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Asia: Local Studies / Global Themes
Millennial Monsters: Japanese Toys and the Global Imagination
From sushi and karaoke to martial arts and technoware, the currency of made-in-Japan cultural goods has skyrocketed in the global marketplace during the past decade. The globalization of Japanese “cool” is led by youth products: video games, manga (comic books), anime (animation), and cute characters that have fostered kid crazes from Hong Kong to Canada. Examining the crossover traffic between Japan and the United States, Millennial Monsters explores the global popularity of Japanese youth goods today while it questions the make-up of the fantasies and the capitalistic conditions of the play involved. Arguing that part of the appeal of such dream worlds is the polymorphous perversity with which they scramble identity and character, the author traces the postindustrial milieux from which such fantasies have arisen in postwar Japan and been popularly received in the United States.
356 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
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193 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 4, 2013
While it is good in the department of cultural studies it fails at facts about what it is describing. Allison's information about what she is discussing, "Power Rangers", "Sailor Moon", and "Pokemon" is filled is more misinformation that makes Wikipedia look credible. I spent most of my time picking out aspects that were wrong instead of actual reading. This made me take anything she said with a grain of salt.
October 19, 2019
I picked up this book to learn more Japanese pop culture and anime. It has some interesting insights, but I have become suspicious of the factual rigor of this book.
Unfortunately, the chapters about Pokemon, the ones whose material I am most familiar with, do not inspire confidence. The author thinks that Pokémon Red and Blue could be considered an action game, if it wasn’t for the ability to trade Pokemon by link cable (?). She calls Game Boy cartridges “cassettes." She hyphenates Mewtwo as Mew-two. These are all admittedly nitpicks, which would not detract from her readings if they were strong enough. But the readings themselves are pretty out there as well. She argues for instance that the way Pokemon evolve reflect Japan’s own evolution from conquered power in WWII to economic powerhouse. She also claims that Ash’s quest to become the greatest Pokemon master reflects Japan’s new-found confidence in its postindustrial society. But Pokemon was released during the economic slump (as she discusses later on), and even disregarding this fact, it seems extremely facile to simply equate a mechanic in a game to Japanese capitalism as a whole. And the whole “I am going to be the best X” is a shonen trope. This trope itself might plausibly reflect a new confidence in Japanese society, but that requires a much broader interrogation of the history of the trope outside of Pokemon. I am sure there are many interesting things to say about Pokémon and Japanese national identity, but they need a more nuanced approach than the lazy theses offered by this book.
There is some genuinely useful information and readings in this book, so it is worth checking out if you are doing active research in this field. But the problems with the Pokemon chapters left a bad taste in my mouth, and made me suspicious of her ideas in other parts of the book.
Unfortunately, the chapters about Pokemon, the ones whose material I am most familiar with, do not inspire confidence. The author thinks that Pokémon Red and Blue could be considered an action game, if it wasn’t for the ability to trade Pokemon by link cable (?). She calls Game Boy cartridges “cassettes." She hyphenates Mewtwo as Mew-two. These are all admittedly nitpicks, which would not detract from her readings if they were strong enough. But the readings themselves are pretty out there as well. She argues for instance that the way Pokemon evolve reflect Japan’s own evolution from conquered power in WWII to economic powerhouse. She also claims that Ash’s quest to become the greatest Pokemon master reflects Japan’s new-found confidence in its postindustrial society. But Pokemon was released during the economic slump (as she discusses later on), and even disregarding this fact, it seems extremely facile to simply equate a mechanic in a game to Japanese capitalism as a whole. And the whole “I am going to be the best X” is a shonen trope. This trope itself might plausibly reflect a new confidence in Japanese society, but that requires a much broader interrogation of the history of the trope outside of Pokemon. I am sure there are many interesting things to say about Pokémon and Japanese national identity, but they need a more nuanced approach than the lazy theses offered by this book.
There is some genuinely useful information and readings in this book, so it is worth checking out if you are doing active research in this field. But the problems with the Pokemon chapters left a bad taste in my mouth, and made me suspicious of her ideas in other parts of the book.
April 28, 2025
A fun book, especially if you like any of these 90s/2000s toys. Allison covers this history in a transnational way where Japan emerged as a powerhouse in production post-war and localized toys to a global/American audience. The gendered analysis of certain toys/series was also strong and interesting.
July 31, 2014
For the most part, the analysis in this ethnography is interesting and strong. However, it falls into the trap of being a bit of an overcompensating piece at times--over analyzing some points, unnecessarily including Japanese phrases. A little more jarring is that some chapters are simply riddled with factual errors. It seems a little silly to nitpick at, but given there is an entire chapter on Sailor Moon, there is no reason why an established academic should get the most basic details incorrect. Characters and notable phrases from the show are misnamed/misquoted, the author alternates between the Japanese and Americanized names with no logical reasoning, themes from the show are oversimplified to seemingly fit the desired framework. I have to admit, given the topic, its increasing popularity and the wealth of access to information on it (much of which the author proves to have had access to), the final product is a disappointment.
March 10, 2021
Always a pleasure and great, intellectual delight reading Dr. Allison's Pokémon-related works! This one--along with her Pikachu's Global Adventure--have kept me coming back since my undergraduate anime course from 2012. 9 years later, and the work is even fresher, as well as both more broadly captivating and relevant. A+ scholarship for all aspiring Pokémon Masters...
March 22, 2024
A product of its time (too much postmodernist fade and occult capitalism). But still relevant today (the tokusatsu - sailor moon - tamagotchi connection is rather useful).
May 6, 2013
This book is a welcome addition for those (like me) who already enjoy Anne Allison's work on Japan, including "Nightwork" and "Permitted & Prohibited Desires." Like those works, Allison employs equal parts psychoanalytic (mostly Lacan) and critical social theory (Deleuze and Guattari, Benjamin, Williams) to deepen our understanding of popular culture. In doing so, she is able to describe Japanese toys in terms of polymorphous perversity, techno-animism, and fantasy, while at the same time, draw in ideas of enchanted commodities, fairy scenes, fetishism, virtuality, and nomadicism in relation to this global political and economic moment. Few scholars combine both of these approaches so seamlessly, and this reader is convinced that this has something to do with the nature of the subject matter: the globalization of Japanese toys.
Although MM was published in 2006, it remains something students are immediately able to engage with, from the post-war descriptions of Gojira and manga culture to such seemingly benign contemporary icons like the Power Rangers, Sailor Moon, Tamagotchi, and Pokemon. Allison chose these examples well, as they are still in our toy stores (or phone apps)today, and undergrads now love nostalgically remembering their obsession with them when they were younger.
Allison's well researched outlines of the uneven process of globalization of Japanese toys (she does not venture into all of Japanese pop culture covered elsewhere, such as Hello Kitty (McVeigh), pop music (Condry)) is fascinating since what it is really relating is a careful negotiation of the aesthetics of play (with implications for corporate views of childhood). One gets the sense that Japanese toy creators have a genuinely easier time creating toys sensitive to the child's world, even as they offend many US adults. In part, this childlike nature of Japanese culture stems from an affinity with animism, an aesthetic sense of cute things, and a highly developed sense of transformation and evolution. Toys provide a world for children (and willing adults) to explore these notions without a more 'mature' sense of clear, linear storylines that resolve in unambiguous answers. If this is the case (and I think it may be), the book has much bigger implications for how we view Japanese culture and its place in globalization!
I would rank this among the best works on pop culture by an anthropologist; it clearly lays out culturally/materially/historically grounded concepts without being heavy-handed. It is also fun to read. There is a sense of Allison's own personal enjoyment of the kind of Japanese aesthetics that she sees in toys, and she's not going to use her keen critical eye to dissuade any of us from enjoying them either. Highly recommended!
Although MM was published in 2006, it remains something students are immediately able to engage with, from the post-war descriptions of Gojira and manga culture to such seemingly benign contemporary icons like the Power Rangers, Sailor Moon, Tamagotchi, and Pokemon. Allison chose these examples well, as they are still in our toy stores (or phone apps)today, and undergrads now love nostalgically remembering their obsession with them when they were younger.
Allison's well researched outlines of the uneven process of globalization of Japanese toys (she does not venture into all of Japanese pop culture covered elsewhere, such as Hello Kitty (McVeigh), pop music (Condry)) is fascinating since what it is really relating is a careful negotiation of the aesthetics of play (with implications for corporate views of childhood). One gets the sense that Japanese toy creators have a genuinely easier time creating toys sensitive to the child's world, even as they offend many US adults. In part, this childlike nature of Japanese culture stems from an affinity with animism, an aesthetic sense of cute things, and a highly developed sense of transformation and evolution. Toys provide a world for children (and willing adults) to explore these notions without a more 'mature' sense of clear, linear storylines that resolve in unambiguous answers. If this is the case (and I think it may be), the book has much bigger implications for how we view Japanese culture and its place in globalization!
I would rank this among the best works on pop culture by an anthropologist; it clearly lays out culturally/materially/historically grounded concepts without being heavy-handed. It is also fun to read. There is a sense of Allison's own personal enjoyment of the kind of Japanese aesthetics that she sees in toys, and she's not going to use her keen critical eye to dissuade any of us from enjoying them either. Highly recommended!
May 6, 2015
If you grow up with Doraemon, Power Rangers, Sailor Moon, tamagotchi and Pokemon, you will likely find Millenial Monsters very fascinating, for many reasons. As the author traces the history of the Japanese toy industry from its humble re-invention in the very first years of postwar Japan, until its seemingly worldwide domination at the beginning of the 21st century, the reader will also embark on a journey to observe the changing perception(s) of Japan's place in the world. To sum it up (which is to grossly oversimplify the argument), through the various cultural productions, Japan firmly posits the (somewhat imagined) postwar narrative of transformation from a victimized nation to an influential global player brimming with self-confidence. On the other side of the Pacific, the US witnesses the rapid rise of its former enemy into a cultural & economic force to be reckoned with, yet this feat seems entirely of the US's own making.
Even if you are not terribly enchanted with the politics, you cannot help being enamored by another line of argument surrounding the fetishim of fantasy and capitalism within the toy industry. Deeply alienated by a post-modern world which places heavy demands on its next generation, the young boys and girls look for an escape in a fantasy world, only to be charmed into buying ever more and more toys, thus feeding the very own capitalism that creates their post-modern world in the first place. Yet they (and myself included) still wear this fetishim publicly as a marker of identity, as an inalienable part of their existence.
This book does get some facts wrong. And it hopelessly dwells on the Pokemon phenomenon, where I lost interests considerably because I have not had the honor to intersted in that adorable Pikachu. But more than a decade from the published date, in a world where fantasy somewhat equals Marvel, I believe that we all deserve to know fantasy is a value-laden sphere that merits closer inspection.
Even if you are not terribly enchanted with the politics, you cannot help being enamored by another line of argument surrounding the fetishim of fantasy and capitalism within the toy industry. Deeply alienated by a post-modern world which places heavy demands on its next generation, the young boys and girls look for an escape in a fantasy world, only to be charmed into buying ever more and more toys, thus feeding the very own capitalism that creates their post-modern world in the first place. Yet they (and myself included) still wear this fetishim publicly as a marker of identity, as an inalienable part of their existence.
This book does get some facts wrong. And it hopelessly dwells on the Pokemon phenomenon, where I lost interests considerably because I have not had the honor to intersted in that adorable Pikachu. But more than a decade from the published date, in a world where fantasy somewhat equals Marvel, I believe that we all deserve to know fantasy is a value-laden sphere that merits closer inspection.
February 13, 2016
Napier is obviously an anthropologist doing her research on toy commodities and their world-wide spread, focusing on it's origins in Japan and it's arrival to the USA. Her own field work and research on the subject is highly valuable, and as it seems, entirely correct.
However, she doesn't write her book only in the toy commodities. She also writes on a range on topics, from sexualization to proper cultural studies, that she has done not enough research on and, therefore, makes some worrisome errors or mileads the reader.
Therefore, if you are hoping to use this book as a cultural studies/manga/anime main book, I'd rather recommend others, since she isn't an expert on that field. I'd recommend this book just for its anthropologist take on toy commodities, sales and revenues, which are accurate and interesting.
However, she doesn't write her book only in the toy commodities. She also writes on a range on topics, from sexualization to proper cultural studies, that she has done not enough research on and, therefore, makes some worrisome errors or mileads the reader.
Therefore, if you are hoping to use this book as a cultural studies/manga/anime main book, I'd rather recommend others, since she isn't an expert on that field. I'd recommend this book just for its anthropologist take on toy commodities, sales and revenues, which are accurate and interesting.
January 20, 2015
4.5/5.0. I understand her previous research was concerned with sexuality, but the inclusion of Freud was a little weird for me. (Plus the usage of the term "money shot," which is waaay too value-laden). Altogether interesting, but the take-away was awkward - For Japan, the millenial monsters can be problematic and may be indicative of larger social problems, but in the US, the widening global view is welcome (to combat America's xenophobia). This book also promises a global peek, but restricts research between the US and Japan. This is obviously due to practicality, but still felt misleading. However, I think Allison raises very important questions for the technogical age and presents a thorough research for one aspect of a larger phenomenon. (A more constructed review coming later)
November 28, 2015
The author's perspective is, perhaps at times, authentic only through the lens of an outsider, and does not fully uncover the Japanese mentality and culture. From an anthropological perspective, the author may have imbued too much of her own interpretation as opposed to allowing the subject (Japanese culture) to unveil itself through lived-experience and critical observation (note that the author's fieldwork consists of 1 year of field work and multiple travel to Japan). I enjoyed reading the book at it provides a lot of information on the history of Japan. The author's arguments were strong and the chapters are cohesive.
July 17, 2007
A fine study of Japanese popular culture on the international scale and of 20th century Japanese history and sociology. This book contains more legitimate scholarship than similar titles on the worldwide spread of pop culture. Two nitpicks - The Rose of Versailles is by Ryoko Ikeda, not Osamu Tezuka, and the author is severely misinformed if she thinks that anime/manga fans in the U.S. are overwhelmingly male.
April 28, 2009
This is a very interesting title about the global cultural impact of Japanese toys, video games, anime and Manga. Especially good are the sections on what part of the global psyche Pokemon taps into.
http://beta.lib.muohio.edu/drupal/solrpac/search?t=bib_no:b3997856
http://beta.lib.muohio.edu/drupal/solrpac/search?t=bib_no:b3997856
March 6, 2013
Allison is very descriptive about the production and consumption of the cultural products in question, but the interfacing between the global and the particularity of Japanese popular culture required more elaboration.
abandoned
October 29, 2008Started this one ages ago... I need to get back to it.
March 31, 2010
A bit academic. Not what I thought it would be. Lots of Pokemon.
December 6, 2011
GN635.J2 A55 2006
July 5, 2013
Good in explaining a handful of Japanese toys- in studying popular culture, you do have to study each individual item. However I would have liked a few more examples
June 1, 2017
I quite enjoyed this pop culture history of Japan. I think Allison did a good job piecing together and analyzing culture, economics, and history to show just how Japan captured the "global imagination." The progression is fascinating, starting from tin toys during the Allied Occupation all the way through digital "bug collecting" (Pokémon). Good read and good for reference!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews