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AnonymousThe exchange between American and Japanese culture includes one of America’s most popular sports, baseball. First introduced to Japan in the late 1800’s by an American English teacher, the sport gained popularity quickly. It was interesting to read on page 8 of Tsutsui’s book about the Japanese changing western terms to be more patriotic for most things including baseball. He goes on to give the example of changing “safe” or “out” to “alive” or “dead.” It’s interesting to read about the changes over time due to the social and political climate. Later, during the American occupation of Japan baseball gained popularity once more. In the recent years Japan has seen a decreased interest in baseball. Japanese baseball players in the United States like Ichiro Suzuki have helped revive popularity of the sport creating what's known as the Ichiro effect. It’s hard to tell how deep the roots go of the sport in Japan. Even though it was initially an American sport the Japanese have made a major contribution from successful players to what’s served at the stadium during the game. It’s hard to tell whether the Japanese will continue to have in interest in this aspect of shared American and Japanese culture.
AnonymousI wouldn't classify myself as an 'otaku', but I certainly know of a few friends who fit the bill to a T. Nevertheless, I've grown up with Japanese anime since I can ever remember, even my parents remember. Just to name a few, and I hope somebody can recongnize a few of these, are: Doraemon, Godzilla (kaiju not anime), Pokemon, Macross series, Gundam series, Dragon Ball series, Initial D, Final Fantasy, Appleseed, Battle Angel Alia, Ghost in Shell, Samurai Champloo, FLCL, Akira, My Neighbor Totoro (any Studio Ghibli), Evangelion, Trigun, Full Metal Alchemist, Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, Ninja Scroll, Fist of the North Star, Rurouni Kenshin, Starblazers, School Rumble, Azumanga Daio, Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO)...and on and on. Now that I've listed them, I've realized just how much the anime culture has been a part of mylife; I'm confident I haven't even listed a quarter of the shows and mangas I've read. I mention these series to build to the point that who I am today has been shaped by this avenue of immersion into Japanese culture, some more impactful than others. If you've made it this far, I have a confession to reward you with: Great Teacher Onizuka played a heavy impact in motivating me to become a teacher!
AnonymousAs an animation fan (having been exposed to it at a young age via Saturday morning cartoons), I was fascinated early on by Japanese-style animation. One that I really enjoyed as early as age 5 was Gigantor, which was originally made around 1968, but ran for some time after that. Gigantor was a huge flying robot who was contriolled by the a boy not unlike what I imagined myself to be (along with every other kid my age), Johnny Sokko. I didn't know what made the animation (now generally referred to as Anime) so different from American-made cartoons such as Buggs Bunny and such, but I knew they style fascinated me. The boy-hero, Johnny Sokko, used a wrist communicator to talk to the robot, and both he and Gigantor would continuously disrupt the evil mechanizations of the Gargoyle Gang, who had plenty of flying robots of their own. This cartoon imbued in me a fascination for the possibilities of science, and artistic technique, both of which I follow even today. And for that, I'm grateful.
AnonymousAgree. There is more Japanese influence than what is recently noted. The growing cinematic trend of Japanese infatuation in popular culture appears to have deep roots that began in the early 1900s rather than in the late 90s with anime. It is as Tsutsui claims, “ubiquitous, hot, and increasingly influential” (1). So, when reflecting on the Hollyhock House in Los Feliz or the Ennis House in Hollywood, the clean architectural lines do reflect the minimalist Japanese aesthetics seen in traditional and contemporary buildings. While Wright creations initially convey a Mayan design, the prominence of the flat screened walls are reminiscent of the silk screens used as decoration in Japanese homes. These elaborate designs are inspired by nature – the concrete designs of the Hollyhock are modern representations of the hollyhock flower—must like the design elements in most traditional Japanese art (Tsutsui 6). The amalgamation of influences present in our own city is reflective of how truly ubiquitous Japanese art can be, despite the now present spotlight.
edited by crhude on 12/18/2015
AnonymousI was fortunate enough to have viewed Masayuki Suo's 1996 film as part of my undergraduate studies. It was then I discovered the subtleties of Japanese comedy. It is rarely slap stick or raunchy, rather a focus on every day situations with elements of awkwardness and discomfiting individuals. Thus when viewing the remake with Richard Gere and singer Jennifer Lopez I was dismayed. Though Gere did make valiant efforts to display the nuanced subtleties expressed by Koji Yakusho, Jennifer Lopez flounders as a sad, reserved dance instructor. In short, she's Jenny from the Block, not a loner jilted by life. What this remake shows is that globalization is not analogous with Americanization, but that Japanese culture and its cinematic influences are integral in globalization -- influencing America itself (Tsutsui 3). Perhaps we should consider viewing Kinji Fukasaku's "Battle Royale" (2000) and compare it to Gary Ross' "The Hunger Games" and see which cinematic feat is the influencing factor?
AnonymousIt was great to learn that Japan had cinema at the same level as Hollywood's. The quality and greatness as Hollywood's cinema was great because Japan's cinema was seen in some European countries. Even with all of Japan's turmoils and wars, the cinema kept going. It is still big now. It's just taken different styles, but still important world wide. This lecture made me want to explore Japanese Cinema. There are very goo films from the early days! The current genre is beyond me, I do not like scary movies, therefore will not watch any.
AnonymousI had not studied film history before, not even from an American standpoint. I have, however, studied government and economics at great length, both from an American point of view and internationally. I found this reading and lecture most interesting for its emphasis on the interplay between economy and film. It seems obvious now that I think about it, but it's something I hadn't really thought too much about before. A society has to be stable (free from war) and stable (have extra money and resources to pool into leisure activities) in order to make movies. I have not considered before why Hollywood has been so successful, and these are probably two great factors in America's ability to create a thriving movie industry. Back to Japan, I found it interesting to learn more about their history through the lecture and reading. I hadn't realized before this class how successful and stable Japan's history has been, especially in comparison to many of its neighboring countries. I sometimes hear about Japan films and had a rudimentary understanding that Japanese films were influential, but this session definitely helped me understand that in greater detail. I definitely want to watch at least one full-length Japanese film after this class.
AnonymousAlthough the beginning part of Professor Lippit’s history of film was long, it was also very interesting. I had never considered why Hollywood was IN Southern California, and he made it very clear as to why: the weather, cheap land, and long days. I also enjoyed learning about the various types of film in the Japanese industry and how it developed into a stronghold, but I was confused on some of the types of film, such as the suicide film and the last anime film. They were very strange in my opinion, and I wonder how popular they are in Japan in comparison to the other genres?
I also learned more about the roles of women in film, and after his lecture, I realized how very telling the roles of the time can be on the perceptions of a particular group. It is interesting how content of the messages change based on cultural norms and values at the time.
AnonymousThis reading was very particular in the sense that it brought back a lot of memories of when I was growing up watching television. I agree with ladams when he said that only when you grow up you realized you consumed a lot of Japanese cartoons but while watching them you just saw a race man going in crazy adventures. Or Pokemon, which i think has some similarities with Alice in Wonderland on how crazy everything is if you really think about it. I liked how the article emphasized that Japan was not only getting Americanized like every other country in the world but rather is was a player in the exchange process of "culture goods" with America.
Anonymous[font=Times, 'Times New Roman', serif]Professor Lippit’s lecture was eye opening on how Japan approaches the making of movies. It was interesting to realize that the Japanese and American cinema have been a continuous entity since 1895. It was also interesting idea/point [/font][font=Times, 'Times New Roman', serif]Professor Lippit made that "film is so powerful in controlling populations" the way this is done is by distracting the general public from the realities that they may be facing with something else in a movie, like a very happy movie that will make them think life can be like that. [/font]
AnonymousIn Chapter 1 of "Japanese Popular Culture and Globalization," it was very interesting to read about the historical background of how Japanese culture emerged. It was especially interesting to read more about how Godzilla started and evolved, given I grew up watching these movies. As a way to introduce how Japanese popular culture to my students, this would be a great hook lesson to show videos of Godzilla and other anime type films and how they developed and impacted American culture. My sixth graders would definitely be able to connect to Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh for sure, so I would be interested in hearing their thoughts on it and how they interpret Japanese culture through these mediums. I would then possibly have them write some sort of reflection or responses on how they see Japanese culture in their tv shows, video games, daily life activities, etc. I also found interesting this chapter's discussion on how Japanese film has a fascination with apocalypse/end of world type destruction. I found it intriguing how the author discusses that because they're experience with atomic attacks, this may be the reason for their fascination (which totally makes sense given the historical implications).
AnonymousUpon reading this article on Japanese popular culture, I was most intrigued by the idea that Japan is not a mere recipient of globalization, rather, it is an active participant in the exchange of culture and ideas. In recent years, there has been an extra emphasis on placed on globalization as it pertains to economic relations, and as a result many people are not tempted to think of globalization as a longstanding process that includes cultural exchange as much as it includes economic exchange. I appreciated this article because just as it suggests, we often think of globalization as a one-sided exchange in which the rest of the world is at the receiving end of ideas and development and the US and Europe are on the giving end. However, this piece not only reminded me of the role of other countries and it provided plenty or examples on how Japan has actively been a giver in the exchange of globalization.
edited by nramon on 1/11/2016
AnonymousRe: Popular Culture in our students’ lives
Jennifer you have very insightful thoughts on how our students are impacted by Japanese popular culture and how we can get them to realize it is present in their daily lives. I work with an older crowd and in thinking how I can highlight the presence of Japanese products in their lives is through the presence of gaming and consoles. I was most intrigued by the idea that Japan is engaged in a reciprocal relationship in globalization. When we think of globalization we often hear narratives about the US being the exporter of technology and culture, but we don’t emphasize the contributions of other countries. In allowing students to take a moment to reflect where some of the products come from, it offers an opportunity for students to realize that our lives are directly impacted by other countries.
edited by nramon on 1/14/2016
cgaoPlease download and reading the attached PDF.
edited by cgao on 11/23/2015
AnonymousI don't know if it was cheating but I fell in love with the Japanese film, "Shall We Dance" a second time for my film review, after it was endorsed by our instructor. I have a vague recollection of the American version too, but with absolutely no desire to see it again. There is something quite captivating about the dichotomy of withholding and subtle underplays in this movie coupled with overt political incorrectness and going over the top to lampoon certain situations that I find so endearing.
Like the film, Japanese popular culture is like a train wreck that is so entertaining and captivating that you can't turn away even when there are elements signaling that you should not be subjected to such depravity or gruesomeness. In the readings we learn that the most iconic products of Japanese pop culture (J-Pop?) are ridiculously hyperbolic and farcical. My husband and I love Iron Chef because while we marvel at Chef Morimoto's uncanny ability to triumph over even his edgiest opponents, we cannot help but chuckle at the extent to which a cooking competition is taken so seriously that the winners are venerated as paragons of virtue and perfection while the losers are pitied and quickly dismissed so as not to bring further bouts of shame.
edited by niruparmar on 1/23/2016
edited by niruparmar on 1/23/2016