Line #84 Analysis/JapaneseSpirit


1	Here, we will analyze the trope of Yamato-Damashii ("Main/JapaneseSpirit") in both RealLife and its use in fiction.
2
3	First, it should be noted that in the page quote, [[Manga/{{Bleach}} Yoruichi]] is not entirely accurate. The term "Instinct" refers to behavior which is biological in nature and can be done at any time without any form of education or learning. Yoruichi is using the colloquial understanding of "instinct" to refer to any unconscious or automatic behavior, which is inaccurate. For example, humans ''very much need to learn to walk''. It takes several years for a human being to completely master walking, while a horse can do it within minutes. What is being referred to is actually [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heuristic "Heuristics"]], or the ability for the human brain to turn learned skills or experience into automatic habit and judgment.
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5	However, her definition of "instinct" as stated there is important for understanding the concept of Yamato-Damashii.
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7	Those who study Japanese culture and are well versed in this topic should help expand this analysis for future refinement and further understanding.
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9	[[foldercontrol]]
10
11	[[folder:History]]
12	!!!PatrioticFervor
13	The concept of Yamato-damashii has existed in some form for centuries. Japan has a long history of [[PatrioticFervor national and ethnic pride]], partially codified in the [[Myth/JapaneseMythology Shinto belief]] that the Japanese islands themselves were divine. In the past, when [[ImperialChina China was the cultural center of the Asian world]], Yamato-damashii was used to [[BrainsEvilBrawnGood draw distinction between the academic and scholarly Chinese values]] and the [[SimpleMindedWisdom simpler Japanese common sense.]][[note]]There was a parable of a Chinese scholar who is murdered by a burglar. For all his intellect and reason, it didn't save him from such a simple and childish death.[[/note]]
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15
16	During the [[JidaiGeki Tokugawa era]], "Japanese Spirit" took a backseat to {{samurai}} culture and UsefulNotes/{{Buddhism}}, but the cultural emphasis on hard work and self-sacrifice remained. Aside from scholars like Motoori Norinaga, the concept was barely mentioned throughout the centuries afterward, but reached its peak once [[UsefulNotes/ImperialJapan Japan began to modernize itself]]. With the entire country desperate to copy, and catch up to, the more advanced West, it became important once again to define what being "Japanese" meant. And for that answer, the state leaders looked to the [[NostalgiaFilter glory days of Japanese warrior culture]].
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18	!!!HonorBeforeReason
19	To understand the use of Japanese Spirit in a FightingSeries, it's critical to know that Feudal Japan only fought two wars against outside forces: the [[UsefulNotes/{{Mongolia}} Mongol Invasion]] of the 13th Century, and the conquest of Korea in the 16th. Unlike many tribes and nations around the world, Japan was never quite faced with [[DayOfTheJackboot a war which threatened the very existence of their culture]]. Mostly fighting with themselves, they created entirely different standards of warfare [[LetsFightLikeGentlemen based around individual skill, merit and "fair" play]]. Even in massive campaigns, most battles involved single combat between {{Samurai}}, thus the Japanese found foreign tactics, like MountedCombat and RainOfArrows (which they adopted and actively cultivated), justifiedly barbaric at the best and unforgivably dishonorable at the worst. Shinto/Buddhist belief and customs have a lot to do with this, as they believed in a very complicated system of karma where someone who lived or died dishonorably would leave behind [[OurGhostsAreDifferent an evil spirit that would haunt and taint the world for future generations]]. Thus, dying an honorable death was preferable to living a dishonorable life.
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21
22	In addition to this, Japanese Spirit also frowns upon [[LogicBomb over-thinking a problem]], especially when dealing with an enemy. {{Swordfight}}ing evolved into a very fast-paced, fluid style of combat that made it ''[[CentipedesDilemma impossible]]'' [[CentipedesDilemma to think during a skirmish]]--thus, every fight essentially came down to an individual's training, skill, and [[KillingIntent ability to read an opponent's intent]] through pure "instinct". Further, samurai scholars posited the benefits of [[LeeroyJenkins taking to action "within seven breaths"]].
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24	!!!ValuesDissonance: Positives and Negatives
25	Overall, when viewed positively, Yamato-Damashii is a rejection of [[StrawVulcan emotionless logic]] and the failure to try because something is difficult or seems impossible. In this sense, it follows the simple creed of "the only way to fail is not to try your best". On the pragmatic level, Yamato-Damshii is ''intended'' to refer to "RealLife" insight and ingenuity, and not simply blind optimism. It inspires people to constantly be better, to focus more on uncharted paths than roads already paved, and to retain hope even at the DarkestHour. One way of looking at how this differs from the west is that, unlike Shintoism or Buddhism, Christianity has a clear disconnect between mortals and the divine; humans should try to be ''like {{God}}'', but can never [[DeityOfHumanOrigin truly BE divine]]. Further, Judeo-Christians believe that their [[GodIsGood omni-benevolent]] and eternal God transcends weakness and mortality. On the other hand, Shintoism believed that every human was born with a ''musubi'', or a divine spark [[EnlightenmentSuperpower just waiting to be unlocked]], and that their deities (or "kami") were mostly flawed and [[NotQuiteForever ultimately mortal]]. This belief in impermanence was another way that Japanese culture became defined by hard work and sincere, determined effort. To put it another way, in the West, "Good" will win with or without human effort, so good people just have to hitch themselves to that wagon. In the East, goodness and effort ''are the same thing'', so evil wins at any point where effort slackens.
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27
28	With Japanese Spirit, every person is born with everything they ever need to become great in their own way. In short, people who have talent (and are thus higher in the "hierarchy") should not be [[IndividualityIsIllegal held back to accomodate for the less-talented]], and the less-talented should acknowledge their limitations and perhaps [[NormalFishInATinyPond try to succeed in other respects.]]
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30
31	However, this can be a problem if "talent" is [[MightMakesRight decided only by those with power]], and if those without it are outright discarded or shunned. Negatively, Yamato-Damashii has been compared to {{Social Darwinis\|t}}m, and also to the western concepts of the "WhiteMansBurden" and "[[{{Eagleland}} American Exceptionalism]]" in that it assigns a specific ethnic group with an immeasurably valuable trait. Yamato-damashii is about all the things that makes Japan and her people good, and by proxy, what the rest of the world lacks. Furthermore, it is ''specifically'' a [[StrawVulcan condemnation of academia in favor of common sense, adaptive thinking, and individual merit]]--in other words, if scholarly wisdom indicates that there is a MillionToOneChance, yamato-damashii demands that those odds not only be challenged, but beaten. Furthermore, stemming from the code of bushido, [[NoTrueScotsman a true follower of yamato-damashii]] will have risked sure-death for their cause at least once. This led to the [[SuicideAttack glorification of kamikaze tactics]] in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, which ([[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome contrary to use of this trope in fiction]]) [[TropeBreaker did not work out so well]]. And finally, this trope is also partly responsible for the phenomenon of "karoshi", which translates to "death from overwork" in Japanese. In recent decades, Japanese culture has cultivated the existence of the {{Salaryman}} and the {{Otaku}}, who pursue their respective interests with obsessive tenacity.
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33
34	Furthermore, remember how, as mentioned above, Japan had never encountered an existential threat to its culture for most of its history? Well, that all changed during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, where, for the first time, Japan found itself faced with a foreign enemy which both outmanned and outgunned it in the United States, who, on account of having been founded on [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution a rebellion against its British masters]], had virtually no qualms about using "dishonorable tactics" against the Japanese if [[CombatPragmatist that's what won them the battle in the end]], and whose slow, calculated but steady advance across the Pacific picked off Japanese resistence like an advancing glacier. The UsefulNotes/AtomicBombingsOfHiroshimaAndNagasaki further demonstrated that America had the ability to erase Japan's existence as a state and a culture with minimal casualties on their end, and even without that the Soviet Red Army was closing in from the north. Faced with a choice between "dishonorable" surrender and the complete and utter loss and subjugation of their land and people, the Japanese government was ultimately forced to accept defeat in September of 1945. To this day, the war is considered a TropeBreaker of Japanese Spirit in fiction, at least on a national level, although more individual takes on this trope persist.
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36
37	Naturally, there are still traces of this in Japanese culture and media--a minor means of spotting it is with the phrase "Ganbatte! (Do your best!)" in place of the Western "Good luck!"--although some scholars predict it will die out fairly soon. The concept of {{UsefulNotes/Kawaisa}} has been adopted as its chief replacement, although it can be argued that it still promotes a powerful emotional ideal (in this case, cuteness and delicacy) over a logical or unpleasant one. Another possible result of this trope is that Japan at large still has a [[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10543126 mistrust of technology]] in favor of the GoodOldWays.
38	[[/folder]]
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40
41	[[folder:Relationship to other Media]]
42	!!!American {{Comic Book\|s}} {{Superhero}}es
43	Thanks especially to ''Anime/DragonBallZ'', American comic books and Japanese shounen have a lot of overlap. Like their Japanese counterparts, American heroes tend to possess an abundance of Talent, HeroicResolve, and HeroicWillpower. As such, there are many similarities between the two, and in the West, fans of one are often fans of the other.
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46	However, there is one fundamental difference between an American hero and the Japanese hero: their villains. American heroes tend to fight villains who are either roughly the same power level as they or perhaps even a bit weaker. Franchise/{{Superman}}'s archnemesis is ComicBook/LexLuthor and Franchise/{{Batman}}'s is ComicBook/TheJoker, for example, and neither archnemesis is stronger than their rival. Superman occasionally may face against foes like {{ComicBook/Darkseid}}, and Batman may square off against foes like Bane every now and again, but those are the exceptions--and you rarely ever see the two of them training to defeat those foes. We can certainly assume that Batman works out, trains, and learns new things on his off-time, but the only time it's ever shown is when he's out of his element and needs to develop something specific to defeat the current villain.
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48
49	Japanese heroes tend to defeat villains who [[DefeatingTheUndefeatable are far above themselves]]. Every BigBad that showed up in ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' seemed undefeatable when they first appeared. Aizen was ''certainly'' portrayed as miles above every other character for the vast majority of ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', and the same is true of other villainous characters across {{Manga}} like [[Manga/{{Claymore}} Priscilla]] and [[Manga/{{Naruto}} Itachi Uchiha]]. When the villain isn't portrayed as exceptionally more powerful than the hero, they will tend to take on the role of TheRival, and the rest of the story will be a mad rush for power until the hero and villain duke it out to prove who's tougher. The villain will usually be defeated at their most powerful incarnation--either in their OneWingedAngel form or with the MacGuffin that brings "ultimate power". TheHero thus usually defeats them by overcoming that might with either an EleventhHourSuperpower or ThePowerOfFriendship or some other power born from their resolve and will. This is in stark contrast to American superheroes, who will usually outsmart the more powerful villain (as Superman does to Mr. Mxyzptlk), remove their powers to bring them back down to a defeatable level (as is Batman's go-to strategy against Bane), exploit a WeaksauceWeakness (as ComicBook/SpiderMan does against Electro, Hydro-Man and Sandman), or [[AvengersAssemble get help]].
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51
52	This pattern fits the overall Japanese social themes of hierarchy, conformity and in-group versus out-group. In Japanese media, when a weaker character defeats a stronger one, it's usually because the weaker character has now ascended, or "conformed", to the standards of the higher group. At this point, that character typically ceases to represent the "lower" group. This is the difference between, say, Batman defeating a superpowered being by unlocking superpowers himself and Batman using some other method to defeat them that doesn't increases his tier of power. In Japanese stories, the way to overcome is by first conforming.
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55	As always, there are gray areas on both sides. Some superheroes ''do'' fight stronger enemies--''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' is a chronic underdog. Some Japanese heroes do exploit a lame weakness rather than fight force with force (Manga/{{Naruto}} has used this tactic more than once). And some American stories do employ an EleventhHourSuperpower to defeat a superior threat (Superman is, after all, is the TropeCodifier of NewPowersAsThePlotDemands). However, in aggregate, there are clear formulas the two genres employ.
56	[[/folder]]
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58
59	!Common Tropes And Plot Structure
60	This section will list and examine the most common tropes of JapaneseSpirit. Not all of these tropes are present in every work, but most of them pop up often. Further, this list is mostly comprised off of a {{Shonen}} plot structure. Other genres will often borrow or utilize elements of this structure, but remember that {{Shonen}} is typically meant for young boys and thus is filled with life lessons befitting Japanese society. Traditionally, girls were not expected to have these traits, although that is slowly changing.
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62	[[folder:Central Themes]]
63	* DieOrFly: Everyone has a hidden power inside that appears when you most need it.
64	* AntiIntellectualism: Guts, honor, and physical power are more important than intellect, science and reason.
65	* MiseryBuildsCharacter: [[WorldHalfFull Reality is suffering]], but enduring it will make you strong.
66	* HonorBeforeReason: Always act honorably, even if it means you must fail or die to do so.
67	* RightMakesMight: Remaining morally correct will unlock hidden powers.
68	* BecauseDestinySaysSo: Some people are just {{Born Winner}}s and some aren't. DeusExMachina and DiabolusExMachina can also determine who is fated to succeed.
69	* NotQuiteForever: Nothing lasts forever--not good, and not evil. So [[WeHaveBecomeComplacent never become complacent]] [[SmugSnake or smug]], and always expect change.
70	[[/folder]]
71
72	[[folder:Hero Traits]]
73	!!!Past Sins
74	Past Sins are some sort of tragedy or DarkAndTroubledPast that occurred to set the hero on their current path. Usually, the point of these tropes is to provide a past wrong for our hero to eventually right, and to personify him as LaserGuidedKarma toward our BigBad.
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76	* SinsOfOurFathers
77	* FlingALightIntoTheFuture
78	* NecessaryFail
79	* BornUnlucky
80	* GenocideBackfire
81	* DoomedHometown
82	* ParentalAbandonment
83
84	!!!Good Karma
85	Good Karma are good things that happened (before or after the hero was born) which typically symbolizes the {{Aesop}} that the story is advocating, but also explain why [[AnthropicPrinciple why the hero is special enough]] to BE the hero.
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87	* HalfHumanHybrid
88	* RaisedByNatives
89	* BornWinner
90	* TheGift
91	* OrphansPlotTrinket
92	* TheChosenOne
93	* RightManInTheWrongPlace
94	* TheCallLeftAMessage
95	* UniqueProtagonistAsset
96
97	!!!HeroicResolve
98	HeroicResolve is a collection of motivations for our hero that will ensure that they never give up, and why they embody the moral of the story.
99
100	* PillarsOfMoralCharacter
101	* ToBeAMaster
102	* DareToBeBadass
103	* {{Revenge}}
104	* TrueCompanions
105	* DamselInDistress
106	* SaveTheWorld
107
108	!!!AntiIntellectualism
109	->"When one has made a decision to kill a person, even if it will be very difficult to succeed by advancing straight ahead [...] The Way of the Samurai is one of immediacy, and it is best to dash in headlong."
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111	Certainty is taboo in these types of stories. If we're assured that something is scientifically impossible or that something will last forever, [[BeyondTheImpossible that will eventually]] [[NotQuiteForever be proven false]]. To emphasize this point, most {{Shonen}} heroes are idiots, or at the very least, BookDumb. TheSmartGuy will usually be on hand to help them out, but the protagonist will usually be more hot-headed than studious. If science plays a part in the hero's victory, it's as a foundational or supportive role and is [[ScienceIsUseless ultimately useless if the combat phase fails.]]
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113	* HotBlooded
114	* CentipedesDilemma
115	* FearlessFool
116	* TheFool
117	* IdiotHero
118	* NaiveNewcomer
119	* SimpleMindedWisdom
120	* MillionToOneChance
121	* TooDumbToFool
122	* ScaleOfScientificSins
123	* DespiteThePlan
124	* YouCantThwartStageOne
125
126	!!!Hero PowerLevel
127	Heroes come in three flavors: those who start at rock bottom, those who are the strongest on a local scale but still weak compared to the antagonists, and TheAce, who just beats everyone in the setting. The third is a DiscreditedTrope in contemporary stories.
128
129	* HighHopesZeroTalent
130	* AlwaysSomeoneBetter
131	* SacrificedBasicSkillForAwesomeTraining
132	* NormalFishInATinyPond
133
134	!!!Misery Builds Character
135	->"If one were to say what it is to do good, in a single word it would be to endure suffering. Not enduring is bad without exception."
136
137	Heroes tend to suffer. This does not kill them but make them stronger.
138
139	* AllOfTheOtherReindeer
140	* TrainingFromHell
141	* ImprovisedTraining
142	* DeadlyUpgrade
143	* SuperpoweredEvilSide
144	* TraumaticSuperpowerAwakening
145	[[/folder]]
146
147	[[folder:Villain Traits]]
148	!!!Villain Motives
149	->"You can struggle, but you'll never beat me. The real world isn't that easy."
150	-->--'''Ryōta Kise''', ''Manga/KurokosBasketball''
151
152	Villains are usually extremely jaded or nihilistic. The villains embody the way reality supposedly works, [[RomanticismVersusEnlightenment versus the hero's more romantic idealism.]] The world is harsh, so they personify that harshness.
153
154	* TheCynic
155	* RivalTurnedEvil
156	* AsskickingLeadsToLeadership
157	* WellIntentionedExtremist
158	* TheSocialDarwinist
159	* MisanthropeSupreme
160	* IndividualityIsIllegal
161	* StrawNihilist
162	* EvilStoleMyFaith
163
164	!!!Villain PowerLevel
165	Villains are usually seemingly undefeatable. Again, since they embody "reality", anyone stupid enough to oppose them or unlucky enough to get in their way are little more than pebbles caught in a hurricane. Their abilities, therefore, are broken compared to others'. The exception to this are some variations of TheRival, who is usually equal to the hero, or at best, ''slightly'' better.
166
167	* AntagonistAbilities
168	* InvincibleVillain
169	* StoryBreakerPower
170	* AwesomenessByAnalysis
171	* {{Kaiju}}
172	* NoSell
173
174	!!!Villain Failings
175	Villains typically have a FatalFlaw which involves [[NotQuiteTheRightThing being mistaken about the way they THOUGHT the world worked]], [[EvilIsEasy taking an easier path than the protagonist did]], or [[WeHaveBecomeComplacent becoming convinced of their invincibility.]] In short, the villain became complacent. When this is discovered within the story, it spells doom for the villain. In classic samurai literature, it's considered a fatal flaw to ever be sure of one's abililties, or to prioritize victory. Someone who is weak but persistent is considered more righteous even if they fail.
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177	* ThisCannotBe
178	* KirkSummation
179	* SmugSnake
180	* EvilIsEasy
181	* EvilCannotComprehendGood
182	* EvilIsNotAToy
183	* WeHaveBecomeComplacent
184	[[/folder]]
185
186	[[folder:Conflict Progression]]
187	!!!Fight Setup
188	Even if the focus of the story is on friendship, teamwork, and constantly expresses that no one is useless, the final battle will almost always come down to a one-on-one duel against the BigBad. Friends will likely be on hand to lend "support", usually meaning that they will hope and believe in the hero as hard as they can.
189
190	* CombatByChampion
191	* InTheEndYouAreOnYourOwn
192	* ThisIsSomethingHesGotToDoHimself
193	* NeutralFemale
194
195	!!!DavidVersusGoliath
196	The first phase of the fight will reinforce the seeming invincibility of the villain while the hero struggles just to survive. The villain may take the time here to [[ExplainingYourPowerToTheEnemy explain how their abilities work]], in an attempt to [[BreakThemByTalking break the hero's resolve]] by reminding them that they are fighting [[AbstractApotheosis someone who represents the natural order of things.]]
197
198	* WorfBarrage
199	* MyKungFuIsStrongerThanYours
200	* SoLastSeason
201	* BreakThemByTalking
202
203	!!! DarkestHour
204	If the hero does manage to prove a threat, the next phase of the fight is to bring the villain up to their full power, and quite often, the hero will ''let them'' do it. If the penultimate phase of the villain's plan was to gain this "ultimate" power, they will succeed in doing so right at the eleventh hour.
205
206	* NearVillainVictory
207	* IAmNotLeftHanded
208	* OneWingedAngel
209	* UpgradeArtifact
210	* MakeMyMonsterGrow
211
212	!!!EleventhHourSuperpower
213	At their DarkestHour, the hero will reflect on everything they've learned in the story, or on how much they or their loved ones will suffered. S/he will tap into some sort of hidden power that defeats even the villain's.
214
215	* ThePowerOfLove[=/=][[ThePowerOfFriendship Friendship]][=/=][[ThePowerOfTrust Trust]]
216	* HeroicSecondWind
217	* NoMoreHoldingBackSpeech
218	* RightMakesMight
219	* DieOrFly
220	* EnlightenmentSuperpower
221
222	!!!Fight Resolution
223	At the end of the fight, we will usually know a lot more about the villain than at the start of the battle. Sometimes, villains will have flashbacks before they're defeated, and sometimes, the hero will gain an insight into why they're fighting. In the end, though, their resolve is inferior to the hero's. Further, since the hero typically defeats them in their most powerful form, this is a decisive victory which proves the overall superiority of the hero.
224
225	* AlasPoorVillain
226	* VillainsDyingGrace
227	* NotQuiteTheRightThing
228	* MoreHeroThanThou
229	* DefeatEqualsFriendship
230	[[/folder]]

Context Analysis / JapaneseSpirit