In this talk, I discuss the representations of Afro-Japanese encounters in digital culture using the case studies of Yasuke and Megan Thee Stallion. Yasuke, a historical figure and Black African samurai, has increasingly become the subject of media representation, most recently in his casting as the protagonist in the newest installment of the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Megan Thee Stallion, a Black American rapper and fan of anime, has become a representative of Black fans of Japanese popular culture especially following the release of the hit singles “Mamushi” (featuring Japanese rapper Yuki Chiba) and “Otaku Hot Girl.” Although both Yasuke and Megan Thee Stallion embody different temporalities and contexts, the similarities in their reception among social media users demonstrate that while digital representations of Afro-Japanese encounters can be celebratory and foster the development of transnational Black digital networks, such representations can also exacerbate anti-Blackness, fetishization, ethno-nationalism, and misogynoir. In analyzing digital discourse pertaining to these figures, I advocate for the integration of approaches from critical digital studies and Global Asias in research on contemporary Japanese society and popular culture.

Kimberly Hassel is a sociocultural anthropologist and digital ethnographer specializing in digital culture, youth culture, diaspora, contemporary Japanese society, and Afro-Japanese encounters. Her current book project, tentatively titled Intimate Solitudes and Solidarities: Digital Sociality, Youth Culture, and Identity in Contemporary Japan, examines the relationships between social networking services, smartphones, and shifting notions of sociality and selfhood among young people in Japan in the period immediately prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic.