Japanese identity in Manga and Anime
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Japanese Identity in Manga and Anime
When Japan suffered defeat at the hands of the United States during World War II, it lapsed into an identity crisis, much of which is still felt today by its people. Because of this, nationalistic sentiments have taken on a different form, which ranges from changing views over traditional national symbols, to creating a new term of Japanese uniqueness- called nihonjinron. This identity crisis is most evident in the media, reflected in manga and anime.
Nationalism may be defined as the belief that the nation is the basic organizing category of society, and that the individual's primary allegiance is to his or her nation. Nationalism used to be democratic but shifted to a conservative view. Democratic nationalism dealt with the country uniting to form a bond. Pride in one's nation is the key. Conservative nationalism also emphasizes national pride, but at the expense of other nations. I will be looking at nationalism in its conservative form. Thus, nationalism can refer to how a nation views itself or how it views the outside world...