|
|
This is only a preview of the paper
Click here to register and get the full text.
Existing members click here to login
|
|
|
...
Japanese animation (anime in Japanese) is one the few forms of Japanese popular
culture which has truly been globalized.1 Only it can counterbalance the hegemony
of American animation in Asia and the world, showing that globalization of popular
culture does not necessarily imply homogenization or Americanization.2 Even in the
United States and Europe, where the cultural and language barriers are thick for
Japanese popular culture, increasing numbers of young people have become crazy
about Japanese animation. Western scholars and journalists are also interested in
Japanese animation.3
Japanese animation enjoys tremendous popularity in Asia where it has become a
mainstream youth culture due to cultural and geographical proximity. East Asia
nations such as Taiwan and Hong Kong are the centers of this global Japanese
animation boom, and Southeast Asia has been strongly influenced by it.4 Japanese
television cartoons have become very popular in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia,
Thailand and the Philippines, screened daily on local television stations in different
Asian languages.
This article examines the birth of a Japanese animation culture in Singapore from
historical, cultural and comparative perspectives. It traces the historical development
of Japanese television animation in Singapore from the late 1970s to the present,
provides an analysis of the characteristics of Japanese animation in Singapore from a
comparative perspective, and discusses the impact of Japanese animation in
2
Singapore’s society and culture. Through an historical overview of Japanese
animation in Singapore, this article aims to deepen our understanding of the ongoing
popularization and localization of Japanese popular culture in Asia.
Past and Present
Japanese animation came to Singapore more than two decades ago and its
popularity has been growing steadily. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the number
of Japanese television animated series screened in Singapore was relatively small. In
the late 1970s, Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC, renamed Television
Corporation of Singapore or TCS in 1996) began to show Japanese cartoons.5
During this time, censorship was very rigid, and thus SBC was very cautious in
choosing Japanese cartoons, making sure the contents were problem-free. Japanese
cartoons which contained elements of sex, violence, bad taste and scatology were not
considered appropriate to show to the public. Early Japanese cartoons screened by
SBC contained humanistic themes, moral messages and educational values. ... They were popular in Europe, the United States
and some Asian nations before they were introduced to Singapore.7
In Singapore, Japanese animation started as a females’ subculture, as majority of
early televised cartoons were based on girls’ comics. The first Japanese cartoon
shown on Singapore television was Candy Candy, an all-time classic by Igarashi
Yumiko about the adventure of a good-natured girl in the United States. ... First
introduced in 1977 and screened again in 1984, Candy Candy created a commotion
among girls and young women in Singapore in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Its
comic books and merchandise, such as bags, T-shirts, stickers and stationery, were hot
items and the series jump-started a Japanese animation culture in Singapore.
Following the success of Candy Candy, in the late 1970s SBC introduced more
Japanese cartoons with similar themes, including Heidi’s Song, The Dog of Flanders
3
and The Adventures of Pinnochio. ... Japanese cartoons based on Western stories, such as Gulliver’s
Travels, Huckleberry Finn and World Famous Fairy Tales, also were introduced in
the late 1970s. ... Singapore
audiences were not yet exposed to other genres of Japanese animation, such as sci-fi,
fighting, sports, comedy and romance.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, SBC showed 1-4 Japanese animated series a
year. ... At this time,
most Japanese cartoons were screened between 4-7 p. ... 8
During the 1980s, Singapore audiences also were exposed to sci-fi, the most
creative and internationalized genre of Japanese animation. ... They were eye-openers to Singapore audiences and changed the
misconception that Japanese cartoons were all about little girls or cute animals. ... During this period, Singapore audiences could watch more Japanese sci-fi
cartoons on the Malaysian channel (which belonged to Malaysia), including Astroboy
(another series by Tetsuka Osamu), Battle Star Galactica, and Captain Skeleton,
dubbed into Malay or English. ... in English, Astroboy was
particularly popular in Singapore and Malaysia. ...
The heyday of sci-fi cartoons on Singapore television was during late 1980s.
The first to create a commotion among young males in Singapore was Macross, which
was screened in August 1986 on SBC 8, and then in the same year on the Malaysian
4
channel in English. It was extremely popular among primary and secondary school
students, who rushed home to watch this animation and bought Macross merchandise,
such as stickers and stationery. ...
Although Japanese animation became a youth subculture in the late 1980s, they
were only second best to most Singaporeans. ... In contrast, the number of Japanese series on
television was limited and there were no video rental shops which carried them. The
only way for Japanese animation fans to further their interest was to read Chinese
editions of Japanese comics.
From the 1990s to the present, Japanese television cartoons have become
increasingly popular among children and teenagers in Singapore. The Board of Film
Censors under the Singapore government also seems to have adopted a more liberal
attitude. As a result, more Japanese animated titles have been approved, and
Japanese animation on Singapore television has become more diversified.
Nowadays, Japanese cartoons are screened daily on TCS 8. As a matter of fact,
except a few Chinese and Korean cartoons, almost all cartoons on TCS 8 are Japanese
cartoons.
In the 1990s, SBC/TCS has become more open and aggressive in buying different
kinds of Japanese animated television series dubbed in Mandarin. Doraemon was
introduced to Singapore television in December 1992 and became a great success.
This humorous, wholesome and imaginative work helps Singaporeans understand
more about contemporary Japanese society and culture. Shown on and off on
Singapore television in the 1990s, it is one of the most beloved television cartoons in
Singapore and has created more spin-offs than any other Japanese animation series. ... Due to their popularity, SBC decided to buy more Japanese cartoons and to
give different genres a try. ...
What kinds of Japanese animation are popular in Singapore? ... In Singapore, television has jump-started many forms of Japanese
popular culture, such as animation, comics, television drama serials, J-pops and
fashion. Most Singaporeans come to know Japanese animation mainly through
television. According to TCS source interviewed in 1999, the most popular Japanese
cartoon on Singapore television was Dragonball. ... Singapore has been indirectly influenced by the boom
of Japanese animation in East Asia. Some Singaporeans receive video tapes or
VCDs of popular Japanese cartoons from their friends and relatives in Hong Kong and
6
Taiwan. Hong Kong and Taiwan-made videos, video compact discs (VCDs), and
comic books fill the Singapore market. ... Small children like to watch animation derived from their
favorite video games. In particular, Pokemon has created a global craze and is
extremely popular among small children in Singapore. ...
Television continues to be the most important agent in popularizing Japanese
animation. The majority of young people in Singapore only watch animation on
television and seldom in cinemas. So far, more than 150 Japanese television
animated series have been screened on TCS, but there are only a few animated films,
such as My Neighbor Totoro, Ghost in the Shell and Perfect Blue, which have been
shown on television or in cinema in Singapore.
Approximate Word count = 6032
Approximate Pages = 24.1
(250 words per page double spaced)
|
|
|
|
|
|