2) In what ways, and for what purpose, does the film experiment with senses of temporality? How would it be different if it employed a conventional linear structure? Do you feel that the nonlinear structure is integral to the themes of the film?

3) Matsumoto has called Funeral Parade of Roses a “film about filmmaking.” What do you think he means by this? How does the film realize his notions of the “neo-documentary” as articulated in his short essay?

4) How do you interpret the ending of the film? What allusions (literary or cinematic) are contained in this conclusion?

5) Is this a political film? What sort of political statement is it attempting to make, if any?

1) What strategies does the film employ to articulate Okinawa as a cultural space distinct from (mainland) Japan? Cite specific scenes or formal approaches.

2) How does the Untamagirū folktale (as seen in the film) function as an expression of Okinawan identity? How can it be seen as a historical allegory of Okinawa’s political situation?

3) What role does magical realism play in the work? Would you compare its use to any other literary or cinematic work? How does the element of magical realism challenge certain stereotypical images of Okinawa?

4) How might characters such as Girū, Chief Nishibaru, and Marē be read as representative of different aspects of Okinawa?

5) Untamagirū, like our previous film Funeral Parade of Roses, is structured around an unconventional sense of temporality. How would you compare the sense of time in this film with Funeral and how might it be seen as connected with Okinawan historical identity?

6) How would you interpret the ending of this film? At what points in the film is the Japanese language used and why is this significant?

7) How should we categorize Untamagirū? Is it possible or appropriate to regard it as “Japanese cinema”? What aspects of the film indicate the potential for a distinctly Okinawan cinema?

Bonus:

Based on the reading, how does Untamagirū differ from previous/other cinematic representations of Okinawa?

4/21/25

Untamagiru Film Discussion

Untamagiru is a film set on the island of Okinawa.  The film is set in the 1970s at the time when Okinawa was in dispute between becoming independent, remaining under the overview of the U.S. military post-World War II, or returning to Japanese rule.  

Geographically, the island of Okinawa is about 400 miles south of mainland Japan and has a subtropical oceanic climate with warm and humid conditions year-round.  Throughout history, Okinawa has had more contact with other Asian countries than mainland Japan and was under administration by the U.S. military from 1945 to 1972.

Culturally, Okinawa is a “champuru” (mixed) blend of Japanese, Chinese, and Ryukyuan (an East Asian ethnic group indigenous to the Ryukyu Islands, primarily in Okinawa and Kagoshima Prefectures) traditions that are reflected in the cuisine, art, way of life, and music.  Traditionally, Okinawa culture has been negatively stereotyped by other ethnic groups in Japan.

  In the film, the character named Giru breaks a taboo by sleeping with the character of Mare, who is a pig in the form of a girl and is being raised by the village head as a wife for the spirit Lord of the forest.  Others that have also broken this taboo have disappeared into the forest and were mummified in a cave.  The village head also tries to kill Giru for sleeping with Mare.  Giru is given a chance to avoid this fate from a tree spirit that repays Giru for rescuing his son.  The tree spirit and his son perform a ritual to turn Giru into a godlike existence called Untama Giru.  After this transformation, Untama Giru displays several magical abilities, including floating, levitation of objects, and being able to direct animals.  These abilities are seen as a natural part of his new identity by his family and the villagers.  His use of magic proves his transformation from human to other.

Untama Giru then appropriates items and distributes them to the villagers.  However, the gifts seem to also bring calamity to those who accept them.  Examples of this are when Untama Giru liberates animals from the conglomerate and gives them to the village for a feast, but the conglomerate workers arrive and break the cooking pots before the food is ready or when the brothel owner complains that too many poor people are visiting because Untama Giru is giving them money.

Later in a play put on by the village, Untama Giru’s magical abilities are shown as a part of a good natured “Robin Hood” rebel, fighting against oppression.  During the play the village head succeeds in spearing Untama Giru in the forehead, however, he is able to stand and exit the stage bringing to mind one of the opening scenes of the film where Untama Giru is walking along a beach with a spear in his forehead.  The true fate of Untama Giru is discussed in the village with the barber stating that they will know in a few days.

The spirit Lord of the forest arrives and meets with the village head.  The Lord is upset because Mare has slept with humans and had a blood transfusion with the American administrator (why, just why?) and turns the village head into a bird.  The film ends with a reversal of technology and a new village head that announces that Okinawa will be returned to Japanese rule then blows himself and Mare up with dynamite.  

Was that supposed to show the “end” of the cultural beliefs with the return of the Japanese or was it just to stop Mare from sleeping around and killing more men?  Once again, I do not know enough about the history or culture to really understand anything that is happening.

I am not familiar with Okinawa, its history, or culture. This film is my first encounter with anything related to Okinawa. So I was very confused at first. After a little bit of Google search and with the help of AI, I learned that the film Untamagiru employs many devices – Okinawan language, mythology, artistic traditions, and historical experiences – to show Okinawa’s distinct cultural aspects. By using these devices, the film seems to challenge a monolithic view of Japanese culture and tries to show the unique identity of Okinawa, challenging the general public's view of Japan’s “supposed homogeneity.” 

Based on Google search, I learned that a big portion of the dialogue in the film was spoken in the indigenous Okinawan language, especially in everyday interactions between Okinawan characters and in traditional songs and performances. This shows that Okinawan culture is inherently different from that of mainland Japan and that it’s not merely a dialect of Japanese.

The central narrative of the film revolves around the legendary Okinawan folk hero Untamagiru. The film incorporates elements of Okinawan mythology, such as the Kijimuna (a forest spirit who grants Giru his powers) and the shapeshifting pig-woman Mare, which are rooted in local beliefs and storytelling traditions distinct from mainland Japanese folklore. My Google search showed that the traditional kumi odori performance within the film was drawn upon unique Okinawan performing arts. This shows Okinawa’s unique cultural heritage, which predates and exists independently of Japanese influence. The film's magical realism, while having international parallels, is specifically inflected by Okinawan mythical figures and their interactions with the human world.

Throughout the film, it shows scenes of a musical troupe with dancers, and I thought this was unique to Okinawans. According to my research, their performances are traditional Okinawan folk songs and dances, with unique movements and costumes, and with a distinct musical style and lyrical content, contrasting with typical mainland Japanese film scores.

I learned that the film is set in the period leading up to Okinawa's reversion to Japan in 1972. The presence of American military bases and the interactions between Okinawans and American soldiers show Okinawa's unique history of being under US rule after World War II, which is different from mainland Japan's post-war experience. Giru's Robin Hood-like actions are partly directed against the US military presence, highlighting local resistance and a desire for self-determination. This shows Okinawa's complex relationship with both the US and mainland Japan.

I was unaware of any Okinawan independence movements prior to reading the article, but learned that there is a small percentage of Okinawan citizens that desire independence.  This is unofficially supported by China, but so then is the idea that since Okinawa paid tribute to China in the 1600s, that China would have a claim to the Ryukyu Islands as a former province.  I did not pick up on this idea in the film.

I would compare the magical realism present in Untama Giru to that of any other movie that uses local legends as a part of the story.  Just like the Marvel cannon expects the viewer to know some of the connections between Thor, Loki, and Asgaard, knowing of the forest spirits makes the movie more understandable, but is not required, to enjoy the movie.  Many movies use magic or the supernatural as a plot device, so this was not something I was unfamiliar with, just the different types of magic or supernatural as it specifically refers to Okinawan culture.

The different characters of Giru, Chief Nishibaru, and Mare were representative of Okinawa.  Giru was the land itself, known by the people there, being one with nature to the point of being the forest spirit, and not outwardly different from any of the other characters at the sugar mill.  Chief Nishibaru was Japan, someone who came in, told the people to work hard, and at the end told the people of the sugar mill (Okinawa) that they were to remain part of Japan.  Mare was represented as the view of (some of) the Okinawans, that they were being “wasted,” as she was mute and listless, like the views of the Okinawans that they have no “voice” when it comes to their island.  I would add the US Captain in this account, though not a main character, as the role of the US military, present and important.  I would contrast the real-life version of the military with the character, because on Okinawa, the role of the US military is pervasive within the society.

I would say that Untama Giru used the idea of circular time.  This is especially evident with the milling of the sugar following in a circular pattern, matching the Okinawan view of time being circular.  I would further add that the replacement of the tuk-tuk with that of an oxen was a step back, much like Japanese control of the islands was a step back from independence.

The ending of this film using Japanese was a cry by the filmmaker as his way of resignation of the idea that Okinawa was (currently) destined to be a part of Japan.  Using it at the end of the movie was his way of sympathizing with the singers of the Internationale; that Okinawa should be free, but it was destined to be a part of Japan.

I would regard Untama Giru as an Okinawan film, primarily made for an Okinawan audience.

1) What different instances of discrimination do you see depicted in this film? What evidence of assimilation and/or growing acceptance from the Japanese community do you see? How do these examples portray the relationship between Zainichi and Japanese or the relationships between members within the Zainichi community?

2) While the English title is simplified to Chong, the original title of the film is 『青～chong～』(lit. Blue Chong). What meanings are contained in this title and how might it be applied to Zainichi Korean identity?

3) What is the purpose of the romantic subplot between Tae-seong and Nami in the film? How would you describe the position that the women characters occupy and are the expectations for them somehow different than those reserved for men?

4) In depicting these high school friends, what does the film suggest for the future of the young generation of Zainichi Koreans and their relationship with NK, SK, and Japan? How does their sense of identity compare with their parents’ generation? What is the significance of the final scene and the closing lines of the film?

Reading:

1) What is "Chōsen-seki"? Why does the author describe it as a "code" or "designation" rather than a nationality?

2) Zhong references Rousseau's concept of the "natural person." How does this concept relate to contemporary notions of the nation-state and citizenship?

3) Why does Zhong opt to remain "stateless"? What sort of impacts does this decision (or non-decision) have on his daily life? Are there any conditions in which the author might reconsider his decision? Do you see a similar feeling of "statelessness" at work in Chong?

5/5/2025

Blue Chong

Zainichi Koreans are Koreans that moved to Japan before 1945, or their descendants and have taken up permanent residence in Japan.  The term “Zainichi” is a Japanese word for a foreign citizen who is ‘staying in Japan’.  This group is distinct from South Korean nationals who immigrated to Japan after the end of World War II and the division of the Korean peninsula.  Zainichi Koreans trace their roots back to when Korea was being ruled by Japan (1910 to 1945) and are distinguished from the later wave of immigrants who came mostly in the 1980’s.   Zainichi Koreans are the third largest ethnic group in Japan after Chinese immigrants.  Currently the population has declined due to death, returning to Korea, or assimilation into the general Japanese population.

The movie Blue Chong follows a Korean High School baseball team that was allowed to participate in the Japanese Baseball Federation tournament for the first time. The team does not do well in the tournament and the coach tells them to withdraw.  The main character decides to quit baseball but after a bet with the girl he likes he tries again.

During the film there are numerous instances of discrimination.  These include being stopped by scruffs in the subway several times, getting in trouble at school, at home when the main character’s sister brings home her Japanese boyfriend, the graffiti on the school black board, having to use a different name to get a job, and the destruction of the musical instrument since the player is dating a Japanese person.

This discrimination shows from both sides between the Zainichi Koreans and Japanese citizens.  The Japanese in the film are stricter or outright confrontational in the case of the scruffs and teachers with the Zainichi students.  While the Zainichi use bullying tactics against the Japanese, such as when the sister brings home her Japanese boyfriend, the mother cooks a super-hot dish and then berates him when he is reluctant to try it.  This is also shown when the Zainichi boys break the girl’s bow since there is a rumor that she is dating a Japanese person. 

As the film progresses there are some examples of assimilation, including adding the Korean baseball team to the Federation and the acceptance of the main character's sister's boyfriend.  

Overall, the subplot romance was the most easily understood part of the film for me.

The young characters, while attending a Korean school in Japan, exhibit a more fluid engagement with their heritage and identity. They are immersed in Japanese society and speak Japanese fluently, and their concerns often revolve around typical teenage experiences within their Japanese context.

The friendships portrayed show diverse perspectives within the Zainichi youth. Some seem to feel a stronger connection to their Korean roots, while others seem to be more assimilated into Japanese culture. While they are aware of their Korean heritage and may even feel a cultural connection, their daily lives, friendships, and aspirations are largely rooted in Japan. This implies that their primary relationship will continue to be with Japan. Their connection to the "homeland" is becoming more cultural and symbolic rather than directly political. While South Korea may represent their ancestral roots for some, it's not necessarily the primary focus of their identity. Their struggles are often more about navigating their ethnicity within their Japanese context rather than direct political affiliation with either Korea.

The parents of these high school students likely experienced a more direct and often politically charged relationship with the two Koreas. Many were either first-generation immigrants who maintained strong ties to their hometowns and national identities (either North or South) or second-generation individuals who were heavily influenced by the political divisions and the strong community organizations that formed along these lines. Their identity was often defined in opposition to Japanese society due to historical discrimination and the unresolved status of their nationality.

The final scene seems to show the characters at a crossroads, perhaps graduating or facing decisions about their future paths in Japan or their relationship with Korea. It offers a sense of ambiguity or hope regarding their ability to forge their own identities in a complex world. It shows the blended nature of their identities, showing them embracing both their Korean heritage and their Japanese lives, as one character said in the final scene, “I am who I am.”

Other Japans: A Film Series         Assignment three

Zainichi

In film “The Chong” (2000), the director Lee Sang-il explores the trails and often unpleasant experiences of Korean-Japanese (zainichi) youth through the eyes of a high school student attending a Korean school in Japan. The film sensitive addresses several challenges related to identity, cultural heritage, and belonging.

This included an identify crises. Zainichi youth often struggle with a sense of in-betweenness—being ethnically Korean but born and raised in Japan. In The Chong, the protagonist feels the tension between embracing his Korean roots and wanting to assimilate into mainstream Japanese society. This duality creates confusion and internal conflict over self-definition.

In addition, they cultural alienation. Attending a Korean school isolates the student from the dominant Japanese culture, while at the same time, he doesn’t feel entirely "Korean" either. The film captures the difficulty of maintaining cultural traditions and language in a society that marginalizes or exoticizes Korean culture.

Finally, they is discrimination and prejudice. Zainichi Koreans have long faced systemic discrimination in Japan, including in education, employment, and social integration. While “The Chong” approaches these issues with a lite tone, it still acknowledges the undercurrent of bias and exclusion that shapes the everyday lives of its characters.

Other Japans: A Film Series               Assignment four

Japanese-Brazilians/Multicultural Japan(?)

The interview with Katsuya Tomita and Toranosuke Aizawa offers insight into their collaborative filmmaking journey, particularly focusing on their 2007 film Off Highway 20. Tomita, who began his filmmaking career by funding his early projects through labor-intensive jobs, partnered with Aizawa to co-write this film, which was shot on 16mm film. Their collaboration continued with Saudade (2011), a deeply personal film set in Tomita's hometown of Kofu, Japan, exploring themes of identity and cultural displacement. The success of Saudade led to international recognition, including screenings at the Locarno International Film Festival and the Festival des 3 Continents, where it won the Golden Montgolfière Award. Their works are characterized by a commitment to authentic storytelling and a focus on the complexities of identity and belonging.

The film "Saudade" (2011), is a Japanese film set in the city of Kofu, Yamanashi, and explores the disconnection and tension within Japan's marginal youth and immigrant communities. The film inttwines the lives of key characters.

Seiji, a disaffected construction worker involved in nationalist underground music,
Hosaka, a Thai-Japanese adult film director,
Carlos, a second-generation Brazilian-Japanese rapper.
The film reflects its central themes of alienation, cultural dislocation, and identity crisis. Through its non-linear narrative and, documentary-like style, Tomita paints a portrait of contemporary Japan as it grapples with economic decline, ethnic diversity, and youthful aimlessness. The film is notable for blending fiction with documentary elements which adds to its gritty realism and authenticity.

It was my interpretation that the film “Saudade” doesn’t offer easy answers; instead, it presents a complex, layered look at contemporary Japan from within.

1. While not the centerpiece of the film per se, Japanese-Brazilians figure as a prominent part of Saudade’s narrative. How does the film describe their experience in Japan and suggest what their position might be moving forward?

2. The film takes place in the city of Kōfu, Yamanashi prefecture, a peripheral space in Japan southwest of Tokyo. In the interview, the filmmakers describe the town as the “main character.” What do you think they mean by this? How does each character in the film embody a different aspect of Japan?

3. Music plays a significant part in this film, often in a diegetic role (i.e. the music emanating from the world of the film itself rather than as a non-diegetic soundtrack). How is the idiom of hiphop deployed in this film and how does it serve as a mode of expression for both the Japanese group and the Japanese-Brazilian group?

4. The title of the film“Saudade” refers to a Portuguese concept that can be loosely described as a kind of melancholic nostalgia. How do you see this idea as relevant to the themes explored in the film?

5. In the interview, the filmmakers state that they made a conscious decision to shoot in 35mm despite the increased accessibility and affordability of digital cameras and rapidly evolving screening standards. Is this decision to use film stock versus digital evident in your viewing of the movie? How might this decision affect the filmmaking process?

6. How might you see this film as relevant to the current political situation in the US and globally? What factors contribute to Amano’s radicalization? Do you see the film as fundamentally optimistic or pessimistic about the potential of a multicultural Japan?

5/19/25

Saudade

The film Saudade follows several Brazilian-Japanese characters through their normal everyday life.  The film is listed as a comedy on Wikipedia.com however, I was left feeling sad and slightly disappointed after watching it. 

The title “Saudade” refers to a concept of melancholic nostalgia taken from the Portuguese concept and is felt throughout the film.  The characters are immigrants or the children of immigrants that moved to Japan looking for financial stability.  They are working and living in Japan but have the background and culture of Brazil.  Most of the characters are adults but are still very young, around 22 years or so.  They are still trying to find their identities and are struggling to find their path in life.  

I am sure that there are many political and cultural concepts shown in the film but once again, I know very little about them.  The film was long, and I watched it in short lengths, leading me to feel disconnected.  It reminded me a bit of a lackluster daytime tv drama but with more rap and gangsters.  

A major component in this film is the choice of music both the hip hop/rap that expresses the struggles and discontent of the singers but also the ambient diegetic music.  I preferred that diegetic music to that of hip hop/rap since I found the latter, like American rap, to be harsh and full of complaints.   In a way, having that outlet could be a way to vent the frustrations that the characters are feeling as they have to deal with the lack of work, the possibility of having to leave the only area they have ever known and return to their “homeland”.  

 This was filmed in the city of Kofu, and I think the director and the actors used the locations well.  I especially enjoyed the scenes filmed with a nature background such as the cemetery.  

Question: What is up with the bottled water?  Why does the woman listen to it?  Is it just a marketing ploy to sell unfiltered water at high prices because it is supposed to be a beauty product? 

Question: What did the sudden switch from the joyous scene where the character is walking down the street as the cars and motorcycles drive past to the unlit hallway or is it a shopping arcade street, mean?  

The film is set in Kofu City, a small Japanese city grappling with the effects of recession and deindustrialization. Many local businesses are closed, and the story of the economic miracle of Japan feels like a distant past. This creates a sense of “saudade” for a lost era of prosperity and opportunity. 

The characters are mostly immigrant construction workers in the immigrant communities in Kofu, a small Japanese city, particularly Japanese-Brazilians, Thais, and Filipinos. They came to Japan seeking better wages and a new life, only to find poverty, discrimination, and dwindling opportunities. They often feel a deep “saudade” for their home countries, their cultural roots, and a sense of belonging. 

The film highlights the immigrants’ struggle to integrate while holding onto their heritage, a constant yearning for a place where they truly feel "at home." 

The characters are growing up in a decaying city with limited prospects, feeling trapped and disenfranchised. Their hip-hop music often expresses their frustrations, their longing for change, and a desire to overcome hardships. Takeru, the hip-hop artist, experiences a sense of alienation and hostility.

The characters are constantly confronted with the gap between their desires and their reality, leading to a melancholic yearning for something that is gone or missing, like secure jobs, the clear sense of national identity, and acceptance in their society.

1) What different instances of discrimination do you see depicted in this film? What evidence of assimilation and/or growing acceptance from the Japanese community do you see? How do these examples portray the relationship between Zainichi and Japanese or the relationships between members within the Zainichi community?

The movie Chong started with discrimination from the first scene, where the boys showed their ID after being challenged if they belonged there or not.  The baseball team was not allowed to participate in the federal baseball league.  The scene in the restaurant when one character was referred to by a Japanese name at work because they “didn’t hire Koreans.”  The Korean girl who had things written about her on the blackboard and the bow of her violin was broken for dating a Japanese boy.  The pitcher’s parents having him invite a girl they knew to dinner yet the pitcher’s sister stating she dated Japanese boys.  The loss of the first baseball game being blamed on their diet and the unflattering news reports of the results of the game.  I wonder if the instances of discrimination were anti Korean, or if some of the discrimination is fueled by additional bias towards North Korea, as the chosen gakko was sponsored by the North Korean government, and chosen gakko are seen as pro North Korea. 

2) While the English title is simplified to Chong, the original title of the film is 『青～chong～』(lit. Blue Chong). What meanings are contained in this title and how might it be applied to Zainichi Korean identity?

My movie went blue at about ⅔ of the way through.  After reading the original name of the movie, I thought it was a stylistic choice until I refreshed my screen.  I can see the use of blue as the feelings one of the Zainichi Koreans would have in dealing with the oppressive discrimination they face in their day to day lives.

3. The music was Brazilian, not traditional Japanese music.  This makes sense as a stylistic choice because Carnival is such a part of Brazilian culture as an export.  I would have expected J-pop if it were a film based on Japanese characters.  In the US, this could be compared to Mariachi music in a Mexican restaurant instead of the music that plays in a grocery store over the din of shopping.  The music also gives the feel of “dance fighting” or as an homage to the Jets and the Sharks, where each group has music unique to its culture.

Other things that were not covered by the questions directly that I took from the film was the current advertising for international workers in Japan because of an aging population and labor shortages compared to the homogeneity of Japanese society.  Just doing a quick internet search showed that Japan was looking for 600,000 workers.  The film mirrors what was in the last three films of the series, where integration is still lacking, even in the face of labor shortages.  Japan is actually recruiting immigrants because of this and a declining birth rate that is currently below the rate of replacement (1.3% currently, 2.1% is the ROR) (Improved Immigration: Japan’s Solution to Its Population Crisis).

I would place the town as the main character.  Christine was the main character in Christine.  HAL was the main character in Space Odyssey 2001.  Goodreads.com lists 72 houses as being the main character in different movies.  If not the main character, it is definitely at least as important as the boat was in The Love Boat.