners themselves have begun to explore the depths of the Japanese soul and passion through the use of Japanese manga. Manga offers a window to the Japanese society, and in extent, the soul; it shows readers, a major proportion of which come from the Western world, the true Japan that lies behind the cold calculating stereotype that has come to be accepted. Manga has changed how the Japanese people and culture is viewed; it has broken the Japanese stereotype. But at the same time, it continues to uphold and maintain the Japanese culture and traditions upon which those stereotypes are built. And this is the foundation of the paradox of ma...
... middle of paper ...
...and dwell within the land. But that doesn’t apply for the Japanese readers. For these readers, manga isn’t an escape; it’s a reminder of a lost soul, of a yearning to dream, of a beautiful world right within their grasp.
Works Cited
Izawa, Eri. "The Romantic, Passionate Japanese in Anime: A Look at the Hidden Japanese Soul." Japan Pop!: Inside the World of Japanese Popular Culture (2000): n. pag. Rpt. in By Tim Craig. N.p.: n.p., 2000. Print.
Lent, John A. Themes and Issues in Asian Cartooning: Cute, Cheap, Mad, and Sexy. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green State University Popular, 1999. Print.
Navok, Jay, Sushil K. Rudranath, and Jonathan Mays. Warriors of Legend: Reflections of Japan in Sailor Moon (unauthorized). North Charleston, SC: urge, LLC, 2005. Print.
Schodt, Frederik L. Dreamland Japan: Writings on Modern Manga. Berkeley: Stone Bridge, 1999. Print.
Much of what is considered modern Japan has been fundamentally shaped by its involvement in various wars throughout history. In particular, the events of World War II led to radical changes in Japanese society, both politically and socially. While much focus has been placed on the broad, overarching impacts of war on Japan, it is through careful inspection of literature and art that we can understand war’s impact on the lives of everyday people. The Go Masters, the first collaborative film between China and Japan post-WWII, and “Turtleback Tombs,” a short story by Okinawan author Oshiro Tatsuhiro, both give insight to how war can fundamentally change how a place is perceived, on both an abstract and concrete level.
Lee, Robert G. 1999. Orientals: Asian American in Popular Culture. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.
Throughout history artists have used art as a means to reflect the on goings of the society surrounding them. Many times, novels serve as primary sources in the future for students to reflect on past history. Students can successfully use novels as a source of understanding past events. Different sentiments and points of views within novels serve as the information one may use to reflect on these events. Natsume Soseki’s novel Kokoro successfully encapsulates much of what has been discussed in class, parallels with the events in Japan at the time the novel takes place, and serves as a social commentary to describe these events in Japan at the time of the Mejeii Restoration and beyond. Therefore, Kokoro successfully serves as a primary source students may use to enable them to understand institutions like conflicting views Whites by the Japanese, the role of women, and the population’s analysis of the Emperor.
Few countries have a warrior tradition as long and exciting as Japan. It is a tradition found in the Samurai, the loyal and self-sacrificing knight of ancient Japan. The Samurai is a valiant warrior who can both appreciate the beauty of nature in that of a rose blossom but will also kill or die for his master in an instant. This well-rounded warrior was the ruling class of Japan for almost seven hundred years. He fought for control of his country and to keep Japan free from outside influences. (Turnbull 1)
Suzuki, Tomi. Narrating the Self: Fictions of Japanese Modernity. Palo Alto: Stanford University Press, 1996.
This paper will explore what it is about anime that makes it so appealing to even a Western audience, creating an international fan base. Although manga can be traced to American origins, the comics that the Americans brought over have been intensely modified to create essentially a new form of media. Manga and anime have become a significant component of Japanese culture, and often times they integrate Japanese culture and society. Yet, regardless of its Japanese origin, anime is still viewed on the other side of the planet. The question then becomes what is it that makes it so appealing to a foreign audience? This paper will rely heavily on Susan Napier’s book, From Impressionism to Anime: Japan as Fantasy and Fan Cult in the Mind of the
Denison. B. (2002, January 1). A Basic Overview of Japanese Culture . . Retrieved May 3, 2014, from http://www.mizukan.org/articles/culture.htm
Freedman, Alisa (2009) “Train Man and the Gender Politics of Japanese ‘Otaku’ Culture: The Rise of New Media, Nerd Heroes and Consumer Communities.”
Ohnuki-Tierney, Emiko. "The Ambivalent Self of the Contemporary Japanese." Cultural Anthropology 5.2 (1990): 197-216. Print.
Bushido is a Japanese term for the samurai code of behavior that includes the ideal of self-control. Central to this ideal is the consideration that it is "unmanly" for a samurai to display his emotions on his face (Nitobe 94). This traditional aspect of behaviour penetrates deep into contemporary Japanese culture. By examining Fireworks, a Japanese film of the 1990s, we can observe how the idealized image of the samurai transplants itself into a contemporary gangster film (jakuzza-geki). Further, I will argue that Japanese ideal behavior (as descended from Bushido) implicitly calls for the cinematic presentation of emotion at a site other than the face. Using sequences from the film, I will explore how internalized emotion is presented in the form of graphic violence - allowing the main character, Nishi, to preserve his "samurai" dignity.
...th can be seen walking around in some of the most bizarre looking clothing. I once saw a young girl wearing a swan dress not unlike the one worn by Bjork. I have seen some of the worst “fashion faux-pas,” with severely conflicting colors, completely mismatching styles of the top, bottom, and shoes, makeup seemingly done by a five-year-old. As one might like to hope that these styles were mistakenly created by the individual, it is clear that they are intended, whether for shock value or for personal satisfaction. It seems as though in places such as Harajuku, the more “unique,” the better. While Miyake seemed to have far reaching consequences for Japanese identity on the international level, Kawakubo’s constant questioning of societal norms helped foster individual deviations, thereby creating a new identity which, ironically enough, is not limited to or by itself.
Western Washington University (2011). US / Japan culture comparison. Retrieved February 9, 2014, from www.wwu.edu/auap/english/gettinginvolved/CultureComparison.shtml
Manga and anime are popular for many people around the world and has been one of Japan’s most lucrative businesses. Manga and anime are misunderstood by some Americans who are unable to recognize the draw to them. To understand both styles, people need to know where they came from and what makes them a preferred interest of so many others.
Keene, Donald. Anthology of Japanese literature, from the earliest era to the mid-nineteenth century. New York: Grove P, 1955.
... challenge to the major assumptions about globalisation and the west to the rest traditional vector. Not only is it a transnational journey of a commodity, it is also a journey of Japanese popular culture and its ability to resonate in the hearts and minds of global consumers. This globalisation of Japanese popular culture emanates through Appadurai’s notion of scapes, in technoscapes, mediascapes, consumerscapes and ultimately, ideoscapes, creating new flows of global culture.