JAPN308: Japanese Pop-Culture
Course Description:
This course explores post WWII Japanese music, literature, artistic media, and hi-tech products. Investigates social themes ranging from post-holocaust Japanese hedonism to childhood fantasies by looking at Manga comic books, Anime animated movies, and popular music from Enka to J-Pop to Karaoke, as well as fashion and style, popular technology, consumerism, and environmental issues. Explores the evolution of pop culture and its impact on society. Taught in English. (Credit/No Credit Available) (Prereq: Junior or Senior Standing)
This class was largely a continuation of Cool Japan Today (JAPN215), in that it focused on aspects of Japanese Pop Culture that had spread around the world. This class took it a step farther, however, and looked into the effect these phenomenon had on the societies they influenced. In a particularly memorable lecture, we discussed 'Otaku': 'nerds' who are highly obsessed with one thing in particular. While the term has come to be used popularly (i.e., a Train Otaku, or a Baseball Otaku) for a long time, the image of an Otaku was a pale, sickly, creepy person who stayed inside all day. Our class discussions explored what created this behavior, and how the idea of 'Otaku' is being used today. They are, after all, extreme pop culture fans.
The class lead me to look at the differences in television content between America and Japan. The ridiculousness of anime edits in particular grabbed my attention, and created the basis for my final project. I explored the extent to which Japanese animes are edited when sent overseas, and how it contributes in part to culture erasure. While today's edits are far smoother, edits made during the early 2000's contributed to confusion and misunderstandings about Japanese culture, potentially breeding ignorance in an entire generation. I was excited to finally be able to cover the problems caused by erasure between cultures, and this class was the perfect place to highlight it.
This course explores post WWII Japanese music, literature, artistic media, and hi-tech products. Investigates social themes ranging from post-holocaust Japanese hedonism to childhood fantasies by looking at Manga comic books, Anime animated movies, and popular music from Enka to J-Pop to Karaoke, as well as fashion and style, popular technology, consumerism, and environmental issues. Explores the evolution of pop culture and its impact on society. Taught in English. (Credit/No Credit Available) (Prereq: Junior or Senior Standing)
This class was largely a continuation of Cool Japan Today (JAPN215), in that it focused on aspects of Japanese Pop Culture that had spread around the world. This class took it a step farther, however, and looked into the effect these phenomenon had on the societies they influenced. In a particularly memorable lecture, we discussed 'Otaku': 'nerds' who are highly obsessed with one thing in particular. While the term has come to be used popularly (i.e., a Train Otaku, or a Baseball Otaku) for a long time, the image of an Otaku was a pale, sickly, creepy person who stayed inside all day. Our class discussions explored what created this behavior, and how the idea of 'Otaku' is being used today. They are, after all, extreme pop culture fans.
The class lead me to look at the differences in television content between America and Japan. The ridiculousness of anime edits in particular grabbed my attention, and created the basis for my final project. I explored the extent to which Japanese animes are edited when sent overseas, and how it contributes in part to culture erasure. While today's edits are far smoother, edits made during the early 2000's contributed to confusion and misunderstandings about Japanese culture, potentially breeding ignorance in an entire generation. I was excited to finally be able to cover the problems caused by erasure between cultures, and this class was the perfect place to highlight it.
japn308finalpaper.docx | |
File Size: | 11 kb |
File Type: | docx |