本稿では、２０１９年１１月に実施した「メディア利用動向調査」の結果を報告する。動画配信・SNSやネットニュースなどインターネットを利用したデジタルメディアの隆盛に加え、放送のインターネット同時配信の開始など、メディア環境の激変をユーザーはどう受け止め、どう利用しているのか？伝統的なマスメディアとネット系メディアに対する信頼性と利用率の関係は？結果からは、インターネット接続されたテレビが徐々に増え、そこでは動画配信の利用が多くなってきていること。ネットニュースと伝統的なマスメディアの信頼性が若い世代で肉薄していることなどが分かった。放送をはじめとした伝統的なマスメディアと、動画配信サービスなどのネット系メディアとの垣根が、ユーザーにとって、いよいよ低くなりつつあると筆者は考える。加えてインターネット同時配信の利用意向や4K8K放送の認知など、過去４年の調査結果を時系列で辿り、ユーザーの潮流を分析した。 さらに、新型コロナウイルスの感染拡大を受け、本稿を執筆している5月上旬現在、全国に緊急事態宣言が出されている。この状況に対して、各々の動画配信サービスも動き始めた。将来のメディアのあり方にも関わっていくであろうこうした取り組みについても概観した。

抄録全体を表示

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