Anjin 1600 by David Blandy at Museum of Contemporary Art MOCA

Blandy’s animation ANJIN 1600: Episode 1, is based on the real life journey of British explorer William Adams who is credited as being the first Englishman to arrive in Japan, landing in 1600 – and dubbed by the locals as Anjin. In Blandy’s version, a mix of Manga, Star Wars and boys own adventure stories, the lead character Anjin even has a striking resemblance to the artist, down to his black rimmed glasses. Blandy “reimagines William Adam's journey to, and his time in, Japan as an epic space adventure. Fusing 16th century history, Homer's Odyssey and anime plot devices, Anjin 1600 results in a complex meditation on cultural tourism and identity.”