魔女の宅急便：Kiki's Delivery Service Part 1.5 (Some Other Links)

Happy Spring Break (return thereof?) 

So as a reminder, people were talking about the importance/role of dependence on the formation of "self"... for lack of better word. Whether it be school, or parents, or even social structure, to what degree they are influential. 

Here are some other links that I think you guys might find interesting, concerning the pros and cons of what is being called "helicopter parenting" by U.S. experts.

Interesting quote from "Anatomy of Dependence" by Takeo Doi, a Japanese psychologist.
遠慮：enryo
"Enryo is restraint or holding back, with the idea that a person must not presume too much on another's good will. in a parent-child relationship, there is no enryo. In other relationships, enryo decreases proportionately with intimacy and increases with distance. "

I just wanted to comment that this concept of the "narrowing system," where there is one path to success, is becoming a global thing, mainly in capitalist nations. Even though we read Nation of Wimps, many of you know that this is not just an American thing - scholars in Japan have been talking about it for years. This has been attributed to some very general cultural reasons are: emphasis on efficiency, and the necessity of conformity for harmony.

Some links from the NYTimes:

The hikikomori trend (people withdrawing from society). This will be more important once we get to Spirited Away - keep in mind the baby, and Chihiro's own struggles. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/15/magazine/15japanese.html?sq=japan%20parent%20hikikomori&st=cse&scp=1&pagewanted=all

This one is a defense of helicopter parents:

http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/04/in-defense-of-helicopter-parents/?scp=7&sq=japan%20parent%20hikikomori&st=cse

This week we're starting Porco Rosso, so I don't think we'll have more questions for Kiki... 

And sorry I failed on posting last Wednesday!! 

This week we'll have some Porco Rosso resources up early for you guys to check out after our discussion and we can discuss it more indepth then. 

魔女の宅急便：Kiki's Delivery Service Part 1

So we talked last week about what kind of statement Miyazaki is trying to make by placing Kiki's Delivery Service in the kind of setting that it is in. After all, it is a coming-of-age story, and the kind of coming-of-age that Miyazaki would like to see happen in youth of Japan.

Please read his treatise on Kiki here:  http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/interviews/kiki_foreword.html
I'd also recommend for you to read the book excerpt 

Here are some questions to get you thinking... respond to a specific question, respond to each other, or respond to it in general :) 

1) What are the characteristics of this society/world? How is it different/similar to ours? Chronologically, geographically, etc.
2) as a sort of a follow-up to question 2, what do you think that Miyazaki is trying to say about the ideal conditions for coming of age?

3) What is realistic / unrealistic about this? 

Then we talked on a more personal level about the way that we, or youth, are formed. In a sense, there is responsibility both from the society, and the institutions in place, and our parents, who reinforce those institutions. (Institutions meaning schooling, work, etc. as a way to become successful or satisfied) I figure that we, being Cal students, have sort of all tread a similar path in terms of how we "got here." We all went to elementary, middle, high school, took AP tests / SAT, clubs, fulfilled requirements, etc. 

1) What part do you think that these institutions have in the formation of a child, to adolescent, to an adult? 

2) What does Miyazaki seem to say about these things, based on Kiki's experience? 

3) What is your own personal experience with these things? 

Here is the "Nation of Wimps" article that I was talking about last week. It's the one about how "helicopter parents" actually are harming their children in terms of their ability to make decisions, and their ability to accept the truth about their limitations or about themselves. 

Take a look! It's 7 pages but you can read what you like. It's really interesting and informative. 

http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20041112-000010.html

Okay all! See you tomorrow!

隣のトトロ：パート２

Sorry again for the late post. My computer went out of commission because of a blown battery - don't worry, we're all good now.

On Monday, we discussed the double-function that the film Totoro seems to serve.
On one hand, as many of you mentioned, a harmless and fun adventure; a good childhood memory.
On the other hand, there is a more desperate, sinister current (as shown through Miyazaki's chilling interview here) that implies that even the creation of the film Totoro is a sort of escapism for adults.

Questions!

1) How could Totoro possibly be escapist for adults?
2) Regarding your answer to (1), what are the implications of that idea on the integrity of the film, for you? As in... does that make the film more meaningful, or more

Also, we talked about fantasy and reality, the overlay between the two worlds and if that's portrayed as a positive thing or not.

3) What do you think about the mesh between the fantasy and real worlds?
4) How does spirituality factor in? As a crutch, or as something that is necessary, beneficial, and essential to growing up? (or, as we discussed, the concept of childish belief in providence or "good things" to solve real problems?)

.: . :. .: . :. .: . :. .: . :. .: . :. .: . :. .: . :. .: . :.

This week, we'll be doing Kiki's Delivery Service. disclaimer: I know that I crow over it but seriously don't feel pressure to *love* it. I don't want people to feel obliged to praise any of the films if they don't feel that way - that's the point of the class, to understand people's differing opinions about the issues that Miyazaki raises.

Read this before class:

.: Miyazaki's foreword to the 1989 魔女の宅急便 (Witch's Delivery Service - Kiki's Delivery Service) Artbook
http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/interviews/kiki_foreword.html
(This is actually really interesting, since 1989-90 is exactly when the Japanese economic bubble crashed in a very similar situation to the one that we are in now.)

" In this era, poverty is not so much material as spiritual... In an era when leaving the security of one's home is no longer anything special, and living among strangers means nothing more than going to a convenience store for anything you need, it might be more difficult than ever to achieve a real sense of independence since you must go through the process of discovering your own talents and expressing yourself."

.: An excerpt from a book called "Unmasking Japan Today: The Impact of Traditional Values On Modern Japanese Society," written in 1996 in collaboration of a Japanese and non-Japanese woman. I don't necessarily agree with the reasoning behind all of the statements made, but I definitely think it's indicative of the kind of struggles that people thought 90's youth in Japan were facing. Hopefully we can get some input from our classmates :)
Book excerpt here
Please read the section from bottom of page 75 - 82, from Junior High to High school students.

I don't usually assign reading but I'd like you guys to take a look at it before class. It's interesting and very short stuff, so don't be lazy please! (Even though it took me till Saturday to post this....)

隣のトトロ：パート１

So! Sorry about the super super late post.

Last week we talked about kind of the idyllic, nostalgic feel of Totoro. How he seems to capture the elements of childhood, fantasy, kindness, and imagination so well, and how he uses the overlay between fantasy and reality to delight and disarm us.

So I want to ask, what is your personal connection to the movie Totoro? It can be
1) insight
2) experience from your past
3) things that make it seem mostalgic
4) Miyazaki's message
5) particular parts that hit you
6) etc...

whatever.

Post away!