Pandemonium and Parade: Japanese Monsters and the Culture of Yokai

Yes, the book is academic and it can sometimes bog down in boring rhetoric. It is rarely engaging to the point of one's being unable to put it down, but, after the longwinded introductory chapter, it does provide a very interesting overview of the history and significance of yokai in Japanese culture, past and present (including manga and anime). Michael Dylan Foster not only explains some of the chief representatives of traditional and contemporary yokai, he provides an excellent history of how yokai evolved as a serious subject of inquiry and also discusses the place of yokai in the matrix of Japanese culture. Academics are likely to appreciate the book for its insights more than those mainly interested in light reading about the yokai phenomenon. The book shouldn't be compared to those that are chiefly collections of old myths and legends.For me, a major drawback is the relative lack of space devoted to one major form of yokai, the yurei or ghost, which is so important in Japanese literature, theatre, and art. And, despite the author's expert analysis of the kuchi-sake-onna or Slit-Mouthed-Woman, I was surprised that he never alludes to the possibility of potential influence from the gabu head in the bunraku puppet theatre. The gabu shows the face of a pretty girl but when the puppeteer pulls a string the upper and lower parts of the face are split by a gruesome, ear-to-ear mouth of sharp gold teeth, the effect of which is heightened by eyes that widen to become large squares, and horns that sprout from the hair. The character is really a serpent spirit in disguise. Come to think of it, Japan's upbiquitous serpents also get short shrift in this book, which, admittedly, does not attempt to be an encyclopedia, like Yokai Attack!Pandemonium and Parade isn't perfect but it's a very worthy contribution.

Has both academic history of yokai and some theories about yokai.For the origin of Gegege No Kitaro, I heard the creator of Hakaba Kitaro was Masami Itou for his kamishibai, and was based on the story of the kosodate yurei and some local folklore. Ghost Tribe as a yokai tribe was probably the creation of Shigeru Mizuki. Neko Musume was also based on kamishibai which was based on much older stories.

If Michael Dylan Foster's book reads much like a Doctoral dissertation, it is because it is based on his 2003 Doctoral dissertation: "Morphologies of Mystery: Yôkai and Discourses of the Supernatural in Japan, 1666-1999". That noted, "Pandemonium and Parade" is in no way a watered-down version of its parent text. It includes further research conducted over the following seven years, along with a generous sampling of illustrations, both historical and current.In addition to being an erudite and meticulously researched history of the yôkai phenomenon in Japan, Dr. Foster is an excellent and engaging writer, who successfully conveys a deep love for his subject matter, while exploring in depth the cultural, psychological and fantastical elements of both the historical and present-day fascination these outlandish supernatural but all too earthly spirits hold over the consciousness of both the Japanese and students of folklore worldwide.Dr. Foster's original Doctoral thesis has accompanied me on two visits to Japan; since its release, "Pandemonium and Parade" has been my companion on yet another, and is a volume I keep at close hand here at home, both for reference and for enjoyment of his literary style.Anyone with an interest in yôkai will find this a richly rewarding addition to their library, I cannot think of a finer work in English on the subject.

This is not very good if you want to learn about the actual Yokai. It mentions a couple of specific ones every once in a long while, but for the most part they aren't discussed. Its mainly about the people that found out about them, and how it affects Japanese society both modern and ancient, which is interesting, but I was under the impression they were going to have information about the beings themselves.

Interesting. This book takes a different approach as it mentions how different periods influence the yokai phenomenon. I would have like more information about the yokai. Totally not a demonology book, but fascinating.

A detailed record of yokai folklore and culture in japan, with various descriptions and information, but lacks a comprehensive list of creatures and pictorial archive (wich is bad, because it is so easy to find yokai images in the net, so why not pay more atention to it?)

Depending on what you are after Yokai Attack is more interesting in that it is concise,encyclopedic, (heavily illustrated , which Pandemonium isnt). Pademonium yes is more academic if you want to dig, but the influence of Yokai on art and the influence of art on Yokai really makes it a "picture is worth a thousand words" topic.Pandemonium dies very quickly under the weight of words, and for a book with that many pages, neglect of strong image content is just unacceptable for this kind of topic.....sort of like Bullfinch Mythology approach..so yeah its ok, but lacks imagination from the author and publisher.Its a great book, but is just the wrong format, considering how few good books there are on this topic.

From the author of The Book of Yokai. He was still finding his footing in this one but still a great start! Less illustrations than the aforementioned book but a worthy entry into the collection!

I bought this book so that I could learn more about the history behind Yokai and gain a deeper understanding. I have to say that from reading this book I now have a fuller understanding of how Yokai originated and how they have infiltrated the modern world. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to delve into the history of the culture surrounding these folktales as it will help you learn a lot about the history and the incidents that occurred surrounding the birth of these tales. It was a very interesting read and while is written from an academic perspective enables you to gain further insight into this particular culture.

There's not many academic texts in English about Yokai and this one is indispensable. Michael Dylan Foster is my go-to guy for Yokai stuff he's a leg

Ich habe mir dieses Buch gekauft, da mich das thema "Mythologie" sehr interesiert, das Buch"Pandemonium and Parade" von Dylan Foster hat leider nicht meine ansprüche bestätigt die ich an diese Buch hatte.Das Buch war für mich nur eine einzige Einleitung in die Asiatisch/Japanische Mythologie als in das Thema direkt einzugehen.Für Leute mit Religions-interesse wäre es ein Buch welches man "Mal so nebenbei" lesen könnte aber immernoch kein "richtiges" Buchwas volle Aufmerksamkeit verdient.

I only bought this book for my degree, however it's pretty much unreadable.

good seller, the product received was as expected