Post by Otaku on Mar 26, 2008 11:09:06 GMT 8
New English textbook takes up Superman, Anpanman to compare cultures
Wednesday 26th March, 09:50 AM JST
TOKYO - Two popular cartoon heroes in Japan and the United States will be featured in a high school English-language textbook to highlight cultural differences between the two countries, according to results released Tuesday of official screening of school textbooks for use from next year. A total of 48 textbooks, for use by senior high schools, were submitted for the latest round of screening. Of them, 47 gained approval by the education ministry after going through modifications at the ministry's advice.
A textbook for English reading which will be published by Osaka-based Zoshindo-Jukenkenkyusha Publishing Co says in Lesson 5, "Two cartoons, Superman and Anpanman explain similarities and differences in Japanese and American cultures."
"They are both popular heroes among children in each country, and they both fight with bad people, but some interesting differences appear. When Superman battles against bad people, he does it by himself. On the other hand, Anpanman has many friends who are heroes too. They fight against Baikinman together. We think it is because of the idea of cooperation in Japan, and of individualism in America," the textbook says.
The article, which is a work co-authored by two Japanese students and submitted to an English-language essay contest, has drawn textbook editorsÂEattention for its analysis that American individualism and Japanese spirit of cooperation are behind the two heroesÂEapproaches to fighting.
The textbook also says, "Superman values winning the fight, but Anpanman usually follows a pattern. At the climax of the drama Anpanman gets weak, then everyone works together to fight evil, and finally he wins the battle. On the other hand, we don't see such a process in Superman."
"We can definitely see how Japanese tend to focus more on process when doing something, while in the U.S. people tend to focus more on the goal," the article says explaining differences in value between Japan and the United States.
Anpanman creator and cartoonist Takashi Yanase says, "Anpanman is the weakest hero in history and cannot fight without the help of others. I feel something bittersweet that Anpanman is compared with Superman, the first hero in the world."
www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/new-english-textbook-takes-up-superman-anpanman-to-compare-cultures
Wednesday 26th March, 09:50 AM JST
TOKYO - Two popular cartoon heroes in Japan and the United States will be featured in a high school English-language textbook to highlight cultural differences between the two countries, according to results released Tuesday of official screening of school textbooks for use from next year. A total of 48 textbooks, for use by senior high schools, were submitted for the latest round of screening. Of them, 47 gained approval by the education ministry after going through modifications at the ministry's advice.
A textbook for English reading which will be published by Osaka-based Zoshindo-Jukenkenkyusha Publishing Co says in Lesson 5, "Two cartoons, Superman and Anpanman explain similarities and differences in Japanese and American cultures."
"They are both popular heroes among children in each country, and they both fight with bad people, but some interesting differences appear. When Superman battles against bad people, he does it by himself. On the other hand, Anpanman has many friends who are heroes too. They fight against Baikinman together. We think it is because of the idea of cooperation in Japan, and of individualism in America," the textbook says.
The article, which is a work co-authored by two Japanese students and submitted to an English-language essay contest, has drawn textbook editorsÂEattention for its analysis that American individualism and Japanese spirit of cooperation are behind the two heroesÂEapproaches to fighting.
The textbook also says, "Superman values winning the fight, but Anpanman usually follows a pattern. At the climax of the drama Anpanman gets weak, then everyone works together to fight evil, and finally he wins the battle. On the other hand, we don't see such a process in Superman."
"We can definitely see how Japanese tend to focus more on process when doing something, while in the U.S. people tend to focus more on the goal," the article says explaining differences in value between Japan and the United States.
Anpanman creator and cartoonist Takashi Yanase says, "Anpanman is the weakest hero in history and cannot fight without the help of others. I feel something bittersweet that Anpanman is compared with Superman, the first hero in the world."
www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/new-english-textbook-takes-up-superman-anpanman-to-compare-cultures