'The most normal and straightforward interpretation of Japanese history' most certainly does not analyze the Meiji Restoration-to-Pacific War period and the Occupation-to-Lost Decade period as one continuous era, far less parts of the same 'golden age'.
I don't blame historians for dividing up such a long and interesting period into parts; especially since when these two periods were delineated, the golden age was still going on and seemed 'normal.'
I...I can't respond to this. You've made a profoundly odd historiographical assertion conflating two vastly different periods of history that have next to nothing in common except the epoch between them and the 'strength' of the country in question (it wasn't even strong in the same
way), defended this assertion by claiming that it's 'normal and straightforward', and then responded to the point that reputable historians do not understand things this way by claiming that they just aren't/weren't privy to the same insights as you.
Also, Sol, you underestimate my ability to go on for hours about which anime series suck and which ones are good. I have very strong opinions on this.