Course Description: What is “popular culture,” and how does it differ from “traditional culture” or “high culture?” What characteristics of popular culture are unique to Japan? How is popular culture produced and consumed in Japan, and what does it tell us about its producers and consumers? This course will introduce students to popular arts and entertainment in contemporary Japan, including music, film, television, video games, and literature. In particular, we will look at how these interconnect with one another through multimedia franchising, multimedia stardom, as well as the fan cultures that receive them. Additionally, we will look at how Japanese popular culture is received internationally: its role in cultivating an image of Japan overseas, and in Japanese foreign policy.

Course Objectives: Students will get an overview of contemporary popular culture in Japan, and learn about its roots in recent Japanese history. Further, they will learn about the role of conglomerate capitalism in shaping the production of popular culture in Japan since the 1980s, as well as the increasingly participatory role of consumers in shaping popular culture in the same era.

Readings: All readings are available on the course sakai site.

Complete syllabus and teaching evaluations available upon request.