Had a fun talk with Antonio (Tony) Vega discussing onryō (怨霊; “vengeful/wrathful ghost”) in the context of Japanese religion/folklore, theatre, as well as contemporary J-horror cinema. Feel free to give it a listen!
Tony’s podcast Japan Station is focused on discovering Japan through conversations with a guest featured on each episode. His podcast covers all aspects of Japan, including the Japanese language, history, Japanese pop culture, food, anime, manga, movies, music, comedy, the impact of Japanese culture around the world, underground social movements, social issues in Japan, and much more.
Had the wonderful opportunity to talk and present my doctoral dissertation research as a part of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s Center for Japanese Studies (CJS) lecture series for Fall 2021.
This event was held on Zoom and was co-sponsored by CJS and the Department of Theatre and Dance at UH Mānoa. Q&A was moderated by my doctoral advisor, Professor Julie A. Iezzi.
Original Air Date of Webinar: Friday, September 24, 2021
ABSTRACT: As in many cultures, woman is often portrayed as monstrous or evil by sheer fact of her being female. Today, no Japanese horror film is considered complete without its haunting woman specter, the female onryō, or “vengeful ghost” archetype. Barbara Creed’s writings on the “monstrous feminine” illustrates an innate connection of “affinity” between woman and monster as “potent threats to vulnerable male power.” Although when writing Creed was referring to Western horror cinema, the same theories can be extended to Japanese media.
By analyzing the narrative style, visual representation, and enactment of this archetype found in Japanese theatre forms nō and kabuki compared to Japanese horror films, it becomes apparent that the female onryō reflects views of the feminine identity in Japanese society. Contrary to the portrayal of the male, only once these women have become “monstrous” can they break free from sociocultural limitations and act on their vengeance. Their frightening and grotesque forms, however, invoke more terror and horror than sympathy, transforming the victims into the villains.
Despite the change in norms of Japanese society over time, the way these female onryō are presented remains arguably consistent, positioning them as more “monsters” and “freaks” rather than women. More significant is the tendency to associate these characters with feminine traits or behavior, thereby transforming them into something grotesque, extending the association of horror to woman herself. In so doing, the female onryō may have helped serve as a means of patriarchal control prescribing women’s behavior, perhaps explaining its continued prevalence.
Written in December 2014 Wrote this after studying the Bunraku and Kabuki theaters, specifically the relationship of influence each theater form has (or had) on the other, from a historical, aesthetic, and performative context.
Living Wood and Still Bodies: Analyzing the Relationship Between Bunraku and Kabuki
When considering the variety of theatre the world has to offer, few have such spectacular a tradition or are as recognizable as the Kabuki and Bunraku theatres of Japan. While historically the two art forms were highly competitive with one another, scholars have argued for one art form being the more or less direct influence of the other for years. Upon studying the historical factors, visual aesthetics, and movement styles of both forms, however, it becomes apparent that discussion of this topic cannot be as clear cut and dry as some of these scholars make it out to be. Continue reading PAPER: Living Wood and Still Bodies→
Written in May 2011 Wrote this after studying Kabuki and Takarazuka theaters and their unique acting roles, namely the onnagata and otokoyaku, and the interpretations of gender through their performances.
She’s the Man: Performing Gender in Kabuki and Takarazuka through Kata
Of all the theatre forms in the world, there are few as mystifying and fascinating as those found in Japan, especially the highly stylized Kabuki and Takarazuka. What is it about the Kabuki and Takarazuka aesthetics that attract their respective audiences? More than the music, the dancing, the romance, or the lavish spectacle, it is the male-role specializing otokoyaku in the all-female Takarazuka theatre and the female-role specializing onnagata in the all-male Kabuki theatre that draws spectators. Both of these actors demonstrate that gender is not connected to one’s sex, but is a performance. A performance which requires the learning of a highly stylized set of patterns known as kata, by which the onnagata in Kabuki and the otokoyaku in Takarazuka learn to exude femininity and masculinity respectively, as well as become more elegant, graceful, and attractive than a “real” woman or man ever could. This in turn affects the audience’s perception of gender for both male and female spectators and demonstrates the cultural difference between Japan and the West when defining “femininity” and “masculinity.” Continue reading PAPER: She’s the Man→
Panda Samurai 