Find me a topic

[Gorgon]

As the final part of my Japanese studies I'm supposed to write an extended essay/project. You would think that after having studied it a while, finding something interesting enough to warrant writing about would be easy. Not so much actually.

 

It could be anything contested or worth examining in Japanese literature, social science, what have you.

 

PS Anine does not interest me in the least.

[Blarghagh]

Journey to the West.

Edited January 20, 2010 by TrueNeutral

[Hiro Protagonist]

^ I agree. Monkey is a classic.

[Gorgon]

Haven't seen it, but I probably will now thanks.

 

While it is certainly not unprecedented to write about cinema, there would have to be copious ammounts of secondary literature and some kind of lasting secondary context. You could write about Apocalypse Now in the context of the Vietnam era for instance. IIt can't just be because it's a good movie, you are going to run out of times you can mention that pretty quick.

Edited January 20, 2010 by Gorgon

[Blarghagh]

Journey to the West was originally literature.

 

However, I'm going to retract my suggestion due to it being a stupid mistake. Journey to the West is Chinese literature, not Japanese. Apologies.

[Gorgon]

I figured you meant the Japanese movie version. Anyway I remember an animated version called the monkey king or something from when I was a wee lad.

[Pidesco]

The films of Yasujiro Ozu could be nice.

[Vilhelm]

Humm... here are some topics you might want to check out:

 

Japanese criminal organizations (Yakuza)

The pachinko industry

Japanese stand-up comedy (manzai)

Any typical classical literature (Pillow Book, Tale of Genji etc)

Late 19th and early 20th century literature (Natsume Soseki perhaps?)

The Yasukuni Shrine and its relations to bad relations between China and Japan

[Enoch]

I'd write about how the unusual structure of Japanese political and banking institutions has been destroying their economy since around the early '90s. Also, the history of the Meiji (1868-1912) and Taisho (1912-1926) periods is fascinating.

Edited January 20, 2010 by Enoch

[I want teh kotor 3]

The lasting sociopolitical effects of the A-bombs (if any), perhaps?

 

Also, Shigeru Miyamoto.

[Enoch]

The lasting sociopolitical effects of the A-bombs (if any), perhaps?

(Source)

[Hiro Protagonist]

What about writing about Manga and how it's different in Japan compared to comics in western countries. In western countries, adults reading 'comics' are often ridiculed.

[taks]

how about the history of karate-do?

 

taks

[Gorth]

Japanese politics and economic evolution in the period 1905 - 1941?

[Walsingham]

The role of buddhism in shaping Japanese martial culture.