William Tsuitsui — In Noir urbanisms: Dystopic images of the modern city
In this article, the writer yields readers different perspectives regarding the apocalyptic imagination in Japanese popular culture. Numerous movies about monsters, destruction, and nuclear bombs were released in Japan. It is Tokyo’s historical vulnerability to catastrophic events that gave rise to this movie genre. Some thought that the movies reflected people’s anxiety and lingering hatred towards tragedies like the countless natural disasters, bombings and the enduring cold war, whereas some pointed that the movies gave hope to the people. The monsters or crisis in the movies were always defeated, as if the suffering would eventually be overcome too. Moreover, the writer also pointed out the outpouring number of movies released could actually distract and numb the citizens from the trauma in real life. Another interesting point of view is the films were just gimmick reflecting recent events, as well as commercial product that displays the aesthetics of destruction.
Chan Hiu Yan 3035716244
A critical and well-argued reflection on the week’s reading of Tsuitsui – especially with your criticism that the aesthetics of destruction are created for the capitalization of their commercial, on-screen value.