Kaaihue,+Amber.+ The+Hero+and+the Villain

=**The Hero and The Villain**= Amber Kaaihue

=**Overview**=

The idea of the hero and the villain are commonly seen throughout many outlets of the everyday life. In the most common forms of entertainment, literature and film, one can find both the hero and the villain to be prevalent throughout them. Different cultures have different ideas of who the hero or the villain is, what the hero or villain represents, specific characteristics each posses, and portray them in different lights**.** The American culture and the Japanese culture both present these two characters in different and sometimes similar viewpoints and can easily be seen throughout each cultures films and literature.

=The American Hero=

The definition the the hero is "a person, who in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal" ([|Dictionary]). It is from this definition in which the ideas of different cultural heroes has been brought about. The American hero is on whom is "great, strong, clever, but they have to accomplish something to be known. In times of peace and calm, there is nothing hero-worthy to accomplish. In times of strife and struggle, the best of us come forward, becoming legends" ([|American Heroes]). He or even she are commonly seen within the everyday life, but more commonly, the American heroes are greatly portrayed within American films and literature.

=Within Film and Literature=

Many of the ideas of the American hero is seen within films and literature. Primarily, we find them in action and animated films, comic books, and even some of the classic novels that one is able to read. These heroes represent the good; they are the great, the strong, the clever. They defeat evil, they go above and beyond the average human life, and typically authors and film makers exaggerate traits "to bring glory beyond what an accurate presentation of life would justify" (Punke). In the American culture, we are taught to look up to these individuals, to idolize them and put them upon a pedestal. And, from American films and literature, we see the common human being transformed into someone that is above and beyond average, who defeats all evil within their way, and is the ideal person for people to look up to.

=The American Villain=

The dictionary definition of a villain is " a cruelly malicious person who is involved in or devoted to wickedness or crime " ([|Dictionary]). From this definition, one can determine how the villain within different cultures are portrayed and more over, how the ideas for the American villain came to be. The American villain is viewed as a the "evil" character or one who brings out the bad in every story line. Unlike the hero, villains are not commonly noticed within everyday walks of life, they are more dramatized within films and literature.

=Within Film and Literature=

The American villain is far more dramatized within film and literature. Primarily, these characters are found to cause conflict for the hero or protagonist within a work. They often are seen within action based or animated films, comic books, fictional stories, and sometimes even classic forms of literature. However, while they are seen in classic forms of literature, they tend to be over looked as not being a villain, but more so just the antagonist within a work. In films, they are far more exaggerated, seen doing only the mischievous and malevolent acts. But, although they do such things, the American villain comes to and end before most plot lines are over to give the viewer a happy ending.

=The Japanese Hero=

Focusing around the definition of a hero, the Japanese hero is much like the American Hero. The Japanese hero is based around some of the main ideas of the typical hero. He or she (most commonly a man) is seen as one with "strength, courage, and leadership" (Littleton), one with heroic qualities, and one who fights again the malicious ways of others. And, like the American hero, the Japanese hero can be found within some of the Japanese films and literature.

=Within Film and Literature=

Being one of the largest producers of anime and comic books, it is evident that the Japanese have tales of many heroic characters. However, it is also seen within some of their more ancient and historical stories. The Japanese have some legends similar to Americanized works. Many believe that the tales of Yamato-takeru are comparable to the Arthurian legend. And, although the Arthurian legend is an English work, it has become a prevalent work within the American culture. Like King Arthur was the hero of his time, Yamato-takeru was also a hero. These literary works prove that the ideals of heroes within different cultures are similar. Literary and cinematic, the Japanese heroes depict the ideas of the atypical, yet extraordinary individual.

=The Japanese Villain=

The Japanese Villain, is very much similar to the American villain. They still partake in malicious, malevolent, and mischievous acts, however, one of the biggest differences from the Japanese villain and the American villain is that the Japanese villain can be seen as more than just a man or a woman. The villain can be personified through various animals and objects and often, this can be seen within Japanese portraits and sometimes even within their literary and cinematic works. However, there is still the idea of those malicious and evil ways from the definition that gives light to the characteristics of the Japanese villain.

=Within Film and Literature=

Like stated previously, it is evident that the Japanese culture produces a large number of different villains due to being one of the largest producers of anime and comic books. But, these villains are also commonly seen within their novels (primarily as antagonists) and their films. Most often, as stated previously as well, they villain will be viewed as other than a human and within different animals or objects.

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Links and Works Cited
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Littleton, Scott. "Yamato-takeru: An "Arthurian" Hero in Japanese Tradition." //Asian Folklore Studies//. 54.2 (1995): 259-274. Print.

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Punke, Harold. "Hero Models." //Elementary School Joural//. 70.6 (1970): 304-307. Print.