2013 Regioninės studijos, [vol.] 7

The article explores the means of gender image construction in Japanese pornographic animation (hentai anime). Alongside other genres of Japanese animation, during the last decades hentai anime has gained enormous popularity all over the world. Gender as a category is especially emphasised in the animation of sexually explicit content, therefore hentai anime plays an important role as a visual medium representing the images of Japanese masculinity and femininity on the international level. Based on five representative hentai anime films of the ‘fantasy’ subgenre, the article provides an overview of the ‘male gaze’ and the ‘female gaze’ viewing perspectives in Japanese pornographic anime, semiotic means of masculine and feminine body image construction, as well as the use of time and space and its significance to the perception of the represented gender images.

Lolita fashion – one of the elements of Japanese popular culture as a fashion subculture was created in Japan, taking inspiration from Victorian-era costumes and Rococo period clothing. Amazingly, through the global dissemination of Japanese popular culture this fashion found its way back to Europe. In Riga cosplay events, staging various costumes from Japanese manga and anime world take place since 2004 with the start of the 1st. Anime Festival. Since then, every year various other events like Cosplay Con, Christmas, Halloween parties and individual gatherings attract several hundreds of participants who are given a possibility to show their various costumes inspired from Japanese anime and manga world. Among them there is a group of girls in Riga who like Lolita fashion and organize different meet-ups and events like and picnics, teaparties, museum visits, photosessions of Lolita costumes in Old Riga, Riga gardens and parks. The photos obtained in these events reveal a unique cultural phenomenon: a harmonious blend of two cultures and mentalities: Japanese and Latvian. The modern costumes inspired by Japanese popular culture fit well in Riga historical settings several hundreds of years old.The author was fascinated by their Japanese-like youthful crave for unusual, bizarre, unacustomed, extravagant, well balanced with elegant correctness typical to North Europe. Another factor is worth mentioning: most of the costumes were self made, revealing individual taste in the choice of colors and materials. Handling the topic of Japanese fashion they adjusted it to local environment and individual taste. Some of their peculiar, antique accessories were borrowed from collections that once belonged to their grandmothers and grandfathers showing yet another aspect how old and new, different cultural customs intertween in the global era. The interviews taken with „Riga Lolitas” give insight how these girls took interest in Japan, Lolita fashion, how they created their costumes, what they think of Japanese culture, etc. Lolita fashion in Latvia is also analyzed from the points of relationship with kawaii culture, connection with Goth culture, sign/language system used by members of certain subcultures, women sexuality, transnational political economy. It is discussed also in terms of creativity, rebellion against the conventions of contemporary society, feminine lifestyle, self development, psychological impact. Mori (Forest) Girl – another Japanese fashion subculture evident in Latvia, that is to some extent similar to Country Lolita or Mori Lolita, emerged in Japan in 2007 as a reaction against Japan’s super urbanization, and displays common appreciation of nature, natural materials, practicality, casualness, interest in the old, traditional in the two countries – Latvia and Japan. Mori fashion can be interpreted in some features as the representation of wabi-sabi principles in the modern fashion form.

Takarazuka’s first overseas performances were given from October 1938 to March 1939 in 25 cities in Europe, which were designed to promote friendly relationship among Germany, Italy and Japan. Obviously, this mission reflects the political context of those days. Since then, Takarazuka has performed in a considerable number of foreign countries more or less supported by the Japanese government. In this study, narrowing our focus on Takarazuka’s performances in Europe after World War II, we review its history and examine the social and political background behind each performance.

The purpose of this study is to conceptualize the relationship between the transnational dissemination and consumption of popular culture and state image through a focus on the acceptance of Japanese popular culture in different regional contexts. Specifically, this research builds on the work of surveys conducted in East Asia, Western Europe, and the Middle East comprising: 1) a questionnaire survey conducted among undergraduate university students in Seoul, Hong Kong, and Bangkok; 2) an online questionnaire survey conducted among manga fans in their 20s in France, Germany, and Italy; and 3) an ethnographic study and in-depth interviews conducted among fans of Japanese pop culture in Israel. Rather than comparing these three surveys in detail, the purpose of this study is to examine the meta-narratives they offer in relation to the way popular culture shapes Japan’s image in the world.

France and Japan have a long history of mutual exchanges and interests. In both countries, many images circulated about the other and those pictures compose a specific exoticism. Exoticism is a specific attraction for a far and different site, and Japan occupies a special place in French minds since the Japonist craze at the beginning of the 20th century. Thus, in this tradition of representations, the recent worldwide success of Japanese popular culture (manga, cartoons, music, etc) has added a new perspective, specifically in France, where this pop culture has a long history. The Japanese cartoons began to be broadcast on national television during the 1970’s, and it filled the majority of children programs during the two following decades, a context that gave birth to a strong community of fans. One of the most eloquent testaments to this craze is Japan Expo, an event hold every year in Paris since 1999. In this convention, pop culture elements are mixed with more traditional aspects of Japanese culture and everyday life. Many famous Japanese artists are invited and the visitors can have fun with various activities. So, this unique place has been chosen to conduct a survey about the new images of Japan in France. Exoticism about Japan began with the opening of the country during the Meiji era, and, since then, Japan has always kept its image of being a unique and mysterious country, determined by the paradox of extreme modernity coexisting with strong traditions. The Japan Expo is then the occasion to question that idea and to confront it with the representations shared by the visitors of this event. Questionnaires have been distributed during the four days of the convention in July 2012 and the results give a portrait of a praised Japan, still comprehended on the central notion of paradox, but with new references taken into pop culture contents.

Soft power theory was first introduced by Joseph Nye in 1990, and till this day is attracting the attention of many other political scientists, who are trying to build the best theoretical approach to it. One of such political scientists, developing his theoretical framework of soft power, Geun Lee, has proposed his way of differentiating soft and hard powers. According to Lee himself, his conceptual framework is a kind of extension of Nye’s soft power theory in terms of definition and categorization, but, differently from Nye, Lee attached the nature of power to its sources thus solving the problem of distinguishing hard and soft powers. The aim of this article is to analyze the theoretical approach of soft power theory proposed by Geun Lee. The objectives are to examine the key aspects of Lee’s approach to soft power definition, categorization, and the concepts of soft power dilemma and soft power synergy that make his approach different from others. It is pointed out that while Nye presents a more the U.S. centered, or the leading state, perspective of the use of soft power, Lee looks at it from the perspective of non-leading states, emphasizing the reasons for them to use the soft power. Thus Lee divides soft power into five different categories according to their goals and defines it according to the resources used. Moreover, by employing Putman’s two-level games theory, he discusses the use of soft power on international and domestic levels with the help of the concepts of soft power synergy and soft power dilemma.