Is anime a high or low cultural genre?

Is anime a high or low cultural genre, according to Napier (2005)? What are some of its sub genres?

The question whether or not Anime is a high or low cultural genre in part comes down to how we define high and low culture. In lectures we discussed the idea of popular culture as a genre being defined by class and wealth. Anthropologist Edward T. Hall (1981) suggest the choice of speaking style and word choice will translate into a culture that will cater to a specific group, that being a group that has similar experiences and expectations, from which inferences are drawn.  Hall (1981) suggests in a higher context culture, many things are left unsaid, letting the culture to explain, suggesting fewer words can be used to communicate complex messages more effectively, while in a lower context culture, communication is more explicit and the value of a single word is less important.

How does this definition reflect with our question? Napier (2005, p. 5) suggest Japan has been known for such “high cultural” products as haiku, Zen, and the martial arts, anime as a genre has become so popular in Japanese culture it now sits with these products locally and more significantly globally. It is even suggested that anime has become Japan’s chief cultural export. In saying this Napier (2000, p. 7) says “though extremely popular anime is looked down upon by conservative Japanese society,” in consideration of this and Hall’s interpretation of ‘High Culture’ it might be said anime isn’t a high culture product. However the value Anime has in Japanese culture is significant, Napier (2000, p. 7) comments “anime in Japan is truly a mainstream pop cultural phenomenon.” In light of its significant contribution to Japanese culture we could argue it as a high cultural genre.

Napier (2000, p. 12) suggests that Japanese anime can be categorized in to “three major expressive modes – apocalyptic, the festival, and the elegiac. ” He is suggesting that these three modes can be found to fit within Japanese culture, whether that by external expression or by way of something internal, something more “spiritual or pathological” (Napier, 2000, p. 13).  Princess Mononoke is a great example of anime being used to express in-part these three categorise. We find within this story the issue of “shifting identity within an ever changing society” (Napier, 2000, p. 12), the story is set in an atmosphere of change, a spiritual and physical war is fought between tradition and industrialisation.       

Reference

·      Hall, E. (1981). Beyond culture. Yarmouth, Me.: Intercultural Press.

·      Napier, S. (2005). Why? In Anime: from Akira to Howl's moving castle (pp. 3-14). Hampshire: Palgrave/ Macmillan.

Princess Mononoke

What is the ‘shojo’ and how does it often function in anime?

Genre: Anime

Princess Mononoki

Hayao Miyazaki is a Japanese Anime film director of Spirited away, Howl’s moving castle.

There are two powerful females in this film - Lady Eboshi  and Princess Mononoke herself.
This film has various factions in it which was eclipsed by other characters.

The word ‘anime’ is not only the short form of animation but it represents the cartoons that have originally developed by Japan.  When 'Princess Mononoke' arrived, it smashed the distinction, of high culture and low culture. Academics, people, children and everybody loved it. 

Before, there were disney cartoons which was famous for animation films, "Westerners raised on a culture of children's cartoons may find anime's global popularity suprising.
'Princess Mononoke'  was the popular film ever made in Japan. It was special because it didn't have Western culture in it like Walt Disney's animation films. Miyazaki himself wandered weather children would understand the film. He says, “I think 2-D animation disappeared from Disney because they made so many uninteresting films. They became very conservative in the way they created them. It's too bad. I thought 2-D and 3-D could coexist happily.”    

It forms center of cultural resistance against the dominant American culture. Disney films are mainly designed for children. But Miyazaki made the film to capture adults so it has deepening of problematic themes and interests. 

 
A turning point of the story when something vital changes, either to the story or the reader's / the character perspective of the story. Man’s separation from nature.

He master/manipulated the audience as he directed.

Princess Mononoke is a little girl 'Shojo' who was raised by a wolf mother.‘Shojo’ (少女) is a Japanese word which represents little female. 

There is a crucial statement, “This is a story of the battle between humanity and the wild gods.” The movie became a turning point in the history.

Lady Eboshi is a strong female character, morally,  she is the representative of modern industrialism and future of a mankind. She made guns and destroy the forest but it is hard to call her a bad woman, because she is a character for empowering women. She could be the feminist representative.  At the ending, she try to re-build island town which makes it even better. Ashitaka (the hero and stead) joins her.  The ending is ambiguous and comprised. Lady Eboshi and Irontown

She is brave enough to shoot Forest God's Head.

He cannot marry her because she is a half-wolf and a human worlds are different. She would go back to the forest. There is no conventional happy ending in this film.

Focus of the film is raising the issue of a mankind and environment (for example, viewers can see the forest and animals in the beginning) is a fundamental theme. 

"But man is a part of nature, and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself." Rachel Carson

The separation/destruction from environment. Still  is a issue even worse than when the film was made. A Gothic fiction novel such as Frankenstein demonstrate same kind of fear. The sudden growing of machines and civilization made the fear. Metaphors and symbols moved by spectacle. 

Reference

Princess Mononoke Trailer. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkWWWKKA8jY

Quote by Hayao Miyazaki: “I think 2-D animation disappeared from Disney b...”. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/19389-i-think-2-d-animation-disappeared-from-disney-because-they-made