University of Alberta Trendy or Timeless? The Ciussicai Heritcrge of Confemporury Japanese Television Love Stories A. Gretchen Phillips A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts East Asian Interdisci plinary Studies Department of East Asian Studies Edmonton, Alberta Fa11 1999 National Library Bibliothéque nationale (*Iof Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON KIA ON4 OttawaON K1AW Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or seil reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts hmit Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imphés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. aîW~ ast)a 1% C~?I Each parting is the beginning of a new relationship Dedication This dedication spans continents and centuries. First and foremost, to my entire family for their support and the endless hours of Japanese television that they endured (and, of course, enjoyedO). Secondly, to the memory of the author of The Taie of Genji, Lady Murasaki Shikibu, whose tales of Heian Japan continue to spark my imagination. Finally, to Kirnuni Takuya, the 'shining prince' of Japanese trendy dramas. A bstract This thesis is an interdisciplinary exploration of the resonance between Japanese 'trendy dramas' of the 1990's and an inhented aesthetic of romantic love From the Heian period as exernplified in The Tale ofGenji. The study focuses on four drainas, Tokyo Love Stoty, The Most lmportunt Person, Long Vacation, and Love Generarion. Literary analysis of the Heian texts is combined with an anthropological approach to the study of popular culture. Informant case studies have been included to illustrate contemporary attitudes toward romantic love. Viewer questionnaires have been used to reveal underlying perceptions of romantic love that shape audience reception of trendy has. It is my contention that the presence of a unimng 1yrical mood in the ciramas cm be linked to the classical concept of mono no mare and that, as in The Tale of Genji, the emphasis is on the processes of the love story rather than on closure. I am indebted to Dr. Sonja Arntzen and Dr. Parnela Asquith for their constant encouragement and insight. In addition, I would like to thank Dr. J~M-ShannLin and Dr. David Young for their interest in this project as well as their advice. Thanks also go out to the entire East Asian Studies department, especially Sharon MacKenzie and Heather McDonaid. Researching Japanese popuiar culture fiom this side of the Pacific would have been even more dificult had not been for regular updates from Carol Brandly, Satsuki Amernori, and Kumiko Toyôka, as well as al1 the contributions fiom the questionnaire participants. 1 am grateful to Dr. Michiko Kawashima, Dr. Hiroko Terakura, Kazuko Higashida, Kaon Kabata, and Yoko Taki, who al1 gave generously of their time whenever I needed translation assistance. Valerie Henitiuk's editorial advice proved invaluable, and Sham Marcil's cornputer magic saved me hours of retyping. Table of Contents Page Dedication A bst ract Acknowledgements Table of Contents List of Trendy Dramas in Japanese List of Tables Chaptrr 1 Introducion: A Tokyo Love Story: From Fan to Researcher I. The Tale of Geryï ' II. The Tale of Genji and Popular Culture III. The Tale of Gertji and Trendy Dramas IV. Trendy Dramas as an Area of Research v. Overview Chapter 2 Not just Id01 Curiosity: The Study of Japanese Popular Culture 1. The Study of Popuhr Culture II. Popular Culture in Japan m. A Definition of Popular Culture IV. Approaches to the 'Trendy or Tirneless' Question Chapter 3 'True Love Never Runs Smooth': Marriage and Romantic Love in Contemporary (Heisei) Japan 1. Arranged Marriages: Orniln II. Romantic Love: Remi III. The Mixing of Three Traditions IV. Romantic Love in Trendy Dramas and the hdividualized Self v. Conclusion Chapter 4 Love at Fit imagination: Romantic Love in Heian Japan 1. Heian Heroes II. Ferninine Mystique m. The Stuff Fairy Tales Werc Made Of IV. Mono rra Awcve: The Essence of Love v. Expressions of Aware VI. Closure: East and West VII. Conclusion Chapter 5 Trendy Mono No Aware: Traces of the Heian in Heisei Romances 1. Heisei Heroes and Heroines II. The Stuff Trendy Dramas are Made of m. Trendy Mono no Awure IV. Expressions of Trendy Aware v. Closure: Past and Present VI. Conclusion Cbapter 6 Questionnaire Analysis 1. Romantic Elements II. Closure m. Conclusion Chapter 7 Conclusion: Conternporary Culture and the Aware of it Al1 Bi bliogra pby A ppendir A: Trmdy Drama Questionnaire Two pnglish Version] Appendix B:Trrndy Drama Queaionnaire Two [Japanese Version] Appendix C:Trendy Drama Questionnaire Two Results List of Trendy Dramas in Japanese -%~@J~sW The Most Important person TBS 1997 719~c;tCL/-?s 2 Love Generation Fuji 1997 RX77"z b-9- Tokyo Love SIOY Fuji 1991 List of Tables Page Table 1 Nurnber of viewers who have watched each drama 95 Table 2 Terms describing the love story in trendy dnimas 98 Table 3 Viewers' responses to questions about drama endings 99 Chapter 1: Introduction A Tokyo Love Story From Fan to Researcher "Good night" says the man as he and the woman tum to go dong separate paths in the darkened park. They seem reluctant to say good bye as they slowly back away from each other making comments about having sweet dreams and not king late for work. Finally they agree to both walk away on the count of three. "One, two, three!" With that the man promptly turns around and begins to stroll away. Then something causes him to stop and tum back in the direction of the woman. She is standing in the same spot smilîng at him and she begins to repeat his name, each time with a bit more emotion, "Kanji, Kanj i, Kanj i .. " Suddenly she breaks off, races towards him and throws her arms aroamd him. "Oh Kanji," she exclaims as the theme Song "Rabu sut6rî wa tots2çen ni [A Love Story is ~udden~~nexpected]"'begins to play, "1 love you!" This proclamation catches Kanji off guard and he admonishes her, "Rika... ." Still hugging Kanji, Rika giggles and says "Oops ! The secret is out!" Then she steps back, says good night and walks away leaving an awestnick Kanji behind. In 1993 1 used to rush home fiom work to make it home in time for the 500 reruns of this drama, ToRyo Love SI-. It was during this daily dose of trendy drama3 rems that I became intrigued by these Japanese soap operas. Once 1 was able to decipher the code of my Japanese TV guide, 1made it a point to tune in to Fuji and TBS television channels to keep up to date with the latest developments in the relationship of the season. 1 began to buy entertainment magazines and tried to keep track of the gossip about the young gwd-looking acton. Trendy dramas became somewhat of a hobby for me. Aside fiom the farniliar streets of Tokyo, the popular id&, and the catchy theme songs, there was something else that intrigued me about trendy dramas that 1 could not quite put my finger on. Then my classical Japanese literature classes flashed through rny mind and it seemed to me that these contemporary Japanese 1 Oda- Kaaimasa, "Rcrbusutôri DVUtomzen ni [A Love Story is Suddcn/Unexpectec&" CD Singie, !unhouse, hc.. 1991. Toityo Low Story [ToSyo rah sutdni, Wnt. Sakamoto Yuji prod.. Ôta Akin, Fuji Television, 1991. ' In Japanese: toredi doramaCmM 2 television love dramas resonated with an essence that is embodied in the Heian period (794 -1 185) novel The Tale of ~enji'by Murasaki Shikibu. Whenever I watched these shows, ths thought was always present in the back of my mind. Thus, 1began my transformation hmtrendy drama fan to researcher. 1 undertook this research in order to codirm or correct my subjective perception. 1 was brought to anthropology in order to find theoretical and rnethodological approaches to the study of popular culture. At the same time, I pursued classical literary studies so that 1could deepen rny appreciation of Heian literature and The Tale of Genji in particular. This thesis is the result of an interdisciplinary exploration of the relationship between the classical romance The Tale of Genji and the trendy dramas of Japan in the 1990's. The Taie if Genji One thousand years ago, aristocrats in the srnail, narrow world of the Heian court kept themselves amused by reading about the romantic escapades of the elegantly handsome prince, Hikani Genji, otherwise known as 'the Shining Prince'. It is thought that the author of The Taie of Genji, Murasaki Shikibu, wrote the 54-chapter novel in installments that were circulated around the court and read aloud. Throughout the course of the novel, Prince Genji fathers a child with his steprnother. sleeps with his best fiiend's concubine, acquires three official wives and two mistresses and has nurnerous clandestine &airs. Mer Genji's death, the novel continues with the arnorous adventures of Genji's son, Yugin, and his grandsons, Kaon and Niou.