Recently I was told to contextualized a particular long quote i added on the essay. While working on it, I find some difficulties in coming with what to say and also putting it together. So it would best to talk about the thought process on how the end result is what it is right now.
The quote in question is this:
“While the traditional oni breathe within the newly reimagined oni, the oni of the present age reflect and express contemporary Japanese thoughts and beliefs. Modern authors build upon and modify earlier images of oni and adapt them to new systems of belief. When employing imaginary oni, writers pepper their stories with sex and violence to attract a larger audience. Particularly noteworthy in modern times is the portrayal of oni as victims rather than as victimizers or evil-doers. It appears almost fashionable to see oni from the oni’s perspective. Often, the oni of modern fiction are lonesome creatures looking for companions.” (N. Reider, 120)
The quote in question is this:
“While the traditional oni breathe within the newly reimagined oni, the oni of the present age reflect and express contemporary Japanese thoughts and beliefs. Modern authors build upon and modify earlier images of oni and adapt them to new systems of belief. When employing imaginary oni, writers pepper their stories with sex and violence to attract a larger audience. Particularly noteworthy in modern times is the portrayal of oni as victims rather than as victimizers or evil-doers. It appears almost fashionable to see oni from the oni’s perspective. Often, the oni of modern fiction are lonesome creatures looking for companions.” (N. Reider, 120)
When I was looking deep into this quote, one thing that came to mind for me was the original 1964 film Gojira/ Godzilla by Toho. Its probably known to many people that Godzilla, the kaiju, was a metaphor for the atomic bombs dropped in Nagasaki and Hiroshima at the very end of World War II. Where it starts to intrigue me however is with the character of Dr. Serizawa, a war veteran turned scientist who discovered new element so destructive it could even kill Godzilla and made a bomb from it. He was pressured into using the weapon on Godzilla but was hesitant about it after witnessing its destruction and fears of what mankind can do to his creation.
I find that there is some parallels I could draw from Godzilla and Dr. Serizawa as I find that theres not much dissimilarities between the kaiju and the oni. After reading Reider's book multiple times, Godzilla could be interpreted as the oni in folklore whereas Dr. Serizawa is the postwar outlook of the Japanese. The pressure of using the bomb on Godzilla can be somewhat be relatable to the pressures NEETS, and hikkikomoris faced in society. Right at the end of the film, Dr. Serizawa sacrificed himself with his own bomb while attempting to kill Godzilla in his sleep deep in the ocean. I find that scene relates back on the concept isolation and otherness that is characterized in the oni. In fact once you factor in the Tokugawa period and the homogeny its people, isolation it seems is somewhat ingrained in what makes Japanese who they are.
By taking all of this into account, I put together the sentences and paragraphs that fits into the discussion of mythology and folklore while not losing the meaning that I've learned from this.
I find that there is some parallels I could draw from Godzilla and Dr. Serizawa as I find that theres not much dissimilarities between the kaiju and the oni. After reading Reider's book multiple times, Godzilla could be interpreted as the oni in folklore whereas Dr. Serizawa is the postwar outlook of the Japanese. The pressure of using the bomb on Godzilla can be somewhat be relatable to the pressures NEETS, and hikkikomoris faced in society. Right at the end of the film, Dr. Serizawa sacrificed himself with his own bomb while attempting to kill Godzilla in his sleep deep in the ocean. I find that scene relates back on the concept isolation and otherness that is characterized in the oni. In fact once you factor in the Tokugawa period and the homogeny its people, isolation it seems is somewhat ingrained in what makes Japanese who they are.
By taking all of this into account, I put together the sentences and paragraphs that fits into the discussion of mythology and folklore while not losing the meaning that I've learned from this.