On April 27, in commemoration of the newly completed 3rd building of Tokyo Kioicho Campus, Josai University Educational Corporation hosted the symposium “Supernatural Asia—Exploring the Natural and Supernatural in Asian Cinema,” cosponsored by the Japan/Asia Film and Image Research Center and the Josai International University Faculty of Media Studies with cooperation from the Nikkatsu Corporation.

This symposium considers the way in which concepts of the “natural” and “supernatural” (or “unnatural”) are represented in Asian and Japanese visual media, presenting arguments from a variety of angles.

Akira Mizuta Lippit, Head and Visiting Professor of the Japan/Asia Film and Image Research Center, Josai University Educational Corporation and Chair of the Division of Critical Studies for the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California, opened the symposium by saying, “In both the East and Southeast Asian film industries, much attention has been devoted to the horror genre in recent years. Today, through film screenings, lectures, and workshops, we’d like to explore definitions of the natural and supernatural as they appear in film.”
    The symposium was divided into three sessions, the first being devoted to a screening of the hit Hollywood film The Ring 2 at the basement auditorium in the 1st building of Tokyo Kioicho Campus. The Ring 2 is famous Japanese horror director Hideo Nakata’s remake of his own film, having also directed the films Ringu and Ringu 2. Following the screening, Mr. Nakata entertained the audience with recollections and amusing anecdotes surrounding the production of the film and participated in a lively Q&A with media studies students who themselves aspire to work in the film industry.
    For the afternoon session, the symposium moved to the 3rd building where Associate Professors Felicidad Bliss Lim of the University of California, Irvine and Mayumo Inoue of Hitotsubashi University gave talks on Aswang Transmedia and Theresa Hak Kyung Cha’s Hauntology, respectively.
    For the 3rd session, Professor Akira Mizuta Lippit and head researchers of the Japan/Asia Film and Image Research Center Professor Aaron Gerow (Yale University) and Professor Mark Nornes (University of Michigan) joined Professors Felicidad Bliss Lim and Mayumo Inoue for a workshop on the symposium’s theme of “supernatural Asia,” engaging in a lively discussion surrounding issues of the natural, supernatural, and unnatural.

The symposium counted roughly 150 participants in all, including film industry professionals, foreign and domestic scholars, and students from the JIU Faculty of Media Studies, all of whom listened in rapt attention during the lecture and workshop sessions.