AllMovie

The 11-part series Man on the Rim chronicles the history of the Pacific Rim countries and addresses the contemporary significance of these nations as major players in world affairs. Pacific Rim countries include Australia, China, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Japan, Laos, and New Zealand. Part eight, Man on the Rim: Pure and Simple, examines Japan's long struggle to maintain an independent identity from that of China. In this effort lasting thousands of years, the Japanese have developed a cultural character based on simplicity and ceremony. This program looks at the manifestations of Japan's cultural philosophy by exploring the nation's formal gardens, calligraphy, pottery, wood paper, fan making, and bamboo. Other programs in the series include Man on the Rim: The Powerhouse, Man on the Rim: Into the Deep Freeze, and Man on the Rim: The New Cutting Edge.