Podcast IX: “Does Anime Reflect Japanese Culture?” With Jonathan Clements!

Breaking from our usual schedule of complaining about how things were better in [Insert Hippest Decade Here], this time we’re joined by author, translator, occasional voice director and general Renaissance Man of East-Asian culture, Jonathan Clements, to seek his wisdom about the extent to which anime reflects Japanese culture. In a sign of things to come, we also wind up talking about Scotland Loves Animation – whatever that is…

– the man himself

Download it here!

Nakama Britannica Nine – “Does Anime Reflect Japanese Culture?” With Jonathan Clements!

0:00 The Loss of Schoolgirl Milky Crisis, the great unseen anime, disappeared from the record in an unfortunate boating accident. Scotland Loves Anime – the logistics of getting Japanese guests to Glasgow

10:00 What is Anime? Nowhere near as dull a question as it sounds, leading to all sorts of gossip about the battle for anime’s soul between the spirits of Osamu Tezuka and Hayao Miyazaki. Includes the words: “Communists”, “witchhunts” and “crappy”

20:00 Anime as Soft Power. The size of otakudom. The meaning of TV ratings. How anime form follows function. How much is the anime business worth? Includes the words: “chimpanzee”, “over-engineering” and “popular”

30:00 What is a silver otaku? The impact of Heidi and Yamato. The phenomenology of fandom and misremembering Evangelion and Gundam.

40:00 Traditional concepts of storytelling, and how unlikely you are to find them. How “traditional” was the Hakkenden. The ethics of tying anime directors to chairs and slapping them. Noh drama and Gasaraki. Jinzo Toriumi’s Introduction to Anime Scenario Writing. Includes the words: “fallacy”, “posh” and “pervy.”

47:00 Wimmin. do 125 million Japanese people all like hentai? The demographics of female anime fans and the birth of Noitamina. Fujiko Mine and the line between sexy and sexist. The role of women within the anime industry. Includes the words: “mind bleach”, “boobs” and “jellyfist.”

57:00 The chivalry of chauvinism and its impact on anime staff rosters. The evolutionary role of colour recognition. Women in powerful positions, like CLAMP. Includes the words: “xerography”, “concordance” and “primal.”

67:00 Aloha Higa and the unpleasantness over Polar Bear Cafe. How many fingers am I holding up? Includes the words: “sod off”, “Disney” and “torpid.”

69:00 The nature of originality: giant robots and schoolgirl witches. Downton Abbey in anime, and what a production committee might do to it. Creativity among limits. Includes the words: “tropes”, “Metallica” and “Minovsky particles.”

73:00 Three trends for the future: Kickstarter, mobiles and China. The size of the informal anime market. Issues for intellectual property. What’s changed in Sino-Japanese relations since the publication of the Dorama Encyclopedia. Includes the words: “crowd-sourcing”, “Margaret Thatcher Cyborg” and “sandwich-making.”

84:00 The Death Note backlash in north-east China. Cosplay in Chine. And goodbye. Includes the words “boobs” and “grabbed.”

Thanks once again to Mr Clements for sharing his time with us, kindly providing the timeline for this episode and generally being a top bloke.

iTunes link will be available shortly – search “Nakama Britannica” in the iTunes store.