Japanese Storytelling Part 1: Savoring the Moment, A Study of Ma, and Mono no Aware 

This is one of the most essential pieces of storytelling, to me. When a story lacks the ability to let you sit back and feel, it loses an indefinable immersion.

Japanese cinema, and especially Japanese animation, has this reputation for being remarkably dynamic, which I think is paradoxically a result of this kind of slow, still shot. You _notice_ when things are moving more because that movement is contrasted by the lack of motion two minutes ago. In American cinema and animation, the ethos seems to be that you go to the moving picture show to see moving pictures, and by god that's what you're gonna see.

It's strange... I grew up on a lot of Japanese culture and media (it just seemed cool to me at the time... I'm sure you can relate), and if I hadn't watched this video I would have never realized I'd been imparted with a feeling/technique so culturally specific. I was young enough to not question it and learned to think it was something that everyone felt and, more importantly, wanted to feel. So, now when I see western things there is a certain something missing, a sentimentality, or an existential honesty ... I notice. Sometimes I even pause a movie or game to experience it. I don't think it's untranslatable though... we just don't prioritize it enough to warrant a quick way to say it (I mean.. it took you almost 20 minutes lol jk). The closest way I can think to describe it is somewhere between sonder, the cosmic perspective, and collective introspection or nostalgia.

Last years "Your name" has some of this during most of its travel sequences. It spends a lot of time with the smaller details of a long walk up a mountain for example. The scene could have easily been cut far shorter but instead the audience gets to take in the landscape and the family dynamic of the characters.

YES! Please make the rest of this series! And I would love to see your take on Korean culture/storytelling...

One of the first thing that actually pops into my mind is the first couple pages of the Manga for "Valley of the Wind Nausicaa". It welcomes you to a world of the unfamiliar, even though that aspect typically brings about fear from the unknown in people, but the author Miyazaki ushers you into the daily trot of the Heroine. Also to note, that the pacing is almost like an movie would be. I mean he is an animator first before an manga artist so it is a given, but Nausicaa and Akira both open/introduce you like how a movie would.

I think a great manga series that holds these moments is "Berserk". Berserk is about a traveling swordsman named Guts, as he travels around the world fighting off horrifying monsters and demonic entities. With a synopsis like that, you'd probably don't expect quiet or ritualistic type of moments, but Berserk is actually all about that. There are many moments in the manga where it's quiet and has this melancholy feel to it. It especially feels sad when you get attached towards the characters and what they've been through. This series has it's fair share of bloody fights and bad-ass moments, but the ones where it's simply pure imagery are the ones that makes Berserk so unique. My favorite moment in all of Berserk is seeing Guts sitting down in a window filled with scars and bandages, while looking at the moon in the dark sky. This quiet moment makes me feel sad and glad. Glad because of whatever battle he's fought is over, but sad because of the truly terrifying encounter he has witnessed. Berserk is amazing and I definitely recommend you to read it.

Samurai Jack had a lot of these moments throughout the series. At least to me it did.

The musical interlude with scenes from the city in Ghost in the Shell is absolutely iconic. It gives me chills every time.

A lot of Miyazaki's films feature this technique, not just the two you showed. One of my favorites, "Howl's Moving Castle", has several scenes of "Savoring the Moment". There's one where, after Howl shows Sophie the new color on the doorknob and takes her through the portal, she stops and looks around. The scene then changes to the fields and hills of flowers, before cutting back to her. Earlier, when she's doing some of the chores, she sits in a chair by the lake, and just takes in the scenery, before Markl comes to get her.

I think Mushishi captures this feeling really really well

Wonderful video. In answer to your final question: one of my all time favourite anime, Mushishi, is loaded with Mono no Aware and is much more about the curious world the protagonist lives in than any particular plot point. I would be shocked if you haven't already seen it, but this video beautifully captures that particular atmosphere that I loved in that series so I had to bring it up. Similarly there's a more obscure series called Zettai Shounen, which uses this device a lot to let you really connect with the characters as they go through their strange coming of age tale. Lastly, I think Blade Runner 2049 (released since this video was created) is another good example as well, a lot of people have criticised the characters as shallow but I really didn't get that, as how they act in those quiet moments often shows far more about their personality than words alone could. Having Joi with K at the orphanage so he had someone to monologue to wouldn't have had the same sense of curiosity, tension, and ambivalence upon discovery of the horse as the him simply walking through that forgotten place alone and silently.

Currently doing a research paper surrounding this topic, and this was very informative! Thank you!

Watching your video made me open my Nitentdo DS to play Pokemon again. I do have memories of temples, "dera", in Japan which inspired the creation places in the Pokemon world. When I was there, in Japan for studies, I couldn't help notice how pokemons had their inspiration from living creatures in Japan, so inspiring. The notion of ma is embodied in the train scene. But for me, the notion of ma can also be found in visual novels like "Another Code". Ma is like the notion of break both in time and space. I'm drawing a webtoon right now and getting myself inspired by studying the notion of "ma".

Though not strictly from Japan, samurai Jack is a perfect example of this mentality. Every episode has a moment like this.

Not sure if it's been said yet, but one of the best anime's to incorporate this idea of taking hold of the moment is Fullmetal Alchemist (either series/manga). Hard to believe, in such a fast-paced action anime, but recall the scenes where you're at a funeral, the cemetary, overlooking the boys' ruined home and the countryside, and the contemplative, almost tense moments within the major cities themselves. I love this idea of a series, and you have won yourself a subscribe and a like. Keep going!

i was searching for a breakdown of modern japanese anime storytelling techniques and common practice in comparison to eastern media, but your assessment of Savoring the Moment is also interesting. thank you.

Wow what a great video, I am a huge nature lover and "The Garden of Words" is one of my all time favorite anime movies, and I'm usually an action driven viewer.

The Iyashikei genre of anime is made of this sensibility almost exclusively. Entire seasons of TV shows with no real plot to speak of and hardly anything can be said to have happened. It's less like entertainment and more like a cartoon-based meditation aid.

This is so wonderfully made! Looking forward for the future parts of this series!

I love those slow peaceful moments and want to incorporate it into my own writing. this is very helpful, thank you!

Plz continue this series! I’d love to learn more about Japanese storytelling

This is such a beautiful and well done film essay, congratulations, I hope to see more of these in the future. ^_^

Some of my ideas of how to translate it into a phrase. Mono no aware: 1) resting in the fleeting things or 2) gazing at the things that do fleet or 3) beholding the fleeting things/moments or 4) beholding them that pass away as a fleeting smoke or 5) beholding as God seest or 6) watching the twinkling of the eyes or 7) the beholding of the temporal things

Just amazing, very clever and complete, perfect for a cinema student. I hope to see the next video soon.

Wow. Thank you! Looking forward to seeing the pt.2

The first film of Kara no Kyoukai is literally “Savouring the Moment” the Movie(the Ice Cream eating Scene in particular comes to mind). And Mushishi also does this ALOT as it is basically the entire point of the anime.

Great video! ^^- Can't wait for part 2

If you remember, in a lot of anime fights, there are moments when the actions are intentionally slowed down sometimes, scenes where one swing of a sword would take an entire 10 seconds, and even the ever-famous anime flashbacks. Those are the moments that would allow the viewers to break away from the tension of the fights and build up emotions for the final moments

I found this video very helpful, I would love to see many more like this.

This savoring the moment technique reminds me of the iconic sunset of the 2 suns scene in Star Wars A New Hope. Which shows Luke staring at beautiful sunset that says all.

Ugh, finally someone makes this video !! Great job, man. Fascinating content, perfect execution.

I had a sense of this sensibility, but I didn't get it in any concrete way. At least not until I enjoyed your video. Thank you.

I'm a Christian, and the biblical book I like best is Ecclesiastes, so I think I see how much of what is said in Ecclesiastes relates in some way to this idea of mono no aware. On the one hand, there is Ecclesiastes' summation of all things, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity", and how that's defended throughout--the seemingly endless cycling of all things, from water in the rivers to the sun in the sky; the man who works himself to death to gain but doesn't live to enjoy it; the end for the righteous is the same as that for the wicked; the man who strives to create great works only to find that they don't satisfy; the decline of the body as one grows older and older. On the other hand, it is not a completely negative book. Eating and drinking are gifts from God to be enjoyed, as is the love of one's wife. There is a time to laugh and dance, as well as a time to weep and mourn. There is good, but it's also transient, temporal. The first time I saw the phrase "mono no aware" was from some music by an artist called Amethystium. He opens one of his albums with a track with that name. I didn't know what it meant until seeing your video, though, so I'm grateful to understand it better now.

I LOVE THIS PLEASE MAKE MORE!!!

The animations i've watched from Studio Ghibli are so calm and relaxing..

I spent an hour trying to find this video again, and in the end only found it by browsing through my old playlists. RU-vid needs to stack rank this hugely underrated video.

Wish you had continued this! Really good

Hello, StoryDrive! Nice video! It seems you never made the part 2 of this one. I'd really like to see that. Thanks! ^^

Wow... I feel like you understand Japanese culture better than I do! :) Brilliant.

A good example in western film is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty from 2013. It has several such moments. For example where Walter rides on the bicycle. The view of the little house when he rides by seems directly inspired from the train scene in Spirited Away. Or where he meets Sean on the mountain and they watch the snow leopard and then they join some people playing ball because it just "looks like fun". Probably why I like that film so much.

I'm usually not a fan of video essays, because the most I've seen lack any real meaning, but this one is different. Like with Japanese literature, I feel a sense of calmness and respect towards the medium, that truly describes the beauty of their cultural distinct art.

Ghost in the Shell also has one of these moments I think. It's when the character Mokoto Kusinagi(? Forgive my spelling if I got it wrong) takes a stroll through her city whilst having an existential moment.

Brilliant! Although I'd love it if you mentioned the sixth station scene in spirited away. This moment in my humble opinion is one of the best moments in history of cinema and it is a pillow shot.. however thank you for this wonderful effort

「面白うてやがて悲しき」's been considered to be the ideal for Japanese Art/entertainment for a long time. The phrase means, "Fun and enjoyable, with melancholy aftertaste."

I got this feeling reading more than 10 books for Haruki Murokami , thank you for explaining and the great effort in editing the video

wish you'd continue this series it's great

Hi, excellent video. Could you please release more parts?

Amazing video! Could you do you one on Nordic/Scandinavian storytelling please?

Amazing. I want more about Japan. It was a beautifu moment watching this video.And sory for my poor English.

O how Still Walking was slow. If I wasn't already used to the Japanese atmosphere & culture (I read & watch a lot of Japanese everything), I wouldn't have been to watch it or maybe fully appreciate it as a westerner. Especially since I went to see it at the cinema, subtitled, during the day, with almost only me in there. It left me a bit shell shocked & I had to go sit & wander in the park afterwards. The outside world was too jarring. Good thing it was a sunny day. The truth is, It is one of those movies I would never be able to watch with the people I know. I would only be able to share with them the rare Hayao Miyazaki movie. My very western sister sighed every time I made her watch those with me. Meanwhile I have adopted this contemplative view of the world. I unconsciously make an effort to notice the simplest details & changes, stop so I can to truly absorb the change in season, so many little moments taken out of the fast pace of life in Paris. The Garden of Words is a moment of pure beauty. I don't know how to explain it in any other way. I watch it when I need to leave the world outside for a while. One of those little jewels I also keep for really bad days.

This explains why Japanese storytelling never clicked with me. I just want them to get on with it. Thank you for explaining the history if their technique.

This was awesome is there a part 2? Please say yes!!!

This is the most enlightening video I have seen about film in my life. Thank you so much for the video definitely planning ons watching/reading everything mentioned. If I may ask, does the genre of horror affect societies through the storytelling thereof?

the american movie Last Days by Gus Van Sant has many moments of "savouring the moment" it's very contemplative.

Part 2!!!

First because the loneliest place you can be is in a crowd. Happy 4th eeribody!

Is there a Part 2? Would be lovely!

Maybe that is why many video games and anime can have off the wall stories and still feel real. I can never explain to my friend how the stories feel real I just say you will understand.

can you research Native American Storytelling Style and do more episodes and can you do a western culture episode as a baseline or control group

I’m a bit late on this but could you do “Mushishi” It captures what you just outlined n your video. Thank you!

I would like to see a video for french storytelling.

I would love to see you explore both other aspects of Japanese film making as well as that of other cultures which have a very strong cinematic voice outside of the Western perspective we (or at least I) are exposed to, especially Chinese film (I am personally fascinated by the 5th Generation of Chinese directors and their bodies of work) and Bollywood.

Great video. will there be a part 2?

With seeing this video I understood something: Did you have seen the movie Roma, created by the Mexican director Alfonso Quarón? I had understood that this movie has those "savoring the moment" that we can found in the Japanese Story Telling. What do you think?

I agree.

First Snow on mount Fuji, from Yasunary Kawabata... And Somersault, a novel by Kenzaburo Oe...

um hey I was wondering if its possible that I can get a copy of the script I'm writing a paper on Kafka on the shores and I've been researching the role Japanese story telling and Japanese Philosophy play in the book or rather how unpacking them can better help us understand the book in a better way in ur video is truly amazing, you explained it beautifully and in a simple way , your work is truly remarkable

Hi, I really enjoyed this! Will you be making another?

Wonderful video. I'm not sure if you're still replying to this video but would it be possible to name the bgm/music that you are using for the vid? Looking forward to seeing part 2 😊

Hayao Miyazaki specifically calls these savorable moments "Ma" and tries to incorporate them in all of his films. He goes into more detail about it in the fantastic documentary "The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness".

I'd like to see a list of the movie clips used in this video as a list in the description.

Thank you for discussing this topic, it is talked about far too infrequently in Anglophone media.

If you like mono no aware you should watch some iyashikei anime. It's basically the entire point of the genre to saviour the moment like that. A good example would be Aria.

Skyrim is wonderful in this sense. You can play the game as a fast-paced adventure, or you can simply roam the land, doing absolutely nothing other than enjoy the beautiful view, listen to the birds, the water courses, letting the seasons go by you as you walk in the rain, or watch the snow fall, all the while letting the peaceful and relaxing sound track carry you. And if you have the right DLC, you can spend some time building a house, doing some fishing, practicing with your bow... When the game first came out and I had an especially rough day at work I didn't come home and kill some dragons to feel better. I just let my character walk through the forest and soak up the peace. I always made it better.

I just read 1q84 by murakami and i definitely see the relation. Mostly it being so long.

I’d recommend learning about “Ki-shō-tetsu” if you want to learn about storytelling in stuff like manga, books, movies. Anything really.

Good video, and understandably under-watched, because RU-vid and modern fast-paced culture is pretty anti-savoring-the-moment. Recently the Japanese game, Death Stranding gave me the feel of Mono no Aware, and the game got many bad review for its pacing, which in my opinion is its strong suit. Really wish more people today can learn to appreciate slow-pacing entertainment.

could i please have the soundtrack name throughout the video? thank you

hi. am a hard manga fan. please can you do a video for Nigerian movies.

When will part 2 be released?

Please do Britain!

When is the second video

More recently I’ve found Death Stranding to be particularly meditative

Please do a video essay on the storytelling of India. 🙏

I believe religion plays a large part in this. Eastern philosophy and religion is very cyclical, like reincarnation. There is an end goal of enlightenment, but it is so far-off and differs between individuals, that life itself slows down. Much like the story arcs of shounen or seasons of anime, life begins, ends, and begins anew with new developments and experiences. Western religion, namely Judeo-Christianity, has a day of judgement, a deadline for all living things and the entire universe. It is punctuated by a sense of urgency and inevitability. It appears more linear in its structure. Because of this influence Western media tries to pack as much as possible, as efficiently as possible, within the least time needed to tell the story. Hence why pacing, foreshadowing and tight narratives are valued highly. Japanese media would be called quite clumsy or inefficient for this reason, because when done less well, can indeed seem long-winded, heavy on exposition or full of unresolved loose ends. A good work however can take their time to deliver on these payoffs over many years, which can often grant a longer-built and greater catharsis to the reader, which is why shounen franchises are so intensely beloved all these years by many.

Is there part 2?

Berserk and Vinland Saga do this a lot, believe it or not.

I think Adventure Time has some moments like this. And alson, Zack Snyder movies sometimes.

can you do something simillar with greek story style?

Hyouge Mono deals with these themes head on.

Very insightful. I just wish you pronounced manga "mah-n-gah" :)

Will we ever get part 2?

part 2

talk about the end of the world and a wonderful wonderlad

Is there going to be a part 2 at any point this year?

Hi. This is sort of an emergency. Can you tell me where to find the haiku by matsuo basho mentioned in here.

12:27 for those who came for anime

0:49 Anyone else lose their eyes during this little scrolling segment? @_@

What is the song’s name?