Imperial Japanese Star Trek

It's been done for South Africa, India, The USSR, and a whole bunch of other nations. What if in the 1960s, in a timeline where Imperial Japan was neutral in the war, and thus survives, the Japanese produce a Star Trek type show? What does it look like? what type themes are explored? What is the make up of the crew? What about aliens?
 
The Starship Yamato would be able to transform into a giant humanoid, a la Robotech, probably looking like samurai warrior. It wouldn't fire photon torpedoes, but its 'Long Lance' torpedoes. There may be female members on her crew, but strangely they will be the only ones wearing kimonos - and try running away from attacking creatures where that - and not expect to be the first ones eaten. The officers will wear swords when they go planetside and will relax in the ward room with 'comfort women' to serve them.

The role of the Klingons would be filled by the Americans or Russians, depends on detente. The British would misrepresented by their starships appearing with an all Anglo officers corps and an entirely Indian crew - tho the Scots may make an appearance as the engineers.
 

ninebucks

Banned
Even in OTL, Democratic Japan is remarkably racist. AFAIK, Japanese SF, even at its most utopian, doesn't contain much ethnic diversity - Global Government is often implicit, but that rarely makes much of a difference to the nipponocentric environment that the main characters inhabit and which the main events take place in.

Imperial Japan would probably be even worse. Foreigners would be portrayed as scarcely anything more than rabid animals.
 

Neroon

Banned
Depends on the PoD, in LacheyS TL a Japanese ST would definetly have Korean characters, with the PoD basically just before Japan decides to attack in OTL i have to agree with ninebucks. Especially since we are talking 1960s here not 21st century.
Unless of course the series is deliberatly made as an "answer" to the U.S. Star Trek aimed at an international audience. In which case they'd probably want to make themselves look a lot more cosmopolitan than they really are.
 
Depends on the PoD, in LacheyS TL a Japanese ST would definetly have Korean characters, with the PoD basically just before Japan decides to attack in OTL i have to agree with ninebucks. Especially since we are talking 1960s here not 21st century.
Unless of course the series is deliberatly made as an "answer" to the U.S. Star Trek aimed at an international audience. In which case they'd probably want to make themselves look a lot more cosmopolitan than they really are.

True, but I'd assume that it'd be made for propaganda at home.

It'd have some difficulty becoming popular abroad, but you never know. An imperial Japan continuing to exist probably wipes out all japanese cultural influences to the west through comic books and cartoons... But I suppose they'd still make lots of comic books and cartoons that'd be interesting.
 
Interesting idea, really, and I would think that specifics of the show would be largely dependant on exactly what period it was made in, as well as the international political climate at the time. That said, I think you would see a lot of racism in it, both blatant, and veiled. For all the politeness they show, it is my understanding that, deep down, racism is alive and well in Japan.

Interesting idea overall, and if I had any experience making AH stories and such I would have to give something like this a serious thought.
 
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Also remember, we are not talking about a Star Trek based on modern Japanese sensibilities but those of Imperial Japan.

The "Federation" of the 26th century would be a "global co-prosperity sphere" dominated by Japan and reflective of Japanese sensibilities. There might be a multiracial crew, but all positions of real authority would be held by Japanese people - with the possibility that one or two Europeans or Anglo-Americans might be along, taking the role of freindly "space aliens" like Spock. Women crew would be limited to traditional female roles (nurses, clerks, etc). The Global co-posperity sphere's goal would be expansion to benefit Earth.

So, HIMS Yamato's role would be to go "where no man has gone before" to contact alien worlds and try to bring them into the Co-prosperity Sphere, preferably by peaceful means and trade relationships, but there would always be the threat of military force. There would be no sexual attraction between humans and aliens, period, and virtually no sexual element to the show at all.

The main "bad guys" would be other alien species who are attempting to expand or keep their empires over the same aliens the Co-Prosperity Sphere wants to "help". Perhaps one set of enemies would be an old empire resisting independence movements (think Europeans) and another set which is actively expanding into areas the Co-prosperity Sphere has already absorbed (think the USA or USSR). The appearance of the bad aliens would represent accentuated White or African traits, possibly on the same individuals.
 
Also remember, we are not talking about a Star Trek based on modern Japanese sensibilities but those of Imperial Japan.

The "Federation" of the 26th century would be a "global co-prosperity sphere" dominated by Japan and reflective of Japanese sensibilities. There might be a multiracial crew, but all positions of real authority would be held by Japanese people - with the possibility that one or two Europeans or Anglo-Americans might be along, taking the role of freindly "space aliens" like Spock. Women crew would be limited to traditional female roles (nurses, clerks, etc). The Global co-posperity sphere's goal would be expansion to benefit Earth.

So, HIMS Yamato's role would be to go "where no man has gone before" to contact alien worlds and try to bring them into the Co-prosperity Sphere, preferably by peaceful means and trade relationships, but there would always be the threat of military force. There would be no sexual attraction between humans and aliens, period, and virtually no sexual element to the show at all.

The main "bad guys" would be other alien species who are attempting to expand or keep their empires over the same aliens the Co-Prosperity Sphere wants to "help". Perhaps one set of enemies would be an old empire resisting independence movements (think Europeans) and another set which is actively expanding into areas the Co-prosperity Sphere has already absorbed (think the USA or USSR). The appearance of the bad aliens would represent accentuated White or African traits, possibly on the same individuals.
That is a good one!
 
Sexual element

So, HIMS Yamato's role would be to go "where no man has gone before" to contact alien worlds and try to bring them into the Co-prosperity Sphere, preferably by peaceful means and trade relationships, but there would always be the threat of military force. There would be no sexual attraction between humans and aliens, period, and virtually no sexual element to the show at all.

If there was a sexual element, and there might be, it would probably consist of comfort women and such being used by the warriors on the ship.
 
If there was a sexual element, and there might be, it would probably consist of comfort women and such being used by the warriors on the ship.

You are on to something there. So that's what the holodeck would be for! Cheaper than real women who have to be fed and completely compliant!
 
That was an interesting story, Thanks. Nonetheless, there were parts of it I did not like.

Oh, on Stardestroyer the MilitaryWank always flows thick and chunky, and I hardly give the thing my unqualified blessings either. But it's the only "Imperial Japanese in Star Trek Setting" story I know of (well, unless that "Worldwar-Star Trek" short crossover/fusion gets extended) and the mighty Japanse imterstellar empire strikes me as something actual Imperial Japanese with an SF tradition might fantasize about (did Japan before WWII have anything like an SF literature, I wonder?)

Bruce
 
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