earticle

영어

As we experienced the Tohoku earthquake disaster on 3.11, 2011, we came to the realization that we live in a dangerous society under potential threats. The narratives of 3.11 disaster display the determination to return to normalcy and to heal the wounds of disaster. However, two distinct types of narratives emerge with different approaches. Fukushima Hula Girls depicts the journey of Hula Girls joining once again to help restore the regions destroyed by the earthquake and the nuclear reactor disaster. Light Up Nippon explicitly displays the narrative of reconstruction and renaissance of Japan, just like Himizu, which also talks about recovering from the disaster and returning to normal life. On the other hand, there is another narrative that suggests an alternative direction for overcoming disasters and a new definition of them. Friends After 3.11, Odayaka, Hasui no Koto develop their narrative on the theme of setting new directions beyond the previous value system. Such narrative includes urging the structural changes of the social system to develop alternative energy, and warnings against the nuclear reactors, based on the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster. This paper intends to explore the characteristics and meanings of disaster narratives that are related to the 3.11 disaster, represented by the 3.11 Tohoku earthquake and the Fukushima nuclear reactor disaster. Through this research, we hope to uncover the paradigm shift brought by the 3.11 disaster and how it changed Japanese people’s perception about attitudes towards life, world view, and the sense of community.