Assistant Professor Jessy Escande (Waseda Institute for Advanced Study) converses with MC Assistant Professor Robert Fahey (Waseda Institute for Advanced Study) about the vital role that cultural transfer through “cultural ferrymen” such as J.L. Borges’ Book of Imaginary Beings has played in the development of a fantasy gaming tradition that is both uniquely Japanese and truly global. In this episode, Professor Escande shares his expert understanding of Japanese video games and their intricate ties to global folklore and mythology by elaborating on how mythical creatures like the rakshasa, the Kujata, the Dullahan, and more made their way into popular culture in Japan.

Link to transcript: https://www.waseda.jp/top/en/news/82855

About the Guests:

Assistant Professor Jessy Escande

Dr. Jessy Escande holds a PhD in comparative literature from Osaka University and is currently an Assistant Professor at the Waseda Institute for Advanced Study (WIAS). At WIAS his researches the reception of foreign cultures in Japanese fantasy works, and particularly the role of games as cultural brokers. Prior to taking his position at Waseda he served as a teaching fellow and researcher at Osaka University.

MC Assistant Professor Robert Fahey

Dr. Robert A. Fahey is an assistant professor of political science at the Waseda Institute for Advanced Study in Tokyo, Japan. His research interests include populism, polarisation, the effects of conspiracy theory belief, and Japanese politics. He is currently working on a series of large-scale surveys aimed at discovering what kinds of conspiracy beliefs are widespread in East Asian countries, and how those beliefs impact the political and social life of those nations.

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