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Week 12 Question

Can reality tv still be thought of as a genre given the high level of hybridity that exists?

Reality television is an ever-expanding media giant. Though it may have started as a simple genre, as it has risen and fallen, the genre has expanded to create hybrids, mixing together aspects of both its genre and other genres that had already existed on television. Holmes (2004) states that “The combination of forms that are themselves already generic hybrids emphasizes the complex matter of defining ‘reality TV”. Some examples of these types of reality shows would be cooking shows, cop shows and makeover shows. I am going to discuss cop shows in more detail as one prime example of this, then I will conclude with my final thoughts.

Shows such as ‘COPS’ or ‘Police 10-7’ are part of the crime/emergency sub-genre of reality television that has been popular and prominent since the 1980s. A big reason for this is the subject matter, the adrenaline rush and even the violence itself. As Biressi and Nunn (2005) say on the reasoning, “The vicarious pleasures of witnessing crime, disaster and other life-threatening occurrences that are sanctioned by the moral discourses of criminal justice”. These shows have been made for three primary reasons. The first reason is to improve the reputation of law enforcement. The second reason has to do with how the police are ‘inspirational’. The third reason is that it encourages people to help the police in cases. The final reason is surveillance. In crime television, the viewer is given access to surveillance footage. Of course, before these shows came around, police shows were still on television. There were documenteries around the police departments, as well as soaps involving the police department, such as ‘Chips’. Reality television has never been defined as being a reflection of reality, only that it involved ‘real’ people. In the case of reality cop shows, the cops presented on screen are professional cops, doing their jobs, although the show may glorify their jobs for reasons explained above.

So, can reality television still be thought of as a genre. In short, I believe that reality television can be considered a genre, even with the levels of hybridity. Though there are countless sub-genres and hybridity within the genre, there are still common threads that link these genres together. First off, all of them involve ‘real’ people. Whether it is a show based around celebrities such as ‘The Anna Nicole Show’ or members of public, in shows such as ‘Survivor’ or ‘Big Brother’, the people within the shows are not fictional. They are real celebrities, and real members of the public. Another common thread would be hosts of some description, whether it’s a judge on a cooking show, Jeff Probst from ‘Survivor’ or even someone like Andy Cohen, the producer and unofficial host of the ‘Real Housewives’ franchise. Though there are differences, there are enough common traits between most shows that makes reality television still deserving of its title.

References

Holmes, S, Jermyn, D (2004) Understanding Reality Television. Routledge.

Mapp, C (2014) Reality Television: Oddities of Culture. Lexington Books

Vox (2019 May 2^nd) The truth behind the TV show ‘Cops’ [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTQTcfk5Bmw

Week 11 Question

How real is reality tv?

The Oxford Dictionary defines reality television as “television shows that are based on real people (not actors) in real situations, presented as entertainment”. This definition is a simplistic one, and is made up of two main ideas; that it’s based on ‘real’ people and that these people are in ‘real’ situations. However, reality television does provide a distorted view of reality (Barton, 2007). Though the people may be ‘real’, for example in a show such as ‘Project Runway’, the challenges and situations are pre-prepared. Alternatively, in a show such as ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’, the situations might be ‘real’ to them, but it is debatable whether they are being truly genuine, or even whether they can be called ‘real’ as the Kardashians are celebrities. Trottier (2006) defines reality television by giving it characteristics such as it being unscripted, starring real people, having producer involvement and it being spontaneous.

Some people do still believe that reality television reflects real life. In shows such as ‘Big Brother’ or ‘Survivor’, part of the appeal for the audience is seeing people for who they are. Being in stressful conditions, such as being trapped in a house with strangers or living off the land, can bring out strong emotions in people, causing their so-called ‘mask’ to slip. These may be real emotions, but the question is whether these emotions fully reflect them for who they are in reality, or simply whether their emotions are out of control due to their conditions.

Some reality shows are perhaps more real than others. For example, the game shows sub-genre are less about contestants and more about the game format or general knowledge. Cop shows do show real cases and arrests, however the producers of these shows pick and choose specific cases, that are interesting to watch from a viewer’s perspective. So although the situations are real, it may not be realistic in terms of portraying the average policemen’s job position.

I personally believe the reality television rests somewhere in the middle, between reality and fiction. This isn’t always a bad thing, in fact audiences prefer this in many ways. If a reality show involved everyday people doing everyday things acting like every other person, reality television would be less interesting to audiences. Reality television is a genre that most adults would agree is not particually “real”. However, a smart producer knows how to truly invest audiences in a television personality. Highlighting particular traits in particular people can create strong feelings in audiences. So although people understand that reality television is not truly a reflection of “reality”, the fact that the people in these shows are “real” to an extent can heighten emotions in audiences, causing their perception of reality television to shift.

References

Andrejevic, M (2006) How real is reality TV? Essays on representation and truth. McFarland And Company Inc Publishers

Barton, K (2007). The mean world effects of reality television: perceptions of antisocial behaviors resulting from exposure. The Florida State University College Of Communication.

Mapp, C (2014) Reality Television: Oddities of Culture. Lexington Books

Week 10

What distinctions are there between alternate history, postmodern alternate history and uchronie genres?

The alternative history subgenre is used in a wide variety of medias. This subgenre can be connected to a few different genres. Fantasy is one example. In the fantasy television show ‘Once Upon A Time’, an episode deals with an alternate history created when a villain travels in time to ensure a King and Queen never meet. However, the genre it affiliates with most often is science fiction. This is probably because of science fiction’s mysterious, unknown beats. One common trope of science fiction is multiple dimensions, parallel universes. For example, the multimedia Star Trek franchise has the ‘Mirror Universe’, a dimension where the same characters and places exist, but they are more savage, and dark due to altered events in history. Science fiction also is centred around a ‘what if’ idea. This is an idea that coincides closely with alternative history. For example, a common question used in alternative history involves a world where the Nazis won WW2. That idea has been adapted into multiple works, most famously the novel ‘The Man In The High Castle’. Alternative history can be split into three sub-genres.

The first sub-genre is pure alternative history. This is one of the most popular sub-genres of science fiction. Alternative history gives us a version of the world that has some similarities to our present, but due to one particular event in history that has been altered, the present that is shown is different. For example, if the JFK assassination attempt was unsuccessful, or as mentioned earlier, if the Nazis won WW2. This change can be positive or negative. In this genre the event leads to a singular line of effect. Basically, all of the changes that have occurred is due to one single event. Alternate history looks at how these events would unfold in reality, showing us an alternate timeline. A great example of this explanation can be seen in ‘Avengers: Endgame’. In this scene, the Ancient One, played by Tilda Swinton, shows us a single timeline, and explains how a single change in the timeline creates a completely different timeline.

The second sub-genre is postmodern alternative history. This genre has similarities to traditional alternative history, however it focuses on a single point in time where a doomsday type of event must be stopped in order to save the world. A great example of this is in the ‘Days Of Future Past’ saga in the X-Men comic series. Robots have enslaved most of the world’s population, and have killed the others. One of the team, Kitty Pryde, is sent back in time to alter the singular event that triggered this apocalypse. Postmodern alternative history uses this apocalypse in order to further a plotline, unlike alternate history, where this event has already happened. Postmodern is about preventing the event, rather than the aftermath.

Uchronie is the third sub-genre. This genre’s origins lie in France. This genre has similarities to both alternative history and postmodern alternative history. It is the idea of alternative universes, worlds, and timelines, “pure uchronia,” consisting of one alternative world; “plural uchronia,” in which this and an alternate world exist in parallel; and “infinite uchronia,” in which there are many, even infinite parallel worlds” (Mountfort, 2017). The genre shows how simple changes could totally alter the world we live in. This idea of multiple realities tells readers that we can make positive changes, and a better reality, if we work hard to make these changes. This could be done through things as simple as protesting.

References

Mountfort, P. (2016). The I Ching and Philip K. Dick’s The Man in the High Castle. SF-TH Inc.

Week 9 Question

According to Mountfort et al. (2018), what are the three main genres of cosphotography, and how did they historically develop?

Cosphotography could be simply defined as the videoing and photography of those participating in cosplay. However, this is a simple definition for a large subject. This concept dates back to over a century ago, in 1908, where a man dressed as a character from a cartoon strip at a masquerade ball. Since this humble beginning cosphotography has expanded extensively, moving from cartoon strips to more common medias of the 21^st century, such as film and anime. Mountford (2020) says that “photography plays a crucial role in contemporary cosplay”. As time has gone on, cosphotography has split into three main genres, which will be my main subject in this blog.

The most traditional genre of cosphotography is official costume competitions, or fashion shows of cosphotography (Mountford, 2020). In these competitions, cosplayers would model, act and show off their cosplay skills in front of crowds of people. In these crowds there were photographers and videographers, who would record these performances. Usually, there would be prizes and rewards for these competitions. This genre of cosphotography originates back to the early 1900s, where many masquerades had formal costume competitions. Another genre of competition influenced by masquerade competitions would be pageants, which involve outfits, performances and rewards.

The second genre, and perhaps the least official would be hallway cosphotography. This genre is more casual and perhaps the most common in the modern age, where these simple shots can be taken and posted on social media sources, such as Facebook or Instagram. This genre is often seen at conventions, when a cosplayer will dress up and have photos taken of them, usually without permission. However, if it is a shot with another fan, there is always opportunities for a cosplayer to gain fans, or even capital. Mountford (2018) says that “Cosplayers see it as a compliment when fans do want to have a photo taken with them”. Historically, these shots originated from the first cosplay conventions, in the 80s.

The final genre of cosphotography is the studio portrait. Unlike the other two genres, this one is not usually done in front of large groups of people, and it is not done in a public setting. Cosplayers are in a private location, getting photos and videos taken pre-arranged by the cosplayer and photographer/videographer. Full consent is given to share these photos and videos themselves, and the rewards from these photos are purely their own. Historically, this genre dates back to the 70s, when polaroid’s and instant cameras were in their prime. However, these beginnings were in convention settings, instead of private studios as we see nowadays.

References

Mountfort, P. (2018). Cosplay as Citation. In P. Mountfort, A. Peirson-Smith, & A. Geczy, Planet Cosplay. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

Week 8 Question

To what extent can narratology, translation and adaptation studies aid us in understanding cosplay ?

The Oxford Dictionary (2020) defines narratology as “the branch of knowledge or criticism that deals with the structure and function of narrative and its themes, conventions, and symbols. From a traditional standpoint, a narrative text is simply a text in which a story is told. The story (or fabula) is simply a series of logically related events that are experienced by the characters. On the other hands, scholars such as Ryan (2004) call for a more fluid, socially situated definition of narrative texts. Either way, it can be said that there is a basic grammer of narrative events and repotoire of character types out of which all narratives are fashioned (Propp, 1928). Cosplayer mimic characters from the narrative of a text. However, it could be argued that since each fan may appreciate and emphasize different aspects of a character in their performance based on their perception of the text, it has a closer similarity to Fanfiction. In terms of cosplay, the question remains as to the extent of which the narrative of the original text survives adaptation to cosplay, and whether the terminology of narratology is relevant to cosplay (Mountford, 2018).

Kirkpatrick (2015) says that “Through embodied translation, cosplayers embody source characters from a textual realm into a material one. Consequently, in so doing they subject super or fantastical characters to the laws and limitations of the real world”. Though translation used to be extremely strict in terms of ‘faithfulness’ to the source text, this point of view has shifted due to concerns with the function of a text. Now, cosplay translates and adapts texts in order to cater to the cosplay community. In cosplay, the character (visual) trumps the narrative (text). The narrative is largely lost in translation (Mountford, 2018).

Narratology, translation and adaption studies aids us in understanding cosplay because it reveals cosplay as being its own genre. Because the majority of the original text narrative not truly adapted to cosplay, and these gaps are adapted and altered, it creates a slightly altered story, similar to a Fanfiction. There is endless possibility for where the narrative can be taken, and this altering creates a potential alternate genre from its source material. It also helps us understand cosplay in terms of its creativity. Many critics see cosplay as simply copycatting existing characters and narratives, being uninspired and unoriginal. Narratology and translation/adaption studies shows the alterations and changes in cosplay, revealing the creative roots behind the genre.

References

Mountfort, P (2018). Planet Cosplay. Intellect Books.

Oxford (2020) Oxford Learners Dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/

Week 7 Question

Both Hendrix (2018) and King (2010) take us through the horror history of the 60s 70s and 80s. Using references, explain this process in your own words, then think about the current trends of horror movies in your life time. What kinds of social of political changes in the world during these times do you think can be reflected in the horror you’ve read/watched/heard from that particular era?

In the 1960s, changes were abundant concerning control over a woman’s body. In 1960, ‘The Pill’ was released in the public market, a drug with the ability to contain a woman’s hormones to prevent pregnancy. IUDs were released into the market in 1968. And then in 1973, abortion was legalized. Many horror films in this period also featured “evil children”. These children were prevalent in films of this era precisely because of the increasing fear regarding children, birth and pregnancies. Children in these films were “evil” in various ways, whether they were feral, ghosts, possessed or a result of monstrous births (Renner, 2016). However, in most of these pieces, the children were merely vessels of evil, they were faultless and absolved of sin (Renner, 2016). Though the blame most often lied with demoms/devils, often blame lies on absent or neglectful parenting. This brings up fears in parents. Especially with new medicines and technologies regarding children, inner fears were raised as to whether these could result in long-term harm to children. Some iconic evil children in media during this time period include the baby from ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ (1968), Damien from ‘The Omen (1976), the children in ‘The Brood’ (1979) and Regan from ‘The Exorcist’ (1973).

The 1970s had a rise in horror films of two genres, the haunted house genre and folk genre. The early 70s was the height of the hippy movement, with many people forsaking traditional religion and leaving “city life” for a more rural existence. This spawned the existence of folk horror, which usually involved an ancient rural cult discovered by an unsuspecting visitor (often from the city). Some famous movies from this genre are ‘The Blood On Satan’s Claw (1971) and ‘The Wicker Man’ (1973). The haunted house genre became prominent in the late 70s. Janicker (2014) says the haunted house is “a byword for the dark side of domesticity and the underbelly of normal society”. In the time this genre became prominent, there was rising unemployment and a national recession. There were anxieties regarding class, mortgages and equity. The ideology of the “perfect” family was obsolete. Some iconic media from this genre includes ‘The Sentinel (1988) and ‘The Shining’ (1980).

In the 70s and 80s, more woman were moving into the workforce. Because of this, their children were often sent to childcare, raising anxieties as to their children’s welfare, especially considering that the workers were usually strangers. This anxiety and paranoia was a major trigger for ‘satanic panic’. It involved hundreds of accusations that devil-worshipping paedophiles were operating America’s white middle-class suburban day care centres (Hughes, 2017). Most of these accusations were unsubstantiated, and was simply the result of mass hysteria. The panic both reflected and shaped a cultural climate dominated by the overlapping worldviews of politically active conservatives (Hughes, 2017). As a result, this time period was bombarded by films and novels based around satanic rituals, cult and possession. Some iconic media from this genre is ‘The Exorcist’ (1973), Possession (1981) and Poltergeist (1982).

There are two current trends in horror. There has been a surge in folk horror, in films such as ‘Heriditary’ (2018) and ‘Midsommar’ (2019). This could be linked to environmental and global warming concerns, and more citizens turning to a ‘green’ lifestyle. There has also been an increase in apocalyptic horror, such as ‘A Quiet Place’ (2018) and ‘Bird Box’ (2018). This also attributes to uncertainty about humanity’s future, due to both environmental and political reasons.

References

Jackinder, R (2014) The Literary Haunted House: Lovecraft, Matheson, King and the Horror in Between. McFarland & Company.

Hughes, S (2017) American Monsters: Tabloid Media and the Satanic Panic 1970–2000. Journal Of American Studies. Vol. 51, no. 3. 691-719.

Renner, K (2016) Evil children in the popular imagination. Palgrave Macmillian.

Week 2 Question

What is the alleged connection between Hergé’s early comics and propaganda?

The Oxford Dictionary (2020) defines propaganda a “ideas or statements that may be false or present only one side of an argument that are used in order to gain support for a political leader, party, etc”. Though Herge had earlier comics such as ‘Toror’ (1926) and ‘Le Pitit Vingtieme’ (1928), propaganda within his works were not fully realized until the release of his most well-known comic series; ‘Tintin’. The first comic, which was first released in 1929, was entitled ‘Tintin In The Land Of The Soviets’. Scorer (2008) describes the comic as “an unabashed piece of capitalist propaganda satirizing Soviet Russia”. It expresses Herge’s anti-Bolshevik point of view to his readers. For example, one of the panels depicts soviet citizens attending their election while at gunpoint (Herge, 1989). It is viewed by most as a work of anti-communist propaganda and has a strong opposing view against Russia. In 1930, ‘Tintin In The Congo’ was the second of the series to be released, which also has been critically regarded as propaganda. It gives an extremely toned down version of the colonisation in the Congo, replacing the violence and death with comic panels of Tintin educating the native children on their new home country, Belgium (Mountfort, 2016). Though this series as a whole and its characters are beloved by publics to this day, it cannot be said that Tintin’s earliest comics were without right-wing undertones.

Another comic he published, roughly ten years later was ‘The Shooting Star’ (1941), in which the villain was a corrupt Jewish banker (Scorer, 2008). Stereotypes of the Jewish commonly used by Nazis and extreme right-wings were present in this comic (Frey, 2004). For example, Hergé featured a gag in which two Jews hear the prophetic news that the end of the world is near. They rub their hands together in eagerness, and one comments: “Did you hear, Isaac? The end of the world! What if it’s true?” The other responds: “Hey, hey, it vould be a gut ding, Solomon! I owe my suppliers 50,000 francs, and zis way I von’t haf to pay vem!”. This exchange implies that Jewish people are untrustworthy and greedy (Lofficier, Lofficier, 2002). This sort of work cast a negative lens on the Jewish people, and as a result, in 1954, this comic was altered, changing both the villains name and the location.

McCarthy (2006) says that Tintin’s political origins lie on the right, and that there is a good reason why Hergé and his legacy is accused of racism, stereotyping, propaganda and suspect politics. Herge has publicly stated that he was not spreading this propaganda unconsciously. The images and views he was expressing aligned with his right-wing political outlook (Frey, 2004). He had even been working as an illustrator for Léon Degrelle, the far-right leader in Belgium during the Nazi occupation of Belgium (Frey, 2004). These probably stemmed from his worries of retro-colonisation, which was common in this part of Europe at the time. To conclude, the links between Herge’s earlier comics and propaganda are obvious, however this has been mostly amended, with rewrites and reillustrations of his earlier works, and his growth of self-awareness meaning changes were not required for his later comics.

References

Frey, H. (2004). Contagious colonial diseases in Hergé’s The adventures of Tintin. Modern & Contemporary France, 12(2), 177–188. https://doi-org.ezproxy.aut.ac.nz/10.1080/09639480410001693043

Lofficier, J, Lofficier, R (2002) The Pocket Essential Tintin. Pocket Eseentials.

McCarthy, Tom. (2006). Tintin And The Secret Of Literature. Granta.

Mountfort, P. (2016). Tintin as Spectacle: The Backstory of a Popular Franchise and Late Capital. Journal of Asia-Pacific Pop Culture, 37-56.

Oxford Dictionary (n.a) Propaganda. Retrieved from https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/propaganda?q=propaganda

Scorer, James. (2008). Imitating Incas and becoming llama – Tintin in Latin America – or the Latin Americanin Tintin? SAGE Publications.
https://journals-sagepub-com.ezproxy.aut.ac.nz/doi/pdf/10.1177/1367877908089261?

Week 6 Question

According to Joshi (2007), a tale from the Cthulhu Mythos has several defining features that occur regularly throughout Lovecraft’s work. What are these features and how are they used in The Shadow Over Innsmouth? Furthermore, can you see any of these features being used in The Colour out of Space?

There are six recurring themes and features that appear within the majority of tales with the Cthulhu mythos, however I will only be discussing five of these. The first is the theme of anti-anthropocentrism and misanthropy. Lovecraft (1927) said himself, “All my tales are based on the fundamental premise that common human laws and interests and emotions have no validity or significance in the vast cosmos-at-large”. Though the gods and creatures within this mythos are frightening by themselves, it is what they represent that it the consistent underlying fear. Freud (1955) stated his writing is “an “ego-disturbance”, where the very sense of ourselves in the world and our place is attacked”. This theme is especially prevalent in ‘The Colour Out Of Space’. The entire premise and event was a vast concept. Whatever this phenomenon was, it was beyond any human’s comprehension, being able to bend space and time. Humans seem like nothing compared to these beings and their planet.

The second feature that appears in many of these tales are viscerate textures. Specifically, protean semi-gelatinous substances, such as slime and tentacles over typical horror tropes such as blood or claws (Wikipedia, 2020). In ‘The Shadow Over Innsmouth’, the Deep Ones seem to have features fitting this profile, being described in the book as “shiny and slippery”. In ‘The Colour Out Of Space’, the grass eventually becomes tentacle-like, grabbing at our protagonists and trying to pull them down. Also in the film, when Theresa Gardner is mutating with her son, her body seems to be semi-gelatinous, and when Nathan Gardner kisses her, her saliva has become slime-like.

The third common feature is the outsider archetype. Protagonists often have academic intents. However, they tend to be reclusive and socially isolated (Joshi, 2006). This is evident in both studies. The protagonist in ‘The Shadow Over Innsworth’ is a lonely individual, and he is actually not named in the story (though it was later revealed to be Robert Olmstead). In ‘The Colour Out Of Space’ there are multiple layers of isolation. The whole family is in an isolated location, deep in the woods and many miles from help. Within the family dynamic, Lavinia is isolated from her family, precisely because she wishes to escape her family’s isolation and live in a city-like environment. In terms of an academic backround, Ward Phillips, the lone survivor of the incident is a hydrologist and has attending university.

The fourth feature is the feeling of hopelessness. Humanity is not alone in the universe and neither religion nor science is any match for the scale of horror (McConeghy, 2020). Any victories are temporary, and a price is usually paid for these small victories. In both of these stories, they don’t defeat anything, the only reason characters survived is because these lifeforms decided not to. They could have been easily killed, and in ‘The Colour Out Of Space’, the entire family was. In ‘The Shadow Over Innsworth’, though he survived, it turns out he is the very creature he despised, and there is nothing he could do about it.

The final feature is the recurring theme that these creatures are not meant to be discovered, and the comprehension of these are damaging to the point of insanity. McConeghy (2020) says “When Lovecraft’s characters meet an elder god, they want to look away but cannot. They are transfixed by what they cannot rationalize. Moreover, faced with a non-rational experience, they go mad trying to understand it.”. When characters comprehend these creatures, they realize they are not who they think they are. They do not live where they think they live. This moment drives them insane, because they realize they are going nowhere and realistically amount to nothing (Freud, 1955). In ‘The Shadow Over Innsworth’, the protagonist sees The Deep Ones and cannot comprehend it, so he faints. In ‘The Colour Out Of Space’, Nathan Gardner cannot comprehend the events, and as a result turns insane.

References

Joshi, S (2006). The Cthulhu Mythos.

McConeghy, D (2020). Facing the Monsters: Otherness in H. P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos and Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim and Hellboy. Vol. 11, no. 2. Religions. Retrieved from http://apps.webofknowledge.com.ezproxy.aut.ac.nz/InboundService.do?customersID=EBSCO&mode=FullRecord&IsProductCode=Yes&product=WOS&Init=Yes&Func=Frame&DestFail=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.webofknowledge.com&action=retrieve&SrcApp=EDS&SrcAuth=EBSCO&SID=F363IvfSRmNKAdb1JW9&UT=WOS%3A000519615300030

Wikipedia (2020). Lovecraftian Horror. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovecraftian_horror

Week 5 Question

What is the ‘shōjo’ and how does it often function in anime?

Shōjo is a Japanese word that literally translates to “young girl” in English. However, it does convey more specific connotations inn Japanese pop culture. It carries the images of “female pureness, virginity, vulnerability, romanticism and nostalgia” (Berndt, Nagaiki, Ogi, 2019). Generally, shōjo in anime can be separated into two categories; over-sexualized and boy-crazy or the ‘innocent’ girl, protected by the male protagonist/s and conveyed as a role-model to other young girls. In the early 90s however, with the release of Sailor Moon, it offered an alternative to the stereotypical image of this submissive obedient woman, making them more empowered and strong, though they still kept other stereotypical shōjo traits (Berndt, Nagaiki, Ogi, 2019). However, strong female heroines did come before Sailor Moon. The most popular would be the maho shōjo, or the magical girl. Another typical example is the deadly “girl with guns” archetype (Toku, 2015)

Hayao Miyazaki was a anime director that revolutionised the shōjo character throughout his films. Cavallaro (2006) said that “while the average shōjo is portrayed as a passive being suspended in something of a timeless dreamland, Miyazaki’s heroines are active, independent, courageous and inquisitive – to the point that some commentators have described them as youths wearing shōjo masks” (Cavallaro, 2006). They are not traditionally portrayed in a ‘beautiful’ light as other animes portray woman, instead he lets the inner beauty speak for itself. For example, in Princess Mononoke, there is a scene in which San’s face is blood-stained as she looks at the protagonist, however this experience is actually a nurturing act, as she is sucking a bullet out of the Wolf God’s body (Cavallaro, 2006).

References

Berndt, J, Nagaiki, K, Ogi, F (2019). Shōjo Across Media: Exploring Girl Practices In Contemporary Japan. Springer International Publishing.

Cavallaro, D. (2006). The Anime Art of Hayao Miyazaki. McFarland & Company.

Toko, M (2015) International Perspectives on Shojo and Shojo Manga: The Influence of Girl Culture. Taylor & Francis Group.

Week 4 Questions: Anime

What was the cultural impact of Akira (1988), and why does it occupy a key place in the canon of anime greats?

‘Akira’ was released in Japan in 1988. It was released outside of Japan in 1990, just as the Japanese economic bubble burst. It cost roughly nine million dollars to create (a record at the time), and was a complex and challenging work of art that provoked, bewildered and occasionally inspired Western audiences when it first appeared outside Japan in 1990 (Napier, 2005). It was successful abroad, spearheading Japanese animation brands in multiple foreign countries and as a result, a brand new market opened in Japanese animation. (Clements, 2020).

Akira’s story is very mature, which was not especially unusual for animated films created within Japan. However, as this was one of the first anime movies to be released to movie theatres in the west, audiences expecting a stereotypical western animated film were surprised at the mature themes explored within (Bolton, 2018). Some of these themes include humanity, destruction, gang warfare and disaffected youth (Bolton, 2018).

In 1993, Japanese critic Ueno Toshiya made a visit to the city of Sarajevo in a war-torn Serbia. In the middle of this city, he encountered a crumbling wall with three panels, one of these being a scene from Otomo Katshuhiro’s ‘Akira’ (Napier, 2005). In Serbia, this anime was an artistic icon of political resistance. This is just one example of the major cultural impact of the film itself, and its deserving place in the canon of anime greats.

Akira is a science fiction spectacle with a conspicuously high budget and quality of animation (Clements, 2020). Though its impact on the international anime marketplace and global culture is of significance, it was also ground-breaking in its animation, with its gorgeous style still standing the test of time (Bolton, 2018). As a result of this high budget, the production team were able to push the anime style of animation to an entirely new level. The team was able to utilise 24fps animation during selected moments to enhance sequences, making Akira a technical masterpiece of animated media (Mountfort, 2020).

References

Bolton, C (2018) Interpreting Anime. University Of Minnesota Press.

Clements, J (2020). Back to square one: The seeds of anime. Vol. 30, no. 6.

Mountfort, P. (2020). Pop genres anime 1 Akira [PowerPoint Slides]. Blackboard. https://blackboard.aut.ac.nz/

Napier, S. (2005). Anime: from Akira to Howl’s Moving Castle. Hampshire.