Synopsis

This animation work was made in 1971 to visualize Tanaami’s memory of his first visit to NY in 1969. It has many symbolic icons, such as Superman, Hot dog, Coke, Statue of Liberty, and Marilyn Monroe, with which Japanese young people of that time associated United States. It nostalgically represents the mighty city NY at that time, through the lead character Marilyn Monroe who already passed away. It also represents Tanaami’s mixed emotions based on Japanese complex relations with United States for 25 years after the war.

©Keiichi Tanaami / Courtesy of NANZUKA, Tokyo