The readings provide a unique glimpse of Japanese life. Many television shows focus on the ordinary events of daily living that reflect the dreams and struggles of the Japanese. They offer models of new lifestyles, reinforce social values and norms, and address the concerns of changing workplaces, the demands of education, social and family life, and the roles of women. Many stories convey the theme of foreigners trying to adapt to their new society. The result is a collage of stories, songs and shows with which a Japanese audience can more readily identify and which often give different solutions to problems encountered in a rapidly changing society. Sazae-san, for example, which aired on Japanese television for forty years, clearly depicted family structures and values in the 1950's and 1960's. It discussed women’s rights, food shortages and a wide range of social issues. It often referred to seasonal traditions and holidays and showed how to celebrate them.
In my opinion, living in a country that was rapidly industrializing and Americanizing, many Japanese tuned in to celebrate these events. The breakup of the three-generation family, along with the rise of the two-career nuclear family, resulted in the slow dissolution of the strong oral traditions of Japanese society. Japanese children could no longer hear these stories from their grandparents, but needed instead to learn them from other sources. Television programs, anime, manga and other highly visually oriented media were more appealing to the modern generation that was less print-oriented. These popular formats, therefore, could transmit history and cultural stories in modern settings. In effect, they could modernize the stories by incorporating modern technology within them.
Ordinary people within the stories are often transformed, perhaps through a dream or technology, into heroic characters. Through their experiences, they are strengthened, learn new skills or gain important insights; they are thus able to cope more readily with reality. For example, in many popular Japanese songs, love is portrayed as fleeting, but its beauty is everlasting and gives hope and encouragement to the lover. This hope, or air of optimism, is also found in most of the manga stories. Barefoot Gen, for instance, is a story that focuses on the street orphans left behind after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Gen is an endearing, mischievous, good-hearted character with an indomitable spirit. His dreams and mischief provide comic relief from reality.
Authors of other manga stories satirize the difficulties of life or the weaknesses of characters, and this sense of humor allows the readers to view life optimistically. Buddha, the manga comic book story by Osamu Tezuka, is an adventure tale filled with heroic battles through which Buddha comes to accept the incredible loss of his mother. Many pop genres, in fact, explore the relationships of boys with their mothers and the difficulties they experience separating from them. In Japan, male children are highly indulged, but when they reach school age, they become highly competitive as they submit to harsh requirements.
The importance of dealing with new, ongoing or broken relationships runs through much of pop culture in Japan. The importance of group relationships is much more important in Japan pop literature than the American counterpart. Many Japanese superheroes are actually teams of players rather than individuals, or if they are individuals, they rely on others. The genres depict them as becoming wise and strong by those “they fight with and for” (151). In Yukan Club, the collective abilities and talents are necessary for the adventures to take place and the problems to be solved (173).
In Japan, karaoke also emphasizes group participation to create “camaraderie.” Karaoke is seen as a way to reinforce communication among people in an era of increasing technological change that has forced people to work in isolation. It is important in Japan to have a team spirit and not to show off. Thus, throughout the evening, everyone shares the microphone in karaoke bars. It is not a talent contest, but rather an evening of group participation.
This emphasis on relationships is most easily seen in Japanese pop stars who go to incredible lengths to forge relationships with their fans through handshaking sessions, public photo shoots, correspondence, internet web sites and chat rooms. They attempt to create a feeling of togetherness. For example, they often ask for advice from their fans or offer advice to help others “make sense of the world.” The pop stars are in many ways like the manga that solve the problems of today’s society. In this way, the pop stars are seen on the same level as their fans rather than above them; they give the impression that any person has the potential to be important. Of course, their loyal fans also increase their personal revenue.
Next page: Mixing the Traditional and the Contemporary
