Fw: "How to stay Cool Japan" at Sophia University Nov. 15

[AARON GEROW]

From: David Slater <d-slater at sophia.ac.jp>

Graduate Fieldwork Workshop

How to stay Cool Japan: Japanese anime industry and
international collaboration

Kukhee Choo, Ph.D. candidate at the Graduate School
of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, University
of Tokyo

November 15, 2008; 10am
Sophia University, Yotsuya Campus, Bldg. #10, room 301
Map to Campus: http://www.fcc.sophia.ac.jp/about/location.html

Free of charge; all are welcome
Presentation in English

Abstract:
Recent popularity of Japanese animation in the global
market has given the Japanese government officials the
incentive to full-fledgedly support their indigenous
domestic industry. Stimulated by the Korean Culture
Industry promotion policy promulgated in 1999, the
Japanese government has launched their own global
project in 2004 to internationally promote anime,
manga and video games, in which the city of Tokyo has
become the Mecca of global anime. However, these
official changes seem to counter the actual anime
industry's major shifts in collaborative production
process, television programming and technological
development during the past decade. Moreover, the
anime industry has experienced conflicting rhetoric
as once being stigmatized as an 'embarrassing'
frivolous media to being considered as the celebrated
future Soft Power industry for Japan in the global market.

Anime production companies differ, to a great extent,
in narratives, cinematic expressions, and business goals.
Moreover, even though anime fans are increasing in
numbers internationally, the declining international
DVD sales due to illegal Internet downloading has
concerned the industry and the Japanese network television's
late night broadcasting of anime has made it more
difficult to secure broader domestic audience. As such,
conflicting interests by the Japanese government,
television broadcast stations, and the global market
have been putting much pressure on the anime industry.

This presentation will examine the various approaches
that the Japanese anime industry has taken to adjust to
the rapidly changing global and domestic market trends.
Collaboration with countries from Asia, Europe and the
U.S. appears to be the new development to secure global
market shares, which seemingly goes against the larger
state promotion of anime's unique Cool Japan-ness. Yet,
at the same time, inter-Asia popular culture exchange
has made collaboration with Asian countries more
attractive. This study attempts to capture the
dynamics set out by the industry, state politics and
the global market changes.
-- 
David H. Slater
Faculty of Liberal Arts
Sophia University, Tokyo

The Sophia server rejects emails at times. Should your mail to me get
returned, please resend to: dhslater at gmail.com. Sorry for the inconvenience.

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