Alice in Japan

Alice in JapanBy Zoe Burgess

English LiteratureAfter 1868, breaking its 200 years of isolation, Japan absorbed western cultures and modernized at a tremendous speed. During the Meiji era a cultural exchange between Japan and Britain was beginning with both countries appealing as the exotic other to the other. Literature being translated at the time such as Girls stories The Little Lord Fauntleroy (Shokoshi, 1892), Little Women (Shofujin, 1906), and A Little Princess (Shokojo, 1910) were loved by the Japanese audience. (Dollase, 2003).

Japan has had a bit of a love affair with Victorian Britain and there has been a lot produced that has reflected this interest. The Victorian age was one of great advances in many fields but also an era of rigid social classes, repressed desires and demanded respect between the ages and the sexes.Japans representation of Victorian Britain does not always run true as it is a society used to explore fantasy rather than realism.Victorian Japan

Good wives, Wise mothersGood mothers meant that you would have good children who would be raised in a way to strengthen and support Japanese society.A woman expected to be guardian of the interior and queen of the home (homu no joo); Her mission in life was to make a nurturing shelter for her children and a blissful refuge for her husband, a sanctuary where he might come to escape the violent challenges of the outside world. (Dollase, 2003). Ryosai Kenbo

Ryosai Kenbo

The primary goal of translation of western works was a way to educate young girls in Japan. Young girls were finding that they were being inadvertently being taught Victorian ideals on womanhood This was the beginning of Hanamonogatari (Girls stories or Shoujo stories). Themes such as innocence, pure love and breaking social stereotypes came to fruition.Girls Education

Japan has produced manga and anime based on Alice such as Fushigi no Kuni no Alice, a 52 episode series based on the book aired on Japanese network NHK in 1983. Alices Adventures in Wonderland was first translated into Japanese in 1909 and since then has had many unique and different reimaginings and retellings in Japanese media. Alice

With the increase pressure from parents and schools to work harder, get better results and be ready to become part of the backbone of Japans workforce there is a lot of pressure to grow up and youth feel that they need the escape. Youth and Alice

Fashion brands such as Alice and the Pirates

has Alice in Wonderland themed cafs and restaurants such as Alice in Labyrinth

The Alice look

Vocaloids

Alice in Anime/Manga

Rozen MaidenMiyuki-chan in wonderlandDeadman wonderlandPandora HeartsAlice in the Country of HeartsAlice in Manga

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