HRY01 Japanese Digital Games

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2024
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Marek Mikeš, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. et Mgr. Zdeněk Záhora (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Jiří Matela, M.A., Ph.D.
Department of Japanese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts
Supplier department: Department of Japanese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Mon 16:00–17:40 B2.34, except Mon 18. 11. to Sun 24. 11.
Prerequisites
At least a basic understanding of digital games is advisable.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 40 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 37/40, only registered: 0/40, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/40
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course explores the phenomenon of digital game creation and play in Japan. The aim is to provide students with a historical overview of game development, the context of game creation, and to enable them to critically view digital games as a dominant element of the Japanese entertainment industry, which is also a significant export. The course is survey and interdisciplinary, combining historical, technological and game design topics along with formal game analysis, game studies and fan(dom) studies.
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:
-Describe the basic characteristics of Japanese digital games and their market.
-Place the phenomenon of Japanese digital games in the context of global creation and Japanese society.
-Write a professional text on the topic of digital games
-Describe and apply the basic principles of digital game analysis.
Syllabus
  • The course is structured in 2 blocks: lectures (weeks 1 - 9) and student presentations (weeks 10 - 12)
  • The lectures always contain a theoretical and an illustrative part using specific game series. In half of the course, there is a discussion seminar on the research issues of Japanese digital games - the materials for the discussion are developed by the students during the course based on the assignment.
  • In the last three weeks, student teams present topics related to Japanese digital games or the gaming industry of their assignment or their own choice in consultation with the teacher.
  • 1. Introductory class - basic course information and requirements
  • 2. Historical introduction, part 1: the rise of Japanese digital games || casestudy: the Mario phenomenon
  • 3. Historical introduction, part 2: the retreat of the world market leader || casestudy: the Final Fantasy series
  • 4. Digital games in  Japanese society; Nintendo as handheld king || casestudy: Metroidvania genre
  • 5. Digital games and their coexistence with other popular media in Japan || casestudy: Pokémon franchise
  • 6. Research on Japanese digital games - discussion of the literature
  • 7. Promotion of Japanese games and an experiment called Cool Japan || casestudy: Dark Souls series
  • 8. Specifics of Japanese game design and consumer behaviour || casestudy: Visual Novel genre
  • 9. Obscure Japanese games and their context || casestudy: Katamari Damacy series
  • 10. - 12. Final student presentations
Literature
  • CONSALVO, Mia. Atari to Zelda : Japan's videogames in global contexts. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 2016, viii, 259. ISBN 9780262034395. info
  • KOYAMA, Yūsuke. Nihon dejitaru gemu gyokaishi. Kyōto: Jinbun shoin, 2016, 397 stran. ISBN 9784409241073. info
  • KOHLER, Chris. Power-up : how Japanese video games gave the world an extra life. Edited by Shuhei Yoshida. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 2016, xi, 320. ISBN 9780486801490. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, discussions, team seminar work, student presentations.
Assessment methods
- completion of tasks - reading, presentation of the topic (50%)
- final team paper (50%)
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2019, Autumn 2020, Autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2024/HRY01