In Japan, some people believe that RoboCop (1987), one of America's finest sci-fi films, was inspired by Robot Detective (1973), Japanese superhero TV drama comprised of 26 episodes now available at Prime Video. Is it true? Although some advertisements affirm it, both the author Shotaro ISHINOMORI (1939-98) himself and his son Jo ONODERA have actually denied the direct influence on the American counterpart. The truth is, ISHINOMORI, not only the King of Manga whose Cyborg 009 series remains popular, but also the giant creator of Japan's superheroes such as Masked Rider and of course Go-Rangers, the progenitors of Power Rangers, was extremely irritated by the sheer fact that he was NOT internationally acknowledged as the first to come up with the idea of a robot police officer as a superhero. In other words, he was disappointed that Robot Detective had been almost forgotten even in his own homeland, obviously thinking that the quality of the children's program did not meet his satisfaction and preferring his own manga version for young adult readers.
However, the TV original of Robot Detective is truly worth watching, deserving reevaluation among people all over the world. In the drama, Robot Detective K (often called just "K") learns how to get along with his human colleague SHINJO (played passionately by Jiro CHIBA, younger brother of Sonny CHIBA) and his irascible but humane boss Daizo SHIBA, not to mention that he, using both martial arts and powerful weapons, fights a variety of villain robots. Just as charmed by RoboCop Murphy and his partner Anne Lewis, you will be also fascinated by the good example of Japan's male relationships which were to help achieve the "Japan as Number One" position from the late 1970s to the early 90s, whose dominant influence can be seen in RoboCop 3 (1993), the worst in the series because the very American essence of Paul Verhoeven's masterpiece was damaged by the completely different values. While it is not unusual that Robot Detective K is helped spiritually by Japanese women including his "Mother," the huge female robot resembling Buddhist deity of mercy, it is really discouraging to see the once invincible RoboCop saved by a nine-year-old American girl at the climax of the movie.
Having seen the culmination of Japan's economic power, Kaku TAKASHINA (1919-94), the actor who played older detective SHIBA, passed away in the following year. He had made his debut in the 1938 war movie Mud and Soldiers as the First Class Private who is killed in action, saying "For the sake of His Majesty the Emperor." I rediscovered Robot Detective as a drama of Japan's high economic growth by paying more attention to TAKASHINA's marvelous acting which undoubtedly contributes to the immortal merit of this TV program for children as if he had left his secret message of encouragement to the future generations of his country.

抄録全体を表示

本論は、東日本大震災の被災地でみられる手作り復興商品をツーリズムとの関係性も含めて捉え、そこで演出される被災地性を分析することにより、時間の経過による商品領域の変遷を明らかにすることを目指した。東日本大震災後の宮城県を取り上げ、手作り復興商品を生産している団体として、みやぎ生協及びNPO法人応援のしっぽ作成の「手作り商品カタログ」や、東北の手仕事を紹介するHP「東北マニュファクチュール・ストーリー」に掲載されているデータを資料として量的調査を行った。具体的な事例として、東松島市のソックモンキー、石巻市の鹿角を利用したアクセサリー、亘理町の古着物を利用した巾着を取り上げた。また、東日本大震災前後の事例として、阪神淡路大震災と熊本地震を取り上げ、各事業を比較し、手作り復興商品の系譜の一端を明らかにした。
以上の事例の検討から、これらの商品には、復興商品、みやげ物、普遍的商品の3領域が見いだされた。復興商品として発生した手作り商品は、やがて復興ツーリズムにおいてみやげ物として購入されるようになり、事業が継続すると普遍的商品領域へと移る場合があることが導き出された。また、商品によっては初めから普遍的商品を目指す場合もあり、震災後の時間の経過とともに、復興商品領域、みやげ物領域は縮小し、普遍的商品への移行が促されることが明らかになった。そして、被災地性は、復興商品において最も強くあらわされ、みやげ物において薄まり、普遍的商品領域においては捨象される傾向があるという結論に達した。

抄録全体を表示