Japanese History in Persona 4

I'm only 2-3 hours into Persona 4, and I'm hooked. My interest in the mythology of the personas started in Persona 3, when I began to recognize a lot of names from myths and legends of other religions, world literature, and world mythologies. I decided in Persona 4, I'd be looking more into the backgrounds of the historical figures the personas are named after and how they relate to the characters who use them.

Main character- Izanagi

Disability in Japanese Media - Angel Beats, A Case Study

Have you ever seen the anime Angel Beats before? If you haven't, you are really missing out! Actually, if you haven't seen any of Key's productions, you are definitely missing out! Key has a remarkable ability to hook you into a story, make you laugh a bit, maybe cry a little, and ultimately end up in the fetal position crying some more.

Samurai Champloo: Edo Japan, Hip-hop, and the Outcast

Since I’ve already talked a little about the Sengoku period and the Meiji period, I wanted to venture in between these two eras and talk about the Edo period. Begun by Ieyasu Tokugawa, the final of the three great unifiers of Japan, the Tokugawa period saw Japan through two centuries of peace. It was a time of strict social hierarchy, flourishing arts, and isolation from the rest of the world (with the exception of highly regulated trade kept within Nagasaki). This period is the setting of Shinichirō Watanabe’s critically acclaimed anime series Samurai Champloo (2004).

Much like Watanabe’s previous broadcast anime Cowboy Bebop (1998), Champloo is a vibrant blend of styles: Bebop combines jazzy American movie influences with science fiction, whereas Champloo presents samurai action mixed with hip-hop culture. Graffiti art combines with calligraphy, thieves and crooks are portrayed very “gangsta,” and break-dance moves can be seen in many of the fight scenes.

Mugen in a promotional image

Persona 4 and Muramasa Rebirth

As a gamer, I stick mostly with PC games, which means I don't usually get to play games from Japan. My boyfriend, on the other hand, plays more console and portable games than I do. He recently lent me his PS Vita, and with it a lot of games. Two games of particular note are Persona 4 and Muramasa Rebirth.

Why Can't Moe Just Be Moe?

"Well, take a look! She's super cute, isn't she?
I believe that moe is an essential factor."

Some say that anime as we know it is dying. Some say that things just haven't been the same since K-On! or Lucky☆Star. Female characters are eternally blushing, and their eyes just keep getting bigger and bigger. It's giving all of us anime fans a bad name, they say.

The Superhuman Mangaka

There are few occupations that require as much hard work for as little monetary gain as being an artist. Many of the greatest artists of all time were never recognized in their lifetime, and art supplies are expensive. This, combined with Japan’s abnormally cruel work expectations, makes being a manga artist, also known as mangaka, an extraordinary feat for more reasons than just skill.

Nobunaga: The Devil Incarnate, or Just Misunderstood?

Nobunaga Oda is another historical character I am fascinated with. Born in 1534 in the Owari province, he eventually became the leader of his clan and started a successful military campaign to unify the country. He was known to be something of a maverick and a forward thinker. He developed the ashigaru (foot soldiers), iron clad ships, and the use of firearms in the battlefield. Like other daimyo, he was a patron of the arts and collected fine crafts. His legacy was carried on by the other two great unifiers, Hideyoshi Toyotomi and Ieyasu Tokugawa.

Portrait of Nobunaga by a Jesuit artist

Fortune Telling and Superstition in Persona 4

Recently I began considering fortune telling in Japanese video games. Fortune telling is a huge cultural phenomenon in Japan, and appears in nearly every media. Video games is no exception to this. While looking into fortune telling, I also crossed paths with both superstition, faith, and the mystical. One excellent case study (and one I am currently addicted to) is Persona 4.

Persona is a lovable JRPG / Everyday life simulator. Half the time you are an ordinary school student, the other half you are a shadow-hunting, crime fighting, monster summoning badass. (More on fantasy culture in Japan later.)