JPN 115 – “Japanese Popular Culture” (Spring 2018)

#16249 –Wednesday 12:55-2:25pm [SS 208]

Instructor: Bradley Wilson

Office Hours: Mondays 2:00pm-3:30pm; Thursday 10:30am-12:00pm, or by appointment
Office: LL 172L TEL: 480-727-4438 MESSAGE: 480-965-6281 EMAIL: wilson.sensei@asu.edu
To make an appointment, send an e-mail or call the office.

Credit: 3 credit hours

Prerequisite: There is no prerequisite for this course.

Course Objectives: This introductory hybrid course will examine different media of Japanese popular culture such as comics
(manga), animation (anime), and film for evidence of how the Japanese express their self identity in Japanese society. By
separating the media into themes such as technology and the future, war/apocalypse/disaster, violence in society, gender and
sexuality, and human relations, students will come to understand the Japanese culture (and social consciousness) more
intimately. Students will view films, read scholarly articles on the subject matter, and actively participate in the course through
written papers and discussion.

Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course:
• Students will gain an in-depth understanding of modern Japanese society based on cultural points presented in
popular culture materials.
• Students will improve their critical thinking and analytic skills through close examination of thematic elements.
• Students will grasp major themes of cultural importance to the Japanese, such as the effect of World War II on the
Japanese psyche.
• Students will articulate their own views and form a cohesive arguments supported by evidence through the writing of
papers on thematically segmented films.
• Students will improve their ability to express themselves and speak in a public setting through the use of message
boards and extensive in-class discussion.

Assignments: In addition to watching at least one film per week, students will read seventeen scholarly articles and write
papers during the course. Groups of thematic segments will culminate in a paper written by the student (minimum 5-7 pages)
which encapsulates the thematic segments, their relation to how the Japanese view and express themselves, and how they
connect to other pop cultural materials from Japan. Each week, students are posting, at minimum, two questions and/or
comments on the film of the week on a class message board and responding to at least three of their classmates’ posts to
encourage dialogue before the official class discussion. All papers are in MLA style, will follow the formatting instructions
received from the instructor, and be submitted electronically in .DOC or .DOCX format.

Required Texts: No textbook is required. All materials will be made available online through Blackboard. Readings are as
follows:
“A Thousand Million Manga” Frederik L. Schodt. Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics. New York: Kodansha
International, 1983, pp. 12-27.
“A Thousand Years of Manga” Frederik L. Schodt. Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics. New York: Kodansha
International, 1983, pp. 28-67.
“Akira and Ranma ½: The Monstrous Adolescent.” Susan J. Napier. Anime from Akira to Princess Mononoke. New York:
Palgrave, 2001, pp. 39-48.
“Anime and Local/Global Identity.” Susan J. Napier. Anime from Akira to Princess Mononoke. New York: Palgrave, 2001, pp.
15-38.
“Refiguring the Radical Cyborg in Mamoru Oshii's ‘Ghost in the Shell’.” Carl Silvio. Science Fiction Studies. Vol. 26, No. 1 (Mar.,
1999), pp. 54-72
“Godzilla and the Japanese Nightmare: When "Them!" Is U.S.” Chon Noriega. Cinema Journal, Vol. 27, No. 1 (Autumn, 1987),
pp. 63-77.
“Panic Sites: The Japanese Imagination of Disaster from Godzilla to Akira.” Susan J. Napier. Journal of Japanese Studies, Vol. 19,
No. 2 (Summer, 1993), pp. 327-35.
“Transcending the Victim’s History: Takahata Isao’s Grave of the Fireflies.” Wendy Goldberg. Mechademia, Volume 4, 2009,
pp. 39-52.
“No More Words – Barefoot Gen, Grave of the Fireflies and ‘Victim’s History’.” Susan J. Napier. Anime from Akira to Princess
Mononoke. New York: Palgrave, 2001, pp. 161-174.
“The Japanese Film: Art and Industry.” Joseph L. Anderson. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1982, pp. 315-331.
“The Cinema of Japan & Korea.” Justin Bowyer. London: Wallflower Press 2004, pp. 225-232.
“Gender Inequality in Contemporary Japan.” Robert J. Smith. Journal of Japanese Studies, Vol. 13, No. 1 (Winter, 1987), pp. 1-
25.
“Male Homosexuality and Popular Culture in Modern Japan.” Mark McLelland. Intersections: Gender, History and Culture in the
Asian Context, Issue 3, January 2000.
“Akira and Ranma ½: The Monstrous Adolescent.” Susan J. Napier. Anime from Akira to Princess Mononoke. New York:
Palgrave, 2001, pp. 48-62.
“Japanese Key Words and Core Cultural Values.” Anna Wierzbicka. Language in Society, Vol. 20, No. 3 (Sep., 1991), pp. 342-
382.
“After Life: History, Memory, Trauma, and the Transcendent.” David Desser. Film Criticism; Winter2010/Spring2011, Vol. 35
Issue 2/3, p46-65.
“Memory of Defeat in Japan: A Reappraisal of ‘Rashomon’.” James F. Davidson. The Antioch Review, Vol. 14, No. 4 (Winter,
1954), pp. 492-501.

Class Flow: This class will be run in a hybrid format. One day a week, the class will meet in person for small group and class-
wide discussion and lecture. For the online portion, assignments must be completed in a timely manner via Blackboard.

Mondays: Complete the assigned online reading.

Tuesdays: Complete the Reading Quiz by 11:59pm. Completion of this quiz unlocks access to the films.
Wednesdays: Meet in class to discuss the film/topic.
Thursdays: Watch the new film for the week.
Fridays: Post at least two leading questions on the Blackboard Discussion Board about the film/topic/reading for this
week. Posts must be made by 11:59pm.
Saturdays: No assignment.
Sundays: Return to the Discussion Board and respond to at least three of your classmates’ posts by 11:59pm.

At the end of a certain thematic segments, students write a reaction paper on the viewed pop culture materials which
will be due on Sunday by 11:59pm and submitted electronically on Blackboard. All submitted papers must be a minimum of
five to seven full written pages, MLA style, following the formatting guidelines provided by the instructor, in Microsoft Office
document format (.DOC or .DOCX).

Course Requirements:
1. Regular attendance.
2. Active class participation.
3. Downloading and reading the required materials.
4. Weekly posting on the class discussion board on Blackboard regarding the scholarly readings and popular culture
materials.
5. Viewing/reading the required pop culture media (anime/films).
6. Submitting completed papers electronically and on time.
7. Quizzes on the assigned readings.
8. Final Exam

Grading Policies: Papers and message board posts are graded in regards to how well students have presented their argument.
Hypotheses must be supported by evidence from the assigned films, assigned readings, and any other pop culture materials
that the students are familiar with that support their assertions. Papers and postings must be submitted on time and in the
correct format to avoid docking of points. Participation in in-class discussion is also monitored for grading purposes. Lack of
daily participation in discussion will result in a loss of points.
Grading Scale:
Attendance & Participation 25%
Discussion Board Posting 20%
Papers 35%
Quizzes 10%
Final Exam 10%

A+ 97% - 100% B+ 87% - 89.99% C+ 77% - 79.99% D 60% - 69.99%

A 93% - 96.99% B 83% - 86.99% C 70% - 76.99% E 0% - 59.99%
A- 90% - 92.99% B- 80% - 82.99%

Warnings: All deadlines are final. Due to the progression of the course, late work will not be accepted unless previously arranged with the
instructor based on the attendance criteria below.

Classroom Behavior: Please refrain from using personal computers, tablet computers, pagers, and cell phones during class as they are a
distraction to your classmates. Please do not use recording devices unless you receive permission from your instructor.

Attendance: Arizona State University will make accommodations for students who must miss class due to: university sanctioned activities,
religious practices, or medical leave. Students should notify faculty at the beginning of the semester about the need to be absent from class
due to religious observances or university sanctioned activities. For an excused absence, please contact your instructor in person, by email, or
by phone ahead of time. Students are responsible for bringing written proof for excuse of absence (i.e. a doctor’s note). You must make a
copy of this written proof for your instructor’s records. It is the student’s responsibility to find out the homework of the day, obtaining any
handouts or pertinent notes (it might be a good idea to ask your classmates to get an extra copy for you), and studying for the missed classes to
catch up. Three tardies of more than ten minutes late will be counted toward one absence. Leaving the class early will be treated as tardiness.

Threatening Behavior: All incidents and allegations of violent or threatening conduct by an ASU student (whether on- or off-campus) must be
reported to the ASU Police Department (ASU PD) and the Office of the Dean of Students. If either office determines that the behavior poses or
has posed a serious threat to personal safety or to the welfare of the campus, the student will not be permitted to return to campus or reside in
any ASU residence hall until an appropriate threat assessment has been completed and, if necessary, conditions for return are imposed. ASU
PD, the Office of the Dean of Students, and other appropriate offices will coordinate the assessment in light of the relevant circumstances.

Instructor-initiated Drop Option: Students who do not attend the first week of classes may be dropped from the course at the instructor's
discretion. It is the student's responsibility to contact the instructor before the end of the first week of classes if absences during that period
cannot be avoided. Students should be aware that non-attendance will not automatically result in being dropped.

Final Exam: Per university regulations, the final exam must be given on the designated date. Please check the final exam schedule and do not
make a plane reservation before or on the day of your final exam. In order to take a final exam at any other time than the designated time, the
student must petition the Dean’s Office.

Writing Assistance: You can, and should, utilize the Writing Success Center to proofread and organize your papers for this course. Information
for the center as well as how to make an appointment can be found at: https://studentsuccess.asu.edu/writingcenters

Academic Integrity

Academic honesty is expected of all students in all examinations, papers, laboratory work, academic transactions and records. The possible
sanctions include, but are not limited to, appropriate grade penalties, course failure (indicated on the transcript as a grade of E), course failure
due to academic dishonesty (indicated on the transcript as a grade of XE), loss of registration privileges, disqualification and dismissal. For more
information, see http://provost.asu.edu/academicintegrity.

As you begin your college career, it’s important to develop awareness of your personal values as you strive to meet your academic goals. If you
envision yourself becoming a respected, honest, trustworthy person in your chosen profession, develop academic integrity ( in· teg· ri· ty,
noun.…firm adherence to a code of especially moral…values: incorruptibility Synonym: see HONESTY (Merriam-Webster Online, 2004
Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Available at www.m-w.com. )) in your approach to learning and earning credits toward graduation.
Begin now:
➢ Be aware of cheating and its consequences.
➢ Respect zero tolerance and policies at ASU and understand the consequences of cheating.
➢ Avoid the cheating trap.
Set your standards high!
Cheating: What is it?
Plagiarism
1. Using another writer’s words or ideas without citing the writer.
2. Not using quotation marks and citing the source when you use other’s words and ideas; “others” includes your teachers, fellow
students (lab reports, computer programs as well as papers), the Internet books, published papers, newspapers, and magazines.
“Twofers”
Submitting the same paper for two different classes, without permission from your professor(s).
Cheating on Exams
1. Copying from another’s test paper.
2. Making a copy of a test and giving it to someone or using a test if someone gives it to you.
3. Using technology to take a test for someone or asking someone to take a test for you.
Inappropriate Collaboration
1. Working with others when you should be doing the work individually.
2. Not doing your share of work when assigned to a group project.
Zero Tolerance at ASU and the Consequences of Cheating
Cheating is not wise. ASU’s policy on cheating is zero tolerance. If you are caught cheating, you could face severe short-and-long term
consequences, such as:
Grades: You may fail the test or get a failing grade on the paper; you may fail the course.
“XE”: You may receive this grade on your transcript, signaling that you failed because you cheated. It’s on your record!
Suspension: You may be forced to leave the program (major) you are in and/or the university.
Other Effects:
You could be denied admission into a professional program (undergraduate, graduate, medical, law, etc.). You could lose the opportunity for a
job, scholarship, or invitations to join professional organizations.
Most important of all, you may risk not being knowledgeable in your profession, and you may damage your reputation permanently. In short,
cheating is not worth the cost!

How to Avoid the Cheating Trap

Develop strategies to avoid cheating or being tempted to cheat. Try these:
Understand ASU’s expectations
Contact Student Judicial Affairs, 480-965-6547
Read the ASU Student Code of Conduct and ASU’s Academic Integrity Policy at: https://provost.asu.edu/academicintegrity/defined

Ask questions
If you are not sure if something is really cheating, ask your professors, TA.s, and academic advisors. They are serious about ASU’s zero
tolerance for cheating and are interested in your success.

Seek tutoring
Ask your professors and others in your department for help finding academic support. Check out http://studentsuccess.asu.edu/frontpage
Stay healthy Learn how to keep stress in check: https://students.asu.edu/counseling

Disability Accommodations

Qualified students with disabilities who will require disability accommodations in this class are encouraged to make their
requests to me at the beginning of the semester either during office hours or by appointment. Note: Prior to receiving disability
accommodations, verification of eligibility from the Disability Resource Center (DRC) is required. Disability information is
confidential.

Establishing Eligibility for Disability Accommodations

Students who feel they will need disability accommodations in this class but have not registered with the Disability Resource
Center (DRC) should contact DRC immediately. Their office is located on the first floor of the Matthews Center Building. DRC
staff can also be reached at: 480-965-1234 (V), 480-965-9000 (TTY). For additional information, visit:
www.asu.edu/studentaffairs/ed/drc. Their hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.