History Literature / RisingSun

* BrokenAesop: The story (both the novel and the film) can't seem to decide whether to treat the Japanese positively or not. Connor favors Japanese culture over the West and often looks like the smartest person in the room next to xenophobic cops like Graham. But the Japanese are composed of [[StrawCharacter Straw Characters]] who are implied to be culturally corrupt and decadent, and there are [[AuthorFilibuster Author Filibusters]] galore about how they are taking over America and turning it into a third-world economic war zone.

* EnhanceButton: One of the best uses of the trope '''ever.''' Connor brings a security tape to an audio-video wizard(an expatriate Japanese woman who immigrated to the US so she would not be ostracized for her deformed hand) who systematically proves the tape has been doctored. As she dismantles the image step-by-step, she criticizes the arrogance of the Japanese editors who made the tape; obvious-once-revealed errors such as sloppy airbrushing and extra shadows - "They think we will not be careful. That we will not be Japanese." A brief part where the murderer's face was visible was modified, and that the camera had originally taped someone else committing the crime. Ultimately, she is unable to restore the lost information and identify the killer, but she is able to reconstruct the face of a witness who happens to have an un-doctored copy of the tape.

* AuthorFilibuster: Captain John Connor is more than happy to educate Lieutenant Peter J. Smith on the vast cultural differences between Japan and America, as well as the various underhanded business tactics Japan uses to maintain their technological edge over America. This takes up a portion of the book, because the author is trying to get his stance on Japanese-American relations across.

Although a detective/murder mystery novel at first glance, ''Rising Sun'' deals with the controversial subject of Japanese-American relations, and questions the premise that foreign direct investment in the high-technology sectors of the United States is beneficial. Throughout the book, the differences between the Japanese and Western mindsets are highlighted, especially in the areas of business strategy and corporate culture.

** [[spoiler:Neither did Ishiguro, who covered for the real killer to protect the company.]]

''Rising Sun'' is a 1992 internationally best-selling novel by Creator/MichaelCrichton about a murder in the Los Angeles headquarters of Nakamoto, a fictional Japanese corporation. The book was published by Alfred A. Knopf. It was adapted into a not-so-warmly received film in 1993 which starred SeanConnery, Wesley Snipes, and {{Creator/Mako}}.

* BigBad: [[spoiler: Masao Ishiguro]]. Not to mention the Japanese in general.

* DirtyCop: [[spoiler:Smith split a bribe with Graham from a rich DomesticAbuser. Justified, in that Smith was trying to support his pregnant wife. It bites him in the ass when, after their divorce, said wife uses this incident to accuse Web of being an unfit parent.]] Connor also reveals that the Japanese have several cops on their payroll.

* RaceLift: In the book, the main character was Peter Smith, a white male. Here, he's Web Smith, played by Creator/WesleySnipes.

** [[SparedByTheAdaptation Averted]] for Ishiguro (renamed Ishihara) in the film, in which the Nakamoto Corporation demotes him and permanently puts him in a cubicle back in Japan. Connor explains how this is effectively a FateWorseThanDeath for Ishiguro.

* FateWorseThanDeath: After his involvement in the murder is exposed, Ishihara is disgraced and demoted to a lowly desk job back in Japan, which Connor explains amounts to this.

* [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp The Great Economics Mess Up]]: The major theme of the story is how the unscrupulous Japanese are buying out America and dominating the world economy. But both the book and the movie became immediately dated after the Japanese economy entered serious decline in the early 90's and entered the "Lost Decade," from which Japan has yet to fully recover. Crichton's stern warnings about [[JapanTakesOverTheWorld Japan taking over the world]] now seem moot, if not downright alarmist.

* OhCrap: Once Connor, Smith, and Jingo prove Ishiguro's involvement in the murder in front of the Nakamoto conference room, the Nakamoto executives reflexively back away from Ishiguro and a [[TranquilFury calm]] Yoshida-san.

* AuthorFilibuster: Captain John Connor is more than happy to educate Lieutenant Peter J. Smith the vast cultural differences between Japan and America, as well as the various underhanded business tactics Japan uses to maintain their technological edge over America. This takes up a portion of the book, because the author is trying to get his stance on Japanese-American relations across.

** In the film, Ishihara recounts how the U.S. government blocked the sale of a major corporation to the Japanese out of concern over "foreign ownership," then turned around and sold that same major corporation to the French.

* DirtyCop: Web split a bribe with Graham from a rich DomesticAbuser. Justified, in that Web was trying to support his pregnant wife. It bites him in the ass when, after their divorce, said wife uses this incident to accuse Web of being an unfit parent. Web suspects that Connor took a payoff from Yoshida-san, the Nakamoto CEO, but this was actually an invitation to golf.

* RedHerring: Three times in the film:
** Eddie Sakamura had a volatile relationship with Cheryl, but he did not kill her.
** Senator Morton had sex with Cheryl and indulged her erotic asphyxiation, but he did not kill her either.
** Neither did Ishiguro (in the film), who covered for the real killer to protect the company.

''Rising Sun'' is a 1992 internationally best-selling novel by Creator/MichaelCrichton about a murder in the Los Angeles headquarters of Nakamoto, a fictional Japanese corporation. The book was published by Alfred A. Knopf. It was adapted into a not-so-warmly received film in 1993 which starred SeanConnery, Wesley Snipes, and {{Mako}}.

* FakeNationality: Jingo, a Japanese/African-American character, is played by Tia Carrere, an American with Filipino parents.
** Averted for Connery's character, whose Scottish background is referenced.

* RetroactiveRecognition: Her one-scene cameo wouldn't have registered in 1993, but ''LawAndOrderSVU'' viewers will recognize Tamara Tunie as Web's estranged wife.

* EnhanceButton: One of the best uses of the trope '''ever.''' Connor brings a security tape to an audio-video wizard(an expatriate Japanese woman who immigrated to the US so she would not be ostracized for her deformed hand) who systematically proves the tape has been doctored. She dismantles the image step-by-step she criticizes the arrogance of the Japanese editors who made the tape; obvious-once-revealed errors such as sloppy airbrushing and extra shadows - "They think we will not be careful. That we will not be Japanese." A brief part where the murderer's face was visible was modified, and that the camera had originally taped someone else committing the crime. Ultimately, she is unable to restore the lost information and identify the killer, but she is able to reconstruct the face of a witness who happens to have an un-doctored copy of the tape.

* BrokenAesop: The story (both the novel and the film) can't seem to decide whether to treat the Japanese positively or not. John Connor favors Japanese culture over the West and often looks like the smartest person in the room next to bigoted cops like Graham. But the Japanese are composed of [[StrawCharacter Straw Characters]] who are implied to be culturally corrupt and decadent, and there are [[AuthorFilibuster Author Filibusters]] galore about how they are taking over America and turning it into a third-world economic war zone.

** The Japanese-American coroner complains about a representative from the Nakamoto corporation being pushy, demanding, and haughty. When Smith asks why the Japanese would treat their own so badly, the coroner says it's because he was born abroad - impure, by Japanese standards.
** Theresa (Jingo in the film) is half-black, half-Japanese, and is all too happy to side with the Americans out of pure spite from the horrendous upbringing she suffered in Japan, as racist kids in a fairly enclosed and traditional village would torment her.

* GoingNative: Connor ended up doing this after spending time in Japan, which helps him and Smith navigate the murder investigation.

* StrawCharacter: The Japanese are portrayed as racist, misogynistic, and secretly plotting to take over the world.
* TokenMinority[=/=]TwoferTokenMinority: Theresa is not only half-black and half-Japanese, she's also of Burakumin [[note]]a caste of Japanese considered sinful and impure due to their work dealing with death and going against Buddhist/Shinto purity[[/note]] descent ''and'' is physically crippled, missing a hand from a birth defect - both of which are ''very'' impure by Japanese standards.

* FateWorseThanDeath: After his involvement in the murder is exposed, Ishiguro is disgraced and demoted to a lowly desk job back in Japan, which Connor explains amounts to this.

* BrokenAesop: The story (both the novel and the film) can't seem to decide whether to treat the Japanese positively or not. John Connor favors Japanese culture over the West and often looks like the smartest person in the room next to bigoted cops like Graham. But the Japanese are composed of [[StrawCharacter Straw Characters]] who are implied to be culturally hateful, corrupt and decadent, and there are [[AuthorFilibuster Author Filibusters]] galore about how the Japanese are taking over America and turning it into a third-world economic war zone.

* BrokenAesop: The story (both the novel and the film) can't seem to decide whether to treat the Japanese positively or not. John Connor favors Japanese culture over the West and often looks like the smartest person in the room next to bigoted cops like Graham. But the Japanese are composed of [[StrawCharacter Straw Characters]] that appear haeful, corrupt and decadent by design, and there are [[AuthorFilibuster Author Filibusters]] galore about how the Japanese are taking over America and turning it into a third-world economic war zone.

* RetroactiveRecognition: Her one-scene cameo wouldn't have registered in 1993, but ''Law&Order'' viewers will recognize Tamara Tunie as Web's estranged wife.