Super Anime

This is the blog for my class at the University of Florida about Anime.

[reeseponds]

"Your Name", "Hetalia: Axis Power", and "Sensoron"

The anime "Your Name" and "Hetalia: Axis Power", as well as the manga "Sensoron", all symbolically convey themes of politics, nationalism, stereotypes, and relationships, some more so than others. After watching "Hetalia: Axis Power" and reading "Sensoron," I could tell automatically that these had a strong sense of national identity, whether it was portrayed comically or more seriously. However, it took me a little longer to see how the national identity was portrayed in the anime "Your Name".

Starting with the anime, "Your Name," it follows two young teenagers: Mitsuha, a girl from a small town, and Taki, a boy from Tokyo. They somehow merge, causing them to share bodies, and after some time passes with Taki not hearing from Mitsuha, he realizes that he must find her to save her life and the lives of her town from a comet similar to the Fukushima Disaster. This anime connects people with their homes and cultures, which means that both Taki and Mitsuha came to appreciate each other's homes and their own. Mitsuhua finally came to realize the importance of tradition and heritage after working tirelessly to save her town and its cultural heritage. This anime makes me want to study my heritage further and remember the importance of my hometown.

In "Hetalia: Axis Power," I honestly thought I was sitting in history class, but with a comedic twist. This was such an interesting way to learn about historical events. However, I also saw some interesting stereotypes depicted, such as Italy being portrayed as a young, almost unintelligent person who cannot fight for himself. However, this anime is almost like being in a room with every country, watching how they interact with each other, and seeing who likes whom. It nearly makes the person watching it want to laugh at each country's flaws rather than questioning the reasoning behind it.

Lastly, "Sensoron," a manga or, more accurately, a form of political propaganda, depicts the side of Japan that focuses solely on war and how the country is perceived. It examines Japan's past in relation to other countries and encourages citizens not to repeat the same mistakes; however, it does so in a very arrogant way. However, it also highlighted Japan's successes and critiqued those who opposed it. As Gellner noted in his writings, when authority seizes nationalism, it becomes dangerous, a phenomenon that can be observed in this work.

[coltonsupergame]

Hello Reese! I really like how you bring up how each work manages to address national identity from various different angles. I like how you say that Your Name's nationalism is more subtle, mostly about place and connection rather than truly making political statements. I also agree that the contrast with Hetalia is quite noticeable due to its much more humorous nature. I also like how you bring up Gellner's warning about nationalism under authority from Sensoron. Overall your analysis does a good job of highlighting how different lenses can warp a persons views of culture and heritage.

[coltonsupergame]

Your Name / Hetalia: Axis Powers / Sensōron

I found watching Your Name, Hetalia: Axis Powers, and Sensoron to be an interesting experience due to the way that these anime approach history and culture from different angles.

Your Name was fascinating with how it portrayed  the two main characters different lives that they lived. I found the  concept of two lovers across the country separated by 3 years of time to be really interesting. Along with that it made me kind of emotional as they slowly began to forget about each other until the very end of the movie when they finally get to meet up again.

Meanwhile I found it quite unique how Hetalia: Axis Powers took a vastly different approach by showing off nations as humans. Overall it has a funny and lighthearted approach which makes it less heavy while still highlighting some of the issues that we see when it comes to looking at history and culture. While I found it a bit strange at times that they would show off world events through two characters chatting with each other, it did show to me how we often view global events through our own lense and that this can lead to an imperfect understanding of what is happening due to varying biases.

Sensoron, though was more of a heavy read in comparison. It dug more into a lot of the roots behind war and peace, while also taking a retrospective look on Japan’s involvement in WW2. I appreciated how it didn’t simply just look back and say what happened like most history articles, but rather asked what does it mean to be part of a society at war?

I thought all of these were pretty interesting as they reminded me that it’s important to see how your lens affects your view of the world. And how sometimes you need to look at the world with a different lens in order to face your problems.

[lucasrschool]

Blog #10 - Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind & Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Of all the Miyazaki films that I’ve watched, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is surely one of the finest. Words can’t even begin to describe how beautifully articulated this movie is. It masterfully addresses the then-contemporary global issues of the Cold War, the nuclear age, and climate change while providing greatly entertaining animation to boot. As I always do, starting with the animation, it’s just marvelous. Vibrant, pastel, and colorful. The animation brings the world to life and gives viewers a distinct tone, mood, and color palette for each environment, whether it be the valley itself or the toxic jungle; it’s all sublime.

Nausicaä herself is a wonderfully bright and charming character to be the star of the show, and her actions definitely speak for themselves. Her attitude toward preserving nature and all that is good, being the salt of the Earth, is In line with her almost being portrayed as a type of Christ, but in an environmentalist framework, someone whose passion for the salvation of nature spreads not only to the sea of decay but to all the villages of the land and their peoples. I was personally immensely touched by this, as we can all learn from her self-giving, love, and sacrifice to be the best versions of ourselves that we can be, not only for our fellow people, but for even the ecosystem that we so often distinguish ourselves from, showing us that sometimes all that it takes is a mere appreciation and acknowledgment of nature’s value and worth to start making a change for the better, turning ourselves from the paradigm of instrumentalism, industrialism, and neoliberalism, to one of peaceful coexistence.

Onto Xenoblade Chronicles 2, I had heard a lot about this game, how great it is and whatnot, but I was still remarkably surprised! Firstly, while obviously not an anime film or show in the typical sense, it still retains a lot of the familiar storytelling tropes and aspects of anime that we oftentimes see in media, just told within a different medium, in this case being video games, such as heartfelt dialogue and awesome fight sequences. Here, I was really touched by the sentimental relationship between Rex, Pyra, and Mythra, as well as their companions. The worldbuilding is phenomenal and really touches upon environmentalism in a distinct way, not by dismantling our current exchanges with it, but by nurturing it through further human intervention and involvement, seeking harmony instead of a simple coexistence, quite noticeably different from the path that Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind took for its story, but a welcome change for sure. Following the story, the same themes of sacrifice, mystery, and intrigue run all throughout, and the game manages to build a strong sense of appreciation in me for nature, the world, and how to better it, not just by letting it do its thing, but by working in conjunction with the ecosystem itself, always remembering that we are intrinsically a product of and united to nature, and so we must always remember to show deep care, respect, and admiration for it.

As always, great anime, and I’m beyond excited to see what’s in store for the last module!

[coltonsupergame]

Hello Lucas! I really like your reflection connecting Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 through environmentalism and sacrifice. I really liked how you connected Nausicaa to a christ figure, as I didn't pick up on it, but it makes a lot of sense given her great amount of empathy and generosity.

I also agree that even though Xenoblade Chronicles 2 isn't quite anime, it does have a lot of similar ideas that many anime use and convey. Overall your response really made me reflect on some of ideas and it has many good things I didn't notice.

[coltonsupergame]

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind / Xenoblade Chronicles 2

After having watched Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and Xenoblade Chronicles 2, I believe that these are some of the most emotionally impactful anime that we have watched so far in this class. Despite the different ways that both of these anime present these emotions through, they leave you with a great sense of reflection.

I liked Nausicaa for the way that it showed the way the environment collapsed, particularly due to humanity’s arrogance about it. While the show may be fantasy, it all feels very real. The giant bugs and the sea of decay all portray a world that could very possibly be our own if humanity can’t put aside our differences. It really speaks to a lot of people in the modern day who fear that if we don’t do something about climate change, we could make our lives so much worse.  I also appreciate the kindness that Nausicaa shows throughout the show, it feels very wholesome and gratifying.

I also liked Xenoblade Chronicles 2 cutscenes for exploring a lot of these same ideas. These cutscenes also show off the consequences of technological power but also explore the concept of artificial life and the deeper meaning of what being an artificial being is like. Blades being things that want to have a greater sense of meaning and purpose but almost always being used as tools I think has deep societal implications. Especially in the modern world where many people work extremely hard every day, and very rarely in an occupation that they enjoyed and wanted to pursue.

Both anime address issues that are central to Japan, like work culture, and senses of identity after a major war. Beyond that though they address issues that must be dealt with on a global scale. The goal of both of these anime is to get you to care about the greater world and I think both of these anime do a great job of achieving that.

[alisasinel]

Neon Genesis Evangelion, The End of Evangelion

I did not expect Neon Genesis Evangelion to make me think about myself. I thought it was going to be your typical sci-fi anime with giant robots, epic battles, and maybe some cool action scenes. But what I received is a series that breaks down its characters and audience in a way that is raw and personal. By the conclusion of it, it wasn't even about the robots anymore, it was about identity, fear, and trying to relate to other people.

The protagonist, Shinji Ikari, is no self-confident hero. He fears confrontation, avoids doing the right thing, and is tortured by self-doubt. Occasionally he's infuriating to see, and it is just because that's what makes him real. His inner thoughts are characterized by fear, self-hatred, and confusion, and slowly enough, the show builds towards making us understand that these feelings aren't unique to him. All the protagonists are going through some degree of loneliness or emotional turmoil.

The first series slowly drifts away from action and is more focused on psychological questioning. We are completely in the world outside Shinji's mind in the last two episodes. What we get there is a surreal series of inner monologue, abstract imagery, and questioning of who he is. Few were disappointed with the lack of a "happily-ever-after" ending, but for me, it was a genuine depiction of a teenager trying to figure out if he deserves love.

Its sequel movie, The End of Evangelion, offers a much darker and more graphic conclusion. The world disintegrates for Shinji physically and mentally as the Instrumentality Project tries to erase the differences between people. It's horrid and distasteful but still asking the same question, is it worth suffering for the other individuals in order to be acknowledged?

Ultimately, Evangelion doesn't provide solutions. But it reminds us that battles are often fought hardest in the interior, and that selecting to confront ourselves and others is what actually makes us human.

[coltonsupergame]

Hello Alisasinel! I 100% agree with your point that Evangelion shifts from being a mecha anime to something much more unsettling and thought provoking. What it thought stood out as well was the fact that most of the heroes don't really fit the standard definiton of what a hero is. They all have their own insecurities and weaknesses which helps make the show feel more human. I also agree with your point that Evangelion doesn't provide the solutions. The ending is definitely a little confusing, but that's the intention. It focuses entirely on the struggles that Shinji is facing which once again makes it have a much greater emotional impact.

[coltonsupergame]

Neon Genesis Evangelion / The End of Evangelion

The show Neon Genesis Evangelion and the follow up movie The End of Evangelion are probably some of my favorite animes that we have watched so far. These animes left me both with a bit of wonder but also confusion due to the approach the animes take especially with the ending. What I found most interesting is how the show masks people searching for a deeper meaning in the world with mechs, angels and an apocalyptic setting. Each character has deep struggles that the audience can relate to, whether it be Shinji’s introverted nature leading to him struggling to connect with others, or Asuka’s very fiery and temperamental nature, that ends up being a mask for her true insecure self. It all felt really close to home, especially with his tendency to run away from responsibility when it feels overwhelming, which I think is something that almost everyone can relate to on some level.

What makes Neon Genesis truly impactful is how it connects these struggles faced by the characters to more societal issues being faced in Japan. For example, the Japan’s struggle to build an identity after WWII or the sense of isolation that is faced within Japanese society.

Something that also truly stands about the anime is how it treats masculinity in a way that is uncommon, both for the genre of anime it is, and more broadly for anime overall. Shinji isn’t a super masculine and confident guy like he would be in most anime of this genre. Rather we see a lot of his vulnerable and emotional side, we see his struggle, and his indecision. And along with this there’s his father who is the exact opposite, controlling and shown to lack emotion. The anime makes an important point of how the expectations upon men to be super confident and stoic aren’t healthy and as the anime continues we see Shinji begin to accept himself for who he is, not what he’s supposed to be.

[edsonfrancois]

Metrocon 2025

I attended my first ever anime convention in Tampa Florida. As someone who frequently enjoys the world of anime, I still honestly never expected to end up in an event as large as a convention. I am more of a casual fan of anime myself, and while I do admire the effort people put into these cosplays I saw at the convention, I myself (as you can see in the photo) did not have any character in mind, mainly due to the lack of funds and time. Despite cosplaying not really being my thing, If i were to attend one of these again with a group of friends, I would definitely find a character I like and dress up for the fun of it.

Going into this blind, I had no idea what to expect other than a bunch of cosplayers. I remember standing in this long line for registration, feeling completely out of place amongst the different characters I saw people cosplaying as (I literally went with a shirt and some shorts). When I finally made it past the line, I pretty much blended in with the rest of the crowd. Since the main venue did not open until 12, I was just walking around, admiring the scenery around me. I went to this event completely solo, which I honestly felt was a mistake. I would have definitely enjoyed the event more with a group of friends, however that was not possible at the time. Definitely brining some friends with me if I were to attend one of these again. Regardless, It was a moment of peaceful solitude I do not typically get. Until 12 PM hit, I was silently admiring the cosplays of characters from shows I loved (mainly because I was far to introverted to say hi), and walking around the venue for potential food spots.

Once 12 PM struct, the rest of the map was available to all. I remember walking through the crowd, bestowing my eyes upon a ton of booths from different franchises. To be honest I did not recognize a good 80% of them, and I thought I was pretty well versed into the anime world. Just goes to show you how large the scene is really. It even reminded me of the gathering in Genshiken in a funny short of way. I saw several lines which led to famous voice actors from popular shows. Did it seem interesting? Absolutely! Was I going to meet them myself? Nah. Introverted-ness aside It did not really seem like my thing, however what I did immediately gravitate towards was this sword display.

I saw some absolutely gorgeous looking swords, especially Asta's sword from Black Clover, and Guts sword from Berserk. I really wanted those behemoths, but the guy in the stand told me the price and I just settled with something a little more affordable. Not complaining however, as the sword for only the price of $45 was pretty awesome. You can even see me posing with it in front of the giant axolotl in all of its glory.

Was I was really looking for was the Pokemon display. If it was not clear from the profile picture, I am a massive Pokemon guy. What I managed to find blessed my heart and soul.

Some of the rarest cards to ever exist were casually on display in somewhere where I least expect it. I honestly felt like a kid again at that moment, but as a broke college student, I had to control myself there. Did it stop me from buying a $35 pack? Absolutely not. Shameless to say that I fell victim to consumerism back there. Additionally, there were also some Pokemon plushies that I really wanted, but to spare my wallet, I had to withdraw myself from that section.

After that whole ordeal, I went to see a cosplay competition. I saw your typical Hatsune Miku performance, and someone even as wild as a Waluigi performance. Everyone up on staged looked like they were having a blast, and It was pretty enjoyable. I admire their bravery to go up on stage in front of a large audience and perform, as I do not think that is something I would ever do. Overall, I enjoyed the entire convention and learning about the culture and enviornment around such. For sure something I would bring my friends over and mess around.

[coltonsupergame]

Hello Edson! It sounds like you had really great and memorable experience at Metrocon. I really relate with your sentiment of going in kind of blind. When I went to my first convention I didn't really know what to expect either, and like you I ended up not dressing up mainly because I didn't know what I would dress up as. I also find the swords that you found really cool lol. I think it's a good example of the kind of cool objects that you can really only find at large fan gatherings like this. I also definitely agree that this kind of event is more fun with friends and that if you get the chance, you should bring some friends with you to better enjoy the convention. Overall I really enjoyed seeing how your first convention experience was.

[coltonsupergame]

My First Convention

My first ever time attending a convention was back in 2021 in my home town of Bradenton, Florida. Even though the convention itself wasn’t a particularly important or prominent convention I still look back on it fondly. To fill you in I was quite into the tabletop gaming scene so I largely attended to see stuff related to fandoms regarding dungeons and dragons and other tabletop games. However the convention itself wasn’t simply about tabletop board games, but also contained a wide variety of other various fandoms. There were many stalls about comic books, manga, and other major parts of pop culture that I found fascinating. Which is why I’m writing about this experience now. It truly was a memorable experience for me that I feel has had a lasting impact on the way that I view fandoms and interact with the fandoms that I am a part of.

One thing that made going to this convention so memorable were the people that I got to see and meet while I was there. Nearly everybody there was cosplaying in one form or another, usually of one of their favorite characters. I remember there being a lot of characters from various animes, but also I remember there being a surprising amount of people dressed like star wars characters. I really enjoyed this at the time as I was just getting into star wars at this point and seeing these people dressed up as characters that I knew and love from a series I was really starting to get into and invest a lot of time watching was super cool and memorable.

I also thought it was cool to meet all of the vendors at this convention. In particular one of the stalls at this convention had a person who had worked on marvel comics which I thought was really interesting. I wasn’t and still am not really into comics but I still thought it was cool to meet someone who had worked with Stan Lee in the past to create several comics that people know and love today. Pus even besides that specific vendor, all the other vendors had really interesting stuff on display. One of the only things I took a photo of (which is unfortunate but I didn’t really think of taking that many pictures at the time) at this convention was this really interesting stall that had many well known pop culture characters depicted as cats and all of the pictures clearly took lots of effort and time to make which I thought was really cool and looking back on it reflects the work and effort that people put into preparing for these conventions.

The thing that I probably appreciate the most about these conventions is the time commitment and creativity that goes into these conventions. Many people will make elaborate costumes that take hours and hours of effort in order to get them to the final product. Plus it takes a great amount of skill to make these costumes look good. Of course aside from costumes many people make extremely cool props too. Like at the convention there were interactive lightsabers that would make noise and glow differently when they hit each other which was really cool. All of these things represent a massive, time, effort, and financial commitment that I think is something I appreciate most about fandom culture. When you are in a fandom that you care deeply about you will put a lot of time and effort into it, not to get something out of it, but because you truly enjoy the process of immersing yourself into the fandom. Which is a positive side of fandoms which I think is highlighted by conventions, and it’s something that’s often overlooked when people talk about fandoms.

[ufanimeblog]

Blog Post: Sailor Moon / Aggretsuko / Wandering Son

Watching the assigned episodes of Sailor Moon, Aggretsuko, and Wandering Son made me reflect a lot on identity, and what it means to grow into yourself while the world pushes you in all directions. Each show brought something different, but they all pointed to the same truth, that trying to be who you are is hard, especially when the world has already decided who it thinks you should be.Sailor Moon surprised me with how much it focuses on emotional vulnerability. Usagi feels things deeply. She cries, panics, messes up, but still keeps on going. In episodes 1, 2, 4, and 8, we see her learning to lead by caring, not by dominating. That really stood out to me because it reminded me of the pressure many girls face to either grow up fast or be visually appealing, when in reality emotions are part of what makes people strong.Aggretsuko took a different tone, in season 1 episodes 1, 5, and 7, and season 2 episodes 2 and 5, I really felt for Retsuko. She tries so hard to play the good employee, to not cause conflict, or to smile even when she’s upset. But her death metal karaoke moments are like a scream for people who have felt stuck in systems where we can’t express ourselves. It hit close to home because I’ve seen people, especially women, work tirelessly in order to survive workplaces that don’t value them fully.Wandering Son was the most emotionally powerful for me. Episodes 1, 7, 9, and 10 were delicate and honest in ways I didn’t expect. Watching Shuichi and Yoshino navigate gender identity, especially in school where conformity is intense, made me reflect on how painful it is to feel like your truth doesn’t fit the hand you were dealt. Even though their experiences are deeply tied to Japanese cultural norms, the themes of self discovery and trying to be seen felt universal.All three shows made me think more deeply about how society shapes identity, and how hard but necessary it is to push back.

[coltonsupergame]

I really like the way that you connected all of these shows through idea that trying to figure out who you are is hard. I also think your takeaway from Sailor moon is important, because as you say, Usagi's strength comes from her emotions not from being dominant. Along with that I appreciate how you point out how women are expected to fit in in the workplace by suppressing their emotions, leading to a toxic work environment. Overall I really appreciated your response and the points that you made.

[coltonsupergame]

Sailor Moon/Aggretsuko/Wandering Son

I personally thought that watching Sailor Moon, Aggretsuko and Wandering Son back to back was a very interesting experience due to the ways that each of these animes address identity and their various societal issues in starkly different ways.

Sailor Moon was very interesting in how it felt both very nostalgic for me to watch, along with being very rejuvenating. It has a strong focus on female friendship and empathy, along with acceptance of themselves. I was also intrigued by the way that the show treats emotional growth, along with being a hero. It reminded me of the kind of shows I grew up with that would balance humor with important life lessons.

Aggretsuko on the other hand is completely different but also resonates really deeply with me and probably many others with the way that the show displays modern work culture, especially reflecting the work culture within Japan. Retsuko’s frustration with the way her work is set up, along with commonplace sexism in the workplace, while not being an issue I’ve experienced personally, I imagine connects with much of the audience of the show who experience similar issues on a daily basis. Along with this I liked the way the show used comedy to explore all of these issues.

Finally, Wandering Son was extremely emotionally impactful. The way that the anime shows off gender identity and the issues of someone who is growing up not conforming to traditional ideals, was really beautiful, although painful to watch at times. I also appreciated how it constantly had small victories instead of one big victory, showing how in life you have to work through pain and struggle everyday in order to achieve small goals.

I found that compared to Sailor Moon, and Aggretsuko, Wandering Son felt far more grounded, as Sailor Moon shows off a great amount of optimism, while Aggretsuko contains a good amount of humor. However even so I enjoyed watching all three of these shows and would recommend them to others.

[ufanimeblog]

Blog: Genshiken

When I first started watching Genshiken, I expected either cringe humor or surface level stereotypes. What I found instead was an introspective look at identity, community, and the tension between passion and social expectations. Across the assigned episodes Genshiken becomes less about anime and and more about the quiet rebellion of being unapologetically yourself in a society that often values conformity. The characters Sasahara and Madarame highlight the psychological struggle of embracing an otaku identity in a culture where that label carries intense stereotypes. Sasahara’s hesitation in joining the club, and his eventual acceptance, reminded me of the pressure to suppress personal interests to fit in. Episode 3 especially surprised me when they all go to a doujinshi convention. I noticed how being surrounded by people with shared interests empowers them to drop their usual defenses and express themselves freely. It was a moment that felt deeply human and relatable. This resonates with how niche fandoms are perceived in both Japan and elsewhere. Whether you're into anime or not, there’s always a line between fun interest and obsession. Genshiken doesn’t just acknowledge the line it toys with it, showing how passion can be a source of pride instead of shame. I also found Saki’s role interesting. As someone not into otaku culture, she’s initially an outsider. But over time, she starts bridging the gap between mainstream and otaku spaces. That tension between inclusion and exclusion mirrors real world dynamics around gender, social capital, and gatekeeping in fandoms. What stuck with me most is how Genshiken doesn’t glamorize its characters. And in doing so, it makes space for viewers to reflect on their own identities and the communities that make us feel seen.

[coltonsupergame]

Hi UFanimeblog! I really appreciated your comment. It does an excellent job explaining what makes Genshikin so interesting and impactful to the viewer. Like you said when I first went into the show I wasn't expecting it to be as deep as it was. Sasahara's arc especially was really emotional and I appreciate how you highlight that. All in all you do a great job showing how the show wants us to understand that people just want to be understood.

[coltonsupergame]

Genshiken

I enjoyed watching Genshiken as it felt like looking into another version of our reality. A reality where fandom and identity are mashed together as part of a close community.  What I found most interesting about the show is how they portray various parts of pop culture like video games, anime, etc. Including how they show off the emotions associated with the fixations behind these things, such as loneliness and trouble properly communicating. These issues are prominent not only in Japan, but also across the world and on the internet where people come together to celebrate their shared interests.

What I personally think is that Genshiken does so well is that it doesn’t make any of the characters seem better than the others depending on what fandom they are in. Instead, it tries to show off how each fandom can be a place for people to gather and have a sense of community while also possibly being a trap leading to social isolation. It reminds me of a lot of personal experiences I’ve had where you must balance staying where you’re comfortable with stepping out of your comfort zone to try new things.

One final thing I noticed about the show is how it makes you reflect on how we look at ourselves. I think most would agree that we like to put ourselves into a group that we feel that we belong to. This made me realize how, while this can be good for finding people that we vibe with and developing a sense of identity, it can often lead those in the group to judge those outside of the group for various reasons.

Ultimately, I thought the themes and ideas covered in Genshiken were very inciteful and was an interesting way to not only reflect on how we look at others, but also how we look at ourselves.

[solriavitz]

Naruto/Wolf Children/A Silent Voice Blog Post

Watching Naruto, Wolf Children, and A Silent Voice back-to-back was an emotional rollercoaster. Each anime, in its own way, opened up windows into Japanese culture while simultaneously touching on struggles that feel universal—family, identity, belonging, and redemption.

Naruto stood out for its intense focus on perseverance and the loneliness of being an outsider. Naruto's journey from being ostracized to being respected mirrors the struggles many kids (including myself at times) face when trying to fit into a world that misunderstands them. His constant need to prove himself resonated deeply with me and reminded me of how important it is to have people who believe in you.

Wolf Children took a much more intimate and quiet approach, focusing on motherhood and the sacrifice it demands. Hana’s resilience as a single mother raising children who don't fit into society’s norms was both heartbreaking and beautiful. It made me reflect on how much our parents, especially mothers, often endure without complaint. The film also subtly critiques rigid social expectations in Japan, while engaging in global conversations about identity and belonging.

A Silent Voice had the strongest emotional impact on me. Its portrayal of bullying, guilt, and mental health was incredibly raw and relatable. Shoya’s journey to redemption and Shoko’s quiet strength brought me to tears. It made me think about how we often don’t realize the weight of our actions on others, and how hard it is to forgive ourselves. This film speaks to Japan’s struggles with mental health stigma, but also connects universally to anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t deserve a second chance.

Each anime, though different in style and tone, offered powerful reflections on what it means to be human.

[coltonsupergame]

Hi Solriavitz I really appreciate your take on each anime. I especially like how you managed to connect Naruto's experiences to your own. I also like your take on Wolf Children and how parents are often put into tough situations that they often don't get given credit for. I think most would agree that A Silent Voice is the most impactful and you did a good job describing the emotions of it. Overall your post is a good summary of the meanings of each of the three animes.

[coltonsupergame]

Naruto/Wolf Children/A Silent Voice

The combination of the two movies, Wolf Children and A Silent Voice, along with the show Naruto was overall an enjoyable time. All three of them gave unique views on innate human struggles, and growth. The episodes of Naruto we got to watch were quite fun and enjoyable. I was also surprised by how much I enjoyed Wolf Children, even if I felt the second half was a bit confusing and the ending wasn’t really that satisfying. A silent voice hits the hardest out of the three. The way it portrays the struggles with disabilities is extremely moving and is the one I would most strongly recommend everyone watch.

Naruto was interesting to me in the way that it is a symbol of perseverance. Naruto grew up isolated from the world which leads to him being relatable to many who feel like they don’t belong. He constantly fights to be seen as somebody worthy of friendship.

I was impressed with the way that Wolf Children shows off how important motherhood is and how it can feel to be different in a society that doesn’t appreciate people for being different. I think this concept as whole reflects largely on both Japanese and global society as societies often force people who don’t belong to “leave”.

A silent voice was one of the most deeply emotional movies I have ever seen. The way that they show Shoko, a deaf girl who has to survive in a world where people aren’t super friendly to her feels unfortunately real. It also speaks of broader issues present in Japan and the world such as mental health awareness and suicide.

I feel that each of these three works is important for understanding how people try to work together and communicate with each other. All three have some amount of misunderstanding that leads to a character feeling isolated. This is to say that they are all critiques of how we can work harder as a society to make everyone feel as though they are being welcomed and being heard.

[reeseponds]

"Shin Sekai Yori"

I have to say that in the first episode of "Shin Sekai Yori," I was pretty confused. I did not completely understand the plotline of the story until after watching multiple episodes. "Shin Sekai Yori" follows children born in a "perfect" town, but telekinetic powers rule it. This anime follows Saki and her friends as they uncover the truth about their home, as their authorities withheld vital information regarding the powers and the past. The children are monitored very closely. If they begin to show instability or incompetence, or even fail to develop their powers, then they are never seen again. Those children are perceived as dangerous, and unfortunately, the anime shows that they would allow anything to happen if it meant protecting the town's peace. This makes me realize how horrible it would be if our country got rid of all of the people struggling, but it makes it worse that this anime is getting rid of children struggling.

While I do not believe that Japan or any other country deals with this exact issue, children are punished very quickly for their actions while constantly being degraded because of their youthfulness. When a child misbehaves in school, they are often punished by being expelled, suspended, or given a lecture. While discipline is indeed a good thing, it should also have a teaching aspect so that the individual knows what was done wrong.

In the article, "The 'Wild Child' of 1990s Japan," it speaks about a 14-year-old kid killing other kids. It makes sense why the Japanese feared children because of the horrible things this child did; however, they should be helping them rather than fearing them, and they also have to realize that not every kid has evil tendencies.

Another issue I noticed in this anime is that these children lack the freedom to be children. They are under surveillance and cannot do anything. Instead of being normal children and playing with toys, they are playing with dangerous telekinetic powers.

[coltonsupergame]

Hello Reese! I really like and appreciate your response about Shin Sekai Yori as it brings up some important ideas. I agree that one of the most disturbing parts of the show is how quickly the society within the show discards children who are perceived to be threats. And it's horrible knowing that just one mistake or emotional challenge can lead to the young characters in the show never being seen by anyone again. I also like your point about how the children in the show lack the freedom and ability to be children. It leads to a much more stressful environment for them as they don't get to play and spark their creativity like children should be able to do.

[coltonsupergame]

Shin Sekai Yori

I had a really fun time watching Shin Sekai Yori and I actually appreciated it more than I expected. The world that the anime shows off is one where society has chosen that order and safety are important than values such as freedom and truth.

What I felt really impacted me the most from the anime was how it reflects both past and current issues that Japan faces. Such as the fears of  not belonging, and the ideas of following the established social hierarchy. These both are omnipresent within Japan both historically and now as Japan often takes a very conservative approach to both of these issues.

It is worth noting though that both of these issues have become globally relevant as well. Especially the way that governments will often use fear to control, and how history is more and more often rewritten to fit the writer’s interests. It’s especially important as we develop more technologies like AI and it becomes harder to tell what truly is real, and what is being fabricated to make us believe something and think a certain way.

Personally the anime connected with me emotionally. The idea that a society can try to rewrite your memories and what you believe is truly horrifying. However it feels ever more present due to everything on the internet. It led me to reflect on how a lot of what we believe in is not due to what we chose, but often times is what we were told to believe in by others.

The whole show along with some of the readings led me to question a lot of our concepts about free will, because I mean, what kind of freedom do we have if we’ve let others make them for most of our lives?

Shin Sekai Yori was truly a great show for all of these reasons, allowing me to reflect both on myself and our world as a whole.

[alisasinel]

Psycho-Pass

Psycho-Pass really caused me to reflect on what it means to live in a "perfect" society and what we sacrifice in the process. The anime is set in a future where everything is controlled by the Sibyl System. It can sense the mental condition of an individual and whether they would or could commit a crime. If a person is over-stressed, fearful, angry, or depressed, their "Crime Coefficient" is heightened, and they may end up being arrested or even murdered, even though they are innocent. The frightening aspect is that individuals begin concealing their feelings just to feel secure. All human beings are supposed to be relaxed, cheerful, and "stable" at all times. One single emotional error can destroy your life. That thought really resonated with me because I feel like in our culture today, there's always this pressure to show that everything's okay all the time, particularly on social media. One is graded on things like grade levels, productivity at work, the way one looks, and even one's mental state, yet one is not always permitted simply to be human. If you're never winning, it's simple to feel like you're in the back. One thing that I absolutely loved about Psycho-Pass was the way it avoids simple answers.

The Sibyl System is supposed to provide security and harmony, but it erodes liberty, privacy, and individuality. Individuals no longer have the freedom to choose for themselves because everything is chosen by the system. That caused me to think about the way real systems, like school ranking, monitoring, and job tracking, limit freedom even though they were meant to help. I also appreciated the main character, Akane. At first, she trusts the system, but when she sees its flaws, she will not silently go along with them. She doesn't hit back in a melodramatic way, but she is strong, thoughtful, and faithful to what she believes in. I believe that quiet tolerance is as strong as resistance. Psycho-Pass led me to consider how simple it is to surrender autonomy in the guise of safety, and insisted that genuine peace must involve freedom, choice, and empathy, and not merely structure.

[coltonsupergame]

Hi Alisasinel, I really appreciated your take on Psycho-Pass. I especially enjoyed how you bring up that in modern society there is a pressure to feel okay all the time and that you're expected to act normally even when you're not doing well emotionally. This is something pretty much everybody, no matter who you are, relates to to a certain extent. I took a class once where this subject was brought up, in that case it was referred to as a mask of masculinity, but when people started discussing it, pretty much everyone raised their hand when this issue came up, which I think goes to show how in our daily lives people are just expected to hide what they're feeling out of fear of being judged rather than expressing how they truly feel.