Rising Sun, Iron Cross—Military Germany in Japanese Popular Culture

Diverse depictions of the WWII German army exist in Japanese popular culture. This essay will explore the origins of the Japanese fandom devoted to German military technology and also the way that authors have (re)produced stereotypes related to German culture and traditions in their portrayals of wartime Germany. Finally, using examples by authors Tezuka Osamu and Aramaki Yoshio, this essay will identify the representation of both Japanese and German war crimes in Japanese manga and popular fiction as a significant discursive trend that calls into question assumptions about anti-war thought in contemporary Japan.