On 23 February, a border studies seminar entitled ‘Nice Bear or Naughty Bear’ was held at the Slavic Research Center, Hokkaido University.

At the seminar, Professor TAKEDA Masayu explained, using a great number of materials, how to interpret representations of the Soviet Union and Russia in Chinese cartoons (renkanga) and film. He explained how the scientific and technical expertise of the Soviets was shown in the cartoon representations of them as Professors, and how these representations became patterned along the lines of other ‘goodies’ and ‘baddies’. As relations worsened between the two countries, Soviet citizens began to pop up in numerous spy films as the enemy.

A number of questions were asked from the floor, including these cartoons seen from the perspective of gender, the reason behind the contemporary boom in reprints of these images, and the ripping off of foreign materials, making clear the rich possibilities for a comparative research project. Professor TAKEDA is not only a keen supporter of a Global COE project, but also the Supervisor and Curator behind the current ‘China Seen from Across the Border’ Media Exhibit at the Hokkaido University Museum. This fascinating exhibition will run until May.