江戸時代のAVにありがちなタイトルｗｗｗｗｗｗ
A unique online trend is imagining what titles "entertainment videos" might have had if they existed in Japan's Edo period. This meme, akin to a comedy improv game, challenges users to invent fictional titles reflecting Edo-era customs and trends. Many users enthusiastically participate, finding the blend of culture and humor both plausible and entertaining.
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What is Ukiyo-e?
Ukiyo-e are woodblock prints and paintings that flourished during the Edo period, representing a major aspect of popular culture. They served a multifaceted role, similar to modern-day gravure idols, posters, magazines, and manga. The genres were diverse, including "yakusha-e" (actor prints depicting Kabuki actors), "bijin-ga" (prints of beautiful women and courtesans), "fūkei-ga" (landscape prints of famous places), and "fūzoku-ga" (genre prints depicting daily life and customs of common people). Ukiyo-e vividly reflected the fashion, trends, and social conditions of the time, serving as both an information source and a symbol of entertainment. For example, popular actor prints sold rapidly, also used to promote new Kabuki plays. Works depicting exotic Nagasaki landscapes or the bustling streets of Edo also offered a vicarious travel experience for those who couldn't journey. In the context of this article's theme – imagining Edo-era fictional titles – Ukiyo-e's diverse subject matter and insights into what people found interesting, beautiful, or humorous at the time are indispensable. The visual culture enjoyed by people then, and its methods of expression, provide crucial hints for us today to imagine titles of works from that era.
What are Kusazōshi / Kibyōshi?
Kusazōshi are illustrated storybooks widely read by common people in the late Edo period, akin to modern manga or light novels. Kibyōshi, a type of Kusazōshi, specifically featured humorous content and strong satirical elements often targeting adults. These books were primarily illustration-driven, with text often serving as supplemental captions, making them accessible and enjoyable even for commoners with lower literacy rates. Many Kibyōshi incorporated contemporary trends, current events, social satire, and parodies, depicting human relationships with a humorous perspective. For instance, they might satirize politicians or cultural figures by portraying them as animals, or feature parodies of popular Kabuki actors. Their titles were highly unique, subtly or directly hinting at the content to pique readers' interest. Titles like "Kinkin Sensei Eiga no Yume" (Master Kinkin's Dream of Glory) often alluded to character names or the story's core, and their wit can still be appreciated today. When considering this article's theme of "imagining Edo-era fictional titles," the distinctive wordplay in Kibyōshi titles and their knack for reflecting contemporary society serve as crucial references for modern internet users to expand their ideas.
What are Sharebon / Kokkeibon?
Sharebon and Kokkeibon are literary genres that flourished from the mid to late Edo period, depicting the urban culture and lives of people with satirical and humorous undertones. Sharebon primarily focused on "iki" (chic sophistication) in pleasure quarters (hanamachi), conversations, and human relationships. Through refined language and witty exchanges, they vividly portrayed the culture and customs of the time. The psychological depth of characters and the detailed scene descriptions were sophisticated, akin to modern adult humor novels or dramas exploring the subtleties of human relationships. Kokkeibon, on the other hand, dealt with more common people's daily life, events during travel, and interactions between couples, pursuing direct laughter and amusement. Jippensha Ikku's "Tōkaidōchū Hizakurige" (Shank's Mare along the Tōkaidō) is a prime example of Kokkeibon, depicting the comical journey of Yajirobē and Kitahachi, humorously portraying travel and encounters of the era. The titles of these works not only hinted at the content but were also ingeniously crafted to spark readers' imaginations. For modern internet users contemplating "Edo-era fictional titles," understanding the humor and the clever use of metaphors in these titles provides valuable insight into the sensibility of people from that period. Sharebon and Kokkeibon can be considered precious cultural legacies that deeply observed aspects of contemporary society and elevated them into literary works.