• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.413-420
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• 2024

After Friedrich Nietzsche's advocacy of nihilism, many literary works, dramas, and films have depicted aspects of human psychology associated with nihilism. Animation, too, has been used to convey nihilism, with narratives infused with nihilistic themes produced as both TV series and theatrical animations. Particularly, animation, as a visual medium capable of realizing any imaginative image unlike other media, possesses distinctive characteristics from live-action cinematography and differs from comics in its temporal properties. Hence, this study aims to analyze how Nietzsche's defined three stages of nihilism are represented within animation characters and how they construct various scenarios, using the anime "Attack on Titan" as a case study. The research unfolds by first examining Nietzsche's types of nihilism and the three stages through a review of literature, while also investigating the portrayal of nihilism in mass media and considering the unique attributes of animation. Secondly, building upon the literature review, the analysis interprets the narrative and constructed world of the chosen case study from a nihilistic perspective, examining four major characters through the stages of passive nihilism, active nihilism, and eternal recurrence. The findings demonstrate that the anime conveys two messages regarding negation and affirmation of one's life and existence, thereby offering viewers an opportunity to deeply contemplate human existence. This study is considered significant as it examines how Nietzschean nihilism is portrayed within the popular entertainment medium of animation.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.37
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• pp.45-82
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• 2014

Comics and cartoons of superheroes in the West have adopted various semiotic systems and other art-forms, including their politico-socio-economic condition, and made parody of other popular texts, as well. Based on the idea of the development of superhero genre, this article focuses on how East Asian popular texts appropriate and reconstruct the genre, which was once considered the realization of American idea, by analyzing a series of TV animation (Japan, Sunrise,2011). Through the feature of parody with intertextuality, provides East Asian value and sensibility of characters as corporation-centered modern humans in capitalist society. This animation has similarity and difference, compared to that of Western superhero cartoons. It satires Western capitalist society and emphasizes Eastern family-oriented value. The performances of superheroes on TV represent the satire on Western style individualism and estimation through each one's achievement. It metaphorically criticizes the situation in which modern human falls into dependency on capital and media, and the capitalistic system in which public good is used for the method of private profit. emphasizes East Asian value of human and society, the cooperative relation for the success and maintenance of community by combining members of state and society through familial sensibility. Tiger functions as a spiritual leader in the group of superheroes who have been obsessed with competition for their own private purpose rather than public cause, Bunny and other colleagues are gradually influenced by Tiger's familial communicative style. emphasizes community-centered view and self-sacrificing sensibility as an international citizen to solve social pathology of modern world.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.37
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• pp.197-219
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• 2014

, one of the Disney's animations, hit the 10 million audience mark for the first time in the history of animations released in Korea. not only raised the fever with its theme song, 'Let it go', as well as Elsa, Anna, and Olaf's character products but caused sensations in many ways. If so, we need to think about what kind of meaning did create in Korea to be so sensational. This study examines the value that Frozen intended to deliver and the meaning it generated by using Greimas actant model and semiotic square. From the actant model analysis on Anna and Elsa from , it was identified that Anna desired to recover her relationship with Elsa and to take summer back in Arendelle. Her desires can be interpreted as her love toward Elsa and people in Arendelle. Meanwhile, Elsa always desired freedom although she confined herself because of her ability to freeze. In other words, Elsa desired to free herself from her freezing ability by finding out how to control her ability. Such desires of Anna and Elsa were achieved by their actions of true love, and the solution of all the conflicts in was an action of true love. From the semiotic square analysis on the meaning of , it was found out that created past-oriented value with which characters tried to change their abnormal lives of the present into their normal lives of the past. The characters tried to change their present lives where freezing winter comes in the middle of summer, communication between the sisters is cut off, and people try to take advantage of the abnormal state deliberately, into the past when the sisters had a good relationship and the natural season of summer in Arendelle. The past-oriented value that tried to tell us is similar to our reality. In our reality with a lot of unbelievable news and unstable circumstances, we desire to go back to the past when we were filled with affection and hope even though our lives were tough and difficult. This sentiment must have contributed to the huge success of in Korea.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.27
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• pp.1-30
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• 2012

Oshii Mamoru attempts to project the perception of reality about his own modern world as it is through animation. The precedent studies on Oshii Mamoru put their focus on the point that his works have a tendency to represent the devastation of reality as the image of 'a ruin.' In addition, they gave an impression that Oshii Mamoru's animation has gradually developed to expose the 'realistic taste[beauty]' from the design perspective. However, this study is going to put its focus on the point that Mamoru's works were created as an attempt at finding the subversive possibility of the suppressed modern world under the modern capitalism in the aspect of 'everyday life' of the modern world. First, for its analytical purpose, this study intends to do that by dividing the work into the three layers such as space, body and everyday life. In Chapter II, this study, in relation with the issue of 'space' representation, analyzed the space in into the modern, mechanical, compactly capitalized space and also the space just like a closed circuit having the nature of 'repetition.' In Chapter III, this analyzed that suggests the body moving freely between a human named 'Kildren' and the inhuman from the aspect of character's body, through which Mamoru represents the capitalized, reified body of the modern world. In addition, this analyzed the extreme anxiety facing the body into the reflection of the phenomena of 'anxiety' and 'placelessness' consequent on the labor flexibility of the modern world. In Chapter IV, this study, on the basis of the analysis of layers of space & body, analyzed that the 'everyday life' of the modern world was represented in the respects of 'memory' and 'habit', and in the aspects of Mise-en-Sc$\grave{e}$ne, design and direction. In Chapter V, this rooted out the fact that Mamoru suggested the attempt at 'appropriation' based on his perception of reality about such a modern world. Such a finding includes unearthing the fact that Oshii Mamoru's work is raising a question about how to desert and appropriate the modern space. In conclusion of Chapter VI, this drew the conclusion that Oshii Mamoru's work represented the layer of 'everyday life' while dealing with the post-modern themes shown by the existing modern SF genre, provided the 'window' through which people can perceive the 'modern world radically by recommending an attempt at 'appropriation', and blazed a trail in a new realm of creation for animations.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.19
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• pp.127-143
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to aesthetically approach a game, which was popular at home, through microscopic analysis on World of Warcraft. World of Warcraft(hereunder called WOW), which improved a game method of MMORPG that had been popular conventionally at home, from several angles, is suggesting new paradigm of MMORPG game. This study aims to propose new vision on game analysis by approaching this new method from the perspective of player. For this, it divided WOW into shift method, instruction implementation method, and communication configuration method, and analyzed this, respectively, by introducing a concept of empty time, empty space, and non-place, which was borrowed from Zygmunt Bauman's "Liquid Modernity". WOW's shifting method rather extends empty time, that is, the waiting time, contrary to the conventional MMORPG, which used a method of removing. Instead of maximally reducing boring, which becomes disturbance of a game, it is what overwhelmingly enlarges time that needs to be waited, thereby being what induces a sense of time, which a player experiences daily life, to the inside of a game. WOW's instruction implementation method offers one of hugely single map instead of zone-system necessary for map loading in the discontinued form. This minutely implements even a greatly insignificant place in playing a game, thereby stirring up a sense of travel, which explores there in reality. Finally, WOW's community configuration method makes a hunting-targeted group clear, which added a concept of hunting called the raid to the existing gild system. The raid, which is a large party of being bound to the inside of Instant Dungeon, clearly gives a performance role to each of party members, thereby allowing the identity in character to be connected directly to the identity of player. Through this, the player filled the suggested 'space' with experience, thereby being able to change it into 'place' that is significant to an individual.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.40
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• pp.367-395
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• 2015

Mobile games have taken 80% of the market sales in smart device application industry that is highly regarded as one of the fast growing pool of cultural content after the distribution of smart devices. One of the most successful mobile games after the smart device's appearance is . created by Gung-ho Online entertainment under Softbank Japan, has gained the sales revenue of one trillion dollars after its release in 2012, just after one year of its exposure to the market. The game also has been the top rank by Worldwide Mobile Game Revenues for 2years achieving 40 million downloads worldwide in 2015. However, there is no place for a Korean game in world mobile game sales ranks yet. Even though the mobile game industry has been expanding every year, Korean games are losing its places in the market. Therefore, the analysis of a successful game such as is vital for diagnosing Korea's game content and its lack of direction. This study utilizes K. Masanao's Matrix for Creating Profit System for analyzing 's factors for its success. First, the game has incorporated puzzle and RPG contents for creating a new genre, which led various age groups to play the game. Second, the developers have applied 'limited time' in-game festivals and collaborations between the game and famous contents such as God Festival and Character Draw system to increase the profit revenue. Third, the company communicated with on and off line players to seek their needs for developing the game's better development. Consequently, the three success factors of deduced from this study not only reflect the related researches and academic values, but also contribute for the search in finding better ways to developing game contents for Korean mobile game industry.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.35
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• pp.107-128
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• 2014

Cultural Content industries based on imagination and creativity are attracting attention and the animation high value-added industry is still spotlighted. Among them, Disney Studios make money through using their professional skills. There are the know-how has developed for a long time, and there are timeless strategy. This study is analyzing by fantasy elements for knowing the messages of Disney animation. Fantasy defined as genre of literature by Todorov and Jackson emphasized its social role and significance. Hume expanded the area of fantasy and Tolkein Jahoriski and Boyer classified the fantasy according to the purpose. Through the analyzing Disney animation , Disney's fantasy show the specific expression depending on the target. Disney is based on the three types of fantasy depending on the growth of the journey. The first area is composed of the main character's growth and satisfy the desire and escapism, The second is the word of antagonist who opposed to reality and break the rules of the dominant ideology. The last area is the utopia provided after hero beat the antagonist. Disney characters give the messages by using the fantasy like the transformation or alter ego. That show the subject of the main character's growth and the supporting characters as the expression of the multiple personality of main. These emphasize the hero's growth and give the fun. Also, in the subject of the otherness, the hero always destroy the evil who broke the rules of reality. In this way, the fantasy offered by Disney give the messages of sacrifice and family from true love. Disney has the support of their target audiences continue to be able to convey ideology.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.48
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• pp.311-332
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• 2017

Currently, the world is making efforts to develop cultural industries around more refined parts of the world. The development of cultural industries has far-reaching implications for promoting national brands and national image promotion as well as economic benefits. In particular, China hopes to advance into its own animation market because it has an extensive animation market. In 2005 The Chinese government, however, banned foreign animation market from entering the Chinese animation market. However, at that time, Chinese animation firms also saw considerable economic losses because they had to undergo almost everything from animation to distribution to rationing. In fact, the policy was designed to protect Chinese animations, but instead of preventing Chinese animations from developing original contents, it caused various problems such as China's animations, or the development of Chinese animation industries. In this thesis, we will explore the policy related to animation industry in China, research and development of animation industry, and establish the direction of development of Chinese animation industry through suggestion of improvement in Chinese animation industry. For starters, we have diversified the contents of the Chinese animation industry by adapting the contents of the Chinese animation to the global market through the globalization of contents, stories and materials. Currently, animation is developing beyond 3D,4D and VR but there is no shortage of animation experts in China, so it is necessary to nurture specialized professionals by opening a related department in China. Also, the government will establish a National Animation Industry complex to work in various animation companies. We expect to develop cultural contents through mutual cooperation between animation companies in China and the sharing of information sharing and collaborative research.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.45
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• pp.397-415
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• 2016

This paper will investigate how animated practice can be a research form as practice-led research in an ethnography approach. This practice-led research will explore the issue of the construction of contemporary identities (based on the strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) and in particular, the Korean youth culture and identity, exemplified, for example, creation of 'avatars' in the virtual characters of animated online games such as Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing Games (MMORPGs). In this proposed discussion, I will argue that the sudden period of change in contemporary Korea bears some resemblance to the Victorian era as explored in gothic fiction (e.g. Jekyll and Hyde). In this sense, my animation investigates the connection between the fictional Jekyll and Hyde and a real murder incident by a young Korean boy, which actually happened on the 16th November 2010, in SouthKorea.I will, therefore, construct this practice-led research to obtain the primary data consisted of online and offline practices in 'social ethnography'. These practices engage with specific Korean youth identity, comparing the 'avatar' with the real lives of participants. However, this paper will only focus on the (ethnographic) research process and strategy, using animated (visual) practices, rather than giving the meaning of the specific case of 'Korean-ness'. Eventually, I will explore the four different animated representations as it presents the distinctive animated realties or documentaries by online and offline practices. My intention is to visually interpret the issue of 'Korean-ness' within its socio-cultural context, adapting the convention and code of Jekyll and Hyde concept into an animated documentary in the 'virtual' world (auto-animated documentary by recording avatar interviews and online game footages) and the 'real' world (self-created animated documentary, based on real people and events).

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.39
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• pp.1-25
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• 2015

"Magical girl" is one of many popular genres that are watched in Japanese animation. The characteristics of "Magical girl" genre shows that most main heroine as the girl in young age, and this young girl play her role as a character with supernatural power. The majority in population of Japanese animation consumers were men. However, women began to become this population of Japanese animation consumers with the beginning of "Magical girl" genre, which also became a cause for the birth of "Shojo anime". The first "Shojo anime", as well as the first animation of "Magical girl" genre in Japan was , and this piece made a great hit when it was broadcasted. Since the great hit of , new pieces of animation in "Magical girl" genre has broadcasted through television continually, making other great hits also with in 1982 and< Sailor Moon> in 1992. Discussing of which, made not only a great hit in Japan, but worldwide as well, that its new season of TV series, , is broadcasted in 2014. "Magical girl" genre was loved by viewers of Japanese animation for a long time, and it is still broadcasted regularly today. In observation of pieces in "Magical girl" genre, magical girls who appear as a main character either fight for the world they live in, or take on an adventure, or take an action according to their idealistic purpose. However, the magical girls who appear in take an action not for the peace of their world, but rather for their own benefits and purposes. In , magical girls fight against the witches and their familiar spirits, which end up in a horrible conclusion. The witches who magical girls fought against were not already the witches in the beginning, but in fact were the other magical girls who took their action in the past. It Magical girls in present time were having witch hunt against the witches, who were once another magical girls in the past. Unlike traditional "Magical girl" genre, where witches and magical girls were used to be an that magical girls end up turning into witches. Witches did not exist in the beginning, but rather someone had to be one, to be hunted down in witch hunt. The cause of witch hunt did not exist in the beginning, but rather the ones had to be tagged as witches to be hunted down. Therefore, this paper is written to discuss an existence of witch in research of its historic origin of witch hunt, and on the witches appear in .