Excess in Print

Abstract

Chapter 2 examines the entextualization of queerqueen Japanese into multimodal texts that endeavor to (re)create sonic qualities through visual means. It examines five books published in 1979–1980 by twin brothers Osugi (Sugiura Takaaki, cinema critic; 1945–) and Peeco (Sugiura Katsuaki, fashion critic; 1945–) that employ the taidan (conversational dialogue) format and incorporate illustrations from leading graphic artists. In a “boom” of popularity, Osugi and Peeco were renowned for their playful banter and were labeled the okama (pejorative slang for “fag/faggot/poofter”) twins. The rich textual fields of the books combine layout and graphic design with metalinguistic annotation and nonconventional orthography provided via stenography, transcription, and editing. Through visual mimesis and orthographic stylization, the “excessive” nature of the talk is visually highlighted. Censorship tropes visually mark that which must be contained. Spoken interactions emergent in “actual” conversations are thus entextualized and function as precursor for later articulations of queerqueen booms.

Categories that bind: Transgender, crossdressing, and transnational sexualities in Tokyo

“…Some participants also cite the increasing presence of josōko/otoko no ko on mainstream media, notably variety programs, as a shorthand to explain what “ josō ” or “ otoko no ko ” means to them. Scholars have previously criticized televisual depictions of okama , new-half, and onē (older sister; queen) personalities as hypervisible and heavily stereotyped (e.g., McLelland, 2004; Mackie, 2008; Maree, 2020). While I do not disagree with them, I wonder if, despite the media’s tendency to normalize and contain queerness, such representations might also enable some josōko/otoko no ko to make sense of their practices and subjectivities.…”