The Japanese word ‘shojo’ literally means ‘young girl’. When applied to anime, it traditionally means a storyline that would appeal more to girls than to boys. It's themes and elements are in general much more interesting to girls than to boys. In general, shojo series contain plot elements of romance and friendship between girls, and also have a lot of bishonen boys.
Miyazaki’s most of anime, the shojo characters are not as innocent or powerless compare to other anime. also The shojo characters in Miyazaki’s anime, they are not identify as men or women as adults In Miyazaki’s anime, there are several ‘shojo’ has been appeared. For example, Lupin The Castle of Cagliostro (Lady Clarisse), My Neighbor Totoro (Satsuki and mei), Warriors of the Wind (Nausica), Laputa: Castle in the Sky (princess sheeta), Future boy Conan (Lana), Kiki's Delivery Service (Kiki), and Princess mononoke (San). As above, there are variety of Shojo have been appeared as a main character in Miyazaki’s work. In Japan there are several anime which ‘Shojo’ has set up as being a main character or an important character. Such as sailor moon, bishojo in the anime. So not just Miyazaki’s anime As it was mentioned above, bishojo in ‘Sailor Moon’, they are fighting the enemy by protecting friends. However, Shojo from Miyazaki’s anime, they are more likely to fight for save mankind and Earth The Function to this shojo character seems to be making a reader or audience to make a curious about them. Many authors use the shojo characters to explore the concept of innocent and the weakness.
According to
Lent (2000), what place does animation occupy in Asian societies? How different
is this across Asia (ie comparing China and Japan)?
According to Lent (2000),
One thing for sure about early
animation in Asia was the prevalence of a western (meaning Disney for the most
part) influence. For example China has copied of Mickey Mouse and created The
smiling Monkey. India, ‘the pea brothers(1934) was also heavily influenced by
Disney. Lent (2000) stated, “In some cases, pioneer animators such as James
Wang of Taiwan, Payut Ngaokrachang of Thailand, Tezuka of Japan, and Shin Dong
Hun of Korea proudly accepted the title "the Disney" of their
respective countries, handed out by journalists and adoring fans.”
Asian Anime was first started from China.
The four Wan brothers, in the 1920’s, credited with starting first animation ‘Uproar
in an art studio (1926)’. It was influenced by American style of cartoon.(Lent,
2000). This succeeding generation continued until 1980s. However Mingxing
Company published an article about Wans stressed and praised the importance of
American cartoons. Thus they have started to make amines based on their culture
‘real Chinese traditions and story” (Lent, 2000) and it was for education basis.
In the meantime Japanese combined with Western animation in 24-hour broadcast.
In addition, Chinese authorities have
banned foreign Animation to make a space for local animation. Moreover other
Asian countries such as Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Philippine, Singapore and Malaysia
had complain about American and Japanese animation. “It’s the main objections
to the importation of American and Japanese animation have to do with the
presenting of values which are anathema to Asian cultures or the depicting of
violent or sexually explicit content.” (Lent 2000).
Lent explains about how those country begin
accept animation in the late 1990s.
Therefore, animation in Asia has benefit
for culturally and economically. For example, Korean government found that animation
represents most of country’s cultural product export and Singapore government
found “the economic advantages of attracting computer animation firms to that
techno culture” (Lent 2000). Lent has explained how animation have set and fit
into Asian countries, especially Japan, throughout the years and how they have
used animation for culturally and economically to make a benefit and success to
their society.
Lent, A. J.
(2000). Animation in Asia: appropriation, reinterpretation, and
adoption or adaptation. Retrieved from
http://www.latrobe.edu.au/screeningthepast/firstrelease/fr1100/jlfr11c.htm
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