Japanese subculture and technology
The theme in Week 3 is “Japanese subculture and technology, especially in regards to artificial bodies”. Watch Prof. Susumu Niijima, a specialist of science fiction and French literature introduce the topics covered in Week 3.
He is talking in front of giant robot “Mobile Suit Gundam” statue in Odaiba Tokyo, wearing the costume of its protagonist Amuro. Gundam is one of the most popular anime in Japan.
You’ll see a lot of huge robot heroes in Japanese subcultures. Our dreams about giant robots occupy a large enough space inside the hearts of present-day Japanese people to lead to the creation of this full-sized statue. In the music arena, “digital diva”, an artificially voiced virtual idol attracts many fans. Both are inter-related.
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