We have just seen how Japanese practice of “derivative works” can be linked to the idea of postmodernism. So our next question would be–is there any feature of “derivative works” …
Now that we have briefly reviewed what a “derivative work” is, we will consider this practice in a historical and theoretical context. How is it related to the concept of …
Continued from the video in the previous step, Ms. Kotani talks about why and how the Cosplay cultures has gone global and become a popular phenomenon around the world.
In this video, Ms. Mari Kotani introduces the origins of Cosplay in Japan, the relationship between Sci-Fi and Anime, and talks about her own experiences of practice and pleasure in …
Cosplay may be the most famous facet of Japanese fan culture in the world today. Combining and abbreviating two English words — costume and play —, the practice has become …
Wars and battles, regrettably, have not been eradicated from the surface of the earth yet, and we may encounter such fierce combats as those faced by the heroes of the …
This article discusses the considerable significance that ‘school club activities’ play in Japanese culture. School Club Activities With the extremely high percentage of students enrolling in high schools (more than …
Magical agents have been even given to baseball players in Japanese manga. The Magic Ball and Ninjutsu The representatives are HOSHI Hyuma’s ‘Major League Balls’ in Kyojin no Hoshi (Star …
Propp’s ‘Functions’ As is too plain in the case of ninjutsu, the function of the devices can be described as ‘magical’ in a sense. To understand their function more deeply, …
We would feel a greater catharsis than in other cases when we see a young protagonist beat an elder and therefore bigger, stronger, and more cunning opponent, precisely because it …
When we think about the ‘origin’ of popular battle narratives in Japan, it is inevitable to find the establishment of the archetypal image of the ninja in the Japanese cultural …
Here is the English translation of excerpts from “Adults Don’t Understand”(1) (“Otona wa wakatte kurenai” in Japanese) by Nobita Nobi (Nihon Hyoronsha, 2003). Nobi starts her creative carreer as …
Here is the English translation of excerpts from “Adults Don’t Understand”(1) (“Otona wa wakatte kurenai” in Japanese) by Nobita Nobi (Nihon Hyoronsha, 2003). Nobi started her creative career as a …
What is Yaoi? What kind of social background created this culture? Please read the following article excerpted from my own article; “Only Women Know: Possibilities of Male Homosexual Preferences and …
Let’s take a look at Kawaii-ness in some shōjo manga, then think about Kawaii-ness in the 21st Century. Chibi-neko of The Star of Cottonland A few years after Kitty’s debut, …