2010年1月15日 星期五

手塚治虫「不死鳥」

手塚治虫

維基百科，自由的百科全書

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日語寫法
日語原文 手塚 治虫
假名 てづか おさむ
羅馬字 Tezuka Osamu

手塚治虫（1928年11月3日－1989年2月9日），日本漫畫家、動畫家、醫生、醫學博士。原名手塚 治，(由於生於明冶天皇誕辰，因而取名「治」)，因喜愛昆蟲，所以把他的原名「治」改成日文中發音很像的步行蟲的日文名稱[1]。漢字寫作「治虫」。以後手塚治虫就成為了他的筆名。同時，他以醫學家身分的名義仍使用原名手塚治。他也是日本第一位導入助手制度與企業化經營的漫畫家。

目錄

[隱藏]

[編輯] 年表

[編輯] 作品名單

[編輯] 漫畫

[編輯] 四格漫畫

[編輯] 少女類

[編輯] 成人類

  • 阿波羅之歌(日語：アポロの歌)
  • 佛陀(日語：ブッダ）
  • 浮士德(日語：ネオ・ファウスト)(註：未完成的遺作)
  • 桐人傳奇(日語：きりひと賛歌，港譯：狗面人)
  • 蒐集人種(日語：人間ども集まれ！)
  • 迷幻少女(日語：ばるぼら)
  • 奇子(日語：奇子)
  • 三個阿道夫(日語：アドルフに告ぐ)（日語意思是《昭告阿道夫》，三個阿道夫為台灣的翻譯）
  • 太平洋X點(日語：太平洋Ｘポイント，英語：X-Point On The South Pacific)
  • 透明人(日語：アラバスター，英語：Alabaster)
  • 修馬力傳奇(日語：シュマリ)
  • 向陽的樹(日語：陽だまりの樹)
  • 上を下へのジレッタ

[編輯] 幼齡類

[編輯] 集錦

[編輯] 動畫原作

[編輯] 助手

[編輯] 成就與影響

[編輯] 漫畫之神

手塚治虫對現代日本漫畫影響巨大的。主要影響如下

  • 1947年《新寶島》－發明了以電影技巧來畫漫畫。採用變焦、廣角、俯視等電影技術繪圖，以分鏡頭的方式連接。擺脫了以四格漫畫和傳統連環畫的繪的畫方式。這種手法沿用自今。成為漫畫的構圖標準。
  • 1953年《藍寶石王子》－被公認的第一部少女漫畫，並奠定了美少女的常見造型特徵，如大眼睛和圓臉等。
  • 1961年－「蟲製作公司成立」－奠定了日本動畫界的發展方向。當時，美國動畫界巨頭迪士尼公司採用的是高成本、大製作類似「好萊塢」 一樣的製作方式。耗費龐大的資金、時間、人力才能製作一部作品。甚至一部動畫就可以使一個工廠破產。而手塚治虫認為：只要故事好，就算是兩張紙片也一樣可 以吸引人。著力刻畫人物的內心，極大限度地節約製作成本。配合大量預定義的動作和CG來開發作品。最著名的就是口動、眨眼系統：眨眼三幀、說話三幀的模 式。這種方式如今仍然被日本動畫界使用。甚至成為ADV遊戲製作根本。至此：日本動畫成為能與美國動畫分庭抗禮的巨匠。美國動畫特點走大製作、大成本的道路；日本動畫則採用小成本、快產出的方式。
  • 1963《鐵臂阿童木》－第一部日本國產電視動畫，當時的收視率超過四成。這部電視動畫作品其實已經是比較完善的日本動畫的雛形。甚至有很多看來是習慣的東西也被保留了下來，比如：一周播一次動畫。
  • 1969年的海王子是日本第一部正統西式奇幻漫畫，並成為了第一部公認有深度的動畫原著，並發掘了動畫監督新星富野喜幸。

[編輯] 作品與思想

手塚治虫是多產的漫畫家，一生畫了約450部漫畫（一說700部），但作品豐富多樣：兒童生活、科幻、偵探、歷史、傳說，文學、醫學、宗教、音樂、哲學等。這些作品幾乎都影響了後來的漫畫家的創作題材，不過這些作品取材和來源分為四大類：

  1. 其它動漫作品影響：手冢治蟲閱讀過大量的東西方動畫、漫畫作品。受許多漫畫、動畫大師比如迪士尼、萬籟鳴。
  2. 社會環境：手冢治蟲曾受到二戰和日本思想變化的影響，作品常常凝重、深邃、帶有「求索」的心情，呼籲和平、反對戰爭。前者比如《佛陀》，後者比如《三個阿道夫》 這些作品在日本動漫乃至世界動漫都是非常少見，但的確也彌足珍貴。
  3. 小說：手塚治虫改編了不少的世界名著，比如《新浮士德》、《一千零一夜》、《三隻眼》等。經改編的作品有的保持原貌，但大多加上了作者的思想。此外亦曾受梵蒂岡教廷之邀製作《舊約 聖書物語》，除了動畫，集英社並於1994年發行漫畫版，全3巻。
  4. 職業和興趣：手塚治虫是醫學博士，喜歡昆蟲。於是創作了《人間昆蟲記》《BLACK JACK》（中文譯：《怪醫黑傑克》）等作品

[編輯] 影響

手塚治虫對日本漫畫家們的影響是巨大的，幾乎所有的漫畫家都是受手塚治虫作品啟蒙。比如鳥山明就曾經說過：兒時經常塗鴉老師（手塚治虫）的人物。

  • 手塚治虫的漫畫的總銷量已經超過1億，許多形象（比如阿童木，原子小金剛），不僅受到日本、亞洲動漫愛好者的喜愛。而且成為世界動漫明星。
  • 手塚治虫對中國非常友好，稱中國漫畫家萬籟鳴為兄。手塚治虫漫畫《鐵臂阿童木(原子小金剛》成為最先進入中國動漫界的日本動畫片之一。2000年，北京舉辦了手塚治虫紀念館（四天）的活動。
  • 手塚治虫的弟子最著名的有：藤子不二雄（兩人，哆啦A夢名作家）。

[編輯] 死後評價

據說手塚治虫彌留時曾喃喃自語：「給我鉛筆。」但這種說法並沒有得到完全的確定。《火鳥》是手塚治虫的未完成的作品。

  • 橫山光輝著有《手塚治虫漫畫大全》，大和書房《手塚治虫的世界》
  • 菲律賓著名學者也對手塚治虫作出過很高的評價：「手塚治虫的作品里充滿了東方的智慧，以及對未來的思索。」

[編輯] 榮譽

注意：該條目下部分內容為翻譯日本語的同條目章節整理後編寫，可能因編撰者的翻譯水平限制，造成內容的偏差或相悖。該條目下的內容可能需要校對。

  • 1958年－《びいこちゃん》（英譯：pikotyan；漢譯：小兵）、《漫畫生物學》獲第3屆小學館漫畫獎
  • 1963年－《街角物語》獲藝術節獎勵獎，每日映畫評選會大藤信仰獎，藍帶教育電影獎。
  • 1966年－《森林大帝》獲電視記者會獎特別獎
  • 1967年－《展覽會的畫》獲藝術節獎勵獎，每日映評選會大藤信仰獎，藍帶教育電影獎，《森林大帝》（劇場版）（日語：ジャングル大帝）獲威尼斯國際電影銀獅獎，《鐵臂阿童木》（港譯：原子小金鋼）等其它作品，獲放送批評懇談會人物形象獎。
  • 1970年－《火之鳥》獲講談社出版文化獎。
  • 1975年－《Black Jack》（日語：ブラック.ジャック；漢譯：怪醫黑傑克；港澤：怪醫秦博士）獲日本漫畫家協會特別獎。
  • 1979年－ 嚴谷小波文藝獎。
  • 1980年－《火之鳥2772》獲拉斯維加斯電影節動畫部門獎，聖地亞哥漫畫評選墨水瓶（INK）獎。
  • 1984年－《向陽之樹》（日語：陽だまりの樹）獲29屆的小學館漫畫獎。同作品獲國際動畫電影節最優秀獎和聯合國教科文組織獎。
  • 1985年－《破舊的膠片》，獲第一屆廣島動畫電影節最優秀獎、國際動畫電影節範疇部門最優秀獎。
  • 1986年－《三個阿道夫》獲講談漫畫獎。
  • 1988年－《森林的傳說》獲每日映畫評選會大藤信郎獎和國際動畫電影節CIFEJ獎。
  • 1990年－ 獲得第19屆日本漫畫家協會獎文部大臣獎，於國立近代美館辦「手塚治虫」展。

[編輯] 註釋

  1. ^ 他的原名「治」(osamu)在日文中發音很像的步行蟲（Ground Beetle）的日文名稱（日語羅馬字 osamushi）。於是他把其筆名寫作「治虫」(讀音與本名相同)

[編輯] 外部連結




不死鳥
【聯合報╱林文義／文】
2010.01.16 03:46 am
永遠的原子小金剛。
曾郁雯／攝影

年少的醫科學生手塚治……這生性靦腆、木訥的，未來被永遠稱譽為「日本漫畫之神」的醫科學生，在戰爭末期，有著錐心創痛的初戀記憶……

戰爭末期的創痛初戀

多年以來，一直追索這令我傾慕、仰仗的名字，陪伴我從青春年少到逐老暮年，予我生命無邊的想像，關於美麗與哀愁的詮釋，生死輪迴以及人性深層的注解，還有最後的純淨。

那是一次旅行，朝聖般地從日本神戶搭上電車再轉乘城鎮客運，逐漸接近誕生他的故鄉所在，以西洋歌舞劇形式聞名於世的大阪寶塚學院；迷戀的粉絲，一大群老少 女子，貴婦行頭或者是粉領族打扮，在演藝廳前，擦拭亮麗的黃銅鑲框的巨扇玻璃大門，因垂墜的花朵造型水晶燈光泛散綽約光影。她們熱切等待即將終演的歌舞劇 名伶散場後步出，接受戲迷們的歡呼，擁戴，可想而知的，簽名與合照。

日本二戰之後的挫敗、蕭條，年少的醫科學生手塚治（編按，手塚治虫本名手塚治），用心的為寶塚歌舞女郎繪製演出海報，軟玉溫香、豔光四射的女體圍繞。這生 性靦腆、木訥的，未來被永遠稱譽為「日本漫畫之神」的醫科學生，在戰爭末期，有著錐心創痛的初戀記憶，猶若戰火殘酷，美軍B29無日不空襲工業重鎮大阪， 高校的男女學生被迫在飛機零件工廠無償作業，他偷偷地畫漫畫。

後來在以漫畫作為青春時代記憶的《紙堡》書中，線條筆觸如此溫柔地描繪情人，一個祈盼在戰後和平時日，能進寶塚歌舞學院，有朝一日成為眾人矚目的熠熠明 星，那是在河畔青草地上，許下的諾言；從小喜愛收集昆蟲標本的手塚治，則應允未來能以漫畫為終身志業，是一雙青春戀人的美夢心願。

一枚美軍空襲的炸彈，摧毀所有的祈望。未來猶如焚燒、滅絕的廢墟，手塚治初戀的女孩清純美麗的容顏受創，夢如泡沫，往事如煙，終戰，一切都化為虛無，只有飢餓。

模擬手塚治虫在書房工作的情形，每隔一段時間，模型會轉身和參觀者照面。
曾郁雯／攝影

漫畫之神竟是大阪醫大的醫學博士

初夏五月，我離開神戶有馬溫泉，一路青楓盈美，好風舒逸，阪神電車行過村野，穿起溪河，六十年後終得走訪，朝聖傾往、仰慕的手塚治虫漫畫的啟蒙故鄉；前往大阪寶塚之途，彷若穆斯林一生許諾的伊斯蘭麥加聖地。

寶塚歌舞學院行去數百尺，城堡頂端半圓形地球鏤空，彩虹光澤的長窗，輕巧的、溫暖的，在一排綠郁的銀杏聚攏的對街──手塚治虫紀念館。我頓時心跳加快，一種情怯與狂喜交熾的遲疑，腳步緩慢下來，我要準備怎樣的一顆心？要向虔敬的漫畫之神禱告何言？

紀念館前展翅欲飛的火鳥雕像，忽而憶及二十年前的溫美驚喜；一生以研究漫畫許身的洪德麟先生，為我從東京帶回角川書店印行的《火?鳥》精裝典藏版全套九大冊。我說，手塚漫畫不止於漫畫，若改為文字呈現，比文學還要文學。德麟兄肯定地頷首相應。

不朽的日本漫畫之神竟是大阪醫科大學的醫學博士？如若容我抉擇，怕早屈於現實虛華擇以此為一生安頓無虞之高所得行業，手塚怎會執著、愚騃若此？洪德麟先生說得好──世間行醫者治病甚眾，悲憫地以漫畫醫心，唯手塚治虫一人。確是醍醐灌頂的承教澈醒。

紀念館入者稀微，巨大玻璃試管裡陳列著逐漸泛黃的手稿，數百部皇皇巨作，呼喚著遠方而來的旅人；我屏息巡看，猶若尋找聖杯。感謝給我最美麗、純淨的幻想與 夢，孤寂童年的安撫，以及青春年少因之啟蒙的奔投畫事研習；往後的文學安頓之涵養，無非就是今時與之合影的手塚先生微笑如煦陽的半身遺照。

永生不死的火鳥，是宇宙誕生地球的終極祕密，萬物輪迴於死生，如飛螢，如星閃，如露亦如電……感嘆及深思，手塚先生在文字與畫幅之間，諭示人神合體、交融 與抗辯的決絕交戰方式，佛典或者《聖經》太難，這預言家的哲學思考之深邃，塑造出過去的廢墟儼然，今時的人心多端，未來的悲劇幻滅，他，做到了。

漫畫火鳥，生生世世的貪婪人性，渴求吮吸其血，求得永生，這妄念惡行縱然實現，又能真正印證什麼？所有的人、事、物皆已遠逝，獨留不死軀殼，荒冷、孤寂，與山川同在，與日月齊身，最後，只有與自我臨水對話……如此永生，最後是漫畫卷末，倦然留予天問？

手塚紀念館少人探看，對街百尺外的寶塚戲場人聲如沸，光影明暗，我卻宿願欣喜得償。

手塚治虫最重要的物件，如照片、手稿、畫稿等，都收藏在時空膠囊中，展現他一生精采的故事。
曾郁雯／攝影

數度跨界動畫而負債累累

未竟的遺作：《浮士德》。多年前，我從北海道的札幌帶回，允為夏季富良野賞花之念；據說傷逝於六旬之年的漫畫之神，幾因數度跨界動畫而負債累累，曾有遁逃 來台灣之圖。從小迷華德迪士尼的手塚先生，當知他秀異、精緻的漫畫連作以映象轉化必然失真，何以一再跳火迎刃？猶若文學改編影視一樣鎩羽折翼，長年的折 損、拂逆，憂鬱致癌而去，嘆矣！

以「浮世德」為題，搏命日夜描繪，帶著癌細胞的身心如何決絕的相互撕扯、對抗？未竟遺作的主角以靈魂和魔鬼交換，這是手塚先生最後的嚴正抗議嗎？他一定翻讀但丁的《神曲》，被尊稱為「日本漫畫之神」又如何？神逢絕境，還是要躍下地獄之火，斷然殉身。

我總追憶童年初讀《鐵腕阿豆目》（原子小金剛）的甜美，及長後《怪醫黑傑克》的冷酷與溫柔，《火?鳥》的壯美和悲憫……比文學還要文學的深沉蘊涵，我更遙 想於六十年前二戰前後，那個決意以筆墨立志，棄醫從畫允以一生的日本少年，在美軍B29轟炸機空襲中不懼危險，依然狂熱作畫的手塚先生，彷彿畫出自我在終 戰後被占領軍毆辱、被學校教官撕毀的畫幅，他的記憶永遠是飢餓。

因為飢餓，戰後的醫科學生、以漫畫初萌的青年，錯過與女友的約會，夜遲抵達女友家屋，但見二樓窗燈已熄，終究自慚黯然離去。

還是感到無邊的飢餓，買了兩枚饅頭，在空襲遺下的廢墟荒地，哽咽吞嚥，乍見前方已成枯骨的逝者仆臥，青年手塚扔去未食的饅頭──你也吃吧，希望未來不再有挨餓的日子……

手塚治虫先生，生於日本大阪府豐中市，在兵庫縣寶塚市長大，1928年誕生，逝世於1989年，日本人以「不死鳥」紀念之。

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2010年1月14日 星期四

Prius leads Japan manufacturing into future

Prius leads Japan manufacturing into future

2010/1/13


In improving vegetable and livestock traits, cross-bred varieties are often stronger and develop better than their "parents." I hear this is called hybrid vigor.

The robust growth of hybrid cars overlaps with this law of nature. Cars powered by a mix of electricity and gasoline are no longer stared at with curiosity.

Last year's top-selling new car was the hybrid Prius manufactured by Toyota Motor Corp. Sales tripled from the previous year when it ranked 10th.

The fuel efficiency produced by the motor-engine mix, coupled with the launch of a comparatively inexpensive third model and tax breaks, apparently worked in favor of the car.

Ten years ago, I was a passenger on a test-drive of the first Prius model. While I was impressed by its quiet and smooth movement, I was somewhat skeptical whether it could go beyond its "eco-friendly" image and truly win market support.

But now that the Prius is not only eco-friendly but also easy on the wallet, there is no reason it would not sell well.

Including other hybrid cars such as Honda Motor Co.'s Insight, hybrid cars make up nearly 10 percent of sales of all passenger cars, including minicars.

The history of automobiles overlaps with the history of oil consumption. In 1993, Toyota started to seek a different style of car because it was anxious about the future of gasoline-powered cars. The project was named "G21" with the aim to develop a car that would be accepted by the global environment in the 21st century and sell well.

That was the mission of Prius, whose development code was 890T.

In January 1996, a rough-edged prototype was put on a test course. According to those who attended the test drive, they were so relieved that the first words they uttered were "At any rate, it moved."

But the automaker put the car on the market in December 1997. I can imagine the momentum when a team of top-notch engineers stepped on the accelerator bearing the expectations of the whole company on their shoulders.

When Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama announced a set of ambitious measures to fight global warming, the industrial world let out a scream of help mixed with anger.

But there must be a path on which both companies and consumers can happily advance while paying attention to the environment.

I want to once again believe in Japan's manufacturing ability.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Jan. 12

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2010年1月12日 星期二

the Ninja Dog

Boo the Ninja Dog a must-see in Kyoto

BY CHIEKO HARA, THE ASAHI SHIMBUN

photoBoo stands guard. (CHIEKO HARA/ THE ASAHI SHIMBUN)

KYOTO--He isn't particularly nimble, hardly stealthy and not big enough to inspire fear in anything much larger than a rodent, yet Boo the Ninja Dog is the talk of the town in this ancient city.

Tourists from far and wide report encounters with this 9-year-old Pekinese clad in full ninja regalia including a sword strapped across his back.

And after their moment of living dangerously, many upload their thoughts and photos to blogs that reach out to even more Boo fans.

Boo has been spotted strolling the grounds of Kiyomizudera temple or scampering across the premises of Nijo Castle, both major tourist attractions in Kyoto.

Last month, he was surrounded by throngs of tourists in the scenic Arashiyama district on the northern rim of the city during the Arashiyama Hanatoro light festival.

"Is it a samurai? No, it's a ninja!" exclaimed one visitor. Inevitably, cries of "how cute" could be heard over the clicking of camera shutters.

Boo's master is 66-year-old Atsushi Nishi, a Kyoto resident and tour guide who specializes in trips to the far reaches of China. Nishi bought the dog in China in 2000 for the equivalent of roughly 4,500 yen ($49).

He named the dog Boo after the Tibetan word for the sun.

Boo first donned his ninja togs in 2008 for the Oharame Jidai Gyoretsu, an annual period costume parade.

The appearance was a success so Nishi continued to show up with Boo at historic sites and events in the city.

Boo even has his own blog. To follow the superdog's adventures and information on dates of upcoming appearances, visit: http://nishiworld.spaces.live.com.

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2010年1月11日 星期一

Japan tech needs M&A but patent war more likely

Japan tech needs M&A but patent war more likely

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Japanese schoolchildren often hold hanseikai, or "reflection talks," to discuss what they did wrong during a play or a sports meet.

Technology

There's a lot of that kind of introspection going on among Japanese tech executives at the Consumer Electronics Show this week, where the dominance of Sony Corp (6758.T) and Panasonic Corp (6752.T) seems to be a thing of the past, usurped by South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930.KS) and LG Electronics Inc (066570.KS).

To regain their competitive edge, Japanese electronics makers should be looking to mergers and acquisitions, cost cuts and other moves to boost their market share abroad, according to government officials, investors and bankers. But veteran executives tend to be resistant to change, and the many factions found in Japanese conglomerates often slow decision making because of the value placed on consensus building.

Some investors fear that a brighter global economy in 2010 will delay transformative deals, and Japanese firms will instead get distracted by patent fights to protect their existing technologies.

"Everyone knows what needs to be done, but execution has always been the issue in electronics," said Atsuto Sawakami, a fund manager at Sawakami Asset Management Co in Tokyo. "I'm not holding my breath. There are better places to invest."

At the world's biggest gadget fest in Las Vegas this week, Japanese executives privately voiced a sense of crisis.

Just a few years ago, one could walk through the Samsung booth feeling secure and smug, said a Toshiba Corp (6502.T) official. "But each year, the booth becomes more showy, the products better-designed. And the price is still a challenge to match," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The rise of Korea Inc at the expense of Japan is reflected by Samsung's aggressive target for flat-screen TV sales, at a time when Sony Corp is struggling to turn a profit. Investors have taken note; Samsung's shares surged 77 percent in 2009, twice as much as Sony's 39 percent rise.

OFT-TOUTED DEALS

Investment bankers in Japan love to sing the praises of a hypothetical merger of Sony and Sharp Corp (6753.T), or Sony and Hitachi Ltd (6501.T).

They are eager for more integration among Japanese firms' system chip and hard drive businesses, especially at a time when the global tech sector is also consolidating. Hardware, software and services firms are coming together to become more competitive, such as Oracle Corp's (ORCL.O) planned purchase of Sun Microsystems Inc (JAVA.O) and Hewlett-Packard Co's (HPQ.N) deal for network equipment maker 3Com Inc (COMS.O).

A combination of Sony's brand and Hitachi's technology and research capabilities could lay the groundwork for growth for the two loss-making companies, one banker said.

As the TV market becomes commoditized, Japanese firms are under pressure to win back market share through competitive pricing. Some, such as Toshiba, plan to outsource more production.

Sharp, which makes Aquos brand LCD TVs and supplies panels to Sony, Philips (PHG.AS) and Toshiba, aims to make its LCD plant in Nanjing as cost-efficient as any other local plant.

But there is a limit to such cost cuts, and Japanese companies need to be at the forefront of new technologies, if they are to remain competitive and survive, executives said.

"The South Korean companies are overwhelmingly stronger when it comes to cost efficiency," Sharp President Mikio Katayama said on the sidelines of CES. "We cannot win unless we do something only we can do."

PATENT WARS

Analysts expect patent wars to escalate as Japanese makers cling to key technologies in their grip.

Sharp is locked in a web of suits and counter-suits against Samsung over liquid crystal displays.

One of the main costs behind premium LCD TVs is the light emitting diodes (LED) used in the backlight, and Sharp is fighting to protect and leverage its patents.

"LED technology makers have not been very aggressive about asserting their patents," said Katayama. "That is going to change."

While the Consumer Electronics Show was brimming with flashy 3D TVs and products that Japanese firms are developing to win back their reputation as technology leaders, investors aren't sure it's safe to plough new money into their shares.

"Sony is beginning to look interesting, if its e-reader can win more market share," said Mitsushige Akino, chief fund manager at Ichiyoshi Investment Management Co. "But in general, Japanese tech firms have a long way to go before they can compete in BRIC nations," referring to Brazil, Russia, India and China. "For true growth, drastic consolidation is necessary, and I don't see it happening."

(Reporting by Mayumi Negishi; Editing by Tiffany Wu)
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2010年1月9日 星期六

From Japan, a Lethal Leading Lady

Video Game Review | Bayonetta

From Japan, a Lethal Leading Lady

Sega Games

The title character of Sega’s Bayonetta is a beguiling witch who uses spells, martial arts and guns to dispense with her enemies.


By SETH SCHIESEL
Published: January 8, 2010

Video games are undoubtedly Japan’s most successful and popular cultural export. Television, film, music and most other mass media are usually too closely bound to the particular sensibilities of their country of origin to appeal to a broad global audience, especially in the case of a relatively homogeneous country like Japan.

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Bayonetta, developed by Platinum Games and published by Sega, is the work of Hideki Kamiya, who also designed Okami.

By contrast, there is a universality to gaming that transcends cultures and that has allowed Japanese games to find eager audiences around the world. The United States, in particular, is infamously resistant to most popular entertainment from overseas. Yet over the last several decades Americans have demonstrated an affinity for Japanese games that in the category of cultural imports was previously reserved for British rock groups.

In that vein, it is certainly no coincidence that the most famous Japanese game characters, like Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, Solid Snake (of the Metal Gear series) and Link (of the Legend of Zelda franchise) are not themselves Japanese. And so it is with Bayonetta, heroine of the ridiculously, phantasmagorically brash new hack-and-slash action game from Sega that bears her name.

Imagine Sarah Palin equipped not only with glasses but also with Jennifer Lopez’s posterior poured into a backless black skintight jumpsuit, double-barreled pistols strapped to both hands and both ankles, an angel-munching dragon demon concealed within her topknot and a more spectacular repertory of acrobatic moves than Nadia Comaneci. That’s Bayonetta. Lara Croft should go run and hide in a closet because Bayonetta, the character, is both more alluring and more powerful than any female game lead I can recall.

Likewise, Bayonetta, the game, is more alluring and more powerful than any big-budget game to come out of Japan in recent years. For all of its historical success, Japanese game development has seemed to stagnate lately. But that is certainly not the case with Hideki Kamiya, Bayonetta’s director at the Osaka developer Platinum Games. Mr. Kamiya directed other landmarks in Japanese gaming, including Resident Evil 2 (1998), Devil May Cry (2001) and Okami (2006), and it is clear that the transition to high-definition gaming has provided him with more tools to realize his incredible visions.

It is worth pointing out that Bayonetta was primarily developed on the Microsoft Xbox 360, not the Sony PlayStation 3, and so the 360 version runs much more smoothly than the PS3 version. And with a game like this, if it ain’t smooth, it ain’t fun.

And that, in turn, is because the game is all about some of the most fluid, creative, eye-searingly beautiful combat animation yet created. Bayonetta punches, kicks, shoots, impales, decapitates and otherwise brings the pain with such grace and style that it is as if an otherworldly female Bruce Lee had taken the lead of the Kirov Ballet.

Bayonetta glories and revels in melee combat in a way that American and European games almost never do. Western games can certainly be violent, but even when they are, it is usually in a very functional way: you shoot someone or something, perhaps there’s a big explosion or three, and then the bad guy is dead.

By contrast, Japanese games like Bayonetta fetishize the aesthetics of hand-to-hand violence. (Even with guns, all of the combat in Bayonetta is at close range.) And of course in a video game the laws of physics and the other bases of reality are entirely optional and can be sacrificed readily for the sake of visual appeal.

There is a story somewhere in Bayonetta, but it is not worth even trying to follow. Put simply, hell and heaven are once again going at it, and Bayonetta, as one of the witches of darkness, is out to give those radiant beatific types a smack (or more) in the face. But even when torrents of unintelligible plot exposition are washing over you in the game’s noninteractive cinematic sequences, you can just sit back and marvel at the stunningly rich and kinetic animation.

As for the combat mechanics, Bayonetta has a seemingly unending menu of moves to choose from, using various combinations of just a few buttons on the 360 or PS3 controller. The problem with most melee combat games is that they take themselves far too seriously and end up too difficult for anyone but the most hard-core player. That pitfall is skirted here through an ingeniously scaled range of five difficulty settings — at its easiest levels, Bayonetta can basically be played with one hand — and the provision of an unlimited free-form practice mode.

At a moment when so many games are trying to become more like movies (not necessarily a bad thing), Bayonetta savors its identity as a gamer’s game. Perhaps that is because video games never suffered quite the social stigma in Japan that they did in the United States until recently. Whatever the reason, Bayonetta can take credit for demonstrating that Japanese game development may not be quite as moribund as many players have recently feared.

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