PERCEPTION AND CONSTRUCTION OF CHILDREN'S PERSPECTIVES ON JAPANESE SUPERHEROES: A STUDY ON THE WAYS CHILDREN IN SINGAPORE APPROPRIATE MEDIA CULTURES RELATED TO JAPAN
Keywords:
Media culture, media literacy, Japanese superheroes, childrenAbstract
Japan has emerged as one of the global players in media content, and many of Japanese media artefacts enjoy immense popularity in many Asian countries, including Malaysia and Singapore. As a cultural super power in this region, well known for its drama, anime, manga and other media modes, these cultural products and social practices can serve as a child’s window to the world of Japan, shaping how they view reality and those who live in it. A study was designed to understand and document the perception and construction of children's perspectives on Japanese superheroes that will reveal the ways children understand their own media cultures, the difficulties and pleasures that they encounter in their desires to engage with the superhero narratives. Furthermore, the study provides insights on how Japanese media plays a huge role in our children’s lives, shaping their values and developing their awareness of the outside world. The purpose of this study was three-fold; not only were we interested in understanding the most liked Japanese superheroes by Singapore children, we also aimed to explore how and why children identify with these characters and whether these series might contribute to their social-cultural development, emotional skills, and ability to creatively solve problems. The study reveals that children from Singapore identify with these characters and believe these series have helped them develop socially, emotionally, and cognitively.
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