Abstract
The Shadow of World War II in Modern Japan: Community and the “Victim’s History”
This ten-class module will utilize several modern animated and live action films to demonstrate the continued effects of the loss in World War II on Japanese society and their motivation to rebuild following disaster. By viewing the films Dragon Head (2003), Godzilla (1954), Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001), Grave of the Fireflies (1988), Barefoot Gen (1983), Godzilla Resurgence (2016), reading scholarly articles, viewing videos from online archives, and discussion, students will be exposed to the emergence of the “victim’s history” and the concept of the “community above all” in Japanese popular culture.
In her article “No More Words: Barefoot Gen, Grave of the Fireflies, and ‘Victim’s History’” from the book Anime from Akira to Princess Mononoke, Susan Napier presents the theory that “the Japanese people were seen as helpless victims of a corrupt and evil conspiracy between their government and military. This ‘victim’s history’ is partly due to the collaborative American-Japanese efforts under the Occupation to create an image of a postwar democratic Japan that would free the Japanese from an inescapable fascist and militarist past.”[1] While completing this module, students will come to understand the genesis of this version of history and how it reshaped Japan from its violent past.
Furthermore, the view of “community above all” also pervades the modern popular culture of Japan. As a paradigm of utmost importance to the Japanese people, and the means by which Japan has strongly rebounded post-World War II, students will become familiar through this module with the expression of community in popular culture and will then be able to identify its presence in other Japanese media and realia. In doing so, the ultimate driving force of the Japanese people will be explored.
[1] “No More Words – Barefoot Gen, Grave of the Fireflies and ‘Victim’s History’.” Susan J. Napier. Anime from Akira to Princess Mononoke. New York: Palgrave, 2001, pp. 161-174.
