- Week 5 -

- Is it a high or low cultural genre, according to Napier (2005)? What are some of its subgenres?

I think it is hard to define that anime belongs to high or low cultural genre. In Japan, the anime genre is culturally located at present. According to Napier (2005), anime is a one of the well known cultural form which is based on the Japanese cultural traditions. In other words, “anime clearly appears to be a cultural phenomenon worthy of being taken seriously, both sociologically and aesthetically” (Napier, 2005, p.4).

In the past, anime was treated as small subgroups of science fiction, but now anime is increasingly set the mainstream in Japan (Napier, 2005). The popularity of anime has grown extremely in other Asian and Western countries. The animation products are exported as cartoons, films and videos. As animation is getting popular, it causes the ‘anime-boom’. The anime force is powerful within commercial aspects so the global relationship is issued in a world. When I went to Japan, there were lots of animation souvenirs such as Ponyo and Totoro. I think people may know animation characters even just one. It might be one of the biggest profits in business and industry in Japan. Continually, Japan have to retain and keep this important pop-culture.

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

Shojo is one of the subgenres of anime. According to Cavallaro (2006), the literal meaning of shojo is a ‘little female’ in Japan and is aimed at audience of young girls. The elements of anime are similar as science fiction genre, however the typical shojo stories are calmly dreamy and the feeling of atmosphere is enchanted and marvelous (Cavallaro, 2006).

The functions and characteristics of shojo are revealed and reflected in Miyazaki’s films. “Miyazaki’s heroines are active, independent, courageous and inquisitive – to the point that some commentators have described them as ‘youths wearing shojo masks’” (Cavallaro, 2006, p.11). For example, Mononoke which we have watched in a class, the main character girl, Eboshi shows the Miyazaki’s vague and distinctive features. I was surprised at Eboshi’s characteristics. Eboshi’s character was different from other general girl’s identities. She has a leadership of wolf siblings and powerful like a man’s character so I felt her strongly and intensely. As Napier (2005) explains the contents of shojo narratives genre cover both increasing fluidity of gender identity and changing the women’s roles to drastically. I have seen Miyazaki’s movies, My Neighbour Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle, Ponyo on the Cliff and Sen & Chihiro. Although shojo features are not located, I really enjoyed them and looking forward his next film =)

References:

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

Napier, S. (2005). Why anime? In Anime: from Akira to Howl’sMoving Castle (pp.3-14). Hampshire: Palgrave/ Macmillan.