I think that this picture taps into the myth of Japan as a uniform culture that is pristine, orderly, and homogeneous. Mt. Fuji is also present in this picture, and is usually one of the most commonly used images relating to Japan. The connotation of this image could be seen as representing the culture of Japan and how ancient it is.
This picture uses the myth of ninjas. Adding onto the comment along with the previous picture, the presence of Mt. Fuji in the background gives the connotation of a tradition that has been around a long time, and, like a mountain, is unmovable or unchangeable, it persists throughout the years and serves as a foundation. This image also blends traditional and modern, combining traditional, or at least Asian-looking, architecture with the more modern looking multi-paneled screens
This photo presents a more cute and child-like representation of Japan, which contrasts with the first image that represents the more traditional side of Japan. In spite of the fact that these two girls look to be in high school, they are wearing clothes that many Westerners/Americans would associate with children's clothes, such as the Minne Mouse purse or the colorful barrettes. These are all items that could be considered the signified items to the signifier, "cute."
I always love seeing pictures of Western perceptions of ninja. They always wear those funny black bodysuits and are shown as these elite warriors and masters of assassination. In reality a lot of them were merely common people because they blended into the environment well. Many of their weapons were even previously used as farming implements.
ReplyDeleteI like that the pictures you chose all show stereotypically Japanese-coded images, all of which are different. The first is classic, could be seen as traditional. The second shows ninjas which have become symbols of Japan in movies, comics, etc. The third image seems like a more modern Japan, where youth dress very brightly with many different styles and patterns.
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