My essay can be found on Google sites.
Here --> https://sites.google.com/site/twilightsphantasm/Home/kingdom-hearts-essay-1
Enjoy!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Presentation Overview
Paper Topic: Analysis of Kingdom Hearts as pertaining to East/West discourse, “traditional” aesthetic principles (Tanizaki and ma), and post-modern discourse (WWII, infantilization, Murakami)
The Reasons behind the Choice (Intro)
The first pull toward Kingdom Hearts was the obvious connection to an East-West division, that the game itself distinctly conjoined two enormous franchises – Disney from the West and Square Enix, which produced the Final Fantasy game series, from the East.
My original essay topic is listed as “Kingdom Hearts in the context of Orientalism and traditional Japanese aesthetics”. However, as we progressed through the course, I realized there was a lot more to look at than simply East/West implications and the influence of “traditional” Japanese aesthetic theory (by this, I mean Tanizaki’s essay). Instead, I would like to analyze Kingdom Hearts, not only in relation to these ideas, but to post-modern discourse as introduced to us by Murakami.
As a final note, by “Kingdom Hearts”, I mean to draw from various aspects of the series as a whole, as a franchise, and its impact – Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, Kingdom Hearts 2 and official artwork and products by Square are all fair game as sources and images.
A Quick Overview of Terms and Characters
Sora – the main character, the hero you play as, a cheery all-around “good guy”
Riku – the foil for the hero, best friend (to hero) turned enemy turned friend
Heartless – darkness personified – they are attracted to hearts and turn people into Heartless
Nobodies – the body left behind when one become Heartless – they have no feelings but sure
act like they do
Organization XIII – group of high level Nobodies, can exercise power over lower level Nobodies
Roxas - Sora's Nobody
From East to West (Idea 1)
Connections with Isolationism
· One of the recurring visual motifs in KH and KH2 is the world map screen
- Narratively, there is also a strong emphasis on the need for separate worlds to protect the “world order” – this emphasis is reminiscent of the Japanese policy of isolationism – separating the country from the rest of the world
- When going to a new world while playing through in KH, one must first open the route by passing through “gummi space”, a sort of low tech space battle with the Heartless (the primary threat in the first game). It is only after a certain point in the game, when a part allowing you to “warp” is obtained, that you can bypass the battles – the worlds, as displayed on the world map are very similar to islands, and the way the player must open the routes can be likened to how the Americans and the Europeans forced their way in to Japan. Nowadays, the world has become globalized and visiting other countries has become easier, much like the concept of “warping”.
- Between KH and KH2, the routes close because in the second game, the player has to open them again – from this continuing mentality of separation in the game, you can get a sense that countries in our world mentally continue to isolate themselves.
Occident vs. the Other
· Sora vs. Roxas
- The idea of the Occidental vs. the Other reminded me of the concept of people and Nobodies in Kingdom Hearts, especially the Nobodies that retain human form. I don’t know if you know Kingdom Hearts very well, but Heartless steal people’s hearts. These people become Heartless; the physical body left behind becomes animated, thus becoming a Nobody, a whitish sort of creature, if the person had a strong heart. The Nobodies of those with the strongest hearts maintain human form, closely resembling their former Somebody. Anyway, I was thinking that it’s similar to how the Japanese tried very hard to be like Westerners; the human-like Nobodies desire nothing more than to become like people again – a whole plot revolves around this desire.
- Sora and his Nobody, Roxas, have a very special relationship in that Sora was only Heartless for a short time. In the first game, he lost his heart but regained it quickly. Roxas is the result of that. The beginning of KH2 reveals that in order for Sora to be made whole again, Roxas must become a part of him once more. I think that this relationship can be viewed from an Orientalist perspective, that Sora is like the West and Roxas like the East. The West eventually absorbs the East as part of its quest for progress. Sora and Roxas, like the West and the East, are two parts of a whole, both of which struggle for the dominant identity. Eventually, Roxas is absorbed, much like the East became “Westernized”, but in the ending sequences of the game, his face can be seen overshadowing Sora’s, showing how he still exists somewhat separately below the surface. Similarly, Murakami and other contemporary Japanese artists show how a search for national culture and identity exists within a modernized and “Westernized” culture.
The Influence of Japanese Aesthetic Theory (Idea 2)
Shadows and Light – A blending of Western and Eastern Aesthetic Symbolism
· Heartless vs. Nobodies
- On the one hand, the Heartless are portrayed as a threat, as a mindless, engulfing force that will swallow all worlds. They are dark, the most recognizable design being black, crawling, ant-like creatures with glowing yellow eyes. One of the most obvious reasons for this design is that it will fit in with Western and Westernized mindsets, of goodness as light and evil as darkness. But I think, if you can look beyond that, the meaning of light and dark are not so clear cut. Yes, the Heartless are born of the darkness in people’s hearts. But, they are portrayed more as something basic, something instinctual, something human. A lot of the dialogue in the first game focuses on the power of darkness, warnings not to succumb to its power, but at the same time, it is acknowledged that darkness and light exist within every heart. It is a natural state of being.
The Reasons behind the Choice (Intro)
The first pull toward Kingdom Hearts was the obvious connection to an East-West division, that the game itself distinctly conjoined two enormous franchises – Disney from the West and Square Enix, which produced the Final Fantasy game series, from the East.
My original essay topic is listed as “Kingdom Hearts in the context of Orientalism and traditional Japanese aesthetics”. However, as we progressed through the course, I realized there was a lot more to look at than simply East/West implications and the influence of “traditional” Japanese aesthetic theory (by this, I mean Tanizaki’s essay). Instead, I would like to analyze Kingdom Hearts, not only in relation to these ideas, but to post-modern discourse as introduced to us by Murakami.
As a final note, by “Kingdom Hearts”, I mean to draw from various aspects of the series as a whole, as a franchise, and its impact – Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, Kingdom Hearts 2 and official artwork and products by Square are all fair game as sources and images.
A Quick Overview of Terms and Characters
Sora – the main character, the hero you play as, a cheery all-around “good guy”
Riku – the foil for the hero, best friend (to hero) turned enemy turned friend
Heartless – darkness personified – they are attracted to hearts and turn people into Heartless
Nobodies – the body left behind when one become Heartless – they have no feelings but sure
act like they do
Organization XIII – group of high level Nobodies, can exercise power over lower level Nobodies
Roxas - Sora's Nobody
From East to West (Idea 1)
Connections with Isolationism
· One of the recurring visual motifs in KH and KH2 is the world map screen
- Narratively, there is also a strong emphasis on the need for separate worlds to protect the “world order” – this emphasis is reminiscent of the Japanese policy of isolationism – separating the country from the rest of the world
- When going to a new world while playing through in KH, one must first open the route by passing through “gummi space”, a sort of low tech space battle with the Heartless (the primary threat in the first game). It is only after a certain point in the game, when a part allowing you to “warp” is obtained, that you can bypass the battles – the worlds, as displayed on the world map are very similar to islands, and the way the player must open the routes can be likened to how the Americans and the Europeans forced their way in to Japan. Nowadays, the world has become globalized and visiting other countries has become easier, much like the concept of “warping”.
- Between KH and KH2, the routes close because in the second game, the player has to open them again – from this continuing mentality of separation in the game, you can get a sense that countries in our world mentally continue to isolate themselves.
Occident vs. the Other
· Sora vs. Roxas
- The idea of the Occidental vs. the Other reminded me of the concept of people and Nobodies in Kingdom Hearts, especially the Nobodies that retain human form. I don’t know if you know Kingdom Hearts very well, but Heartless steal people’s hearts. These people become Heartless; the physical body left behind becomes animated, thus becoming a Nobody, a whitish sort of creature, if the person had a strong heart. The Nobodies of those with the strongest hearts maintain human form, closely resembling their former Somebody. Anyway, I was thinking that it’s similar to how the Japanese tried very hard to be like Westerners; the human-like Nobodies desire nothing more than to become like people again – a whole plot revolves around this desire.
- Sora and his Nobody, Roxas, have a very special relationship in that Sora was only Heartless for a short time. In the first game, he lost his heart but regained it quickly. Roxas is the result of that. The beginning of KH2 reveals that in order for Sora to be made whole again, Roxas must become a part of him once more. I think that this relationship can be viewed from an Orientalist perspective, that Sora is like the West and Roxas like the East. The West eventually absorbs the East as part of its quest for progress. Sora and Roxas, like the West and the East, are two parts of a whole, both of which struggle for the dominant identity. Eventually, Roxas is absorbed, much like the East became “Westernized”, but in the ending sequences of the game, his face can be seen overshadowing Sora’s, showing how he still exists somewhat separately below the surface. Similarly, Murakami and other contemporary Japanese artists show how a search for national culture and identity exists within a modernized and “Westernized” culture.
The Influence of Japanese Aesthetic Theory (Idea 2)
Shadows and Light – A blending of Western and Eastern Aesthetic Symbolism
· Heartless vs. Nobodies
- On the one hand, the Heartless are portrayed as a threat, as a mindless, engulfing force that will swallow all worlds. They are dark, the most recognizable design being black, crawling, ant-like creatures with glowing yellow eyes. One of the most obvious reasons for this design is that it will fit in with Western and Westernized mindsets, of goodness as light and evil as darkness. But I think, if you can look beyond that, the meaning of light and dark are not so clear cut. Yes, the Heartless are born of the darkness in people’s hearts. But, they are portrayed more as something basic, something instinctual, something human. A lot of the dialogue in the first game focuses on the power of darkness, warnings not to succumb to its power, but at the same time, it is acknowledged that darkness and light exist within every heart. It is a natural state of being.
- Nobodies are described in the game as “white husks” (at least, the minion Nobodies). Higher level Nobodies look like people. But the point is that the colors associated with them are white and grey. Maybe a light beige. However, they, like the Heartless, are threats, and so the color symbolism of the West (black and white, good and evil) don’t seem to fit anymore. So why white? Why not red or something dark and sinister? I think that Tanizaki’s ideas lend meaning the color. He describes Western aesthetics with disapproving tone – bright, shiny, modern, sparkling. His descriptions give the feeling of sterility and of shallowness. Shallow, in particular is an apt word to describe Nobodies. They are empty husks, looking for their humanity, so perhaps Tanizaki’s sterile, Western white was the perfect color choice for them.
o Technological/Modern Associations with Nobodies
§ Organization XIII, a group composed of the highest level Nobodies, added a technological aspect to the overall design in Kingdom Hearts. Their worlds consist of light grey and clean white colors, simplistic in design but reminiscent of Western bathrooms, as described by Tanizaki.
§ Although the Organization is a group of “villains” in the game, they are sympathetic villains, wanting to be human and whole, but unable to because of what happened to them. I would like to explore this characterization and portrayal and what it says about pressures to modernize and change, especially by the West (specifically Matthew Perry and the US in the 19th c.)
· Sora vs. Riku – a further exploration of light and dark
- Sora, as the hero, is represented as “goodness”, the spokesperson for the side of “light”. But once again, it’s not as straightforward as that. The only people in the game who are actually “pure of heart” with no darkness inside them are the Seven Princesses of Light. Throughout all three games, Sora has his own weaknesses, his own darkness, to deal with.
- Riku steeps himself in darkness, actually becoming a vessel for a very powerful Heartless. After the first game, his struggle to overcome darkness becomes much more pronounced and characterized as valiant. He is shown as a person with a strong heart.
- The strength of their friendship and their portrayal, especially in the second game, explore the interconnectivity of light and dark and good and evil, how each force exists within people and what comes of awareness of those forces. Awareness shifts into bias, and I think, into feelings of superiority, at least moral bias provides people with self-justification for actions and feelings of arrogance and superiority.
“Ma” in Kingdom Hearts
· Corridors of darkness
The World that Never Was
Castle Oblivion
- Places like these exist as a separate realm from the other worlds – the realm of darkness. It seems to be connected to “reality” (the reality the other worlds belong to); at least, Organization members use them to travel between worlds. The realm of darkness doesn’t exist to the player or the characters unless being used or inhabited explicitly, in a cut-scene or at the point in the game when access to actual places (aforementioned places) in the realm is gained
· In-between places – ex. Traverse Town, Twilight Town, the simulated Twilight Town, the portals at End of the World
- These places are like intervals…. Actually, the notion of worlds in this game can be completely linked to “ma”. To be even broader, “fielding” in general relates to ma. Cut-scenes within games are like the “positive events” discussed in the Kevin Nute paper (found on the main blog). These scenes mark progress in the game, at least in the storyline. When a player fields, trying to level up or complete subplots (mini-games and missions), essentially they are in a “non-eventful interval”, that is their actions don’t directly contribute to continuing the plot of the game.
· Nobodies and the Emptiness of Form
- Nobodies are exceptional because they are said to be nothing but form. Because they lack hearts, they are said to be empty, they are said to be “nothings”. But, looking at it from an outside point of view, they still seem to act on feelings and emotions, which were supposedly stripped from them when they lost their hearts. The game’s explanation for this is that they “remember” what it was like to have a heart and act according to their memories.
Connections to Post-Modern Discourse (Idea 3)
Infantilization
· RPG – role-playing game
- KH, an RPG, is also a hero quest. The hero begins his journey as a 14 year old boy, an adolescent. Now I think this is implicative of infantilization in Japan and representative of the need to overcome it. Adolescence marks a period of growth and maturation, so what better age to have the character begin at? Games in general have systems of leveling up and becoming stronger in order to continually challenge players. A hero quest is a very convenient vehicle to convey this need to overcome regression and infantilization.
Tentative Conclusion:
After sifting through all these ideas and looking through images and playing the games, I feel like this game is a product of people looking for identity within discourses. Maybe they are even trying to break down the discourses. Nomura once stated in an interview that “‘Kingdom Hearts’ always have something like ‘a person’s heart’ and ‘connection of hearts’ as its theme,” and I think that KH could even be referring to a much broader sense. In this globalized world, people are interconnected. Culturally, we need to break down the divisions we and history have placed between us, so that our countries are not like the separate worlds in Kingdom Hearts, but like the friends Sora makes in each world who still feel connected and loved no matter how far apart they are. It’s like a call for peace and tolerance and understanding regardless of built-up discourses and reactions to history.
We pray for our sorrows to end,
And hope that our hearts will blend.
Now I will step forward to realize this wish.
There are many worlds,
But they share the same sky –
One sky, one destiny.
+Kingdom Hearts+
Monday, March 30, 2009
Kawaii Assignment
My first image – “The Fountain of the Skull”, by Aoshima Chiho. So, now for a “short description in the visual culture style”. Huh. What exactly is short?
The skull is massive and the jaw, instead of protruding downward becomes part of the oval shape of the vast skull. The eyes are spread far apart, unrealistically, and are huge in comparison to the nasal cavity. The teeth are very tiny. These details fuse together to connect a skull, an image most often associated with death, with “cute”, a word not very often associated with death. Trees and vines and blossoms grow out of the skull, and small “kawaii” figures reside in the eyes, slightly glowing. It’s hard to tell, but the other shapes in the eyes may be fungi or representative of lichen. Apart from the shadows in the cavities, the color scheme is bright and cheerful, comprised of mainly yellowish blues and greens. The purplish blues of the shadows on the skull do not diminish the cheery color scheme because they are quite light tonally. The skull overpowers the landscape and its namesake, the water dribbling from the teeth.
The image seems filled with life to me – the various plant life thriving around and on the skull may be there because of its function as a fountain, a function which the artist marks as important by directly referencing it in the title, despite the enormity of the skull distracting viewers from the water. Drawing from Murakami’s ideas about Japan’s pop culture representing a national feeling of impotency, the artist may be illustrating that death of masculine potency and the birth of the impotent lifestyle, of “kawaii” and anime. The defeat that they can’t forget may be the water that nourishes the new life growing in the skull. Of course, she could be taking a more optimistic view than Murakami, that Japan, by having undergone death and total defeat had a chance at rebirth. “Cute” and “adorable” connote innocence and goodness, which are also associated with children and infants. The small figures in the eyes may represent good spirits watching over the Japan’s rebirth.
My non-art image is of a pretty useless commodity - "cute" rings. So what is cute about these rings? They are quite flat. They are either animals or food. Or a wing. They have faces. The eyes are big and round and the mouth is about the same size as the eyes, and lies almost along the same axis. Some of the rings have twin spots of rouge under the eyes.
Alright, so I know this is course about Japan, so I'm going to apologize in advance, but there's just something I wanted to discuss. After further investigating the image (by that I mean, I actually went to the webpage it advertises), I found out that google search failed me and it is not a Japanese image. The items it sells are in fact only "inspired by Japan". Which brings me to my question: What is it about the kawaii culture that appeals to people outside of Japan?
See, a lot of what we read about about Murakami and his views on kawaii focus on WWII and Japan's subsequent defeat. He posits that kawaii culture and anime grew out of the defeat and the feelings of inadequacy and weakness that accompanied it. These subcultures are ones of "impotency" and regression. And while I don't know much about anime and kawaii subculture in other countries, it seems to me that in the US the kawaii subculture has grown very much. I've actually bought or been given Chinese and Korean products that appear very "kawaii" in design. And last class, when Mizenko-sensei ran that search for "Japan"+"cute", he found of picture of a "cute" Korean guy.
So what I'm getting at is that kawaii might be a Japanese aesthetic that people cling to if they have these feelings of inferiority, inadequacy, nostalgia for childhood, and in this way, kawaii subculture has spread globally. At least, that's how I saw this image.
Now, just for fun, please enjoy...
Mr. SadBoxman
He was sent to me in an email, from the lighting designer of an upcoming show, Raised in Captivity (everyone should go see it, April 8-11 at 7:30 in the Black Box!). I'm not sure if Jim took the picture or just found it. He just seemed pretty kawaii, so I thought I'd share him with you all.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Assignment #3
Welcome, darlings! This is just a small, humble album documenting my journeys abroad! Oh, you would like to see them? Well, I don't know, I don't want to bore anyone. Buuut..... if you insist!
Now this scene is just so… pedestrian. It is quite attractive yes, what with those vibrant reds and all, but really. People just see that it's of Kyoto (that's one of their "important" places, you know) and just have to buy it. Really. I simply had to purchase it to show you, dears, what commonplace art is. Honestly. I have noticed that this is the piece of choice among the…ahem….common masses, those boorish travelers who flock together like ducks. I mean, this piece just screams “Look at me!” Those people obviously do not appreciate subtlety. All they see is this mass of deep red and think immediately that the quality of the color means it is a quality piece. What? Oh yes, thank you. My tutors, you seem especially emphasized the arts (although I am naturally brilliant), so you can trust that I know what I am talking about.
Now just look at these adorable little heathens! The most primitive of the primitive. So fresh, so innocent. How endearing. They are indeed quite lucky to be in such a barbarian society, to be so simpleminded as to play! It is laughable. Why, back home, by that age, children should be learning the arts! To paint, to fence, to horse-ride, for example. But really, to sit around and play with flowers? How dreadfully boring their lives must be from the very minute they are born. The Japanese seem to have so much time on their hands.
Well, as you can plainly see, this beautiful image is of excellent quality. Notice the deep, crisp shadows and the oh-so-subtle colorings, especially of the sky. Japan, although it is a land of heathens, is an artist’s paradise. How natural, how wonderful, how refreshing. I’ve grown so weary of Europe, you simply can’t imagine. Japan is elegant and simplistic, while Europe is just so….overgrown. And so ornamented. Fusty. Hmph. I am dreadfully bored with it.
My, my, my. Just look at how they try to emulate us! It amuses me so! This, darlings, is an “Intercollegiate Boat Race”. Hah! As if any of those savages could out row an Oxford man! As if any college of theirs could even measure up against the poorest school in England. What poor misguided people. Still, they are endlessly amusing. Always a good laugh.
Flower viewing is very popular among the Japanese. It's really just another indication of how backward and uninteresting their lives really are. They actually set aside time to look at plants! I love nature, believe me; I am an artist, after all. But I admire my plants as I go about my business. Still, I suppose it would be nice to take a break every so often, I just can't imagine having such boring lives as theirs! We are in the middle of the social season! And I know tonight will be the party of the year!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Ukiyo-e Analysis of "The Annotated Story of Togo" (Take 2)
History and Provenance
Utagawa Yoshitsuya’s “Annotated Story of Togo” is a rich, complex and historically significant woodblock print, based on the kabuki interpretation of an incident that occurred during the Edo Era, around 1652 or 1653, definitely mid 17th century. The play, Higashiyama Sakura Zoshi, also called Sakura Giminden or Sakura Soshi Gonichi no Bundan, revolves around political oppression and protest. Unsurprisingly, the use of the real names of the protester, the daimyo and the shogun did not pass government censors, forcing the playwrights to set it in another period, the Sengoku or Warring States Era, under the shogunate of Ashikaga Yoshimasa and to rename the characters. Ukiyo-e were similarly censored; artists likewise discovered ways for their drawings to pass inspection. Yoshitsuya, for example, used the names of the characters from the kabuki plays. “The Annotated Story of Togo” in particular directly includes names of actors, possibly indicating its use as advertisement. The kabuki actor Ichikawa Kodanji IV portrays Asakura Togo, the play’s version of Kiuchi Sogo, although other sources name the character Sakura Sogoro.
Sogo was the head of the village Kozu-mura, now Narita city. The plays style him as “Sakura, the Man of Justice” or “Self-Sacrificing Man Sakura”, referring to his determination to appeal to the shogun directly on behalf of the villagers, who were paying heavy taxes to the daimyo. In actuality, the shogun was Tokugawa Ietsuna, and direct appeals were forbidden under penalty of death. Although his plea eased the troubles of the villagers, he and his sons were put to death for his transgression. The story goes on to say that he came back as ghost to haunt the daimyo and the shogun, another topic often explored in ukiyo-e. It is said that his spirit was not put to rest until amends were made to his memory and his family, such as the erection of the Sogo-Reido Sanctuary in his honor.
Meaning
Ukiyo-e, as mass-produced commercial art, appealed to a great many people. Artists typically stuck with various popular genres, such as bijinga (beautiful women), kabuki actors, and landscape. But this woodblock print of Togo’s appeal holds much more than just kabuki actors; it is unique because it is more than a “floating” world. There is history and substance in this illustrated scene that reached beyond the walls of the pleasure quarters, beyond the superficiality often associated with ukiyo-e. Sogo’s story, which becomes Togo’s story, connotes justice and selflessness. It has strength because he voluntarily cedes his life for a chance to help impoverished villagers. Superficially, the print most likely advertised the play, but this particular scene would have been chosen because of the meaning it has for the Japanese. As a widely-known and well regarded legend, it would appeal to a broad audience.
The renaming of Sogo becomes significant. Instead of choosing a name at random, they call him Sakura or Asakura, both of which invoke images of cherry blossoms. In Japan, cherry blossoms symbolize spring and the transient nature of life. His new name, then, directly links to his fate, his death. Japanese culture has often been noted (by the West) for the connection of self-sacrifice and honor, particularly because of the code of honor that regulated the samurai class. Seppuku, for example, was a part of the code in which samurai chose to die with honor than give in to the enemy. Togo’s death for the villagers almost elevates him to the level of samurai, at least in terms of spirit and honor. Since Yoshitsuya portrays Togo as the protagonist in the piece, since Togo is the one that Japanese audiences are meant to sympathize with, he may be suggesting that there are some causes worth disrupting the highly structured feudal system.
The Positions of the Actors (How Meaning is Created)
Yoshitsuya creates strength through his particular portrayal of Togo in relation to the other figures in the image. Togo, the focus of the image, does not portray a bedraggled, begging mayor, but a strong, defiant, committed man. Although he kneels, his muscles tense in preparation for action as he makes his appeal. One of his hands grips one of the guards, and although his other hand cannot be seen, the awkward position of the other guard indicates that Togo also has him in a grip. This guard looks like he has been forced to the ground and his right arm seems forced into a painful position behind his neck. His expression is chagrined in contrast to Togo, who locks gazes with the shogun. Essentially, Yoshitsuya shows Togo in a moment of protest communicated through the strength of his body language. Although this print does not seem to be of a mie, a pose meant to show the height of emotion, this scene holds all the tension and emotion of the climax of a play. The conflict lies within the two central figures, the shogun and Sakura, and this is emphasized by the use of the bridge in the composition. The class system in Japan was well defined, and Togo, as a villager, lay far below the shogun. The bridge acts as a separation between these two classes of people, almost becoming a throne for the shogun, a tool used to intimidate, a physical manifestation of the power of the shogun lorded over Togo. It also elevates the woman, although she sits by the shogun’s feet. This is possibly Togo’s wife, who, in some versions of the tale, was taken hostage. In other versions, she went with Togo, to die with him. If the figure is meant to be his wife, then she was probably being used as a bargaining tool. Personally, I did not think that the figure was his wife because the expression on her face, a kind of half-smile, as he makes his appeal does not seem appropriate for the circumstances. But perhaps, she smiles because she’s proud of her husband.
Composition, Technical Elements and Meaning
The positioning and coloring of the actors creates movement in the composition. The bright and elaborate dress of the shogun, with complementary colors blue and orange caught my attention first, then swept down following the female figure to the guard to Togo to the other guard. The coloring also creates a division between the figures on the bridge and the figures on the green foreground. Togo and the guards dress in the same cool colors – brown, blue, black, white, and mauve. The orange leaves of the tree in the top half of the image help to create the division because the color compliments the shogun’s robes, as well as the warm colors of the bridge. These leaves are even mimicked in the woman’s kimono. Because of an eyeline-match, the gazes of the shogun and Togo also create fierce quick movement between the two, as well as increase tension.
All of the figures can be seen and are large enough to indicate that the eye level is that of a spectator. Yoshitsuya, by employing this eye level, invites the viewer to become a spectator within the image as well. The color of the background is a light blue, placing image in daytime. I think that an appeal to the shogun would be strongest in daylight, in front of the villagers because it would have heightened their morale to have a voice among them, as well as placed pressure on the shogun to reduce the taxation, if he were appealed to in the midst of a crowd of resentful villagers. There is no crowd in the image, but based on the description of the print and the eye level, it seems like the viewer becomes part of a crowd. This event was a very public matter, so although the play makes the plea private, I think that the effectiveness of the image as a representation of the real event is greater if the appeal had an audience.
The perspective of the print is very limited, and so overall, the image is very flat. Overlapping of figures and objects slightly creates depth. Yoshitsuya uses two point perspective to create the bridge, but the lack of background and other elements of Western perspective, such as diminishing the size of objects and decreasing atmospheric clarity, keeps the image flat and relatively two dimensional.
Links and Sources
Kabuki - http://www.kabuki21.com/glossaire_5.php
http://www.kabuki21.com/sakura_giminden.php
Sogo Reido - http://www.city.narita.chiba.jp/english/welcome/s_guide_03_1sogo_reido.html http://www.chiba-tour.jp/narita/sight/sight_top.html
Utagawa Yoshitsuya’s “Annotated Story of Togo” is a rich, complex and historically significant woodblock print, based on the kabuki interpretation of an incident that occurred during the Edo Era, around 1652 or 1653, definitely mid 17th century. The play, Higashiyama Sakura Zoshi, also called Sakura Giminden or Sakura Soshi Gonichi no Bundan, revolves around political oppression and protest. Unsurprisingly, the use of the real names of the protester, the daimyo and the shogun did not pass government censors, forcing the playwrights to set it in another period, the Sengoku or Warring States Era, under the shogunate of Ashikaga Yoshimasa and to rename the characters. Ukiyo-e were similarly censored; artists likewise discovered ways for their drawings to pass inspection. Yoshitsuya, for example, used the names of the characters from the kabuki plays. “The Annotated Story of Togo” in particular directly includes names of actors, possibly indicating its use as advertisement. The kabuki actor Ichikawa Kodanji IV portrays Asakura Togo, the play’s version of Kiuchi Sogo, although other sources name the character Sakura Sogoro.
Sogo was the head of the village Kozu-mura, now Narita city. The plays style him as “Sakura, the Man of Justice” or “Self-Sacrificing Man Sakura”, referring to his determination to appeal to the shogun directly on behalf of the villagers, who were paying heavy taxes to the daimyo. In actuality, the shogun was Tokugawa Ietsuna, and direct appeals were forbidden under penalty of death. Although his plea eased the troubles of the villagers, he and his sons were put to death for his transgression. The story goes on to say that he came back as ghost to haunt the daimyo and the shogun, another topic often explored in ukiyo-e. It is said that his spirit was not put to rest until amends were made to his memory and his family, such as the erection of the Sogo-Reido Sanctuary in his honor.
Meaning
Ukiyo-e, as mass-produced commercial art, appealed to a great many people. Artists typically stuck with various popular genres, such as bijinga (beautiful women), kabuki actors, and landscape. But this woodblock print of Togo’s appeal holds much more than just kabuki actors; it is unique because it is more than a “floating” world. There is history and substance in this illustrated scene that reached beyond the walls of the pleasure quarters, beyond the superficiality often associated with ukiyo-e. Sogo’s story, which becomes Togo’s story, connotes justice and selflessness. It has strength because he voluntarily cedes his life for a chance to help impoverished villagers. Superficially, the print most likely advertised the play, but this particular scene would have been chosen because of the meaning it has for the Japanese. As a widely-known and well regarded legend, it would appeal to a broad audience.
The renaming of Sogo becomes significant. Instead of choosing a name at random, they call him Sakura or Asakura, both of which invoke images of cherry blossoms. In Japan, cherry blossoms symbolize spring and the transient nature of life. His new name, then, directly links to his fate, his death. Japanese culture has often been noted (by the West) for the connection of self-sacrifice and honor, particularly because of the code of honor that regulated the samurai class. Seppuku, for example, was a part of the code in which samurai chose to die with honor than give in to the enemy. Togo’s death for the villagers almost elevates him to the level of samurai, at least in terms of spirit and honor. Since Yoshitsuya portrays Togo as the protagonist in the piece, since Togo is the one that Japanese audiences are meant to sympathize with, he may be suggesting that there are some causes worth disrupting the highly structured feudal system.
The Positions of the Actors (How Meaning is Created)
Yoshitsuya creates strength through his particular portrayal of Togo in relation to the other figures in the image. Togo, the focus of the image, does not portray a bedraggled, begging mayor, but a strong, defiant, committed man. Although he kneels, his muscles tense in preparation for action as he makes his appeal. One of his hands grips one of the guards, and although his other hand cannot be seen, the awkward position of the other guard indicates that Togo also has him in a grip. This guard looks like he has been forced to the ground and his right arm seems forced into a painful position behind his neck. His expression is chagrined in contrast to Togo, who locks gazes with the shogun. Essentially, Yoshitsuya shows Togo in a moment of protest communicated through the strength of his body language. Although this print does not seem to be of a mie, a pose meant to show the height of emotion, this scene holds all the tension and emotion of the climax of a play. The conflict lies within the two central figures, the shogun and Sakura, and this is emphasized by the use of the bridge in the composition. The class system in Japan was well defined, and Togo, as a villager, lay far below the shogun. The bridge acts as a separation between these two classes of people, almost becoming a throne for the shogun, a tool used to intimidate, a physical manifestation of the power of the shogun lorded over Togo. It also elevates the woman, although she sits by the shogun’s feet. This is possibly Togo’s wife, who, in some versions of the tale, was taken hostage. In other versions, she went with Togo, to die with him. If the figure is meant to be his wife, then she was probably being used as a bargaining tool. Personally, I did not think that the figure was his wife because the expression on her face, a kind of half-smile, as he makes his appeal does not seem appropriate for the circumstances. But perhaps, she smiles because she’s proud of her husband.
Composition, Technical Elements and Meaning
The positioning and coloring of the actors creates movement in the composition. The bright and elaborate dress of the shogun, with complementary colors blue and orange caught my attention first, then swept down following the female figure to the guard to Togo to the other guard. The coloring also creates a division between the figures on the bridge and the figures on the green foreground. Togo and the guards dress in the same cool colors – brown, blue, black, white, and mauve. The orange leaves of the tree in the top half of the image help to create the division because the color compliments the shogun’s robes, as well as the warm colors of the bridge. These leaves are even mimicked in the woman’s kimono. Because of an eyeline-match, the gazes of the shogun and Togo also create fierce quick movement between the two, as well as increase tension.
All of the figures can be seen and are large enough to indicate that the eye level is that of a spectator. Yoshitsuya, by employing this eye level, invites the viewer to become a spectator within the image as well. The color of the background is a light blue, placing image in daytime. I think that an appeal to the shogun would be strongest in daylight, in front of the villagers because it would have heightened their morale to have a voice among them, as well as placed pressure on the shogun to reduce the taxation, if he were appealed to in the midst of a crowd of resentful villagers. There is no crowd in the image, but based on the description of the print and the eye level, it seems like the viewer becomes part of a crowd. This event was a very public matter, so although the play makes the plea private, I think that the effectiveness of the image as a representation of the real event is greater if the appeal had an audience.
The perspective of the print is very limited, and so overall, the image is very flat. Overlapping of figures and objects slightly creates depth. Yoshitsuya uses two point perspective to create the bridge, but the lack of background and other elements of Western perspective, such as diminishing the size of objects and decreasing atmospheric clarity, keeps the image flat and relatively two dimensional.
Links and Sources
Kabuki - http://www.kabuki21.com/glossaire_5.php
http://www.kabuki21.com/sakura_giminden.php
Sogo Reido - http://www.city.narita.chiba.jp/english/welcome/s_guide_03_1sogo_reido.html http://www.chiba-tour.jp/narita/sight/sight_top.html
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Ukiyo-e Analysis of "The Annotated Story of Togo"
History and Provenance
Utagawa Yoshitsuya’s “Annotated Story of Togo” is a rich, complex and historically significant woodblock print, based on the kabuki interpretation of an incident that occurred during the Edo Era, around 1652 or 1653, definitely mid 17th century. The play, Higashiyama Sakura Zoshi, also called Sakura Giminden or Sakura Soshi Gonichi no Bundan, revolves around political oppression and protest. Unsurprisingly, the use of the real names of the protester, the daimyo and the shogun did not pass government censors, forcing the playwrights to set it in another period, the Sengoku or Warring States Era, under the shogunate of Ashikaga Yoshimasa and to rename the characters. Ukiyo-e were similarly censored; artists likewise discovered ways for their drawings to pass inspection. Yoshitsuya, for example, used the names of the characters from the kabuki plays. “The Annotated Story of Togo” in particular directly includes names of actors, possibly indicating its use as advertisement. The kabuki actor Ichikawa Kodanji IV portrays Asakura Togo, the play’s version of Kiuchi Sogo, although other sources name the character Sakura Sogoro.
Sogo was the head of the village Kozu-mura, now Narita city. The plays style him as “Sakura, the Man of Justice” or “Self-Sacrificing Man Sakura”, referring to his determination to appeal to the shogun directly on behalf of the villagers, who were paying heavy taxes to the daimyo. In actuality, the shogun was Tokugawa Ietsuna, and direct appeals were forbidden under penalty of death. Although his plea eased the troubles of the villagers, he and his sons were put to death for his transgression. The story goes on to say that he came back as ghost to haunt the daimyo and the shogun, another topic often explored in ukiyo-e. It is said that his spirit was not put to rest until amends were made to his memory and his family, such as the erection of the Sogo-Reido Sanctuary in his honor.
Meaning
Ukiyo-e, as mass-produced commercial art, appealed to a great many people. Artists typically stuck with various popular genres, such as bijinga (beautiful women), kabuki actors, and landscape. But this woodblock print of Togo’s appeal holds much more than just kabuki actors; it is unique because it is more than a “floating” world. There is history and substance in this illustrated scene that reached beyond the walls of the pleasure quarters, beyond the superficiality often associated with ukiyo-e. Sogo’s story, which becomes Togo’s story, connotes justice and selflessness. It has strength because he voluntarily cedes his life for a chance to help impoverished villagers.
The renaming of Sogo becomes significant. Instead of choosing a name at random, they call him Sakura or Asakura, both of which invoke images of cherry blossoms. In Japan, cherry blossoms symbolize spring and the transient nature of life. His new name, then, directly links to his fate, his death. Japanese culture has often been noted for the connection of self-sacrifice and honor, particularly because of the code of honor that regulated the samurai class. Seppuku, for example, was a part of the code in which samurai chose to die with honor than give in to the enemy. Togo’s death for the villagers almost elevates him to the level of samurai, at least in terms of spirit and honor.
The Positions of the Actors (How Meaning is Created)
Yoshitsuya creates strength through his particular portrayal of Togo in relation to the other figures in the image. Togo, the focus of the image, does not portray a bedraggled, begging mayor, but a strong, defiant, committed man. Although he kneels, his muscles tense in preparation for action as he makes his appeal. One of his hands grips one of the guards, and although his other hand cannot be seen, the awkward position of the other guard indicates that Togo also has him in a grip. This guard looks like he has been forced to the ground and his right arm seems forced into a painful position behind his neck. His expression is chagrined in contrast to Togo, who locks gazes with the shogun. Essentially, Yoshitsuya shows Togo in a moment of protest communicated through the strength of his body language. Although this print does not seem to be of a mie, a pose meant to show the height of emotion, this scene holds all the tension and emotion of the climax of a play. The conflict lies within the two central figures, the shogun and Sakura, and this is emphasized by the use of the bridge in the composition. The class system in Japan was well defined, and Togo, as a villager, lay far below the shogun. The bridge acts as a separation between these two classes of people, almost becoming a throne for the shogun, a tool used to intimidate, a physical manifestation of the power of the shogun lorded over Togo. It also elevates the woman, although she sits by the shogun’s feet. This is possibly Togo’s wife, who, in some versions of the tale, was taken hostage. In other versions, she went with Togo, to die with him. If the figure is meant to be his wife, then she was probably being used as a bargaining tool. Personally, I did not think that the figure was his wife because the expression on her face, a kind of half-smile, as he makes his appeal does not seem appropriate for the circumstances. But perhaps, she smiles because she’s proud of her husband.
Composition, Technical Elements and Meaning
The positioning and coloring of the actors creates movement in the composition. The bright and elaborate dress of the shogun, with complementary colors blue and orange caught my attention first, then swept down following the female figure to the guard to Togo to the other guard. The coloring also creates a division between the figures on the bridge and the figures on the green foreground. Togo and the guards dress in the same cool colors – brown, blue, black, white, and mauve. The orange leaves of the tree in the top half of the image help to create the division because the color compliments the shogun’s robes, as well as the warm colors of the bridge. These leaves are even mimicked in the woman’s kimono. Because of an eyeline-match, the gazes of the shogun and Togo also create fierce quick movement between the two, as well as increase tension.
All of the figures can be seen and are large enough to indicate that the eye level is that of a spectator. Yoshitsuya, by employing this eye level, invites the viewer to become a spectator within the image as well. The color of the background is a light blue, placing image in daytime. I think that an appeal to the shogun would be strongest in daylight, in front of the villagers because it would have heightened their morale to have a voice among them, as well as placed pressure on the shogun to reduce the taxation, if he were appealed to in the midst of a crowd of resentful villagers. There is no crowd in the image, but based on the description of the print and the eye level, it seems like the viewer becomes part of a crowd. This event was a very public matter, so although the play makes the plea private, I think that the effectiveness of the image as a representation of the real event is greater if the appeal had an audience.
The perspective of the print is very limited, and so overall, the image is very flat. Overlapping of figures and objects slightly creates depth. Yoshitsuya uses two point perspective to create the bridge, but the lack of background and other elements of Western perspective, such as diminishing the size of objects and decreasing atmospheric clarity, keeps the image flat and relatively two dimensional.
Links and Sources
"The Annotated Story of Togo", Utagawa Yoshitsuya
A village mayor, Asakura Togo, is shown appealing to shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa to protest the taxation of the villagers. He is shown being restrained by guards.
Gift of Nancy M. Berman and Alan Bloch BAM2006.086
©Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College. All Rights Reserved.
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