Japanese Robot Culture (eBook)

Performance, Imagination, and Modernity

Yuji Sone (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF

2016 | 1st ed. 2017
XIII, 265 Seiten
Palgrave Macmillan US (Verlag)
978-1-137-52527-7 (ISBN)

Infos

Japanese Robot Culture examines social robots in Japan, those in public, domestic, and artistic contexts. Unlike other studies, this book sees the robot in relation to Japanese popular culture, and argues that the Japanese 'affinity' for robots is the outcome of a complex loop of representation and social expectation in the context of Japan's continuing struggle with modernity. Considering Japanese robot culture from the critical perspectives afforded by theatre and performance studies, this book is concerned with representations of robots and their inclusion in social and cultural contexts, which science and engineering studies do not address. The robot as a performing object generates meaning in staged events and situations that make sense for its Japanese observers and participants. This book examines how specific modes of encounter with robots in carefully constructed mises en scène can trigger reflexive, culturally specific, and often ideologically-inflected responses. 

Dr Yuji Sone is a lecturer in the Department of Media, Music, Communication, and Cultural Studies at Macquarie University in Australia. He teaches theatre and performance studies courses with an emphasis on praxis in relation to cultural studies and media studies; he is also a performer and dramaturge.

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Japanese Robot Culture examines social robots in Japan, those in public, domestic, and artistic contexts. Unlike other studies, this book sees the robot in relation to Japanese popular culture, and argues that the Japanese 'affinity' for robots is the outcome of a complex loop of representation and social expectation in the context of Japan's continuing struggle with modernity. Considering Japanese robot culture from the critical perspectives afforded by theatre and performance studies, this book is concerned with representations of robots and their inclusion in social and cultural contexts, which science and engineering studies do not address. The robot as a performing object generates meaning in staged events and situations that make sense for its Japanese observers and participants. This book examines how specific modes of encounter with robots in carefully constructed mises en scene can trigger reflexive, culturally specific, and often ideologically-inflected responses. 

Inhalt

Acknowledgements 6
Contents 9
List of Figures 11
1: Introduction: The Japanese Robot and Performance 12
Japanese Culture and the Robot 16
Defining the Robot 16
The History of the Japanese Performing Robot 18
Japanese Modernity and Technology 22
Theatre and Performance Concepts Through Japanese Culture 25
Performativity and Geinoh 25
The Performing Object and Staging 27
Double Vision 29
Participatory Spectatorship 29
In This Book 32
Notes 35
References 39
2: Robotics and Representation 48
Japanese Humanoid Research 53
Japanese Robotics and Manga/Anime Culture 56
Astro Boy Syndrome 60
The Presence of the Japanese Humanoid 62
Notes 65
References 67
3: Futuristic Spectacle: Robot Performances at Expos 72
Robot Spectacle at the Japan World Expo, 1970 76
Celebrating Japan´s Robots: The Tsukuba Exposition, 1985 80
Nature and Technology: Garden and Greenery Exposition, Osaka, 1990 82
Integration and Fantasy: Expo 2005 in Aichi 84
Cultural Essentialism and Dramaturgy: In Tokyo and on the Australian Tour, 2007 86
Notes 94
References 96
4: The Anthropomorphic Robot and Artistic Expression 100
Oriza Hirata´s Robot Theatre 102
The Failure of Sayonara 107
Hiroshi Ishiguro´s Android Experiments 109
Cultural Affordance and Preconceived Outcomes 115
Robots and Disillusionment 117
Notes 121
References 123
5: Robots, Space, and Place 127
Giant Robot Statues 128
Dreams of a Giant Robot 133
Robot Restaurant 138
Notes 144
References 144
6: Hatsune Miku, Virtual Machine-Woman 149
The Development of Hatsune Miku 151
Japanese Fanzine Culture and Otaku 154
Lolicon Manga and Otaku Desire 157
Critique of the Otaku Imagination 159
Kawaii and Female Idols 161
Circuits of Signification: Otaku Sexuality 167
Notes 169
References 172
7: Competition Robots: Empathy and Identification 177
Robot Contests 178
Robo-One 179
The Puppet, the Puppeteer, and the Spectator 181
Robots as Mediators 183
Continuum: Organic Beings and Inanimate Objects 185
The Human, the Monkey, the Robot, the Other 186
Bacarobo and Humour 188
Space, Community, and Audience 190
Clowning and Forms of Comedy 192
Satire and Modoki 194
Notes 195
References 198
8: Robots that `Care´ 200
The Socially Assistive Robot 201
Aibo´s Design 206
Communication with Paro 210
The Institutionalised Other 213
Fandom: Living with Robots 215
Notes 217
References 220
9: Epilogue: Staging a Robot Nation 226
Notes 232
References 233
References 234
Index 263

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 17.12.2016
• Zusatzinfo: XIII, 265 p. 4 illus.
• Verlagsort: New York
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Kunst / Musik / Theater ► Theater / Ballett
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften
• Themenwelt: Informatik ► Theorie / Studium ► Künstliche Intelligenz / Robotik
• Themenwelt: Sozialwissenschaften ► Ethnologie
• Themenwelt: Sozialwissenschaften ► Soziologie
• Themenwelt: Technik
• Schlagworte: Hiroshi Ishiguro • Japanese Robotics and Popular Culture • Nationalism and robotics in Japan • Robot culture in Japanese studies • Robotics, Performance and Competitions • Robot restaurants • Social robotics in Japan
• ISBN-10: 1-137-52527-4 / 1137525274
• ISBN-13: 978-1-137-52527-7 / 9781137525277