Most of us know Amaterasu from various manga, anime, and video games. Amaterasu can be traced to the oldest chronicle in Japan, the Kojiki. Kojiki translates to “Record of Ancient Matters” and dates the the early 8th century. The book traces the lineage of the Emperors to Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess and goddess of the…
Tag: japanese culture
Rodan
Japanese monster films from the 1950s are a great watch. Rodan is a 1956 film that features detailed miniature models of Fukuoka that are demolished in great monster fashion by a pair of giant pterosaur. It all begins when miners accidentally dug up a swarm of ancient bugs known as Meganulon. The infant Rodan emerged…
The Sokushinbutsu, Japan’s Mummy Monks
How far would you go for your beliefs? If your faith called for it, would you give up your life? What if, to get to heaven, you were called upon to take your OWN life? Sound bizarre? To a sect of Buddhists called Shugendo it wasn’t. These monks and nuns are known now as the…
Yaoi: Hate for Boys’ Love
As a librarian, I firmly believe people should have access to information and literature of all types. Yaoi isn’t a genre I have any interest in reading, but many of you will say the same about my beloved Roman history books. It is okay to like and not like something; that is what makes each…
Drifters
On a whim, I started reading the manga Drifters from Kouta Hirano (author/artist of Hellsing). I rather enjoyed reading Hellsing, and I liked the anime version of it as well. So, I figured I would enjoy Drifters as well. As of now, there are 35 chapters released, and after all these chapters I am still…
A Look at Gender Expectations in Japanese Society
Gender roles are often something we don’t think about. We are socialized as guys and gals to behave in certain ways and often don’t realize it. Our media reflects these mores. Anime, like any other medium, reflects the expectations society has for its members. Aspects of anime, such as a girl cooking a bento for…