Overview

What is going on when a graphic novel has a twelfth-century samurai pick up a telephone to make a call, or a play has an ancient aristocrat teaching in a present-day schoolroom? Rather than regarding such anachronisms as errors, Samurai with Telephones develops a theory of how texts can use different types of anachronisms to challenge or rewrite history, play with history, or open history up to new possibilities. By applying this theoretical framework of anachronism to several Japanese literary and cultural works, author Christopher Smith demonstrates how different texts can use anachronism to open up history for a wide variety of different textual projects. From the modern period, this volume examines literature by Mori Ōgai and Ōe Kenzaburō, manga by Tezuka Osamu, art by Murakami Takashi, and a variety of other pop cultural works. Turning to the Early Modern period (Edo period, 1600–1868), which produced a literature rich with playful anachronism, he also examines several Kabuki and Bunraku plays, kibyōshi comic books, and gōkan illustrated novels. In analyzing these works, he draws a distinction between anachronisms that attempt to hide their work on history and convincingly rewrite it and those conspicuous anachronisms that highlight and disrupt the construction of historical narratives.

Full Product Details

Author:   Christopher Smith
Publisher:   The University of Michigan Press
Imprint:   The University of Michigan Press
ISBN:  

9780472076871

ISBN 10:   0472076876
Pages:   242
Publication Date:   11 July 2024
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

Introduction: Seeing Anachronism Structure of the book Chapter 1: Towards a Theory of Anachronism Chapter 2: From Monologic to Dialogic Samurai as Modern Subject in Mori Ōgai’s “Abe ichizoku” Bushi and Bourgeois: Monologic Marxism in Kamui-den A Riot of Anachronism: History and power in Man’en gannen no futtobōru Resistance to Monologue Dreaming in anachronism Chapter 3: Gags With An Agenda: Anachronism In Tezuka Osamu’s Hi No Tori Dismantling National Myth with Anachronism Benkei and the Denaturing of Loyalty Chapter 4: Speaking The Same Language: Anachronisms Of Interoperability In Contemporary Popular Culture The City of the Future is Edo: Seibā marionetto J Anachronistic Interoperability of State Institutions in Naruto Samurai who read Shōnen Jump in Gintama Hip-Hop and Anachronistic Marginality in Samurai chanpurū Riffs on Tradition: Interoperability in Visual Art The Severing of Tradition in the Works of Murakami Takashi Defiantly Appropriating the Past in the Paintings of Tenmyouya Hisashi Displacing the Samurai in the Works of Noguchi Tetsuya Chapter 5: Playing With Samurai: Anachronism In Edo Literature Ōmu-gaeshi bunbu no futamichi Daihi no senrokuhon Nise Murasaki inaka Genji Chapter 6: Acting Out The Past: Anachronism In Edo Theatre Metadramatic anachronism Appropriating Samurai Heroes in Sukeroku yukari no Edo-zakura The mago-deshi of the Ancients: Sugawara denju tenarai kagami Sexy Heroes in Yoshitsune senbon zakura Conclusion Bibliography

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Author Information

Christopher Smith is Assistant Professor of Modern Japanese Literature and Culture at the University of Florida.

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