The history of Japanese underground culture since World War II reflects Japan’s profound transformation in the wake of its defeat in 1945. The postwar underground movements emerged as expressions of resistance, experimentation, and innovation, reacting to rapid modernization, Westernization, and the tensions of Japan’s traditional and contemporary identity. Here is an overview of the key phases and movements in Japanese underground culture:
1. Post-War Years (Late 1940s–1950s): Rebuilding and Early Resistance
Key Context:
• Japan’s defeat in WWII left it occupied by the U.S., leading to social, cultural, and political upheaval.
• The rebuilding period was marked by economic hardship and significant Western influence.
Cultural Developments:
• Avant-Garde Art and Literature: Writers like Osamu Dazai (No Longer Human) and Yukio Mishima explored existential despair and identity crises in a broken society.
• Resistance in Film: Directors like Akira Kurosawa (Drunken Angel, 1948) addressed themes of postwar disillusionment, often critiquing societal decay and corruption.
• Student Movements: Early anti-war and anti-establishment sentiments began to form, setting the stage for later political activism.
2. 1960s: The Radical Underground
Key Context:
• Economic recovery in Japan gave rise to political and cultural resistance, particularly against the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty (ANPO) and Vietnam War.
• A sense of rebellion pervaded youth culture.
Movements:
• Angura (Underground) Theater: Radical theater groups like Suzuki Tadashi’s Waseda Shogekijo and Juro Kara’s Situation Theater rejected traditional forms. Plays were often surreal, subversive, and politically charged.
• Japanese New Wave Cinema: Directors like Nagisa Oshima (Night and Fog in Japan, 1960) and Shohei Imamura (The Pornographers, 1966) critiqued social norms, often exploring taboo topics like sexuality and alienation.
• Butoh Dance: Created by Tatsumi Hijikata and Kazuo Ohno, Butoh expressed postwar trauma through grotesque, avant-garde movement and aesthetics.
• Student Protests: The Zenkyoto movement organized mass protests against the government, the Vietnam War, and capitalist modernity, influencing underground culture.
3. 1970s: Counterculture and Subcultural Diversification
Key Context:
• Japan’s rapid economic growth led to increasing consumerism, prompting underground movements to critique mainstream culture.
Subcultures:
• Experimental Music: Bands like Les Rallizes Dénudés and Taj Mahal Travellers embodied the counterculture spirit, combining noise, psychedelia, and improvisation.
• Pink Films and Ero-Guro: Underground filmmakers embraced “pink” erotic films and grotesque themes, often pushing censorship boundaries. Directors like Koji Wakamatsu explored themes of political violence and eroticism.
• Anti-Art (Hi-Red Center): Artists like Genpei Akasegawa staged happenings and performances mocking authority, blending political activism with conceptual art.
• Manga Revolution: Underground manga creators like Yoshiharu Tsuge and Osamu Tezuka (Black Jack) produced works with darker, more experimental narratives.
4. 1980s: Subculture Meets Consumerism
Key Context:
• The “Bubble Economy” brought affluence and consumer culture, but also existential dissatisfaction.
Developments:
• Punk and Hardcore: Bands like The Stalin and G.I.S.M. led Japan’s punk and hardcore scenes, which critiqued consumerism and conformity.
• Cyberpunk and Sci-Fi: Influenced by global cyberpunk, works like Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira (1982) and Mamoru Oshii’s Ghost in the Shell (1989) explored dystopian urban futures.
• Fashion Subcultures: Tokyo’s Harajuku became a hub for radical fashion movements, including Gothic Lolita and Visual Kei (theatrical, androgynous rock styles popularized by bands like X Japan).
• Noise Music: Innovators like Merzbow and Masonna turned Japan into a global hub for experimental noise, pushing the limits of sonic intensity.
5. 1990s: Underground Reacts to Aestheticism and Collapse
Key Context:
• The bursting of Japan’s economic bubble in 1991 caused widespread disillusionment.
• Underground culture became introspective, with an emphasis on identity and alienation.
