The latest slew of Entrepreneur Magazine’s online features includes an article entitled “Beyond Speed Racer,” which explores several businesses capitalizing on the surge of interest here in America for all things Japanese.
Since the samurai culture is a considerable influence there, you can bet that we can only expect more samurai-themed movies, TV shows and products coming over here.
Just got back from Toy Fair in NYC, and noticed a lot of Samurai-themed toys coming out in the next year
Here are just a few:
Courtesy of Scruncalli Dunchie
Next, from Dark Horse Comics, busts of the characters from the anime series Samurai Champloo:
Samurai are often inspiration in video games - such as Final Fantasy:
And finally, Samurai have been prominent on the TV series “Heroes,” soon to be a line of action figures (prototype photos courtesy of Mezco Toyz LLC:
The Samurai are coming….
Tags: Toy Fair, Samurai, toys, Samurai Champloo, video game, Final Fantasy, Heroes
This month’s Wired Magazine cover story is on the history of Manga (Japanese Graphic novels) in the United States, entitled “Manga Conquers America.”
A few interesting facts found in the article (which features a 10-page manga-style history of manga) include:
- The first blockbuster Manga in the US was the samurai action title “Lone Wolf and Cub”
- Manga is more influential in Japan than Television is in the US.
- Some Manga titles grossly outsell US comic books - even on US soil! The monthly circulation of the english edition of Shonen Jump is 250,000, while the Amazing Spider-man only sells 100,000 per month. That’s 5 copies of Shonen Jump for every 2 copies of Spider-Man sold!
-Journalist Douglas Mcgray has referred to this soft export of Japanese culture as its “Gross National Cool”
So is your family ready to understand what the common theme of Samurai found in Manga and Anime means for them as Christians? Get ready, as it doesn’t look like the tide is going to ebb any time soon.
Another article on Manga from Wired is available online:
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.09/anime.html
Tags: Wired Magazine, Manga Conquers America, manga, samurai, Shonen Jump, Japanese, Anime, Christian
Seven Samurai, the 1954 Japanese classic film has been considered one of the best movies ever made, making almost every top 100 list and several top 10 lists. (currently, IMDB lists it as the #11 film of all time).
According to IMDB, a remake of the film is in the works!
However, this is not the first remake: The Magnificent Seven as well as the Anime Series Samurai 7 are retellings of the classic story.
Tags: Seven Samurai, movies, IMDB, remake, The Magnificent Seven, Anime, Samurai 7
I just got word that Glorified Publishers has review The Way of the Christian Samurai and given it their “Stamp of Approval.”
In fact, The Way of the Christian Samurai is Glorified Publishers’ featured non-fiction book!
Michael Stine, of Glorified Publishers, said:
“I think it is very interesting to look at the Asian culture and use it to apply to Christianity. Certainly kids are being exposed to it more and more as that’s where essentially all of their cartoons are coming from now. I pray that God will bless you and your book.”
Tags: Samurai, Christian Samurai, Asian culture, Christianity, book
Is your family ready for the “Way of the Samurai” and its creed, philosophy, and teaching on the acceptance of death and ki? Get ready, as ABC Family recently announced it will air a television show based on the ‘Samurai Girl’ book series. One Christian author is pointing out that this announcement demonstrates the importance for Christians, particularly Christian parents, to understand Japan’s samurai culture that is about to make yet another entry into their homes and their children’s world.
“Harry Potter brought forth a lot of controversy for Christians, but that was magic and wizardry of the Western world – something we were at least familiar with from fairy tales,” said Paul Nowak, author of The Way of the Christian Samurai. “The samurai culture – its history, its mythos, and its creed, are something still generally unknown and not fully understood in America.
“Until now, samurai influences on children’s entertainment in America have been largely limited to anime. But it is about to burst forth anew into our living rooms, with prime-time and after-school programs for our children,” added Nowak. “This is not necessarily bad, but Christian parents must be prepared for the questions that might be raised, and should take steps to educate themselves and their families about what a samurai really is – and even how this foreign culture can teach us about our own relationship with Jesus Christ.”
Nowak, who read the first book of the ‘Samurai Girl’ series upon which the ABC Family pilot will be based, said the book was “a good read overall,” though more mature in some of its topics than the publisher recommends.
“It does a great job of intertwining American pop culture and an introduction to the Way of the Samurai,” said Nowak. “However, in addition to the swordplay, topics such as ‘ki’ and the samurai’s acceptance of death are explored, and Christian parents need to be prepared to handle these topics from a Christ-centered view – and to be able to point out what are and are not acceptable ideas for followers of Christ.
The Way of the Christian Samurai: Reflections for Servant-Warriors of Christ (ISBN 0977223469) draws from the writings of real samurai and along with the Scriptures, provides insight into the modern Christian life. More information is available at http://www.Christian-Samurai.com.
Paul Nowak can be reached for comment or interview at 856.577.2869 or sales@dyinglight.com
Tags: Way of the Samurai, ABC Family, Samurai Girl, samurai, anime, Christian Samurai
