This series focuses on the narrative structure of human perfection in Japanese Manga examining East Asian traditions and pop culture.
Why are the images of Jedi in Star Wars different in Episodes 1-6 and 7-9? Why does the Sensei (Master) show an important role in Japanese Shonen Manga? The portrayal of the protagonist in pop culture around the world is closely related to the vernacular understanding of spiritual and ethical cultivation. This series will focus on illustrating the narrative structure of human perfection in Japanese Manga, examining how East Asian traditional values are reinterpreted and passed on in pop culture. In addition, we will also examine key terms that are useful in the creation of the contemporary Islamic Bildungsroman.
The series consists of four lectures. The titles of the lectures are:
1. Creating an Islamicate Fiction: Futuwwa Samurai Art
2. Shonen Manga as Bildungsroman
3. Star Wars and Shonen Manga: Stories of Mastery and Discipleship
4. How can we create a contemporary Islamic Bildungsroman?
Dr Qayyim Naoki Yamamoto
Dr. Qayyim Naoki Yamamoto is currently an assistant professor at Graduate school of Turkic Studies, Marmara University. He completed his PhD at the Graduate School of Asia and Africa Studies, Kyoto University in 2018. Qayyim Naoki Yamamoto specializes in Ottoman Tasawwuf and traditional Japanese culture. His publications include a Japanese translation of Sulami’s Kitāb al-Futuwwa and Introduction to Tasawwuf: A Comparison with Shonen Manga (Shueisha Web Essay Series).
