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Showing posts with label Pop Culture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pop Culture. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Tales of Superheroes

By : Christian Adi B.Alexander (081214054)
I believe that everyone already know what superhero is. If not let me try explain what superhero is to you. In simple way, we can say that superhero is a person who has a superpower which can be used to save other people. So with that definition we can learn that not all people who have superpower ability is superheroes. The most important is that they can utilize their uncommon power to help other people. That way they can be called as superheroes. But do you think superheroes are real? We only know superheroes story mostly from television right? In fact, superheroes are just fiction figures. But they are created to represent the good side of humanity.

If we talk about superhero, do we have question like why we like superheroes? Why do we idolize them? They are just unreal figure. If it is just story, everybody can write and tell anything about this superhero, right? Every author of the superheroes series’ should realize that their creations could change the life of many people. It is not a secret anymore that even an adult person still idolizes a fictional figure like these superheroes thing. The story of superhero films must be created very carefully. An author should bring the story as real as possible.

In this modern era, there are so many films about superheroes. Two of the big countries which always produced these superheroes series are America and Japan. Both country with the company inside always try to serve the great film another and another. And we can say that those two countries are successfully present their superhero stories. Each of films in those two countries has their own superiority and weakness. Some of the superheroes series that come from America are Spiderman and Power Ranger Series. While superheroes series that come from Japan are Kamen Rider Series, Ultraman Series, and unexpectedly Doraemon.

First, let’s see the series from America. What’s so great of superheroes in superpower country like America? America is a country full of entertainment. It is not easy to establish something there to get famous, including the superhero series’. But slowly but sure, the American people begin to look for a new method of entertainment. At first, superheroes series’ aren’t very popular like now. The flow changed in the beginning of 90s when Power Ranger, the adaptation of Japan’s Super Sentai first aired in America. Even though it is just an adaptation, the rating of Power Ranger especially the first season was very high. Many people praised the story, where others think that this adaptation is even better than the original. Because of so many positives critic and review from audiences, right now Power Ranger still aired in America and it never lose its fans. The success of Power Ranger triggered the other superheroes series. One of them is Spiderman. Who don’t know about Spiderman in this modern era? This is considered as one of the most successful superheroes series all time. In early 2000s, the first movie of Spiderman came out. What is the result? Like we already know, with its great story, the character-protagonist and antagonist, and special effect, Spiderman has become a must-watched movie. And even the next two sequels also became great movies.

Second, let’s see from the Japanese superheroes series’. Who would think that Japanese will be the birthplace of superheroes series? The company of this country has produced so many successful series throughout the world. Started with the Ultraman series in 70s era, now so many film like Ultraman can be found. And Ultraman series still got a high rating in audience heart. Even though the stories of each Ultraman series are similar, people still love this film. And in the beginning of 80s, Kamen Rider series popped out. Right now, Kamen Rider has become very famous. There are so many action figures using Kamen Rider as the theme. People not only praised the story, but also how the author could create such a wonderful character in Kamen Rider series. And is there anyone who doesn’t know about Doraemon? You must be joking if you don’t know about this cartoon figure in this modern era. Doraemon, a manga created by Fujiko F. Fujio, may look like a cartoon comedy. But actually this is also a superhero series. We must understand once more that superheroes are figures that used their superpower to help other people. And it matches Doraemon, right? Doraemon helped his friend by using super-high technologic devices. Even though he isn’t battle against evil, he is still considered as a superhero. Therefore, because of it great success in so many decades, Doraemon has become Japan first “anime ambassador”.

Do you now understand how great superheroes are? They are already fan favorite. The story about them fight the evil bring good morals to many people who watch them in the television. Even though they aren’t real, they made themselves acknowledge by the audience. Yes, we can learn so much about them. So don’t be hesitated to watch this superheroes series’. Watch and find the positive things in this genre of film.

The Visual Kei Culture in Indonesia

by: Rosa Wuri Amurti (081214049)

Recently, the term of Visual Kei has been well developed among the Japanese culture fans in Indonesia. As the time goes by, this unique term gains more and more fans. However, what actually is Visual Kei? What makes it so attractive especially for Indonesian people? How does it develop in Indonesia? And how do people react toward Indonesian Visual Kei fans? So, I wrote this article to further discuss about it.

According to jrockrae.wordpress.com, Visual Kei, or Visual style, is “one of Japanese music subcultures where we can hear pop-like songs alongside the hard metal tunes”. What is interesting from this unique music subculture is that it also sells style: a style of androgynous beautiful men who dress like girls that might seem weird for most people. Visual Kei, which has many different types: Visual Kei, Angura Kei, Oshare Kei, Eroguro Kei, etc; has been developing throughout the world. It has been gaining more and more fans in America, Europe, and Asia, especially in Indonesia.

Since 2005, Visual Kei has become a trend in Indonesia followed by the birth of several Visual kei fans communities that do Visual Kei cosplay, and also some local bands that cover Visual Kei bands’ songs that we can find in every Japanese Culture Festival all over Indonesia. For example, in Yogyakarta, there is a community named Shimatta which members are Visual Kei fans. This community always holds a gathering every Sunday afternoon at UPT UGM to share the latest info they have about visual kei and also latest music released. Some of the members also form visual kei bands like D n C, Watershield, and the AgonY which are very famous among Japanese culture fans in Jogjakarta.

Just like the fans in other countries, Visual Kei brings a huge influence to Indonesian fans. Visual Kei fans in Indonesia tend to be very unique. They are very multitalented and creative. Most of Visual Kei fans are not just fans who will freakily shout at the television when they see their idol or hope that they will meet their idols and get their signatures. I can guarantee that most of them are good musicians, good writers, and good illustrators.

In Indonesia, fan-boys or otaku1 tend to be musicians; who also dress beautifully like girls. We can find at least ten visual kei bands in big cities like Jakarta, Semarang, Surabaya, Jogjakarta, etc. They cover bands like L’Arc en Ciel, the GazettE, Dir en grey, Deluhi, etc. Moreover, as you know, Jrocks and Elven previously are bands that cover L’Arc en Ciel, a famous visual kei band in Japan, and now, they have achieved great success in Indonesian music industry with their visual kei influence. Let’s just wait who will next bring Visual Kei influence in Indonesian music industry.

Some fan-girls or fujoushi2 are also musicians. They usually become vocalists of visual kei band. However, most of them tend to be artists; either writers or illustrators. We can find their good writing on the internet (especially in livejournal.com) as a form of English or Indonesian fan-fiction, stories in which their favorite Visual Kei artists become the characters. We can also find their good drawing of Visual Kei artists on deviantart or other websites. However, if you hate gayness, don’t you dare to browse their works because most of their works contain male and male relationship. “I write yaoi3 fan-fictions because I don’t want to see my idols going out with girls. I prefer them being gay than seeing them with girls.” Akichuu, one of famous Indonesian fan-fiction writers said.

Despite its fast development, Visual Kei still becomes a minority in Indonesia. It is because common people’s point of view that considers Visual Kei appearance is weird. Besides Japanese language is not really as common as English, most of the music is not too easy listening for Indonesian people who are more accustomed to pop music. The style of Visual Kei artists is also not common for Indonesian people that think that beautiful men who dress like girls must be gays, drag-queens, or other bad stereotypes. As time goes by, such insult becomes nothing but a minor sting for Indonesian Visual Kei fans.

As we have seen, nowadays, many people dress like Visual Kei artists. We can even find them in public places like mall or even campus, because Visual Kei somehow has already become a part of their lives. Some people may think that they are weird, gay, deviant, and strange. However they are not like what most people think. They have a principal that they think is right. So, as good Indonesian people, we should appreciate and accept them the way they are.



1 otaku : male fans
2 fujyoshi : female fans
3 yaoi : boy and boy’s love

References:
Anonimous. Japanese music in america. Jrock & the Visual Kei 2.0. Retrieved February 2, 2010, from http://jrockrae.wordpress.com/about