AnalyzeCriticize

Just a washed up English major flexing the theories I spent thousands to learn.

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Buddy Daddies Hydrangea Symbolism

*Contains Spoilers for episode 7*

So, to start off, hydrangeas have a bunch of symbolism depending on their color and the culture you’re talking about, but Japan’s symbolism for them makes Kazuki and Yuzuha’s story way sadder.

To start off, hydrangeas only blossom in Japan around June and July, always coming hand-in-hand with the rainy season. There is a myth in Japan that states an emperor once gave blue hydrangeas to a woman he loved to apologize for not giving her attention. He was so focused on work and his duties, but gave her these flowers to show that he had not forgotten her, even if he was busy. As a result, blue hydrangeas have come to be associated with apology and deep gratitude. I was, unfortunately, unable to find any good mythology sources for this, but this seems to be the gist of the tale passed around.

To start off, Kazuki and Yuzuha first met when he went bleeding into the hydrangea garden that Yuzuha was in. Hydrangeas are often associated with love, so this is a very sweet introduction for them as a couple. The more it progressed though, the sadder everything got as we transitioned into the other main meaning for hydrangeas.

Next, we have her actual death scene. It’s raining. She has blue hydrangeas on her umbrella. It’s very safe to assume that it’s the rainy season, meaning it is also around their anniversary of when they first met. The very pointed zoom in on the hydrangeas on her umbrella after the explosion is a pretty good indicator of “hey, you should pay attention to this.”

Roll back to the present time, and it is, once again, rainy season. The hydrangeas are in full bloom and the anniversary of them meeting and Yuzuha’s death is back. No wonder the developers chose hydrangeas to represent Kazuki and Yuzuha’s relationship. These flowers brought them love, but they also cause Kazuki to grieve every year. He takes Yuzuha’s death very personally, as he believes it is his fault, which fits well with how hydrangeas are associated with apology. I don’t think that the deep gratitude part sinks in for him until after he talks to her sister, Karin. She teaches him a better way to honor her memory and show that he still cares without destroying himself in the process. 

I can’t remember if there are any other instances of hydrangeas in the later episodes, but I would really like to see how he progressed on this. I would’ve loved to see a little nod to it in the final episode.

Anime: Buddy Daddies

Hydrangea Source: https://oharaflorist.com/flower-types/an-emperor-and-his-hydrangeas/

Picture Credit: Aniplex

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Chainsaw Man Anime - The Quest Narrative

Disclaimer: I have not read the manga. This piece is based solely on the anime and what I could get from that. This is just what I noticed, so I could be completely wrong. All media is open to interpretations.

*This post will contain spoilers*

Chainsaw Man is an anime filled to the brim with symbolism and themes that it is really difficult to pick one thing to focus on. For this post, I want to focus on the quest narrative, since it is a simple introduction. The quest narrative is one of the easiest archetypes to spot because it is so widely used. A few points to focus on when it comes to the quest narrative are this:

1. The hero or person doing the quest 

2. A place to go 

3. The reason to go there

4. The challenges they face along the way

5. The real reason they went (what they actually learn at the end that changes them)

From the very first episode, parts 1-3 of the quest are already taken care of. Our hero is obviously Denji, the place to go is wherever the boss tells him to go, and the reason is that he has to pay off the debt left behind by his father/he wants the good things in life eventually (like jam to go with his bread). Where the anime currently is would be part 4, the challenges he faces along the way that leads to what changes him (joining public safety, the fights and relationships he has, the Gun Devil wanting his heart). Since only the first season has come out, part 5 is left unfinished.

Denji could possibly have two quests going on at the same time, depending on where you’d like to begin. 

If you start from when he joins public safety, then his place to go is public safety. The reasons depend on what perspective you take. To Denji, his reasons to work in public safety are to live the good life, form a relationship/touch Makima, and so he doesn’t get killed by public safety. To Makima, it’s because the Chainsaw Devil is very powerful, especially when wielded by Denji, since he has such loose morals. The reason she wants him on Special Division 4 is because he could defeat the Gun Devil with some proper training. Part 4 would be all the battles they are having along the way, each of them teaching Denji something new. As mentioned in episode 12 by the Katana Devil, Denji is getting better at fighting on a regular basis. Much of this is due to experience, but also because of his recent lessons with Kishibe.

No matter which perspective you take, part 5 is still up in the air. I’m sure manga readers have an idea what Denji’s real purpose is and how it changes him, but I’m just not there yet. The big thing is that Denji will eventually learn something that changes him in a big way and he will use that for some means. I hope to read the manga eventually in the original Japanese, but I need to study a bit more first. I’m already looking forward to season 2 so that I can see how his quest changes. Denji is the first character I have come across whose quest is self-motivated to this degree. Many heroes want to save someone or are aiming towards a bigger picture, but Denji is focused solely on his goals and will do whatever to achieve them. It is very refreshing and I’m excited to see how his story fits into the archetype.

If you have any thoughts or things to add, please feel free to leave a comment! Just remember: I have not read the manga and that I am out of practice with analyzing stuff, hence why I picked something so easy for my first. Constructive criticism is welcome, just make sure you can back it up with evidence. Manga readers - please no spoilers.

More info on the quest narrative: How to Teach Literature like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster

Anime: Chainsaw Man

Picture: Tower Records 

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Introduction

Hello everyone!

My name is Shy and I’m an English teacher in Japan. I’m planning to get my master’s degree in English literature when I’m done in Japan, but I’m a bit out of practice. I really enjoy reading and watching anime, so I’m going to try my best to analyze the things I am currently enjoying for practice. 

Hope you enjoy!