After having watched many Japanese TV shows, I started to notice the "language" of drama that is used to communicate to the audience. There is an academic discipline that studies this sort of thing called Semiotics, the study of symbols used in communication. With respect to the arts, these can be the characters, props, situations, language used, etc. that deliver cultural context and additional meaning over and above the literal script.
Here are some recurring symbols and my interpretation:
The playing "catch-ball" memory. This often occurs as a nostalgic memory of bonding between (often hard-working absent) parent and protagonist as child. It's often presented as fond memory after the parent has croaked, or as a cause for bitterness if the parent never had time to participate.
The omiai situation/pictures. These seem to often be introduced as a counter-point to the possibility of romantic love, providing dramatic tension between the potential for arranged marriage (usually supported by parents, of course), and the potential for romantic love, which is the usual winner.
The onsen trip. This seems to often serve to introduce a lighter mood to the drama, or to add a little bit of spice because you get to see people in the bath. There's almost always a strong suggestion of romantic possibility or pursuit going on, and the viewer is given (rewarded?) with the point of view of voyeur.
The female in distress in a public place ... she either gets bumped into by passers-by, or worse, knocked down. The purpose is to evoke sympathy and pity for her character. This happens so much, that I have to wonder if people in Japan just don't see other pedestrians :hehe:. I often find that this scene isn't done convincingly. Sure, people can bump, but in real life, I'd expect more "excuse me"s and more helping hands if someone is actually knocked down.
A related scene is the falling down in the street scene, which is naturally used to inject a dramatic moment of terror/danger. The character falls or is pushed down in the street, and a vehicle is fast approaching, gosh what's gonna happen next? The character really should have used that darn elevated walkway (of which Tokyo has plenty :)).
The use of traffic/elevated train sounds as punctuation to dialog and as transition between scenes. I've seen this device used in a number of dramas. I have yet to decode what the sounds are used to signify, but there definately does seem to be a pattern. The el-train sounds seem to signify transition/passing of time. To switch medium for a minute, an exaggerated example from anime of sound design used as punctuation is given in "Urusei Yatsura", where between scenes you sometimes see birds flying in the sky, and they are calling to each other: "aho-aho-aho...", instead of "caw-caw-caw...". This is used to comment on the "idiot" in the previous scene.
I'd be interested in hearing about other signs/symbols others find in jdorama.
Here are some recurring symbols and my interpretation:
The playing "catch-ball" memory. This often occurs as a nostalgic memory of bonding between (often hard-working absent) parent and protagonist as child. It's often presented as fond memory after the parent has croaked, or as a cause for bitterness if the parent never had time to participate.
The omiai situation/pictures. These seem to often be introduced as a counter-point to the possibility of romantic love, providing dramatic tension between the potential for arranged marriage (usually supported by parents, of course), and the potential for romantic love, which is the usual winner.
The onsen trip. This seems to often serve to introduce a lighter mood to the drama, or to add a little bit of spice because you get to see people in the bath. There's almost always a strong suggestion of romantic possibility or pursuit going on, and the viewer is given (rewarded?) with the point of view of voyeur.
The female in distress in a public place ... she either gets bumped into by passers-by, or worse, knocked down. The purpose is to evoke sympathy and pity for her character. This happens so much, that I have to wonder if people in Japan just don't see other pedestrians :hehe:. I often find that this scene isn't done convincingly. Sure, people can bump, but in real life, I'd expect more "excuse me"s and more helping hands if someone is actually knocked down.
A related scene is the falling down in the street scene, which is naturally used to inject a dramatic moment of terror/danger. The character falls or is pushed down in the street, and a vehicle is fast approaching, gosh what's gonna happen next? The character really should have used that darn elevated walkway (of which Tokyo has plenty :)).
The use of traffic/elevated train sounds as punctuation to dialog and as transition between scenes. I've seen this device used in a number of dramas. I have yet to decode what the sounds are used to signify, but there definately does seem to be a pattern. The el-train sounds seem to signify transition/passing of time. To switch medium for a minute, an exaggerated example from anime of sound design used as punctuation is given in "Urusei Yatsura", where between scenes you sometimes see birds flying in the sky, and they are calling to each other: "aho-aho-aho...", instead of "caw-caw-caw...". This is used to comment on the "idiot" in the previous scene.
I'd be interested in hearing about other signs/symbols others find in jdorama.