ABSTRACT
Nodainhisworkduringthe1980sachievedafusionof avant-gardeandpopularculturethatIhavecalledavant-pop. HisworkincorporatedelementsofbothWesternpostmodern andJapanesetraditionalartinablindingdisplayofwordsand movement.TherecanbefoundinhisworkJapanesetraditional narrativeandwordplay,surrealismfromEurope,andthe Japaneseavant-gardeofthe1960sand'70s.Nodaalsoused deconstructionandcollagetechniquessimilartoWestern postmoderntheater.Noda's1980stheaterwasnoteasyto interpreteventhoughitwasfuntowatch.Histheaterbecame verypopularamongtheyoung,creatingaphenomenonasa leaderintheshOgekijoboom.Theplayfulandirrational elementsofhistheater,originallyregardedasbelongingtolow culture,coexistedwithseriousthemesandallusionstohighart.
