This blog was made to try to display some of the (mis)representations of Japanese-born martial arts in Japanese entertainment and the often comedic undertones.
I find it interesting that a culture can often be so concerned about being misrepresented in other parts of the world, yet clearly skew some areas of their own history and culture rather frequently in their own media usually for a laugh.
While it’s good to have the ability to laugh at one’s self (it proves you have a healthy sense of humor), there has to be a line somewhere...right?
A major factor in my being in “Beautiful Japan” at all is my interest in martial arts. In the United States, I was often angered to some degree when anyone decided that Kung-fu and Karate are the same thing, or better yet, ninjas do magic. Upon arriving in Japan, I hoped to have left those silly imaginings behind. Unbeknownst to me, the Japanese media has other plans. After a few hundred smacks over the head with strange adds, TV shows, attractions, and store displays showing off Japanese martial arts in exactly the way I attempted to convince people that it wasn’t, ninjas flew everywhere while samurai stopped bullets. For the sake of this project at the very least, I’m letting my guard down a bit and just enjoying the entertainment aspect that seems to be so much more important.
I’m a person who prefers the hands on approach to learning as opposed to most other methods. As such, I took it upon myself to experience the lighter side of things while taking a few pictures for entertainment (and every so often tearing apart certain inconsistencies when I just can’t take it anymore). Putting myself in the pictures had the double-edged effect of removing some of the moral issues of taking pictures in public places, but taking a little away from the overall effect of this being about Japan.
