Prosthetic Kokoro: Technics and Affects in Japan’s Robot and Idol Anime.

This paper examines the Japanese television series Idolmaster: Xenoglossia (2007) by reading its creative mix of robot and idol anime genres alongside Bernard Stiegler’s philosophy of technology. Focusing on moe, an intersubjective, affective form of relationality among viewers and fictional charact...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Science Fiction Studies Vol. 52; no. 3; pp. 483 - 503
Autor principal: CHU, LEO
Formato: Film/TV Criticism and Review
Publicado: University of California Press Nov2025
Materias:
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
fields @attributes:
  recordID: 1
pdfLink:
plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=hlh&AN=189095972&site=ehost-live
header:
  @attributes:
    shortDbName: hlh
    uiTerm: 189095972
    longDbName: Humanities International Complete
    uiTag: AN
  controlInfo:
    bkinfo:
    jinfo:
      jid:
        00917729
        SFS
      jtl: Science Fiction Studies
      issn: 00917729
      maglogo: N
    pubinfo:
      dt: Nov2025
      vid: 52
      iid: 3
      pid: 414
      pub: University of California Press
    artinfo:
      ui:
        189095972
        10.1525/sfs.2025.52.3.483
      ppf: 483
      ppct: 20
      formats:
      tig:
        atl: Prosthetic Kokoro: Technics and Affects in Japan’s Robot and Idol Anime.
      aug:
        au: CHU, LEO
        affil: University of New South Wales.
      su:
        Idolmaster: Xenoglossia (TV program)
        Anime
        Robots on television
        Science fiction television programs
        Stiegler, Bernard
      sug:
        subj:
          Idolmaster: Xenoglossia (TV program)
          Anime
          Robots on television
          Science fiction television programs
          Stiegler, Bernard
      keyword:
        affect
        Idolmaster: Xenoglossia
        kokoro
        moe
        technics
      ab: This paper examines the Japanese television series Idolmaster: Xenoglossia (2007) by reading its creative mix of robot and idol anime genres alongside Bernard Stiegler’s philosophy of technology. Focusing on moe, an intersubjective, affective form of relationality among viewers and fictional characters in the subculture of otaku, I explore the image of kokoro—understood as both heart and soul—of robots and idols. By comparing Xenoglossia with prior robot anime such as Mobile Suit Gundam (1979-1980), I situate the series in Japan’s historical encounter with technoscience, especially in regard to military technology and the ideology of eugenics. Through Stiegler’s analysis of individuation, I highlight how Xenoglossia echoes the prosthetic nature of affects. Consequently, the paper demonstrates the potential of analyzing the idol industry as a technological system that ambivalently tries to create prosthetic relationships in a fragmented society.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Film/TV Criticism and Review
      src: R
    language: English
    refInfo:
    copyright:
      @attributes:
        flag: Y
      dt:
        @attributes:
          year: 2025
    holdings:
      @attributes:
        islocal: N