| Description |
This thesis examines a popular Japanese form ofpicture-storytelling street theaterknown as gaitō kamishibai, a pervasive form of children's entertainment from circa 1925 to 1965. In gaitō kamishibai,a live performer uses sequential painted picture panels in tandem with his own voice and bodilygesture to relaynarrative. Thekamishibaiperformer (kamishibaiya) would traditionally navigate the city on a bicycle, with a simple wooden stage for displaying the painted panels to his audience mounted on the back. Focusing on two kamishibai picture-stories-Kurama Ko-Tengu and Abarenbō Sazen-that were produced in postwar Osaka by the association San'yūkai, foundedin 1947, this thesis analyzes visual-literary themes in the picture-stories themselves that bear particular salience in articulating trends of postwar creative production and democraticparticipation. Further, when placed in conversation with other modes of modern historical picture-aided performancein Japan, these casestudies implicatega |
