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 HIS 373/573,
CONTEMPORARY JAPAN
IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE IN PERSPECTIVE TOPIC POSSIBILITIES
  • aspects of current popular literature / music / film: horror films, Godzilla, the samurai image, J-Pop, Takarazuka, music "idols"
  • the current art scene
  • urban life styles: fashion, pachinko, video games, kawaii culture, character goods and collectables -- Hello Kitty, Doraimon, Sailor Moon, mecha, Dragonball-Z, Naruto
  • the role of the martial arts in contemporary life
  • manga (comic books) and anime (animated film)
  • architecture
  • media (television / the press / magazines and periodicals): J-Drama, the tarento phenomenon
  • leisure activities
  • the role of the traditional arts in contemporary life
  • the search for a contemporary cultural identity
  • current literature and popular authors: Banana Yamamoto, Haruki Murakami, Kenzaburo Oe
back to popular culture essay assignment
This site has been prepared by Lee A. Makela for the use of students at Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA, who are enrolled in HIS 373/573, Contemporary Japan in Historical Perspective during the Fall Semester of the 2005 - 2006 Academic Year; please contact him with any comments by email at l.makela@csuohio.edu.  
 last revised: August 29, 2005