Downward Spiral: Japanese Postmodern Consciousness as Buddhist Metaphysics in the Dark Souls Video Game Series

Downward Spiral: Japanese Postmodern Consciousness as Buddhist Metaphysics in the Dark Souls Video Game Series

What do video games, doomsday cults, Buddhism, Star Wars and Japanese philosophy have in common? Follow Paolo Menuez's deep dive into the world of popular video game series Dark Souls as he unearths the fragile anxieties of a destabilized age and reveals a strange but powerful connection to the discourse of post modernity in Japan. Consider video games as feedback loops between text, environment and the ludic system, connecting conceptual motifs that structure each game in the Dark Souls series with modern otaku culture and Japanese philosopher Osawa Masachi’s concept of the post-fictional era. Featuring in-depth research concerning modern Japanese ideology, Buddhist philosophy, international pop culture, and the Aum Shinrikyo cult in connection with iconic action role-playing series Dark Souls.