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Paper short abstract

This paper discusses the representation of foreigners in Japan in Tōkyō Saradabōru by Kruomaru and in Sukima by Gao Yan. It argues that the former risks reinforcing the Japanese/foreign divide, whereas the second reframes identity through transnational histories and entangled colonial pasts.

Paper long abstract

In recent years, debates on immigration and multicultural coexistence have permeated social media and popular culture in Japan. Amid these discourses and a concurrent resurgence of conservative voices, manga and television dramas have become sites for negotiating the visibility of foreigners in Japan and raising questions related to colonial history and identity.

Based on textual and visual analysis, this paper looks at the representation of non-Western foreigners in Japanese manga. It is premised on the notion that such a discussion is enriched by the inclusion of non-Japanese writers who work in Japan. It examines two graphic narratives, Tōkyō Saradabōru (Tokyo Salad Bowl, 2021-2024) by the Japanese manga artist Kuromaru, adapted into an NHK live-action drama in 2025, and Sukima (Gap, 2025) by Gao Yan, a Taiwanese artist based in Japan.

Tōkyō Saradabōru follows an eccentric female detective, whose hair is dyed green, and a brooding police translator with a complicated past. They encounter various foreigners, who in some way or another become involved in crime, whether it be as victims or perpetrators. The manga aims to counter stereotypes and present foreigners as complex human beings who happen to make Japan their home. However, it tends to reinforce the Japanese–non-Japanese divide and overlook deeper historical entanglements.

In contrast, Gao Yan foregrounds transnational and trans-minority connections, exploring and questioning notions of identity and belonging as well as the painful work involved in the excavation of history and understanding of political processes, usually concealed by those in power. In Sukima, a Taiwanese art student arrives for a year of study abroad in Okinawa and forges connections with a cast of various people, Japanese, Okinawan and Chinese. Gao draws parallels between Taiwan and Okinawa through shared histories of annexation and occupation, weaving personal narratives that traverse national boundaries. Instead of creating the dichotomy of Japanese versus foreign, Gao crafts a complex web of connections that call attention to history.

This presentation highlights the importance of inclusion of diverse voices and points of view when we discuss the representation of foreignness and identity in Japanese arts and media.