Shifting Imagery on the Covers of Clavell’s Shōgun and the Romanian Reception of Japanese Visual Culture

Radu Leca*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in book/report/conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

The Romanian translation of the novel Shōgun by James Clavell was first published in 1988 and then reprinted in 1992, 1994, 2007 and 2008. By discussing the covers of the various editions, this chapter analyses how their visual elements engaged with the cultural imaginary of Japan in communist and post-communist Romania. The cover design of the 1988 translation shaped the reception of the novel as a historical saga that embodied a foreign reality as respite from the limitations of the communist regime. In contrast, the covers of the post-communist editions employed visual collages blending in stills from the TV series, thereby interfacing the text with visual and cinematic stereotypes. The visual shift is representative of the range of meanings the novel took on: from escapist narrative to a celebration of unrestricted access to foreign media.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationLiterary and Artistic Japan Behind the Iron Curtain
EditorsIrina Holca, George T Sipos
PublisherRoutledge
Edition1st
ISBN (Print)9781041019275
Publication statusPublished - 7 Oct 2025

Publication series

NameRoutledge Contemporary Japan Series

User-Defined Keywords

  • reception
  • Visual culture
  • book covers
  • Romania

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