Ero guro
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Ero guro (エログロ ero-guro?) is a concept or movement or sub-genre, still somewhat loosely defined, that has emerged inside multiple schools of Japanese art and music. The words "ero guro" or "ero guro nansensu" is gairaigo derived from the English phrase "erotic grotesque nonsense", and is sometimes shortened to simply guro (though this shortening is usually used to describe pornography).
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[edit] History
Ero guro's first distinct appearance began in 1920s and 1930s Japanese literature. After World War I, many cultures in many countries saw a rise in liberation, especially with the cultural movements such as Jazz, the women's rights movements and Café culture. Ero guro can be seen as a byproduct of this worldwide relaxation of sexual taboos.[citation needed]
The movement was generally supressed during World War II but has re-emerged in Post-WWII Japan [1], especially in Manga and Music.
Over time, the ero guro movement's influence expanded into parts of Japanese theatre, art, Manga, and eventually film and music.
[edit] In art and manga
The typifying element of ero guro visual art is the macabre intermingled with sexual overtones. Often the erotic element, even when not explicit, is merged with grotesque themes and features - rather similar to the works of H. R. Giger. Some visual artists who produce work classifiable as ero guro intend for it to be a deconstruction of Otaku sexuality or a critique of Japanese consumer culture. Others produce ero guro as a genre of Japanese pornography and hentai involving blood, gore, disfiguration, mutilation, urine, enemas, or feces.
Examples of well-known guro visual manga artists include Suehiro Maruo, Shintaro Kago, Jun Hayami, Toshio Maeda, Henmaru Machino, and Waita Uziga.
The modern genre of tentacle rape began within the category of ero guro (although it has much older roots in older Japanese art; see The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife), but was so successful that it is now usually considered separately.
Ero guro is also an element in many Japanese horror films and pinku eiga, particularly of the 1960s and 70s, such as Teruo Ishii's Horror of the Malformed Men (江戸川乱歩全集 恐怖奇形人間, 1969) and Giichi Nishihara's Grotesque Perverted Slaughter (現代猟奇性犯罪, 1976).
[edit] Legality
Many countries prohibit pornography that is deemed to incite violence. This may be specifically because of the concern that the portrayed acts might be copied by mentally disturbed sadists, or simply as an outgrowth of the belief that pornography, especially hardcore pornography, objectifies and dehumanizes people.
As such, guro would likely be considered illegal in countries having such legislation. However, the fact that most guro artwork is clearly that - drawn or photomanipulated images not portraying reality - prevents most law enforcement agencies (especially online) from making the pursuit of such material a priority, concentrating instead on child pornography or simulated child pornography.
[edit] In music
Ero guro bands (most often seen as a sub-genre within visual kei or post visual by some fans) typically use shock visuals, as well as lyrics and live imagery, but look less feminine than traditional visual kei. Within the erotic and shock value of the bands' music and performance, there is also humour. It has long been rumoured that Cali≠Gari were responsible for the application of the term to music.
Bands described as ero guro include Velvet Eden, Kinniku Shojyo Tai，Guruguru Eigakan, Inugami Circus-dan, Rauya, Merry, MUCC, Cali≠Gari, and more.
Ero guro and angura kei are two similar movements and in music are considered to be closely related. The distinction is that ero guro puts the focus closer on eroticism, sexual corruption and decadence. [2]. Angura kei (an anti-westernization movement that began in the 1960's) uses horror to return to something "uniquely Japanese" as Japan has a long tradition of ghost stories and monsters in their folklore.
[edit] References
- [3] or *Paper by Mark McLelland of the University of Queensland
- Paper from UCLA website by Professor Miriam Silverberg
- Aguilar, Carlos (editor). Bizarre Sinema! Japanese Ero Gro & Pinku Eiga 1956-1979. Firenze, Italy: Glittering Images, 2005. ISBN 88-8275-065-5
[edit] External links
WARNING: Some of the visuals in the following links may be disturbing. These sites contain graphic images that may not be entirely suitable for minors.
