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[S4] Ep. 15 - Discussing Japanese Culture in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet: The Teal Mask
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet now has DLC included, the first half of two parts focusing on The Teal Mask. Here, players embark on a field trip where hidden encounters await them, a mystery cloaked behind the pleasant town aura in the Land of Kitakami. In what ways does this mysterious new land connect to Japanese culture? How does it utilize cultural elements to contribute to the gameplaying experience? Tune in to this episode to learn about what the Teal Mask story entails and where we find these cultural references.
Timestamps:
00:31 - Bottled Background
> 02:32 - Context for the episode
05:37 - Story Beats: The Loyal Three and the Ogre
28:07 - Cultural References: Yōkai, Setting, Festivals & Masks, The Peach Boy Story
> 28:35 - General Cultural Elements (Setting, Masks, Statues, The Loyal Three)
> 36:24 - Specific Cultural Elements (Yōkai, The Peach Boy)
> 43:15 - Characterization and Themes
53:28 - Perrin's Survey Quest
> 57:11 - Initiating the Quest
> 1:00:23 - The Survey Quest
> 1:02:44 - Connecting Hisui to Kitakami
1:10:16 - Conclusion
Links/Resources:
Japanese Culture
- Jizō Statues
- Traditional Masks in Japan
- Japanese Mask References
- Kitakami City; Oni no Yakata
> Oni no Yakata (Description)
- Kitakami Michinoku Traditional Dance Festival
Pokémon References
- Kitakami (Pokémon)
- The Loyal Three: Munkidori, Okidogi, Fezandpiti
- The Ogre, Ogerpon
- Characters: Perrin, Carmine, Kieran
The Lore Research Lab Reference Episodes
Antoni, Klaus. “Momotaro (The Peach Boy) and the Spirit of Japan: Concerning the Function of a Fairy Tale in Japanese Nationalism of the Early Showa Age.” Asian Folklore Studies 50, no. 1 (1991): 155-188.
Foster, Michael Dylan. The Book of Yokai: Mysterious Creatures of Japanese Folklore. University of California Press, 2015.
Kahara, Naoko. “From Folktale Hero to Local Symbol: The Transformation of Momotaro (the Peach Boy) in the Creation of Local Culture.” Waseda Journal of Asian Studies 25 (2004): 35-61.
Sekien, Toriyama. Japandemonium Illustrated: The Yokai Encyclopedias of Toriyama Sekien. Edited by Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt. Dover Publications. 2017.
(Creator's Note: Some content in this episode deals with narratives, histories, and cultural elements present in the real world; all research discussing such information is explained and described solely from a scholarly perspective. I do not claim ownership over the products, sources, and images that come from this game; images have been taken from my own copy of the game and are solely being used for entertainment purposes.)
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By ARKPokémon Scarlet and Violet now has DLC included, the first half of two parts focusing on The Teal Mask. Here, players embark on a field trip where hidden encounters await them, a mystery cloaked behind the pleasant town aura in the Land of Kitakami. In what ways does this mysterious new land connect to Japanese culture? How does it utilize cultural elements to contribute to the gameplaying experience? Tune in to this episode to learn about what the Teal Mask story entails and where we find these cultural references.
Timestamps:
00:31 - Bottled Background
> 02:32 - Context for the episode
05:37 - Story Beats: The Loyal Three and the Ogre
28:07 - Cultural References: Yōkai, Setting, Festivals & Masks, The Peach Boy Story
> 28:35 - General Cultural Elements (Setting, Masks, Statues, The Loyal Three)
> 36:24 - Specific Cultural Elements (Yōkai, The Peach Boy)
> 43:15 - Characterization and Themes
53:28 - Perrin's Survey Quest
> 57:11 - Initiating the Quest
> 1:00:23 - The Survey Quest
> 1:02:44 - Connecting Hisui to Kitakami
1:10:16 - Conclusion
Links/Resources:
Japanese Culture
- Jizō Statues
- Traditional Masks in Japan
- Japanese Mask References
- Kitakami City; Oni no Yakata
> Oni no Yakata (Description)
- Kitakami Michinoku Traditional Dance Festival
Pokémon References
- Kitakami (Pokémon)
- The Loyal Three: Munkidori, Okidogi, Fezandpiti
- The Ogre, Ogerpon
- Characters: Perrin, Carmine, Kieran
The Lore Research Lab Reference Episodes
Antoni, Klaus. “Momotaro (The Peach Boy) and the Spirit of Japan: Concerning the Function of a Fairy Tale in Japanese Nationalism of the Early Showa Age.” Asian Folklore Studies 50, no. 1 (1991): 155-188.
Foster, Michael Dylan. The Book of Yokai: Mysterious Creatures of Japanese Folklore. University of California Press, 2015.
Kahara, Naoko. “From Folktale Hero to Local Symbol: The Transformation of Momotaro (the Peach Boy) in the Creation of Local Culture.” Waseda Journal of Asian Studies 25 (2004): 35-61.
Sekien, Toriyama. Japandemonium Illustrated: The Yokai Encyclopedias of Toriyama Sekien. Edited by Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt. Dover Publications. 2017.
(Creator's Note: Some content in this episode deals with narratives, histories, and cultural elements present in the real world; all research discussing such information is explained and described solely from a scholarly perspective. I do not claim ownership over the products, sources, and images that come from this game; images have been taken from my own copy of the game and are solely being used for entertainment purposes.)