Amakusa Shirō, la Rebelión de Shimabara y el cristianismo en el manga Makai tenshō (1987)

RESUMEN: El objetivo del presente trabajo es analizar la imagen del cristianismo en el manga de Ishikawa Ken Makai tenshō (1987), adaptación libre de la novela de ficción histórica de mismo nombre compuesta en 1967 por Yamada Fūtarō. Ambientado a finales del Japón medieval, tiene como punto de partida un famoso acontecimiento en la historia del archipiélago, la Rebelión de Shimabara, que puso punto final al llamado "siglo cristiano" de Japón. Uno de los protagonistas de la obra es el líder de esa rebelión, el joven cristiano Amakusa Shirō, convertido en los últimos decenios en un personaje frecuente en la cultura de consumo popular japonesa. La representación del cristianismo en Makai Tenshō, publicado en un periodo de fuerte presencia de nacionalismo japonés en el manga seinen, recoge algunos elementos de la imagen de los misioneros cristianos desarrollada en el Periodo Edo como legitimación del shogunato Tokugawa; entre otros, la naturaleza demoniaca de los misioneros, similares a los tengu, demonios del folclore japonés, su asociación con la magia y la medicina y su objetivo, frustrado por Tokugawa Ieyasu, de invadir y someter Japón. ABSTRACT: The aim of this paper is to analyze the image of Christianity in Ishikawa Ken's manga Makai Tenshō (1987), adapted freely from Yamada Fūtarō's historic fiction novel of the same name published in 1967. The manga is set at the end of Japan's medieval period, beginning with a famous event in Japanese history, the Shimabara Rebellion, which is considered the end of the "Christian century" of Japan. One of the main characters of the work is the leader of that rebellion, Amakusa Shirō, a very frequent character in recent Japanese pop culture. The representation of Christianity in Makai Tenshō, published in a period of strong presence of Japanese nationalism in seinen manga, derives partly from some characteristics of the image of the Christian missionaries developed in Edo Period as legitimation of Tokugawa shogunate; among others, their demonic nature, close to the tengu, demons in Japanese folklore, their association with magic and medicine and their intention, frustrated by Tokugawa Ieyasu, of invading and subduing Japan.

Sociological studies on nationalism in Japan

Issues regarding nationalism have been increasing since the 1990s on an international scale. This article reviews and summarizes the current state of sociological studies concerning Japanese nationalism and the changes therein, as many sociologists in Japan have focused on nationalism and its related problems. The first half of the article examines historical sociological studies about the emergence and development of nationalism in Japan, which demystify the fictions concerning Japan’s ethnic and cultural homogeneity and describe the specific historical roots of this myth. The latter half of the article reviews various aspects of modern sociological works on Japanese nationalism. While some studies empirically show various forms of nationalism, others demonstrate political components of Japanese nationalism or inquire about this recent phenomenon and related issues that have arisen since the 2010s.

Reinterpreting the Chinese Revolution: The Balance between Radical and Moderate Approaches, 1937–1945

The success of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) by the end of the Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) has generally been credited to its moderate approach to mobilizing the local peasantry through appeals to anti-Japanese nationalism and programs of social justice. However, the evidence presented in this article demonstrates that during late 1939 and early 1940 in some counties of the Southwest Shanxi Base Area and other major North China base areas the CCP abandoned its moderate approach and promoted a radical and violent class struggle. Based on its experiences in 1939–1940, the CCP created a model for mobilization in early 1942 that balanced radical and moderate approaches, which was then gradually applied to all Communist base areas. This article argues that the CCP relied on a combination of two contrasting and complementary approaches—radical and moderate—both of which played an indispensable role in its success by 1945.

Displaying Mythological Characters

The large figures displayed atop the floats in the Sawara Grand Festival portray characters drawn from mythology and history that have been strongly associated with Japanese nationalism and imperialism. In order to investigate the meanings that these float figures hold for the participants and audience of the festival, this article acknowledges the close relations between folklore and politics and interprets the works themselves as agents that enact emotions and responses, rather than focusing on the creative intentions of the producers. The figure subjects were freely chosen by the people of Sawara, mostly during the prewar period, and were based on characters that were popular at the time—namely, the emperors and their mythological ancestors and historical champions. In the present, however, the figures are rarely seen in light of their nationalistic origins. Instead, they are appreciated more for their aesthetic beauty and as mascots of the various wards of Sawara.

Hosting Migrants in Kyoto City: Different Migrant Cohorts and Mutual Support

Since the late 1980s, the population of Filipinas married to Japanese men has increased in Kyoto. Numerous women had initially entered Japan as entertainers, later found partners, and built families in the city. The growing numbers of resident Filipinas led to the organization of the local Pag-asa Filipino community. Considering migrants as city-makers, we explore how Filipina residents together with residents springing off earlier cohorts of migrants have contributed to the emergence of new socialities, among others by providing the (infra)structure for newly arriving migrants to access substantial citizenship rights and to foster ties with local residents. We look at these encounters, ties, and relationships forming on the premises of the Kyoto City Multicultural Exchange Networking Salon in terms of socialities as this allows us to avoid reifying the cultural essentialism that undergirds both Japanese nationalism and multiculturalism, while acknowledging the social and institutional constraints within which these socialities emerge and are made sense of. Empirically drawing upon data collected among the Kyoto Filipino community, we use the conceptual lens of hosting to capture how multiculturalism is made in Kyoto City, while challenging dichotomous conceptions of the host versus the migrant.