Analysis Of Tampopo By Juzo Itami

In Japanese film there is a flowing trend of a desexualized mothers. In this essay the interpretation is of both Japanese Horror, and Japanese Noodle Western. In movies such as Like Dark Water and Tampopo the reoccurring trend of the asexual mother is shown. Through the articles of The Ambivalent Self of the Contemporary Japanese, Filming “Chinatown: Fake Visions, Bodily Transformations, and Introduction to Japanese Horror Film the mix of the Western, Japanese and Chinese’s cultures intertwined. The film Tampopo by Juzo Itami is a Japanese Noodle Western; a play on word from Spaghetti Western, that show cases a single mother Tampopo (dandelion) trying to run a successful ramen noodle shop. Goro a truck driver dressed as a cowboy shows up at the restaurant to eat, when asked about the food he openly admits it’s not very good. Tampopo then insists on him teaching her, he then helps Tampopo to create a new re-established restaurant. Tampopo a mother of Tabo is a widow who is dressed conservative and paternal. A customer and long time friend Pisken harasses Tampopo into either giving up her shop or dating him. Even though Pisken hits on Tampopo he never talks to her as a women but as a potential …show more content…
One of the main concepts is the way contemporary horror films have set up the manner in which the nuclear family breaks-up. There are many small concepts being mentioned, such as the monstrous mother and the domestic violence. Like Dark Water however uses the concept of the vengeful fetus. Further looking at the vengeful fetus, Balmain states that in Japanese culture the child is considered a fetus until the age of seven. Mitsuko is the vengeful fetus in this particular movie. Knowing that the girl being of age to be a fetus shows that Mitsuko will forever be a mom, since she gave her life to be with the Vengeful