Japanses Popular Culture and Globalizaqtion

[Anonymous]

I am happy you brought up the idea that Professor Tsutsui brought up about how the Japanese are fascitnated with "cuteness" and "horror" because of the psychological effects of World War II. I agree that the horror movies do symbolize a lot of uncertainty about the post-world war era, just like how a lot of American movies of the same time are all against the Russians and communism, our biggest fears (any Bond movie, Dr. Strangelove). But i did not like the rationale that Japan turned to "cuteness" because MacArthur said the Japanese were like adolescent kids and they need to grow into mature, reliable people, and therefore they are forever tweens. I think that is a little far-fetched, and it downgrades the highly intellectual society of Japan. But, I still need to read his book a bit more, maybe there will be a better explanation.

[Anonymous]

There is a discussion but in my opinion it does not make legitimate points. I think as you that the intelletual ability of the entire population has been ignored and I just cannot bring myself to even consider the discussion.

[Anonymous]

Professor Tsutsui's lesture was very interesting and informative. Since then my co workers and I have been dialoguing about beginning an Anemi club and activities to our students.

[Anonymous]

After Professor Tsutsui discussion on Japanese Popular Culture and Globalization, I did some research on the artist Murakami Takashi. After he contributed a famouse Louis Vuitton, he elevated to celebrity status within Japan as well as internationally. He also designed the cover artwork for rapper Kanye West's Graduation Album. In September 2010, he was the first Japanese to exhibit his work at the Palace of Versailles in France.

[Rob_Hugo@PortNW]

I must say from I was intrigued with Mr. Tsutsui's lecture and just knew that I would read his book at my first opportunity. It's a quick and easy read and full of interesting details regarding Japanese Pop Culture. The one concept in my opinion that was the most disturbing however is the view of the pop artist Murakami
Takashi indicating that Japan's postwar popular culture to the atomic bombings of Hiroshma and Nagasaki and that the people are dependent on America politically, economically, and culturally where the people are unwilling and unable to assert itself in the world and have embraced childishness, withdrawing from reality to seek refuge in juvenile fantasies. I can agree that Japan's defeat in 1945 - and the individual and collective responses of pain, loss, and horror -came much of the energy and inspiration for the postwar boom in Japanese mass culture however to indicate that this also left the Japanese people deformed and perpetually infantilized cannot be justified in my opinion and I find it very demeaning

[Anonymous]

In my experiences in Japan, people there today certainly didn't see themselves as "infantilized." In fact, one of the big political debates in recent years has been about whether the government should abolish "Article 9" -- the clause that prohibits Japan from having an offensive military. Plus, most young Japanese people can't relate to the WWII era any more than your average young American can. To them, it's ancient history.

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