Monsters of Japan: Weird Creatures in Legend, Literature and Film

A look at monstrous beasts and other strange creatures in Japanese history, literature, mythology and film. From the eight-headed Orochi described in the 8th century Kojiki to the cute “pocket monsters” popular in anime of the 1990’s, we will look at many strange creatures, focusing most on the “King of the Monsters,” Godzilla, and his many subjects in the Toho films of the last half-century. The course will be paralleled by a (required) film series on Tuesday nights.