Character design: The Victorian era and Japan

The Steampunk genre is based within the time of the Industrial revolution around the time of the Victorian ages, however the world is warped into a mash up of futuristic concepts with the visual appeal of the old technology.

The myth of the exotic East has always been a potent one in the West, fuelling such images as Coleridge's 'stately pleasure domes'. By the time Victoria came to the throne in 1837, however, the romantic yearning to penetrate hidden worlds was being superseded by a desire to reach the apparently enormous, but hither to untouched, markets of East Asia. With the 'opening' of China and Japan fantasies met with realities and new mythologies and stereotypes of the East were constructed.

Unknown. (Unknown). The Victorian vision of China and Japan. Available: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/t/the-victorian-vision-of-china-and-japan/. Last accessed 29/09/2011

This goes to show how Victorian Britain found mystery within the oriental world, associating it with mythical beasts and worlds alien to themselves.

In 1868, there was a revolution in Japan, which resulted in the overthrow of the shogun, the military ruler, and the restoration of the power of the Meiji emperor. The new Meiji government initiated a major transformation of Japan along western lines, in order to achieve parity with the West rather than be dominated by it. Japan participated in all subsequent international exhibitions, these events gave them the opportunity to garner international prestige, to acquire the latest technological information about the West and to promote the country's own products.

Unknown. (Unknown). The Victorian vision of China and Japan. Available: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/t/the-victorian-vision-of-china-and-japan/. Last accessed 29/09/2011.

This shows how the revolution in 1868 gave way to allowing the Victorians to indulge themselves into the Japanese culture, which gained popularity due to its difference with known culture.

During the reign of Queen Victoria Britain emerged as the most powerful trading nation in the world, provoking a social and economic revolution whose effects are still being felt today.

Paul Atterbury. (2011). Victorian Technology. Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/victorians/victorian_technology_01.shtml. Last accessed 28/09/2011.

Now imagine this, the enthusiastic designs based on mythical, oriental origins collided with the rich and powerful world of the Victorian age. New things would be being constantly built, extravagant designs wouldnt be held back due to a sense of revolution and instead of just standard buildings you would find elegance through a more simplistic, less blocky design. Merge this with the futuristic elements of Science Fiction and you would get an ambiguous landscape from another world.

Chris