Dr. William Tsutsui
Dean, Dedman College, Southern Methodist University

"From Hiroshima to Fukushima: Godzilla and Postwar Japan"

Since Godzilla's first appearance less than a decade after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the King of the Monsters has become a cinematic icon and a globally recognized symbol of Japan. But what can a giant, irradiated movie monster tell us about Japanese culture and Japan's national experience since World War II? What is it about an actor in a rubber lizard suit destroying miniature Japanese cities that has inspired love, loyalty, and laughter over generations of fans? This talk will explore the serious lessons to be learned from the twenty-eight Godzilla films and the abiding worldwide popularity of the King of the Monsters, especially in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Dr. Tsutsui is Dean of Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences at Southern Methodist University. He is a specialist in modern Japanese business and economic history , and his books examine topics ranging from banking policy to the film icon “Godzilla.”

Please join us on October 23.