Less than one week from today I have the privilege of presenting a research paper at UH Manoa’s School of Pacific and Asian Studies (SPAS) Graduate Student Conference.  It promises to be both a great and educating experience!  Hopefully I get my presentation materials together in time @_@.

For those interested/curious, here’s the title and abstract for the paper I submitted. And if you happen to be around for the conference, please do come!

Thy Name is Woman: Performing the Feminine Ghost in Japanese Theatre and Cinema

PAPER ABSTRACT: Noh and Kabuki are among some of the most distinctive and recognizable theatre forms worldwide. Japanese horror films are equally well-known, largely thanks to works remade for Western audiences. The significance the ghosts in these films hold for the Japanese, however, may be difficult to grasp without a deeper understanding of Japan’s close connection with the dead. By comparing and analyzing the supernatural element present in Japanese theatre forms Noh and Kabuki, it is clear that both made contributions to the image of the female ghost, specifically the onryō, or “vengeful ghost” that is so prevalent in both kaidan, traditional “strange tales”, and Japanese horror films today. Upon analyzing narrative style, visual portrayal, and performing style, it becomes apparent that the female onryō, character in theatre reflects views of the feminine identity in traditional Japanese society. These views in turn have been adapted and reinterpreted for the modern audience in Japanese cinema.