Video Find of the Week- Genji: A Thousand Year Love

[AnaIkimaru]

Interesting to say the least. Just watched the first parts so far. It's based in the Heian Era.

Genji: A Thousand year Love


The Heian Era (平安時代, Heian jidai) can be defined as Japan during the 700s to almost 1200. It was during the Heian Era that the famous novel, "Tale of Genji" was written.

Wikipedia things to partially agree with:
Heian Period
Authoress of Tale of Genji
Tale of Genji


Books you may want to read about the Tale of Genji and Japanese Literature:
Tale of Murasaki by Liza Dalby
Anthology of Japanese Literature
The World of the Shining Prince

So, if anyone has watched this, what did you think?

Also, there is an animated version of this that was just released in the past year-

Genji Monogatari Senneki

I'm dying to see the anime, as well as the 1980's live action (not the anime), both are supposed to be excellent.

[esther]

Very nice! I watched parts 1, 2, & 3 already. It's a nice take on Genji. To intertwine two stories...sort of breaks up the story into neat little pieces and gets you some commentary on it. But so far it doesn't show the whole idea of how one goes about writing poetry on the right sorts of paper with the proper attachments of plum or pine branch and how to set up one's kimono colors & patterns to harmonize with the season (Heian style). You want to revel in that, read the original!!! It's long but the story moves along briskly...and just like this drama, there's lots of sleeping around, angsting, political intrigue, and posession by malevolent spirits. Woo Hoo!

Makes me wonder if this story is anywhere a near representation of Murasaki Shikibu's real life story. I'll have to look it up. I've already read Genji Monogatari a couple times and The World of the Shining Prince. I'll have to check out Liza Dalby's book now! Maybe I'll see if Paul-sensei can order it for me through shop.tokyomokyo.com. (shameless plug) ^_^