Question: Heroes an cultrual Zeitgeist

[JSL1990]

Hi there. Newbie Jordan here with one quick question:
What kind of zeitgeist did heroes like Kamen Rider, Tetsujin 28 and Ultraman come up in? It's a question that's been bugging for a week at least, so knowing that there a several smarty pants (Igadevil, ect..) who are on this forum, I just wanted to know.
So, anyone got any answers?

 

[Igadevil]

You could say that it was an atmosphere of post-war optimism, cultural revolution and a desire to digest and emulate the influx of American entertainment. Tokusatsu heroes have roots in American comics and westerns along with Japanese theater and folklore.

Of you could just say that as the 50's wound down, everything started to get awesome. :laugh:

 

[Black Fang]

What was optimistic about Kamen Rider?

 

[Igadevil]

At the beginning, Kamen Rider was a story about people who overcame incredible odds and saved the world through a combination of their own abilities and the strength of their allies. They were made to be agents of evil but they took that power and turned it into something heroic. And while they may feel alone inside, they also come to value the importance of their friends. Ultimately for all the tragedy it has, it's also a very uplifting series.

 

[Lynxara]

Politically, I always got the feeling that early Ishinomori stories like Kamen Rider and Goranger were about the need for Japan to leave its WWII identity behind. The Nazis were Japan's allies during WWII, but in Ishinomori's work they're portrayed as absolute, unequivocal villains out to destroy Japan.

 

[kuroihikari]

If Germany and Japan had both won Europe and Asia, respectively, I'm pretty sure Germany and Japan would've turned on each other anyway.

When both are saying "We're the superior race", and they're of different races, that's bound to happen.