Japanese Identity as Represented in Miyazaki’s Spirited Away
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Transcript of Japanese Identity as Represented in Miyazaki’s Spirited Away
Japanese Identity as Represented in
Miyazaki’s Spirited Away
Japanese Identity as Represented in
Miyazaki’s Spirited Away
Aliza Belcourt and Eve RabinowitzAliza Belcourt and Eve Rabinowitz
Japan: Facts and FiguresJapan: Facts and Figures
2nd largest economy 4th largest importer 5th largest exporter 1639 – 1854 - Closed Country period, ended with
US navy forced entry, led to Meiji Restoration 1868 – rulers wanted to use Western style free
market 1940 – invaded French Indo-China, frowned upon
by rest of world, resulted in US placed oil embargo
2nd largest economy 4th largest importer 5th largest exporter 1639 – 1854 - Closed Country period, ended with
US navy forced entry, led to Meiji Restoration 1868 – rulers wanted to use Western style free
market 1940 – invaded French Indo-China, frowned upon
by rest of world, resulted in US placed oil embargo
Japan: Facts and Figures Cont.
Japan: Facts and Figures Cont.
1941 – attack on Pearl Harbor, declared war on US, UK and Netherlands
1945 – US atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, later that year Japan agreed to unconditional surrender
1947 – Pacifist constitution; renounced right to declare war
1960-1980 – period of economic growth 1990s – decline in economy, “lost decade”
1941 – attack on Pearl Harbor, declared war on US, UK and Netherlands
1945 – US atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, later that year Japan agreed to unconditional surrender
1947 – Pacifist constitution; renounced right to declare war
1960-1980 – period of economic growth 1990s – decline in economy, “lost decade”
Western Influence and References
in Spirited Away
Western Influence and References
in Spirited Away Character appearances Audi, Adidas Western Architecture “Finish what you
started, human” Live pigs and dead fish Time cards
Character appearances Audi, Adidas Western Architecture “Finish what you
started, human” Live pigs and dead fish Time cards
Western Representations through Yubaba
Western Representations through Yubaba
Top of hierarchy, called “Head Honcho”
Watches over the bathhouse
Office is decorated in Western style
Very greedy Spoils her oversized child
Top of hierarchy, called “Head Honcho”
Watches over the bathhouse
Office is decorated in Western style
Very greedy Spoils her oversized child
Loss of IdentityLoss of Identity
Chihiro turns invisible “Sign your name away” Chihiro becomes Sen
Koreans in Japan forced to take Japanese names
Haku does not know his real name Job becomes identity Human smell from food
Chihiro turns invisible “Sign your name away” Chihiro becomes Sen
Koreans in Japan forced to take Japanese names
Haku does not know his real name Job becomes identity Human smell from food
Loss of Identity: No FaceLoss of Identity: No Face No name, masked face Unable to speak until
transformation Manipulated by surroundings Overtaken by greed of
bathhouse Tries to make Chihiro greedy Upon leaving bathhouse,
returns to former self Warning for Japan
No name, masked face Unable to speak until
transformation Manipulated by surroundings Overtaken by greed of
bathhouse Tries to make Chihiro greedy Upon leaving bathhouse,
returns to former self Warning for Japan
QuickTime™ and ah264 decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
GreedGreed “Don’t worry, you’ve got Daddy here. He’s
got credit cards and cash” Willingness to take what is not theirs, thought
they could as long as they had money Gold is Yubaba’s top priority
Stink/river spirit “Something precious to you has been replaced”
Mayhem at prospect of gold Chihiro is only not greedy character
“Don’t worry, you’ve got Daddy here. He’s got credit cards and cash”
Willingness to take what is not theirs, thought they could as long as they had money
Gold is Yubaba’s top priority Stink/river spirit “Something precious to you has been replaced”
Mayhem at prospect of gold Chihiro is only not greedy character
QuickTime™ and ah264 decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Baby as Japan Baby as US
Baby as Japan Baby as US
Closed Country mentality
Fear of things that are different
Took outside influences to realize its problems and to change
After seeing error of his ways, became a pacifist
Closed Country mentality
Fear of things that are different
Took outside influences to realize its problems and to change
After seeing error of his ways, became a pacifist
Only communicates through threats
Fear of things that are different
Wants to make everyone the same as them
Spoiled Oversized
Only communicates through threats
Fear of things that are different
Wants to make everyone the same as them
Spoiled Oversized
Japan and the EnvironmentJapan and the Environment
Environmental issues include: Air pollution Waste management
Poisonings from industrial waste in 1950s and 1960s Chronic arsenic poisonings in 1970s Largest importer of fossil fuels Leaders in developing environmentally friendly technology 5th largest emission emitters in the world Under treaty obligations to reduce CO2 emissions and to take
other steps to curb climate change
Environmental issues include: Air pollution Waste management
Poisonings from industrial waste in 1950s and 1960s Chronic arsenic poisonings in 1970s Largest importer of fossil fuels Leaders in developing environmentally friendly technology 5th largest emission emitters in the world Under treaty obligations to reduce CO2 emissions and to take
other steps to curb climate change
QuickTime™ and axvid decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Pollution and the Environment
Pollution and the Environment
The bathhouse is a place where spirits come to be cleansed
The Kohaku River was destroyed leaving Haku homeless and confined to spirit realm
Leads to questions about other spirits in the bathhouse - how they got there, where they came from
Polluted river spirit thought to be stink spirit
The bathhouse is a place where spirits come to be cleansed
The Kohaku River was destroyed leaving Haku homeless and confined to spirit realm
Leads to questions about other spirits in the bathhouse - how they got there, where they came from
Polluted river spirit thought to be stink spirit
The Confused National Identity of Japan in Spirited Away
The Confused National Identity of Japan in Spirited Away As a result of being a closed
country for 200 years, Japan does not know where it fits in with the rest of the world
Freud: you have to identify who you are not in order to identify who you are
As a result of being a closed country for 200 years, Japan does not know where it fits in with the rest of the world
Freud: you have to identify who you are not in order to identify who you are