FYS 61 War and Memory in Japan’s Animated History
This course is an overview of representations of Japan’s history in animated works. Through anime works that portray social, historical, and cultural aspects of early modern to modern Japan, the aim of this course is for students to form an understanding of how Japan’s national and cultural identity was constructed, and how such construction is represented visually. Specifically, the selected titles of anime center around the theme of war. Essential questions to be explored in class include how different forms of war are portrayed, how violence and trauma are represented, and how Japan’s identity is reflected on the screen. Students will watch selected anime titles in class or as assignments, read secondary scholarship on the historical context of these titles, and carry out independent research projects on relevant research questions.
At the end of the course, students will produce a research paper based on the project, as well as a free-media presentation that showcases the research outcome of the project.
Open to first-year frosh only.