Review by Choice Review
Aside from being a concise reference resource, this volume provides a detailed, fascinating discussion of the Japanese mythical universe. For example, a student of Japanese art who finds symbols and figures in a woodblock with no ready reference can use this volume for research on history and meaning. The broad and colorful range of the exceptionally rich Japanese deities, spirits, heroes, kami, Buddhist figures, and divine humans are clearly presented. From the most ancient Japanese texts, such as the Nihongi and Kojiki, to modern manga and anime, the figures reappear and transform with the times. Addressing a combination of religion, philosophy, folklore, imperial propaganda, and regional beliefs, this book will be valuable for fans of modern Japan--with its thriving genres of popular art and entertainment--as well as for serious scholars. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers. --Linda L. Lam-Easton, emerita, California State University, Northridge
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
This book provides background information about Japanese myths in general and details specific myths within their changing contexts. Frydman starts by discussing what is Japan, its religions and faith, and its tradition of myth. The following chapters provide a chronological treatment, starting with creation stories and the ancient Japanese cosmos and on to the legendary first emperors, whose myths were recorded on seminal texts of the time. Next, medieval myths from traditional religions are discussed. Myths were first printed in the early-modern era (1400--1850) and were reinterpreted, especially those pertaining to the spirit world. The last chapter addresses popular culture and myth in modern forms and notes the role myth has played in nationalism. Sidebars provide key points about each religion, major texts, and major myth clusters. Blue-colored illustrations are scattered throughout the text. While several recent books discuss Japanese myths and tales, this more academic work offers context, especially in terms of religion and politics. Furthermore, it treats a greater number and variety of myths, including those adapted from other cultures. Endnotes, a works-cited list, and an index conclude the volume.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Myths and tales, interacting with Shinto and Buddhism, have long shaped Japanese culture, and Japanese mythology continues to be meaningful today (as manga and anime attest). In this book, Frydman (Japanese literature, Univ. of Oklahoma) elucidates their historical-anthropological contexts, discussing in chronological order Japanese mythology's origins (often influenced by China and Korea), evolution, and significance today. Frydman considers the place-associations of Shinto and Buddhist divinities; devotes a detailed chapter to Buddhist deities and another to the spirit-world; and highlights iconic representations of mythic and deified historical figures, with many attractive and helpful monochromatic illustrations. The book's endnotes, bibliography, and index will aid researchers. (A pronunciation guide would have been welcome.) Though the material is complex, the writing is accessible even to secondary students, with sidebars and interpolations to explain unfamiliar items. Frydman's work (a good companion to Royall Tyler's more-literary Japanese Tales) expertly explores the past and present functions and meaning of Japanese mythology and popular folklore, connecting them to government, religion, historiography, archaeology, literature, and more. VERDICT Students, travelers, and all readers interested in the history of Japan, Japanese ideology, and the nation's current cultural products, will find this authoritative work absorbing.--Patricia Lothrop
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
