Japanese Fantasy Formula Structure Discourse Characteristics

Abstract

The article concerns formula structure of contemporary Japanese fantasy literature. Research’s relevance is determined by the development of Japanese fantasy literature in 2010s that followed after a rapid rise in popularity of web-novels, which herald the change in the paradigm of contemporary literature. Specifically, Japanese reincarnation fantasy contributed vastly to the common fantasy discourse, taking it by storm. Quantitative analysis of novels’ summaries aided by text-mining tools accommodates for outlining main structural characteristics of the Japanese fantasy conventional system. For the research purposes by application of continuous sampling method a body of 390 novels has been selected pertaining to general relevance and relevance to Japanese fantasy. Text-mining algorithm of BigData processing AI by User Local, inc. has been used. Article contains context-based classification of 39 thematic groups divided into 15 categories, representing 3 layers. In conclusion, quantitative analysis of summaries of 2010s Japanese fantasy coupled with content-analysis has produced a set of key words and a thematic classification. Thematic systematisation reveals a model of formula structure of Japanese fantasy. Research results forward a model of self-recreating ability of the literary formula, operating under a single framework that defines standards and boundaries of Japanese fantasy as an original literary formula. To top it off, formula structure discourse characteristics of contemporary Japanese fantasy found in a context of collocations allow for a possible survey of target audience.