"How can the onryō tradition help us interpret the contemporary phenomenon of cutesified onryō parodies?" Through analyzing the emergence and appeasement of three distinct historical types of onryō...Show more"How can the onryō tradition help us interpret the contemporary phenomenon of cutesified onryō parodies?" Through analyzing the emergence and appeasement of three distinct historical types of onryō, the context necessary for understanding the place of the 'cutesified onryō' will take shape. Next, some examples of this new onryō will be discussed to see what the recurring themes are. And lastly, a more in-depth case study of a manga centered around a cutesified onryō will be carried out. It will be argued that cutesification functions not only as a form of appeasement, but also as 'domestication'. The onryō’s history of empowerment and role-breaking is subverted as they are forced back into gendered societal roles.Show less
This BA thesis analyses the relation between the gig economy and Japanese gender roles that influence women’s career opportunities in Japan. For a long time, separate social duties between men and...Show moreThis BA thesis analyses the relation between the gig economy and Japanese gender roles that influence women’s career opportunities in Japan. For a long time, separate social duties between men and women have led to the exclusion of Japanese women from particular careers and opportunities. Nowadays, the lack of women within Japan’s workforce is problematic to economic growth, and the gig economy might be a promising avenue for women to contribute to the economy. Through conducting case studies on the experiences of Japanese women engaged in gig work, this thesis reveals some of the issues and complications that accompany online employment relations for Japanese women. The results show that gig work does not address the main inadequacies that complicate women’s careers and work-life balance within Japanese society. Therefore, Japanese women looking to find aspiring and refreshing employment in the digital realm might come to find that online work does not offer them a getaway from women’s traditional social duties and career options.Show less
There seems to be an obsession with cuteness in the Japanese society as it is used to sell everything. The Japanese music industry too seems to emphasize on cuteness especially on their female...Show moreThere seems to be an obsession with cuteness in the Japanese society as it is used to sell everything. The Japanese music industry too seems to emphasize on cuteness especially on their female idols and they are using cuteness to their advantage. The role of cuteness in the Japanese girl groups has three aspects that are all related to each other. First of all, it is entirely commercial. They use cuteness as their group's concept to establish a fan base that will support them. This means that as they get more popular they get offers to act and/or model for a certain brands. In other words, the more fans are willing to consume the girl groups, the more they will earn. Secondly, cuteness is just a group's concept which means that the group's cuteness is simply an performance of being an idol. Cuteness has always been associated with femininity and their performance of cuteness is thus them performing their socially constructed gender roles to appeal to their male fans. This is only reinforced in the way they dress, talk and sing. It is part of a marketing strategy set up by their company. Lastly, cuteness could be used to escape reality. By consuming cuteness people try to breakout from their constructed gender roles. Both the fans and the female idols share the same sentiment. Consumption of girl groups is like a hobby for many fans. They do not have to think about their duties and obligations in real life and their gender roles. The female idols too are challenging their predestined role that society have given them and take matter in their own hand as they are the one that are earning an income. Female idols are not passive or submissive, but have their own agency in the Japanese music industry.Show less
Up until now, there has been a lot of studies done on the topic hafu in Japan. Although, a gap can be identified when we consider gendered aspects of the mixed-race identity. Social aspects within...Show moreUp until now, there has been a lot of studies done on the topic hafu in Japan. Although, a gap can be identified when we consider gendered aspects of the mixed-race identity. Social aspects within an identity such as race and gender, should not be simply observed separately but investigated on how they interact with or affect each other. This thesis examines the mixed-race identity as a multidimensional concept by focusing on the intersectionality of race and gender. The main question is: “how does the intersection of racial and gendered identities contribute to the identity experience of hafu in Japan?” Firstly, this thesis argues how the intersectionality theory, primarily introduced by Crenshaw, adds value to understanding the mixed-race identity. It will highlight the importance of this angle. Secondly, it will provide a historical background of hafu in Japan and discuss the gaps in the literature on this topic. After a critical discussion of the issue, an analysis investigates how representations of hafu in Japanese advertisements are contributing to the identity of hafu. It will provide an insight of how images in advertisements show intersecting gendered and racial identity assumptions for male and female hafu.Show less
In this thesis my research question is to find out how the male gaze influenced the relation between representations of female bodies in video games and sexualisation and weakness. Firstly I look...Show moreIn this thesis my research question is to find out how the male gaze influenced the relation between representations of female bodies in video games and sexualisation and weakness. Firstly I look at what other scholars have written about the representation of female characters in video games and note how objectification and the sexualised representation of women implicitly tends to be associated with the negative role stereotyping and passive gender roles. In questioning this, I take a different approach compared to previous research. Drawing from feminist and gender theories, I analyse three female characters that each depict a different relation between the body, male gaze and power. I show how the two characters who appear to be lesser sexualised, Zelda and Samus, appear to suffer more severely from the male gaze than Bayonetta does. Bayonetta, in turn, can be analysed as a critique towards the male gaze and masculine status. From the analysis I will conclud that it is not exclusively the visual appearance that determines whether a character is portrayed as weak or not, but that the gaze plays an important role as well.Show less
