…I really think so!
This Month Rhiannon Rees took on the challenge of explaining to us all just what it is about Japanese Culture that makes us, and her, so fascinated. We don’t know about you but we’re definitely up for unleashing our inner Japanophile!
All illustrations are copyright Rhiannon Rees.
It’s no secret that I’m obsessed withJapan. Family and certain friends have to put up with me jabbering on about Final Fantasy and singing Japanese lyrics (badly) on a regular basis. I can’t even remember how or when it all began. Perhaps with childhood programmes like Pokémon, Digimon and Cardcaptors – I certainly loved those shows – but it’s evolved into something more sophisticated since then…I hope! I’m not an expert by any means, but I am an avid fan so here are three reasons I think you should check out this awesome culture.
Fashion
Japanese street fashion is totally weird and wonderful. I’m hoping to visit the Harajuku district in Shibuya one day for a glimpse of the more eccentric styles, like ‘gothic lolita’ (‘goth loli’ for short!). Interestingly, it’s partly influenced by Victorian era clothing and typically combines black lace, bow, ribbon and frill with corsets or blouses, puff skirts, long stockings and platform boots. I love the mix of ‘elegant’ and ‘punky;’ they marry together surprisingly well!
Another look I’m fond of is ‘visual kei.’ The term actually describes a movement in Japanese music and youths copy the trend by dressing like their favourite musicians. It involves elaborate clothing, dark make-up and flamboyant hair, often creating an androgynous appearance. Many times I’ve heard people exclaim: “What?! That’s a man? That is not a man.” Either way, you have to appreciate the effort that goes into this wild style.
Then there’s ‘Decora,’ which is pretty difficult to define. As far as I can tell, anything goes as long as it’s cute, punky and chaotic. Decora apparel is primarily pink, made up of several layers with an excessive amount of jewellery and accessories: wigs, hair-clips, head-bands, piercings, face-masks, necklaces, bracelets, bows and badges – even plastic toys! Though it might not cater to everyone’s taste, I’m a fan of its bubblegum charm.
Goth Loli
Music
Japan has tons to offer in the way of music! Contrary to popular belief, it’s not all cutesy high-pitched schoolgirls (although they do feature). The country’s music scene spans a wide range of genres including pop (‘J-pop’), rock (‘J-rock’), metal and hip-hop, and few Japanese artists limit themselves to just one style.
I’m a bit of a sucker for rock music so I warmed to J-rock straight away. If you’re like-minded, I personally recommend The GazettE, SuG, Miyavi and Girugämesh. The GazettE are a visual kei group who dabble in various rock and metal styles. Though their music can be pretty heavy, their songs are heartfelt and usually have deep meanings behind them (see ‘Taion’ and ‘D.L.N.’), often accompanied by beautiful, artistic videos. Girugämesh are another fantastic heavy rock/metal group and amongst my favourite tracks are ‘Shining,’ ‘Crime – Tsumi’ and ‘Evolution.’ A couple of my friends and I saw these guys in London earlier this year and they were bloody brilliant – so if you’re interested and ever get the chance to see them: do it.
SuG are a more upbeat band, promoting ‘heavy positive rock.’ They’re sugary-sweet and scarily beautiful for men…so if that’s not your thing, you might want to give them a miss. However, if you’re curious then try ‘Love Scream Party.’ It’s absolutely mad and never fails to put a smile on my face.
And finally, Miyavi, a.k.a. the‘samurai guitarist,’ pretty much does a bit of everything. For me, his music is defined by his distinctive voice and skill with the guitar, so I’m going to recommend ‘Survive’ which showcases both. I also saw him perform live in London this year and was blown away, not just by his music but his stage presence as well. This was just after the Tsunami devastation in Japan so he held a tributary twenty-second silence, and you can imagine the atmosphere in a gig venue going from energetic to respectfully silent; it was incredible.
To wrap up, here’s a band that may be more familiar. If you’re into hip-hop, you might know of Teriyaki Boyz. They’ve collaborated with big Western names such as Pharrell Williams and Busta Rhymes (check out ‘Zock On!’), Kanye West and Jay-Z, and their music was used in the film ‘The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.’
The GazettE
Anime & Manga
The mention of ‘anime’ to non-fans always triggers the same response: “What, those little Pokémon cartoons?” Well, yes and no. Pokémon is an example of one kind of anime out of the many genres, art styles and audiences (and most followers would jump down your throat for calling them ‘cartoons!’).
Not all anime is stereotypically kiddy and ‘big-eyed.’ There are plenty of children’s animations which avoid this particular aesthetic. ‘Spirited Away’ is perhaps the best known over here; it’s frequently played on Film4 and has won numerous awards including the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.[1] It belongs to the Studio Ghibli series, a collection of whimsical films directed mainly by Hayao Miyazaki, who is widely considered as a present-day Walt Disney, and whose films depict all sorts of important stuff such as struggles for peace, ecological crises and the importance of love and friendship.
There are a plethora of titles aimed at older audiences too. ‘Death Note’ is one of my favourites. Based on the manga series, it’s a clever twist on the crime story set-up, with Shinigami (death gods), an evil genius high-school student and a detective who never wears shoes and eats stupid amounts of sugar.
Also try ‘Ghost in the Shell,’ an adult series/set of films, focusing on various crimes in a futuristic cyberpunk Japan, and ‘Paprika’ by the late Satoshi Kon. Both are beautifully drawn and animated, and ‘Paprika’ especially is very surreal, making it ideal for people with big imaginations. It also bears striking similarities to Christopher Nolan’s ‘Inception’ which was released four years later.
Manga are Japanese comics and the inspiration for many anime. Manga reads right to left, so the ‘front’ of the book is actually the back! (Interestingly, the Korean equivalent ‘manhwa’ is read left to right like Western texts.) This is challenging at first but it soon becomes second nature. There’s a diverse world of manga out there of all genres and age ratings – I suggest checking out the manga section next time you’re in your local bookstore, or visiting sites like www.mangafox.com for inspiration!
R.R
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0245429/awards
