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Title: Parallel Histories: The Shared Evolution of Anime and Tokusatsu in Japanese Pop Culture

Goal:
This project will explore how anime and tokusatsu (Japanese live-action productions with special effects) have developed alongside one another and influenced each other throughout postwar Japan.

What I’d like to find out:
By the end of the project, I hope to uncover how their aesthetics and storytelling techniques evolved in parallel, and why these two forms of media remain so interconnected in Japan’s pop culture landscape. I also plan to understand how both contributed to the growth of Japan’s media mix industry (franchises involving TV, film, toys, etc.).

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I have 3 ideas at the moment;

want to explore how anime transformed from a niche Japanese art form into a globally recognized cultural force and how its influence shaped international media.

Another idea would be to analyze how themes of personal growth, resilience, and overcoming failure are presented in anime, using Haikyuu! as a central case study. This would involve exploring narratives of personal struggle, teamwork, and self-betterment among others.

I would like to investigate how anime's unique visual style has influenced global design and character aesthetics in various media, such as games, fashion, and digital art. This includes exploring anime’s influence on trends like exaggerated expressions, intricate designs, and dynamic action scenes, as well as how Western and Eastern art sensibilities blend in shows like ATLAB. My goal is to highlight how anime aesthetics transcend borders and evolve through cross cultural influences, making a strong impact on design and art across the world.

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An alternative topic: The portrayal of Germany and Germans in Japanese pop-culture (along with Germanic influence in animanga culture).

A less serious and more of a comedic take on the "doitsu" trope we see in anime.

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I'd like to explore Japanese perceptions of Western culture in modern times in comparison to perceptions in previous eras to discuss the similarities and differences. This theme is common in some Anime I consume, where the author incorporates story elements inspired by Western culture, and their take on Western culture is definitely different than someone like me, who lives the culture. The first Anime I have in mind is Baki, which takes a lot of elements from outside of Japan to enhance the fictional world-building, even though the main characters originate in Japan and are traditional native Japanese. I will do more detailed research to find more examples of older and modern Anime to expand upon this idea.

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I’m thinking about comparing and contrasting the Kami from Kojiki to the Kami in the anime/manga Noragami. In Noragami, the Kami must fulfill the wishes of humans, and have different natures (such as war, poverty, learning, marriage, economy, etc.), similarly to the Kami in Kojiki. There’s even a plotline about Ebisu meeting his mother, Izanami, in Yomi. I think I would compare the how the characters in noragami differ in terms of appearance, powers, lore, etc in comparison to the Kojiki Kami.

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I thinking about violence and pacifism in Japan using my favorite anime character Kenshin's journey from assassin to pacifist that reflects Japan's pacifism after WWII and anti-war stance and symbolizing the nation's struggle with militarism.

2nd option: possibly do analyze of how the Meiji Restoration in Rurouni Kenshin mirrors Japan’s ongoing struggle between rapid modernization and the preservation of traditional values.

3rd option: Explore the theme of personal redemption in Kenshin’s story and how it parallels Japan’s efforts to reconcile its wartime past with its peaceful present.

4th option: investigate how the samurai code of honor in Rurouni Kenshin continues to influence modern Japanese work ethic, loyalty, and social expectations.

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I'd like my final project to focus on the importance of animism in Japanese pop culture and how the culture is influenced. How it is incorporated into anime through the belief in Kami/ spiritual nature into a lot of animes.

Maybe going into sacred monsters specifically and how they are incorporated into Japanese lifestyle or beliefs

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I may explore the spirit of Japanese craftsmanship through Japanese animation. I may focus on anime series, like " One Piece" or "Naruto". It is these perseverance and constantly strive for perfection

that make Japanese anime so popular.

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Tentative Idea(s):

One I thought to do involves an exploration of the differences in school lifestyles and teaching curriculums between Japan (like what is shown in animes) versus the US/Western.

Another topic I would delve into is yokai! Maybe exploring more how and why kami exists, since I enjoy seeing these Shinto elements in Ghibli films! Or delving into the types and kinds of yokai of supposedly good and bad, an idea of being cursed?? Then relating that to animes I've seen. Even learning more about priest/priestesses would be interesting. Or even researching yokai like the sandal one and the idea of why they come into existence ~

Finally, Japanese cuisine would be fun! About how they changed through time, the meaning of bentos and the significance of cooking/serving certain foods and just the ties to Japanese culture! (the beautiful visuals of animated foods in anime is so nice :0 )

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For my final project I'd like to do something that relates with music such as japanese ballads/pop compared to western pop/ballads. I would say that both styles have it's different style of storytelling/hooks. Or how songs get popular in the states compared to Japan

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I’d like to explore the evolving perception of tattoos in Japanese society. Specifically, I want to focus on how tattoos, once heavily associated with the yakuza, are beginning to shift toward broader acceptance, particularly among younger generations and due to foreign influences. I also plan to examine how this changing attitude is reflected in public policies, such as access to bathhouses and gyms, and how it contrasts with traditional views.

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For my final project I would like to focus on the portrayal of friendship in Japanese anime vs western cartoons, and how it can further depict similarities and differences in cultural values between the two. This could also expand to other topics like family relationships, morals etc and how they are portrayed.

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I would like to focus on music in Japan either from Idols groups to anime music I’m a big fan of the Love love franchise and I enjoy there music but I also love Japanese music that is played in the opening and endings of anime’s. I been a big fan of Japanese music since I was in my early teens. And also I would like to compare how Japanese music and idols have similarities and differences from the world specially the western world like the United States, Europe & Latin American music since I’m Latino.

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For my final project I thought of looking into the variety of cultural festivities and celebrations in Japan as opposed to some in the west.

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I want my final project to be based on what it means to be a samurai following the ideals of bushido, how this was portrayed in the Edo period vs. modern media, and if it is possible to retain the representation of busho in today's socio-political climate (become a modern-day samurai with the busho spirit).

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I want to do something related to music, whether its music in anime, anime based on music or maybe just music in Japanese pop culture in general

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I'd like to have my final project be based on the portrayal of Western themes and tropes in anime and its portrayal. I'd be focusing on manga/anime such as Berserk, Hellsing as well as Trigun and some parts of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure.

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I want to build my project on the basis that women are overly sexualized in anime. They usually have big breast, and wear vey little clothes, and even some are very young, like Elizabeth in Seven deadly sins. They ae usually ery pretty, and some are used only for sex, like we see in Kengan Ashura.

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The evolution of Japanese architecture through the influences of religion, nature, colonialism, war, economic boom, and the West.

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Robert Aglialoro

I was thinking of analyzing the form of escapism that is typically present in the isekai genre; in specific looking at Re:zero to discuss how it challenges the tropes of the genre and delves into the issues of a "hikikomori" in a more proactive and psychological way.

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2.5D Musicals - learn about 2.5D performances and compare with Japan's long standing theater traditions, like kabuki/noh

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"Feminist Origins of Kawaii Culture" - cover the rise of the kawaii aesthetic during the 1970s, topics like Hello Kitty/maruji

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"Feminist Origins of Shoujo Manga" - learn about the history and messaging of shoujo manga during the 1960's-70's (IE: Versailles No Bara)