First of all, please let me point out that my English might not be enough to express what Dr. KAWASAKI Mizuho remarks correctly...
Today, I am very honour to introduce one of my collège in Paris; Dr. Mizuho KAWASAKI and his review entitled Someone dreams to be you as a childhood-hero which you once wanted to be (Translation by Hirai), Japanese original title ; Kimi ga nozomu kimi ha dare ga nozomu kimi? 君が望む君は誰が望む君？.
This is about Japanese movie " Ware ha Suigun - Matsushima, Gogoshima no Funa Matsuri (I am the Navy: Navy Festival at Gogoshima Island, Matsushima, directed by KUROSAWA Yoichi, 1995)".
Please take a look at his article here!
The ethnomusicology covers very vast academic field. Only few specialists are working on the same object as mine. Dr. Kawasaki is originally pianist of Western classical music, also Japanese nokan flutist. After getting his Ph.D at Kunitachi College of Music, Tokyo, currently he is working as post-doctoral fellow at Kobe University, Japan. He is especially focus on kagura and Japanese folk performing arts with his particular point of view, as my understanding, applying Structuralism into kagura research. While most of Kagura research, especially musicological one focus on one exemple at the same time, his approach looks (I don't find suitable vocabulary though) very efficace systematical analysis. However, my most favorite point of his works is he has bit "geek" point of view. (I can tell you all the night how much his works are exciting, I stop myself and let get us back to his review.
All of us, without any exception, must have had been dreaming to be a hero. (As for me, I wanted to be not superwoman but superman!) Kagura dancers are also people's hero in their childhood. During my fieldwork, people often recommande me to marry kagura dancer, because they are selected, well educated nice guy. Indeed, they are always cool (even though sometimes we see them totally drunk behind of the stage). At the age where no television, no internet, no movie existed, the kagura dancers were people's stereotype hero. And without objection, also nowadays.
The movie is about Funa odori (Navy dane) at Gogoshima Island. People transmit the navy dance to transmit their navy's braveness in our age with their dance performance. Actually, this dance possesses didactic aspect. By showing their story, young generation learns not only about their ancestral superstars, but also the importance to contribute for their society (in this exemple, not to hesitate to devote their life to protect their society (in large meaning, their big family). The Funa-odori custom makes effective use of our nature: we want to be a superhero!
Children who watched Funa-odori, have a dream to be a superhero as dancer. When they made their dream come truth, next generation want to be them as dancer-hero. In this way, we can transmit same childhood dream from generation to generation.
What does it mean the superhero, then?
Dr. Kawasaki remarks that this is way to protect your society, which is your background. The Iyo Navy had been protecting your land. Not only you, but all of us more or less want to be a hero. You have another members of society to protect. Others also protect you. As long as you live, you need to protect this "al of us" to protect yourself. He adds that this "all of us" can be interpreted as your culture, your custom, or your faith. And by being hero, people have protected their society until now.
For further information about Dr. Kawasaki, you have his research-map here!