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Identity in the Shell: Hollywood Film Representations of Japanese Identity

Kimura, Keisuke
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu152302397851392

Abstract Details

2018, Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, American Culture Studies.
With the advent of technology and globalization, our societies have become more connected than ever before, especially in the ways that technology has enabled us to gain awareness of different cultures and identities. Although there are many benefits to this exchange, powerful mass media often produce misrepresentations of culture and identity such as stereotypical images that do not fully express reality. This thesis aims to explore American film representations of Japanese identity and culture. Specifically, this thesis focuses on two American films from different time periods as cultural artifacts—Gung Ho (1986) and Ghost in the Shell (2017)—in order to examine how American-produced media view Japanese culture, and how media representation plays a role in international and intercultural communication. By analyzing specific scenes and dialogues, we can describe and interpret the stereotypes and misrepresentations of Japanese identity and culture. Moreover, a brief summary of the history of Japanese immigrants, racial concepts and ideologies, and Hollywood’s general approach to Japanese identity and culture helps us to understand problematic portrayal of the Japanese in the United States. Although these two films are categorized in different genres and time periods, they present similar portrayals and concepts of Japanese identity and culture. One of the key findings of this thesis is the significance of Orientalism ideology. Specifically, this concept sustains the arguments of racial hierarchy and obscure cultural portrayals under the larger category of “Asian” or “oriental”. While exploring media representations of Japanese identity and culture is perhaps very complicated because Japanese culture has historically been influenced by its Western counterpart and it is difficult to define cultural traits, it is important to acknowledge the continuity of problematic representations. Ultimately, this thesis provides recommendations for both Japanese and non-Japanese people toward better communication practices and understanding.
Alberto Gonzalez, Dr. (Advisor)
Robert Sloane (Committee Member)
78 p.
American Studies; Mass Media
Media representation; Japanese identity; Hollywood films

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Kimura, K. (2018). Identity in the Shell: Hollywood Film Representations of Japanese Identity [Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu152302397851392

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Kimura, Keisuke. Identity in the Shell: Hollywood Film Representations of Japanese Identity. 2018. Bowling Green State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu152302397851392.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Kimura, Keisuke. "Identity in the Shell: Hollywood Film Representations of Japanese Identity." Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu152302397851392

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

bgsu152302397851392
9,091
© 2018, some rights reserved.Creative Commons License Identity in the Shell: Hollywood Film Representations of Japanese Identity by Keisuke Kimura is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at etd.ohiolink.edu.
This open access ETD is published by Bowling Green State University and OhioLINK.