DOI: https://doi.org/10.14710/kiryoku.v10i2.696-709

A Feminist Cinematic Reflections: Challenging Patriarchal Norms in Japanese Workplaces

Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang, Indonesia

Open Access Copyright (c) 2026 by authors under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.

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Abstract

Women's representation in Japanese TV dramas has increased over the last decade, with women portrayed not only in subordinate roles but also as agents of rebellion against patriarchal society. In Japanese culture, women are still perceived through the values of ryōsai kenbo and masculine organizational structures, making this a compelling topic for critical analysis. This research examines female resistance in two Japanese dramas, Doctor X: Surgeon Daimon Michiko and Legal V: Ex-Lawyer Takanashi Shoko, and explores how patriarchal discourse is constructed and rejected. This qualitative study combines Krippendorff's content analysis with Sara Mills' Feminist Discourse Analysis. Data comprise scene fragments, dialogues, and narratives depicting women's subordination and resistance in the workplace. Analysis involves coding characters, interactions, and narrative structures, focusing on subject-object representation, agency, and power relations. The findings indicate that the protagonists, Daimon Michiko and Takanashi Shoko, represent women who experience subordination but actively resist patriarchy. Structurally, both encounter patriarchal organizational practices, including power harassment and objectification. Discursively, however, they exercise agency by rejecting organizational norms, negotiating professional positions, and reversing power dynamics. Thus, both dramas subvert patriarchal norms and create space for counter-narratives that affirm women's autonomy in the workplace.

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Keywords: Female lead; Feminist discourse analysis; Japanese patriarchal norms; Woman Reistance

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