In our IE Listening class, we watched two versions of a video about the nuclear power plant in Fukushima. It explained the devastating situation that Japan was facing right after the Tohoku Earthquake. Making an animation character "Genpatsu-kun" and using examples such as stomache, doctors, and most importantly, poos, the video aimed to explain the situation to children, presumably elementary school students.
It may have been an effective way and a beneficial influence for children since it was easy to accept and understand the frame of the problem. In Japanese version, the narrator talked humorously and the pictures were colored more lightly, making it easier for children to accept the video. It was very informative and educaional, and it also told us to be thankful for the doctors' hard work. English version video had the same content yet it sounded more serious and devastating due to the robotic narrator and the dark, scary pictures. There were less criticism in Japan and a lot in foreign countries. This is probably because Japanese people have more torelance towards unchi than other countries. If I were a child, I would watch and use it to learn about the crisis our country is conforting. Some who criticized in Japan may be parents that think poos and farts are inappropriate and do not want their children to be badly influenced by the video.
Genpatsu-kun attempted to explain the impelling situation to children and reassure that it will be alright. However, more than six years have passed since the earthquake and our country is still working on nuclear power plant issues. It did inform the difference between Chernobyl disaster and Three Mile Island accident and told that Japan will be okay, but were still not okay. Envirnomentally, this video was not 100% true.
Overall, I think this video was an effecive way to present the frame of the issue to the children and let them want to know and learn more about it.
No comments:
Post a Comment