Lesson:
Popular Culture and Japan’s
Gross National Cool
Japan TIP: Popular Culture and Japan’s
National Cool
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Overview:
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From sushi and karaoke to Hello Kitty and Wii, Japanese
cultural goods have skyrocketed in the global marketplace
during the past decade. The globalization of Japanese
"cool" is led by youth products: video games, manga
(comic books), anime (animation) and cute characters that
have fostered kid crazes across the globe. Drawing on
popular examples from Pokémon to Sailor Moon, scholars
speak about the popularity of Japanese goods today and
the relationship of these products to the cultural and
historical context in which they were both developed and
consumed. This lesson explores the varied roots of these
cultural trends and their significance in a global context
Standards
I decided to focus on the Illinois State Standards due to the fact that the Common Core standards
have not been published for Social Studies. The Common Core has addressed the literacy standards
for Social Studies under the English Common Core, subsequently; I will address those standards as
well, as our school district will be focusing on the Common Core.
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Illinois State Goal 14.D.3: Understanding Political Systems & the roles and influences of
individuals and interest groups.
Illinois State Goal 14.E.3: Understand foreign policy as it relates to other nations and
international issues
Illinois State Goal 16.C.3b: Explain relationships among the American Economy and
immigration, industrialization, labor and urbanization, 1700-present.
Illinois State Goal 16.D.3 (W) Identify origins and analyze consequences of events that
shaped world social history including migrations.
Common Core Reading for Social Studies2: Determine the central ideas or information of a
primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior
knowledge or opinions.
Common Core Writing for Social Studies 4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience
Common Core Writing for Social Studies 9: Draw evidence from informational texts to
support analysis reflection, and research.
Student Learning Objectives:
1. Students will understand the history and
diversity of Japanese popular culture creations.
 2. Students will make a connection between
Shinto purification ceremonies and how certain
aspects are present in popular manga and anime.
 3. Students will understand the concept of
“soft power,” particularly in relation to Japan in
the twenty-first century.
 4. Students will explore some of the reasons
for the current global appeal of Japanese popular
culture.
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Grade Level: 7-8 Grade Junior High
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Lesson Plan: Two 57 minute class periods
HOOK: Ask your students to list all the pop culture forms
associated with Japan that they are familiar with and have become
popular globally, from movies to video games to animation to
television shows to Japanese baseball stars playing in the United
States. Be sure to consider some forms that might not be obvious,
like Japanese food (sushi). Ask your students why they think these
Japanese entertainment products are popular in the United States,
and particularly among young people. Discuss what impressions and
stereotypes of Japan are conveyed by pop culture products.
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“A Year in the Life of a Shinto
Shrine,” by John K. Nelson
• Read the excerpt from
this book about Shinto
purification ceremonies.
• Act out a Shinto
purification ceremony in
a group
• Examine examples of
manga and anime to
discover elements of the
Shinto rites.
Examples of Shinto elements in
Anime and Manga
Origins & History
of Manga
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6th -7th Century
Buddhist scrolls
17th-18th
Century
woodblock
prints
(ukiyo-e)
17th -18th
Century “yellow
covers”
(kibyoushi)
The Origins & History of Anime
1960-1970
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In 1963, Tetsuwan Atomu (the
Japanese name for Astroboy,
means “Mighty Atom”) came
out as a television series. This
was the first anime. Astroboy
was a robot that wished to be a
real boy.
Next hit anime was Speed
Racer In 1967.
Hi No Tori (Bird of Fire) was
Tezuka’s greatest work, in
America known as Phoenix
2772.
Osamu Tezuka:
“The Father of Manga and Anime”
(1928-1989)
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Post WW II era
1947: New Treasure
Island (Shintakarajima)
1951: Astro Boy
(Tetsuwan Atomu)
Signature “large
teardrop eye”style
Genres of Manga/Anime
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Shojo: manga/anime that are made
with a female audience in mind.
– Many deal with romances between
young men and women
• Kare First Love (manga)
– More and more shojo are made dealing
with problems girls can face in daily
life, or activities girls are interested in.
• Shojo Beat magazine
Manga & Anime
Genres of Manga/Anime
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Shonen: manga/anime that
are made with a male
audience in mind.
– The main characters often go
through battles to become
stronger
• Rurouni Kenshin (manga)
Manga & Anime
Re-occurring Themes of Anime
• Dystopian futures
• Cyborgs
• The relation between
humans and technology
• The animated body: “The
body takes on animal
attributes; it merges with
plant life and melds with
metal.
Ex:Tetsuo,Texhnolyze,
“Ghost in the Shell”
Apocalyptic Theme
The vision of worldwide destruction,
expressed as material, spiritual or
pathological catastrophe.
Ex: Akira
Evidence of Spirituality
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Sailor Mars (Raye) in
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Li-kun in Card
Sailor Moon
Captor Sakura
It’s Not Easy Being Young…
“In order to get into college, Japanese
students have to take intense
comprehensive entrance exams… similar
to the SAT, but cover a wider range
of subjects, are much harder, and more
of a determining factor in one's
admittance to a school…If a student
fails his/her exams, they don't go to
college. It's that simple. Consequently,
entrance exams are a stressful part of
student life. The first episodes of
Maison Ikkoku follow Godai-san, a
‘ronin’ that has failed his entrance
exams the year preceding the story,
and his battle to study for college
entrance exams.”
Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru No Haka)
Written and Directed by Isao Takahata
Based on a Novel by Akiyuki Nosaka
1988
“Seita and his little sister
Setsuko lose their parents
in the war. Seita struggles
to keep Setsuko happy,
though it means angering
his paternal aunt, who took
them in. When they end up
on their own, Seita thinks
all will be well, but how can
he take care of Setsuko
when he can barely take
care of himself? “
Popular Manga/Anime
Doraemon
 First appeared on Manga
in 1969, Anime in 1973
 Spread throughout Asia
 31st most popular Anime
in Japan
 Robotic cat that travels
back in time
Manga & Anime
Popular Manga/Anime
Dragon Ball
 First appeared in
Shonen Jump (1984)
 Manga/Anime/ Games
 12th most popular
 Monkey-tailed boy who
fights many battles
Manga & Anime
Popular Manga/Anime
Pokemon
 Started off as computer game (1995)
 43rd most popular
 2nd best selling video game franchise ever
 Based on insect collecting
 Anime follows Pokemon
Master Ash
Manga & Anime
Popular Manga/Anime
Full Metal Alchemist
 Since February 2002
 Manga/Anime/Game
 Most popular Anime in
Japan
 2 brothers in fictional
world hoping to become
alchemists
Manga & Anime
Commercialization of Manga
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Plush toys: Inuyasha
Toys: Hamtaro
Calendar: Fullmetal Alchemist
Key chain: Pokemon
Video games: Pokemon
Anime from manga: Pokemon and Hellsing
– Pokemon: marketed in the US to children, in Japan
popular among teenagers and adult males, 500 episodes
in Japan, countless games
Manga & Anime
Exportation of Manga
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Changes in American comics, more
emphasis on conveying emotions thru
illustrations than thru dialogue.
– X-Men (1990) vs. X-Men (2007)
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Many non-Japanese artists writing mangalike books and illustrations
– Manhwa: Korean manga
Manga & Anime
The Simba/Kimba Controversy
Disney’s The Lion King said to have copied
Osamu Tezuka’s Kimba the White Lion.
 Similar coming-of-age plot
 Matching characters
 Very similar visuals
 Disney never admit Lion King was based on
Kimba; no further action taken
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Manga & Anime
The Simba/Kimba Controversy
Manga & Anime
The Simba/Kimba Controversy
Manga & Anime
Read “Japan’s Gross National
Cool” by Douglas McCray
Consider what “soft power” is and why
nations consider it important. Discuss what
benefits the global popularity of forms like
anime (animation) and manga (comics)
brings Japan politically, economically, and
culturally.
 Link to:
"Japan's Gross National Cool" Essay
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How do these clips reflect the
political, social, and cultural concerns of the time in
which it was made?
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Akira Trailer
Godzilla Trailer
Godzilla Documentary
Hello Kitty Theme Song
Hello Kitty Clip
Resources
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Allison, Anne Dr. “Japanese Toys & Global Imagination, Film Clips.” PODCAST.
Condry, Ian, Teaching Anime: Exploring a Transnational and Transmedia Movement, February 4, 2009, About
Japan: A Teacher’s Resource. web. 15 March. 2012. http://aboutjapan.japansociety.org/content.cfm/lessons
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Frost, Peter, “Contemporary Japan, 1989-Present”, Journey through Japan. 2003. web. 15Mar. 2012.
<http://aboutjapan.japansociety.org/content.cfm/lessons>
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McGray, Douglas, “Japan’s Gross National Cool,” Foreign Policy 130.May/June 2002, pp.44-54.
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McPherson, Mark. "The Evolution of Anime." 5 2004. Anime Bordom. 23 Nov. 2004. web. 15 March. 2012
<http://www.animeboredom.co.uk/anime-articles/18/>.
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Napier, Susan, Anime from Akira to Princess Mononoke: Experiencing Contemporary Japanese Animation. New
York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2001.
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Pink, Dan. “Adventures in Manga Video: Manga in Japan.” PODCAST
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Roach, Mary, “Cute, Inc.,” Wired 7:12. December 1999.
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Schodt, Frederik L. Dreamland Japan: Writings on Modern Manga. Berkeley: Stone Bridge Press, 1996.
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Takashi, Murakami, Little Boy: The Arts of Japan’s Exploding Subculture. New York: Japan Society and Yale
University Press, 2005.
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Tsutsui, William M. Godzilla on My Mind: Fifty Years of the King of Monsters. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004.
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Tsutsiu, William, “Popular Culture and Japan’s Gross National Cool”,(June 2, 2008) web. 15 March. 2012.
<http://aboutjapan.japansociety.org/content.cfm/lessons>
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