Gojira, Hello Kitty, and other forms of Japanese culture have been integrated through popular culture into things like movies and toys. The aspects that can make these mediums fun and interesting can make them popular, which gives a lot of credence to the culture behind it. Although these two forms represent popular culture, they are still able to draw on representations of everyday life and Japanese culture. Christine R Yano explains how Hello Kitty consumerism shaped Hello Kitty, making it something of an obsession. “Hello Kitty expresses herself through a disarming and benevolent mouth, while Godzilla is dark and oversized (Yano, 153).” The characteristics of Gojira and Hello Kitty are important because Hello Kitty's characteristics of being cute appeal to many people's senses and may be the reason why Hello Kitty Goods earned one hundred million from the products and another four hundred million in licensing fees. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that Hello Kitty is described as “irresistible” (Yano, 154). Japan launched elements like these and was able to show other areas of the world its culture, which aided integration, but its culture can still be closely derived from the elements depicted in these films, as well as from a representation. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay By looking at elements of media, such as Hello Kitty and Gojira, we are able to see Japanese culture incorporated. While Hello Kitty may be considered by most people to be simply cute Japanese, she has aspects that also help define the culture. The kitten is small, has no mouth and seems to be looking into the distance. This may be related to the fact that women in Japanese culture are considered passive. We could notice this aspect when watching Gojira, in the character of Emiko. In the film he seems to show a passive role, he cries and seems to have a fragile personality. Emiko's role was important in this film because instead of just creating a plot, it was important to integrate the culture so that as the film is exchanged between different people, they can get an idea of ​​Japanese culture. Looking at the overview of Gojira we can also see this well. After the war where Gojira was filmed, it was a very destructive time and the whole city was ruined. The film represents Japan during the post-war period by showing some of the suffering it went through. It helps show the Japanese fear of nuclear attacks, which makes the film symbolic. Japan does a good job of this, but we are also able to see aspects of American culture from some of the media we examined. They! shows the same relationship between popular culture and culture as Hello Kitty and Gojira. The film released in 1954 takes you along the path of monstrous ants who are trying to take over the world. They have also been considered an important medium in American popular culture as they have been integrated into video games and television shows such as Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Invader Zim respectively (Them!) Through the conquest of the ants who solve the city is taken over, and many aspects of American culture derive from it and are described. For example, towards the end of the film the firefighters want to burn down the cave because they feel that everyone inside must be dead and it's not worth risking the entire town. The police officers tell them not to do it because they believe there are two kids in there and it's not worth risking their lives. This is oneimportant part of the film because it demonstrates a part of American culture. This shows that in American culture, children are considered very important. The police made sure to save their lives because the lives of two people were also important to them and they wanted to make sure that everything went well. The police force was also shown as very important in the film, something that may be true in real life as well. They did a good job of showing the cultural elements of Godzilla and was able to do the same thing. They also do a good job of mentioning the atomic bomb that America was testing at the time and relating it to the Cold War. This helps to get a vivid picture of the time period in which the film was made because real events are used. Godzilla comes from Gojira, as we have been told many times, but at the same time it has many special elements that illustrate American culture and popular culture. Through the many versions in which Godzilla has been changed he has been able to have many interpretations especially through the different roles that Gojira has taken on. In some films we see Gojira destroy the nation of Japan, but in other cases we see the American version showing how Godzilla is a hero. This has significant importance because it was probably done to help show a positive image of American culture rather than to be enemies. So Gojira was really important because it helped bridge the gap, and that was just one of the lasting impacts that cultures had on each other. Through the Pacific Century series we are able to identify different parts of Japanese culture and see how exactly Japanese culture evolved. Although not everyone was happy about the United States occupying Japan at first, it had some positive features. During the period of their occupation they gave credit to America for being able to help them unify Japan and give it a strong sense of governance. America had many intentions to create positive standards for Japanese culture, whether it was clothing, music, or cartoons, but many differences can be found across the two cultures. From an American point of view initially there were many differences between Japanese and American culture. Americans believed that Japanese technology was different and much more inferior. During the conquest of America, Commodore Perry brought them many different types of tools and toys that fascinated the Japanese. Along with the instruments they also introduced the Japanese to Western culture by showing them new clothing, education and musical forms. The Americans also did not approve of the government system by which Japan was run and forced them to change that too. The Japanese, on the other hand, considered the American people to be barbaric and did not approve of some of their practices. The Americans were surprised to find that the Japanese bathed regularly (The Pacific Century). Through the close contact that followed between the two cultures we see how each was able to modernize and use the ideas of the other. Starting from modernization in Perry's time we see that Japan and America would have many similarities that would continue for a long time. This would include the exchange of souls between Japan and America, as well as apparently all American electronics. Looking at the two cultures we see many aspects shared by Japan and America, but if you look closer you can also see some of the differences they possess. Through Gojira, Godzilla, and Them, we are able to see the differences between Japanese and American culture. We seelike in Gojira women like Emiko are given the role of scared submissives, but this is very different from Them, when Joan Weldon is one of the lead scientists on the team and conducts the experiments that may be needed to save humanity. . When you also look at Hello Kitty, you see it as primarily referring to a cute, furry, furry creature that is irresistible. The emphasis on children is given great consideration when it comes to looking at American culture, but this changes when you look at Japan. The hydrogen bomb used to kill Gojira was thought to be dangerous, but at the same time many people were considering the bigger picture, rather than the lives of just two people. Since the cultures of America and Japan differed drastically, this may explain the paths they took to become more similar and exchange cultures. It could explain the paths they have taken to modernize and become aware of other cultures. Modernity is the idea of ​​breaking with the past through a process of social and cultural change and, above all, it helps to redefine tradition (Crisis of Modernity). Both Japan and America managed to modernize, adapting new forms of culture and seeing ways of life. This may highlight the fact that the Meiji Reform was of such significant importance because it was a way for Japan to see what the outside, Western world was like rather than being closed-minded and not seeing all it had to offer. The reason why modernization was so important to these two nations is because it was able to help them fend for themselves, as well as learn new ideas. For example, when Japan came into conflict with America, it needed to modernize to overcome modernity, an idea that has been introduced to us in this course. If they had not modernized they would have been subject to attacks and other consequences that could have resulted. In this way modernization was popular for them, and it was also important for Americans as they sought to connect with other parts of the world. Looking back on the information I have now, I may make changes to how I view modernization. Modernization can be integrated into pop culture, but it cannot entirely define a culture on its own. The reason this struck me is because a couple of weeks ago I would have thought that the insights Japan gained from the Meiji Restoration entirely defined its culture, and that is false. Modernizing your culture serves to add layers to the foundation that has already been established. Gojira was a film produced by the Japanese, for the Japanese, and it helped convey meaning and showcase Japanese culture. This was the same way they portrayed American culture. This is very important to know because when a country modernizes, as Japan has and tends to adopt jazz, watch movies and watch certain films, its fundamental ideals are still the same as they have always been. The way people think doesn't just change because of new things they've experienced, it simply means they've experienced closer contact with other groups and people. Gojira was founded in Japan, which had a thriving film industry before America came into contact with them, and this film was essential to Japan. When a certain culture has elements that make it popular, it becomes popular on a global scale leaving room for discussion about globalization. Globalization can be somewhat linked to modernization and ultimately influences the relationship of how Japan and America are similar or different. Globalization means that human societies have a narrow.