Up from the Depths: The Cultural Appropriation of Godzilla in 1970s American Animation and Comics
The approach taken by Marvel and Hanna-Barbera to adapting Godzilla for a young American audience is a form of cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation involves removing the subject from its cultural context. In this case, Marvel and Hanna-Barbera removed the character from its origin, where i...
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2024-12-01
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| author | C. Scott Maravilla |
| author_facet | C. Scott Maravilla |
| author_sort | C. Scott Maravilla |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The approach taken by Marvel and Hanna-Barbera to adapting Godzilla for a young American audience is a form of cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation involves removing the subject from its cultural context. In this case, Marvel and Hanna-Barbera removed the character from its origin, where it emerged as a consequence of the atomic bomb. Gojira is first a scourge of Japan and later its savior against invasion from cosmic forces and nefarious <i>kaiju</i>. Godzilla is changed into what is ultimately a sanitized version of imperial inventory. The properties of the 1970s Godzilla, however, were not wholly negative. Indeed, they laid the foundation for an American rediscovery of the original Gojira film and its sequels, which have since been released in their original versions. This article will examine how Marvel Comics and Hanna-Barbera cartoons culturally appropriated Godzilla for American children, but how this also led to an appreciation of the Japanese films. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fe68b10426ed4d269cbd95e957ac474c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-0787 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Humanities |
| spelling | doaj-art-fe68b10426ed4d269cbd95e957ac474c2025-01-24T13:34:48ZengMDPI AGHumanities2076-07872024-12-01141210.3390/h14010002Up from the Depths: The Cultural Appropriation of Godzilla in 1970s American Animation and ComicsC. Scott Maravilla0William & Mary Law School, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795, USAThe approach taken by Marvel and Hanna-Barbera to adapting Godzilla for a young American audience is a form of cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation involves removing the subject from its cultural context. In this case, Marvel and Hanna-Barbera removed the character from its origin, where it emerged as a consequence of the atomic bomb. Gojira is first a scourge of Japan and later its savior against invasion from cosmic forces and nefarious <i>kaiju</i>. Godzilla is changed into what is ultimately a sanitized version of imperial inventory. The properties of the 1970s Godzilla, however, were not wholly negative. Indeed, they laid the foundation for an American rediscovery of the original Gojira film and its sequels, which have since been released in their original versions. This article will examine how Marvel Comics and Hanna-Barbera cartoons culturally appropriated Godzilla for American children, but how this also led to an appreciation of the Japanese films.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0787/14/1/2GodzillaGojiraMarvelHanna-Barberaanimationcomics |
| spellingShingle | C. Scott Maravilla Up from the Depths: The Cultural Appropriation of Godzilla in 1970s American Animation and Comics Humanities Godzilla Gojira Marvel Hanna-Barbera animation comics |
| title | Up from the Depths: The Cultural Appropriation of Godzilla in 1970s American Animation and Comics |
| title_full | Up from the Depths: The Cultural Appropriation of Godzilla in 1970s American Animation and Comics |
| title_fullStr | Up from the Depths: The Cultural Appropriation of Godzilla in 1970s American Animation and Comics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Up from the Depths: The Cultural Appropriation of Godzilla in 1970s American Animation and Comics |
| title_short | Up from the Depths: The Cultural Appropriation of Godzilla in 1970s American Animation and Comics |
| title_sort | up from the depths the cultural appropriation of godzilla in 1970s american animation and comics |
| topic | Godzilla Gojira Marvel Hanna-Barbera animation comics |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0787/14/1/2 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT cscottmaravilla upfromthedepthstheculturalappropriationofgodzillain1970samericananimationandcomics |