Cool Japan: Figures

■Cool Japan: Figures

NHK Cool Japan: "Figures" edition.

I made a figure of myself using a 3D printer. Figures are becoming more and more commonplace.

The word "figure" originally referred to a doll resembling a human or character, but has since expanded to refer to all miniatures, including animals, tanks, and food.

It is a representative of Cool Japan, combining pop culture and manufacturing.

"Erotic"

There was a debate about whether the figures were cute or sexy. In the West, sexual and erotic expressions are taboo.

However, in Japan, the line between sexy and erotic is vague, and quite extreme expressions are tolerated.

As exemplified by shunga, it has long been accepted as a part of popular culture in Japan, which is why erotic manga, anime, and games have become established genres. This freedom of expression is one of the reasons why Japanese pop culture has become popular overseas, but at the same time, it is also one of the reasons why it is criticized overseas.

I wonder whether the erotic nature of the figures will continue to make them popular overseas, or whether it will lead to increased criticism.

"monster"

Monsters started with Godzilla and became popular in the 1960s.

At that time I collected vinyl monster dolls -- what we now call figures -- and I still have a lot of them.

Godzilla is a creature born from a hydrogen bomb and served as a warning to humanity after the war.

From then on, various monsters began to appear in movies and on television, and a wide variety of monsters were born, some as enemies and others as allies of humanity.

There are many monsters that are said to be incarnations of gods, but since Japan is a country home to eight million gods, it doesn't feel strange to have so many of them, and there is no Christian restriction that says only God can create living things, so there must have been a desire in Japan to create many living things.

I'm sure there will be many more in the future.

"Figure Technique"

Japanese figurine technology goes beyond the realm of toys.

The spirit of Japanese manufacturing is infused into this product.

The creators thoroughly research and refine everything from the skeleton of an animal to the texture of food.

In the future, figurine manufacturing will be applied to various fields.

The figures, which are created using precision craftsmanship to create something pop, are a fusion of technology and culture.

The technology is constantly evolving, and the world of figure skating will continue to develop.