Abstract
The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate the historical transformation of yokai (Japanese Spirits), specifically the kappa (a froglike figure with a plate on its head) and the tsuchigumo (a spider demon). This thesis examines these two yokai's representations in various medium from the Edo period (1603-1868) to the contemporary (2000-2023). Such mediums include ukiyo-e (woodblock print from the Tokugawa period 1600-1868), folklore, Noh plays, manga (comics) and anime (animation). The shifts and transformation of these two iconic yokai were implicated in dynamic social, economic, political, and global trends. Thus, by analyzing observable changes in the kappa and tsuchigumo as they appear in media over time, I discovered what changes have occurred, what historical events have caused these changes, and what role the two yokai play in Japanese society today.
Advisor
Ng, Margaret
Second Advisor
Miyawaki, Michael
Department
East Asian Studies; History; Sociology and Anthropology
Recommended Citation
Mann, Mia, "怖い(kowaii) to 可愛い (kawaii): The Transformation of the Kappa and Tsuchigumo in Japanese Media" (2024). Senior Independent Study Theses. Paper 11197.
https://openworks.wooster.edu/independentstudy/11197
Disciplines
Anthropology | Comparative Literature | Cultural History | East Asian Languages and Societies | Film and Media Studies | Folklore | History | Japanese Studies | Quantitative, Qualitative, Comparative, and Historical Methodologies | Regional Sociology | Social and Cultural Anthropology | Visual Studies
Keywords
Folklore, culture, anime, manga, yokai, Japan, Japanese, oni, demons, media, film, nostalgia
Publication Date
2024
Degree Granted
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type
Senior Independent Study Thesis
© Copyright 2024 Mia Mann