In this journal article, Morris-Suzuki discusses the origins and changes that culture has undergone through with specific focus on the modern culture of Japan. According to the author, this culture has undergone many changes but still remains the same in one thing Japanese culture reflects the collective thought of the society it is mirroring. However, there is one thing which is puzzling with the authors claims. She points out that the people in contemporary culture inherit the systems of the past and this past is what makes up the culture of the present. There is something contradictory with a contemporary culture (meaning new or modern) being the same culture of the past. Then this means that there is no contemporary culture but merely a recycling of practices of the past.
Penney, M. (2007, May). War fantasy and reality war as entertainment and counter-narratives in Japanese popular culture. Japanese Studies, 27 (1), 35-52.
With Japans long history of violence (that involved the historical world wars), there is no wonder why even their fictional narratives would contain themes revolving on this certain type of history. This is exactly what Penney discusses in his article regarding the apparent use of war themes in the creation of fictional narratives in Japanese popular culture. Though the author gives a lengthy substantial discussion on both war history and war fictional narrative use in contemporary Japanese culture, what he fails to look into is the national psyche of the Japanese which centres on strong nationalistic values. This would probably give more weight on the claims of the author regarding the criticisms involved in the war fantasy of the Japanese popular culture.
Reider, N.T. (2003). Transformation of the Oni From the Frightening and Diabolical to the Cute and Sexy. Asian Folklore Studies, 62 (1), 133-157.
There are many stereotypes and norms in Japanese Popular culture and among this is the usage of the character of the oni wherein it is often symbolized as being a monster that leads to the downfall or confusion of a person most often the person being the protagonist of some literary work be it a legend or the manga or Japanese comics. The article concentrates on this particular character and focuses on the different changes and transformations that the character has undergone throughout the years, when in the past it was a hideous monster and in contemporary popular culture, it has changed into the more humane but naughty type. Though the article presents considerable information on the transformation of the oni what it fails to do is prove two things one, to give substantial evidence that people immediately regard the oni as the hideous monster and two, to prove that the new seductress character in contemporary popular culture is the oni and not a new character developed by the more new form of culture. As the succubus and incubus are famous in mythologies, there is a chance that this supposedly new oni is just this succubusincubus that is famous in Western literary culture.
Penney, M. (2007, May). War fantasy and reality war as entertainment and counter-narratives in Japanese popular culture. Japanese Studies, 27 (1), 35-52.
With Japans long history of violence (that involved the historical world wars), there is no wonder why even their fictional narratives would contain themes revolving on this certain type of history. This is exactly what Penney discusses in his article regarding the apparent use of war themes in the creation of fictional narratives in Japanese popular culture. Though the author gives a lengthy substantial discussion on both war history and war fictional narrative use in contemporary Japanese culture, what he fails to look into is the national psyche of the Japanese which centres on strong nationalistic values. This would probably give more weight on the claims of the author regarding the criticisms involved in the war fantasy of the Japanese popular culture.
Reider, N.T. (2003). Transformation of the Oni From the Frightening and Diabolical to the Cute and Sexy. Asian Folklore Studies, 62 (1), 133-157.
There are many stereotypes and norms in Japanese Popular culture and among this is the usage of the character of the oni wherein it is often symbolized as being a monster that leads to the downfall or confusion of a person most often the person being the protagonist of some literary work be it a legend or the manga or Japanese comics. The article concentrates on this particular character and focuses on the different changes and transformations that the character has undergone throughout the years, when in the past it was a hideous monster and in contemporary popular culture, it has changed into the more humane but naughty type. Though the article presents considerable information on the transformation of the oni what it fails to do is prove two things one, to give substantial evidence that people immediately regard the oni as the hideous monster and two, to prove that the new seductress character in contemporary popular culture is the oni and not a new character developed by the more new form of culture. As the succubus and incubus are famous in mythologies, there is a chance that this supposedly new oni is just this succubusincubus that is famous in Western literary culture.
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