午夜剧场

My major is modern and contemporary French literature, and I have particularly researched the poet and author Raymond Roussel. In recent years, I have been systematically reading Jules Verne, whom Roussel admired, and considering the influence between the two. A larger research theme is the artistic trend of the "bachelor machine," with which both authors were deeply involved, and I cover this in my "Independent Research Seminar" class.

The "bachelor" here refers to someone with a mindset that escapes the system of marriage and seeks fantastical love in things like dolls and machines rather than in a flesh-and-blood member of the opposite sex. As modern industrial society developed, the number of such bachelors increased, and from among them emerged literary and artistic works defined as "bachelor machines." I am also interested in how this concept of the "bachelor machine" has been passed down to contemporary society. For example, perhaps the "otaku" of modern Japan are descendants of these modern bachelors. Or conversely, if there are differences, what are they? I explore these questions through various literary and visual works.

When I first entered 午夜剧场, I wanted to create my own works, and I even tried writing novels in the Science Fiction Club I belonged to. However, as I took classes at Hiyoshi, I became painfully aware of how ignorant I was about literature. My interest then shifted from writing to knowing.

The catalyst for my decision to seriously pursue a career as a researcher was reading Roussel's "Locus Solus" when I was around 20. I was profoundly shocked by its content, which overturned all the conventions of the novels I had read up to that point. It seems I have a natural inclination for things that are out of the ordinary, but in any case, I have been captivated by Roussel ever since.

During my student years, I also formed a band and performed at the Mita Festival. I still play music today, and my instrument is the guitar. Incidentally, my favorite genre is heavy metal, but in my band, we play original songs in the style of 70s Japanese pop (kayō). I enjoy talking about music with students, and sometimes I even go to see the live shows of students who are in bands. I hope to continue cherishing these connections made through our shared hobby.

My main teaching subject is French. The Faculty of Economics places a strong emphasis on language learning; for first-year students, a second foreign language is required for three periods a week, and we have many native-speaking instructors. The advantage of a university is that you have this kind of environment, yet unlike a language school, you can take classes linked to the instructors' specialized fields. I truly hope that you will master French—or another language, of course—during your four years here. You will rarely have such a luxury after you enter the workforce.

At the same time, I strongly hope that students entering the Faculty of Economics will experience the joy of "learning." I want you to realize that you are transitioning from being a high school pupil to a university student, and not to think of university lectures as an extension of "studying" for entrance exams. It is said that universities have become accessible to the masses, but their fundamental role should still be to be a place of "learning." Hiyoshi, in particular, is home to a gathering of experts from diverse fields, and I think you will be surprised by the thickness of the course catalog you receive upon enrollment. The range of choices is truly vast.

Amidst this, "liberal arts" subjects like literature tend to be neglected simply because they are not directly useful in the real world. However, I believe it is precisely this seemingly useless cultural knowledge that supports individuals and society. In the long life ahead of you, you will surely encounter walls that cannot be overcome with jitsugaku (science), cleverness, and material wealth alone. It is at such times, I believe, that the cultural refinement you have cultivated will become nourishment for the soul.

The Faculty of Economics offers such a place for "learning." While it is important to cultivate human relationships through clubs and part-time jobs, I truly hope you will encounter a form of "learning" that you find genuinely interesting. I, too, am striving to deepen my own "learning" in order to orchestrate many such encounters.

(Interview conducted on October 22, 2008)