Waseda University

Video games have become one of the world's most lucrative media entertainment forms, grossing more as a global industry in the 21st century than film or television. However, the mass acceptance of video games and the industry's growth into an economically powerful business has also affected us socially, culturally, and aesthetically. This course examines the dynamics of video games from a variety of perspectives, including its historical and technological origins; ontological debates about the nature and necessity of games and play; the flexibility of game aesthetics; types of game genres and narratives; the people who play games both casually and actively; transmedial dimensions of games (particularly in Japan); and how games function in and represent society and culture at large. In addition to readings, students play a sample of video games throughout the semester in order to understand a variety of game genres, designs, and intersections with culture and society. 

This class is for beginners. The course includes practicing daily expressions used while shopping and at the train station, while utilizing proper grammar and memorization of conversation patterns through role play. The goal of this course is to be able to conduct daily conversation. 

This basic Japanese course chooses a different theme concerning Japanese culture and society to discuss each week. Students are split into groups to engage in activities, discussion, and group work concerning the selected topic. The goal of the class is for students to widen their perspectives and deepen their knowledge regarding various issues related to Japan and Japanese society. The program offers various theme courses and students may take multiple sections.