Representation and Evolution of Women in Japanese Folktales and Horror Films
Document Type
Panel Presentation
Keywords
Japan, women, horror films, folktales, evolution
Biography
Kelsi White is a 21-year-old senior at Marshall University pursuing a BA in Japanese and International Affairs. She enjoys learning about Japanese Culture and traveling. After graduating at Marshall University she plans to attend graduate school to further her language skills.
Major
Japanese
Advisor for this project
Natsuki Anderson
Abstract
Many of the first depictions of women in the horror genre can be linked to the stories of yuki-onna and ubume. The idea and representation of women in the Japanese horror films (J-horror) have however changed. Today, when thinking about “scary” women in J-horror, the likes of The Eye, Sadako from Ringu, and Kayako from Ju-On: The Grudge come to mind. The evolution and change of the disposition that females play in the horror genre in Japan can be seen in the change in views on folktales and ayakashi (demons or ghosts) compared to the before mentioned J-horror females. The depiction of women over time, has moved away from figures of motherhood and protective figures to a more mainstream “horror/scary” image. As such, the Paper will examine the evolution and the representation of women in both Japanese folktales and in contemporary J-horror.
Representation and Evolution of Women in Japanese Folktales and Horror Films
Many of the first depictions of women in the horror genre can be linked to the stories of yuki-onna and ubume. The idea and representation of women in the Japanese horror films (J-horror) have however changed. Today, when thinking about “scary” women in J-horror, the likes of The Eye, Sadako from Ringu, and Kayako from Ju-On: The Grudge come to mind. The evolution and change of the disposition that females play in the horror genre in Japan can be seen in the change in views on folktales and ayakashi (demons or ghosts) compared to the before mentioned J-horror females. The depiction of women over time, has moved away from figures of motherhood and protective figures to a more mainstream “horror/scary” image. As such, the Paper will examine the evolution and the representation of women in both Japanese folktales and in contemporary J-horror.
