This thesis explores the portrayal of identity construction and expression through the protagonist Mikage's relationship with food in Banana Yoshimoto's novel "Kitchen," employing the framework of...Show moreThis thesis explores the portrayal of identity construction and expression through the protagonist Mikage's relationship with food in Banana Yoshimoto's novel "Kitchen," employing the framework of ecocriticism. By analyzing Mikage's interactions with food and the kitchen, this study investigates how she nurtures her identity, fosters interpersonal connections, and experiences nostalgia. Through tea times, kitchen scenes, and dining experiences, Mikage forms deep emotional bonds with others, using food as a medium for intimacy and solace. However, amidst her nostalgic reflections, Mikage's limited awareness of food production processes underscore a disconnect between her emotional attachment to food and its ecological implications. By examining Mikage's culinary journey, this thesis sheds light on the complex interplay between food, identity, and environmental consciousness, offering insights into the ways in which our relationships with food shape our sense of self and our connection to the natural world.Show less
Within science fiction literature, a largely debated subject is the modification of humans and the consequences attached to this practice. Questions such as the extent to which it would still be...Show moreWithin science fiction literature, a largely debated subject is the modification of humans and the consequences attached to this practice. Questions such as the extent to which it would still be possible to call these people ‘human’ or the role they might play in bringing the human civilization to an end are largely examined within science fiction. This thesis addresses the issue of modified humanoids within Japanese works of science fiction, with special attention to the reaction of society to these modified humanoids. Specifically, the focus of this research is the mangas Elfen Lied and Deadman Wonderland, as they frame the modification of the human in such ways that shows completely different reactions by society, ranging from marginalization to attraction or a need for controlling them, rooted in different emotional responses to the threat to their human identity. The framework of soft science fiction offers the base of this analysis as it deals with aspects of social and political response to technical developments. This comparison between these different reactions by society offers new insights on how modified humanoids are seen by society in Japanese literature. In conclusion, this thesis sheds a new light on the rarely researched issue of how society in science fiction has varying responses to the modified humanoids and take action on these responses in support of their own ideas surrounding what the human identity entails.Show less
Representations of nature and natural phenomena have long been a part of Japanese cultural productions. Flowers, plants, birds, and other natural phenomena are common motifs present in Japanese...Show moreRepresentations of nature and natural phenomena have long been a part of Japanese cultural productions. Flowers, plants, birds, and other natural phenomena are common motifs present in Japanese literature, such as waka, picture scrolls, and paintings. Even in more contemporary media, such as anime, these themes are widespread. The interdisciplinary field ecocriticism—which is relatively new in non-Anglophone spheres—allows us to analyse how nature and the nonhuman world are portrayed in these works. In addition, one of the concepts used by ecocritical philosophers called “ecocentrism” decentralises the human in the anthropocentric ideals and conceptualise a world where both human and nonhuman nature are equal. Ecoscapes, a term borrowed from urban ecology studies, takes ecocentric thought as its basis. These ecoscapes conceptualise the integration of the human and the nonhuman where the two coexist interdependently. In other words, they portray an environment that is less human-centred than an environment that is shaped to benefit humans without any concern of the nonhuman world, exploiting and exhausting the natural world. This thesis explores how the representations of such ecoscapes that are created by human-nonhuman relationships challenge anthropocentrism in the anime Mahoutsukai no Yome. Furthermore, these relationships are also looked at through an ecofeminist lens, which argues for the connection between women and nature in their oppression. This case study analyses the TV series and breaks down its various ecoscapes after which it argues for their opposition against anthropocentric views.Show less
