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Where Is My Mind?; JJK

JJK is many things to many people- the inspiration behind fanfiction, a medium from which to source cosplay ideas, the subject of thinkpieces, the occasional “who would win in a fight” YouTube video, and an excuse to watch a story that is essentially a portmanteau of Naruto and Harry Potter- but I never expected it to get to me. Full disclosure, I was never really able to get into JJK; not for any one reason, it just never stuck with me. Maybe I’m Shonen Jump-ed out or suffering from “Chosen One” fatigue, but the show never seemed to make it’s mark on my soul the way it had for other people- which is something that gnawed away at me for months, if not years on end, my inability to assimilate into the current cultural supernova; however- I think that’s changed now.

Season Two of JJK, the “Hidden Inventory” arc, is essentially a prequel, which might be part of why I was able to really get into it this go-round. Chronicling the story of Gojo “Six-Eyes” Satoru and his struggle to overcome what very well may be the worst day of his life, this section of the anime delves into how children, at least in JJK’s world, are made to shoulder the burdens of their fellow man, to serve as vanguards for the betterment of humanity, disregarding their own safety. One of the core characters, one Suguru Geto, echoes this same sentiment, making a moral argument that the strong have a duty to protect and safeguard the weak, in order to allow them to remain weak, as is their lot in life.

This deterministic outlook parallels many of the same philosophical treatises proposed by those who adhere to determinist philosophy, some of which relates to the nature of strength vs weakness. There are those who would posit that those burdened with excellence, sheer overwhelming power, have a responsibility to use it in order to shield those who do not share that privilege- however, there are also voices in the mist that argue that, no, strength should be used to subjugate the masses and enforce one’s will, as the strong have the proverbial mandate of heaven to do as they please, as determined at their birth.

In JJK, these philosophies are represented by Geto and Gojo respectively, however, after the former’s tragic death and subsequent transformation into the anime’s antagonist, their philosophies appear to reverse, which I found to be fascinating.

Overall, this anime speaks to the morality of power, the nature of rationalizing how to contend with your innermost self, ego, and even how authority may seek to take advantage of those who are blessed with extraordinary ability, in order to enact their own interests. Tragedy that I’ve already seen how the story ends though- would've loved to have seen how it all played out in real-time. C’est vie, I suppose.

dillonchujpt1311

I'm totally with you on not being able to get into JJK in the beginning (and being Shonen Jump-ed out). After watching the 5 episode prequel, I'm probably going to give JJK a shot.

I also really liked your interpretation of the different philosophies that both Geto and Gojo seemed to adopt by the end of the prequel, especially how they seemed to switch after the death of Riko.

Jujutsu Kaisen (Season 2)

Jujutsu Kaisen is one of those shows that I’ve just continuously put off watching for a while now, even with everyone around me singing its praises. Quite frankly, I never actually took an interest in the series for several reasons, all of which I won’t divulge. However, after having to watch the beginning of the second season, nominally denoted as the “Gojo’s Past Arc,” this anime has definitely started to grow on me.

The story follows Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto as sorcerers and students of Jujutsu High, so it’s pretty much a prequel to the actual series. The two are tasked with the mission of protecting and escorting 14-year-old Riko Amanai as multiple assailants from various groups attempt to take her life. Throughout the 5 episodes, the two are confronted with more and more adversaries, with the most notable being Toji Fushiguro, an assassin who has been given the title “Sorcerer Killer.” Anyway, by the end of it all, Riko still winds up dead at the hands of Toji, much to the dismay of both Gojo and Geto. Geto eventually becomes disillusioned with fallacious ideals, questioning his own convictions about being a sorcerer and whether or not non-sorcerers were even worth protecting in the first place. After being greeted by a rather harsh truth, Geto sets out to create a world of only sorcerers by rendering non-sorcerers extinct.

Something that interested me throughout this episodic series was how drastically Geto and Gojo’s philosophical ideals are portrayed, as well as how they invariably “switch,” per se. The death of Riko seems to create a contrasting (and clashing) point of revelation for the two of them. For Gojo, he realizes that sorcerers have a duty to protect non-sorcerers. In the end, it was his own failure to stop Toji that resulted in Riko’s death. On the other hand, Geto is exposed to the inherent societal differences between sorcerers and non-sorcerers through the death of his underclassman and the apparent witch-hunting of two young girls. In his eyes, the world is unjust, which leads him to initiate a change. In a way, neither of their ideals are wrong; however, as the saying goes, “the end doesn’t justify the means.”

ianjapanblog

Violet Evergarden

Violet Evergarden: Recollections – A Story of Grief, Growth, and Global Healing

Violet Evergarden: Recollections isn’t just a visually stunning recap of the original series—it’s a moving meditation on the universal struggles of grief, healing, and finding purpose after trauma. While it compiles key moments from the main show, it also emphasizes the emotional core of Violet’s journey: a former soldier learning to live in a world that no longer needs her as a weapon, but instead as a writer, a communicator, and ultimately, a human being.

In Japan, where emotional restraint and stoicism are often valued, Violet’s evolution speaks directly to the challenge of expressing vulnerability. The country has long wrestled with mental health stigma, especially among those who carry emotional burdens from work, war, or societal expectations. Violet—stoic, emotionally stunted, and dutiful—mirrors this cultural tendency. Yet the series gently unpacks those layers, showing that healing isn’t weakness; it’s growth. Through her job as an Auto Memory Doll, writing letters for others, Violet connects with the suppressed emotions of people around her, which in turn helps her confront her own grief.

Globally, the themes resonate just as deeply. Post-traumatic growth, the search for identity, and the need for empathy are relevant across borders. Whether it's veterans returning from war, children growing up in unstable homes, or anyone navigating loss, Violet’s story offers a tender reminder that even the most broken people can rebuild. Her ability to communicate feelings others can’t articulate reflects a universal hunger to be understood.

Violet Evergarden: Recollections shows us that pain can be transformed into connection. It reminds us that in a world increasingly fractured and noisy, the quiet, patient work of empathy still matters. And that healing is not about forgetting the past—it’s about learning how to live with it.

dillonchujpt1311

I loved your post about the show! As you've said, the past isn't something that's supposed to be forgotten, no matter how painful it can be. The show does a really great job of depicting the notion that the past isn't the only thing that defines a person. As Hodgins puts it, the letters that Violet has written are also a part of her, too.

Violet Evergarden: Recollections

Finally, at long last… an anime that I’ve actually watched before: Violet Evergarden. This is probably up there as one of my favorite anime of all time. Having watched the entire show and both films, it’s safe to say that I absolutely adore this series. It offers a visually stunning and compelling storyline that’s beautifully crafted from start to end. Violet Evergarden: Recollections serves as a summarized film that condenses the show into a few key expositions and episodes. Even so, if you haven’t decided to already, I implore you to watch the entire series, especially if you really liked the film.

The film follows the titular protagonist, Violet Evergarden, a stoic child soldier who struggles to repurpose her life after the end of a war. Right off the bat, the show already starts off with some heavy exposition, exploring topics pertaining to war, identity, and purpose. Being a child soldier who grew up in a military milieu, her entire narrative was based on war, and now that it’s essentially been “taken away” from her, Violet is left with almost nothing. Clinging to the past left behind for her by Major Gilbert, she becomes an Auto Memory Doll (an individual who is tasked with writing letters for those who are unable to do so) as a means to decipher his last words - to discover the meaning of the words “I love you.” As Violet grows accustomed to the job, she begins to write letters for a diverse range of clients, each with their own reasoning and circumstances. Through each of these commissions, Violet discovers a bit more about human expression and emotions while slowly learning how to cope with her own trauma.

I think one of the most interesting things for me is the way the series explores how Violet comes to terms with herself and her past. The inherent characterization of “being on fire” and “burning” was such a phenomenal analogy.

Overall, I loved watching Violet Evergarden: Recollections, and as someone who’s been a fan of it for a really long time, I’m really happy that other people are getting to experience it, as well.

jj-fink

Akira

Watching Akira felt like stepping into a wild, intense dream—one that’s hard to shake off after it ends. While it’s packed with iconic sci-fi action and stunning visuals, the story cuts deeper. It reflects Japan’s post-war trauma, the disillusionment of its youth, and the uneasy way society handles power and destruction. Neo-Tokyo, built on the ashes of a nuclear blast, is more than just a setting. It’s a symbol of fear, of history repeating itself, and of how fragile the systems we trust can be.

The global relevance of Akira is just as striking. It taps into our shared fears around technology moving faster than our ethics. In the film, the government turns children into weapons, ignoring the human cost. That feels familiar when you think about real-world issues like surveillance, AI, and how young people are often used or manipulated by the very institutions that claim to protect them. The crumbling city and the anger of its youth feel scarily similar to what we see happening in parts of the world today.

On a personal level, I saw bits of myself in Kaneda and Tetsuo. Their friendship, full of tension and unspoken emotion, reminded me of my own teenage years. Tetsuo’s need to prove himself, to be powerful in a world that kept underestimating him, hit close to home. His transformation into something unrecognizable felt like a warning about what happens when people are ignored for too long.

One of the assigned readings talked about how media can make collapse look beautiful without questioning why it’s happening. Akira avoids that. It doesn’t just show destruction—it demands we think about what causes it and what comes after. That’s what makes it so haunting, and why it still feels so important today.

dillonchujpt1311

I really like how you related the themes in Akira to real-world contemporary issues in society! Akira definitely holds a lot of relevance with global issues, especially with how much it comments on the presence of the government. Things like rampant corruption and civil unrest are very prominent, whereas stuff like institutionalized manipulation can insidiously influence both past, present, and future generations.

Akira

Akira is a film that I don’t really know how to interpret. It tackles a number of issues regarding government corruption, intervention, suppression, and censorship while exploring the liminal boundaries that are prevalent behind existential powers - all of which is done so through a rather unsettling dystopian setting. With a jarring exposition filled with plot twists that are reminiscent of Neon Genesis Evangelion, the film offers a unique commentary on contemporary societal issues through the depiction of theoretical scenarios.

The film is set in a dystopian setting known as Neo-Tokyo, the reconstructed city of Tokyo following the aftermath of an atomic bombing. Neo-Tokyo is nearly filled to the brim with rampant corruption, with violent protests and demonstrations ever-so present on a near-daily basis. Akira follows Shotaro Kaneda, the leader of a biker gang who inevitably becomes wrapped in a government scientific experiment involving Espers after his fellow biker and friend, Tetsuo Shima, is caught in an unfortunate crash.

At its core, Akira seemingly comments on the presence of the government in a dystopian society run by corruption. It’s one of those films where there’s not really a clear-cut antagonist at the start. However, by the end of it… there still really isn’t one. Arguably, though, the film touches on how corruption can bleed into society through immoral politicians who only seem to care about lining their own pockets. Interestingly, Colonel Shikishima, as brash and brazen as he might be, is Akira’s answer to corruption. It’s not the increasingly prominent protests or the imminent destruction of the city that leads to the downfall of the corrupted politicians, but his own attempt at creating a coup d’etat.

Overall, the film is rather interesting in how it exhibits the presence of corruption. There are other caveats to the film that are addressed through the brilliant characterization of the main cast, ranging from Tetsuo’s battle for identity to Kaneda’s struggle to protect others. Akira is one of those films that seems to leave a lasting impression on you for a long while. That being said, I think seeing it once was enough for me - the Tetsuo mutation scene is something I definitely do not want to watch again.

lapspps

Your Name.

One of my all-time favorite animes, this movie is about two main characters that switched bodies. Taki Tachibana and Mitsuha Miyamizu have to find each other to get their souls back to their respective bodies, but this quest is more than just getting the bodies back to normal. For them, it’s something deeper.

The movie mainly addresses the power of fated love and its struggles. Foucault talks about this from his article of power relations. He said that power relations are “intentional and nonsubjective,” and are “imbued with calculation.” What Foucault said sums up the plot of the movie. Tachibana and Miyamizu found themselves in their bodies, and somehow they feel connected. However, not everything is smooth for these two. In fact, Foucault mentioned that power relations are always filled with “points of resistance.” Tachibana and Miyamizu find themselves in a race against time in their path of trying to find each other, with no recollection in between their body swaps. Thus, they have to try to pick up the pieces of where they had left off to meet each other, and simultaneously save the village from the comet. When I think about their situation, I thought of something similar to Romeo and Juliet’s. Although the conflicts differ from each media, the main concept still applies. Furthermore, this applies to real life circumstances of destined love, including busy jobs, schedules, etc. It can be hard to balance daily life with dating, and even though it is burdensome, hopefully it will work out.

Additional real life issues that the movie addresses are monolithic gender and job stagnation. Miyamizu said that she wanted to be a boy in Tokyo… and she did. This is because she is disillusioned with her current status as a shrine maiden because of the expectations brought upon her. What is interesting about this is that Miyamizu’s frustration reminds me of Aggretsuko. We know Retsuko’s work situation, venting her anger at a karaoke and other things. The difference is that Miyamizu actually got what she wanted, and she experimented doing different activities while being stuck in Tachibana’s body (vice versa too with Tachibana). And I think this experimentation is similar to what the main character of Wandering Son did when exploring her gender identity. I brought these issues up because they can apply to frustrations of people being burdened of trying to live up to cultural, societal, and gender expectations like Miyamizu did.

What I love about this movie is how emotionally tense and heartfelt of the interactions between Tachibana and Miyamizu. For those who are still single (like me), we can learn from this movie is that there is always that someone who will love you not matter what you are, and it all takes is patience and knowledge to create a relationship.

dillonchujpt1311

I really liked your analysis of Your Name! I think the parallel you drew with Aggretsuko is pretty interesting, and I can totally see the connection. Mitsuha is uninterested in performing her duties as a shrine maiden and would rather live a city life. She is given the opportunity to do so through the body swap, and it becomes evident that she grows quite fond of it.

Your Name

This was my first time watching Your Name, and I have to say, this is probably my new favorite film. It was a phenomenal masterpiece that touches on several contemporary concepts in a visually stunning and beautiful manner. It’s also one of the first anime I’ve seen that doesn’t make the concept of time a convoluted mess. Directed by Makoto Shinkai, Your Name is the culmination of riveting narratives that evoke a surreal emotion within the audience.

The film follows Taki Tachibana, a high school boy living in the metropolitan city of Tokyo, and Mitsuha Miyamizu, a high school girl who resides in the rural town of Itomori. One day, their lives are inexplicably intertwined as the two of them begin to swap bodies at random. Initially, their swaps are characterized by a change in the manner by which they conduct themselves. Traditional masculinity and femininity societal norms are thrown completely out of the window as the two find themselves piloting bodies of the opposite gender. Mitsuha becomes more brass and abrasive when Taki is in her body. Furthermore, Taki begins to adopt more feminine and demure qualities.

Slowly, the two of them learn to accommodate one another during the swaps, essentially living each other’s lives during these momentary instances. As the two continue to live this bizarre lifestyle, they start to become more accustomed to the other person’s life and, by proxy, disconnected from their own life. However, when Mitsuha’s life comes to an end in her timeline, their connection with one another is nearly irreparably severed, and Taki must find a way to reconnect with her as his liminal memories slowly become illusory.

At its core, Your Name explores the wavering links that people build with one another and the consequences that stem from disconnection. It’s a bittersweet film that posits the notion that the connection between one another can be strong enough to endure the perilous trials that may attempt to sever them.

thestudysofa

Hetalia - Axis Powers: No, what happened wasn't actually all happy-go-lucky

Out of all the assigned anime so far, Hetalia: Axis Powers is probably one of the more, if not the most, familiar one for me so far. It's an anime that I was an avid fan of back in Middle School, and I was heavily in the fanbase. My favorite t-shirt at the time was a Hetalia "Make Pasta Not War" t-shirt, and I still have some images of Hetalia fan art in my phone from back then that I never got around to get rid of. This also makes it a very nostalgic anime for me, especially considering that it was one that my closest friends at the time enjoyed as well. I could have easily not watched it for this assignment, but did so anyway to freshen up my memory, bask in the nostalgia, and also see what others things I can notice now. This is because, remember, I was in Middle School, meaning that I wasn't paying attention to the underlying interpretations of this anime and how others can see it.

As I've grown older, I've reached an understanding that the anime has its own controversies and there are many who don't like it because of things like how it represents countries and history. I have always known that the anime characters were based on stereotypes and that I shouldn't look at them as an actual representation of everyone in their corresponding country, but I still enjoyed the anime as something that was happy go lucky. However, I know now that not everyone had such a "happy go lucky" experience as I did, and for understandable reasons. Perpetuating and believing in stereotypes is a bad thing to do period, but at the same time, it's used in a lot of humor amongst others in many ways, whether it be to mock others, poke fun at others, or even do all of that to yourselves. It's hard to make a story about different humanoid representations of countries using their stereotypes for their corresponding personalities while also not offending anyone of said representation. Let's just get this over with: Hetalia is not a good representation of the people of the countries that characters represent, and it is not a good representation of the events of history. I find this is especially a problem if it's dealing with very important events in history that are not to be taken lightly and that there are people closely related to that event that are STILL alive. The main protagonists are literally the Axis Powers, and the beginning of the series, for the most part, is literally taking place during WWII. There is a literal Nazi among the protagonists and he is being portrayed as a lovable "tsundere". It makes it even worse that it's so hard to not like the characters in the anime. I love seeing the dynamic relationship and interactions between the countries, but at the same time a lot of them did some really messed up things at the time period that the anime is supposedly takes place. I know it's a satire/joke and that the anime is also mocking the stereotypes in a sense, but, as mentioned before, it's harder to get in on the joke when what the joke it connected to still has a scarring impact for people today. I found it easier for me to get in with the joke when it was related to things that happened hundreds or thousands of years ago than it was for when it was related to something that even occurred almost a century ago. There were also some dark jokes that served as something like a subtle jab towards a stereotype or something that a country does or has done. Some were more effective than others. Like there were subtle jabs in Russia's and China's governments and also in America's (USA) boisterous hero complex (something that I enjoyed as someone who was raised in a US territory), but I noticed there wasn't much on the Axis Powers. This is not to say there was nothing, but it was much more subtle in the sense it would be just a comical side joke and not something that defined the characters' personalities as much as it did with America and Russia. I nearly missed them, and I probably also missed others. I'm mostly talking about Germany. There was a part where Romano (Southern Italy) tells Germany that he has a surprise for him, in which Germany nonchalantly replies "a Jew?", like it's the most normal thing in the world, and the scene proceeds without a second thought. There was also a part where Germany just casually threatens Italy that he would experiment on him if he didn’t follow his orders. There was also the very docile representation of Italy and Japan. I'm no history expert, but I'm pretty sure there were some equally messed up things these countries did in real life during WWII like Germany. It honestly just reminds of the satiric joke people online have where one person in the skit tries to confront Japan about all the horrible stuff they've done in the past to which the character that represents Japan replies with "cute, anime, Hello Kitty" and then all is forgiven and/or forgotten.

This is not to say that nothing good came out of me watching the anime. In all honesty, I don’t actually hate it. I just understand that it's problematic in several instances and in the wrong headspace. However, I will say that the one thing that I think is an obvious positive in watching that show is learning the names of a bunch of countries I didn’t even know existed, like Middle School me did not know there were so many countries in Europe. In addition, ironically enough, part of the community that was created in fanbase made it an easier space talk about and express one's own culture, especially if their country, nation, and/or region was not a canon character in Hetalia. Fans would make Hetalia OCs (original characters) of wherever they were from, and the same thing applied to me where I would search up "Hetalia Puerto Rico" and even draw the fan-made character in my sketchbook.

Assigned Episodes: Season 1 Episodes 1-19

Fan art of a fan-made Puerto Rico in the world of Hetalia brought to you by Middle School/pre-teen me (please no judging):

dillonchujpt1311

Hi, I really enjoyed reading your post! Hetalia: Axis Powers is honestly such a polarizing anime that, as you've said, isn't without its faults. I think the way that Hetalia is perceived differs on a person-by-person basis. The anime perpetuates some form of nationalist discourse, even if it is heavily exaggerated and stereotyped, but at the end of the day, it's mostly satirical humor. Personally, I really enjoyed watching Hetalia, and the comedy aspect got a few good laughs out of me.

Hetalia: Axis Powers

Hetalia: Axis Powers. It’s an anime so peculiar that I’m not really sure how to interpret it. Despite all the masquerading behind overly exaggerated stereotypes, it was still a pretty fun series to watch overall. There are moments that genuinely caught me off-guard in terms of comedic representation. For what it’s worth, Hetalia: Axis Powers doesn’t take itself too seriously, being a gag anime and all, and I find that to be one of its most defining caveats.

At its core, the series depicts the countries of the Axis Powers as cute anime boys in a humorous fashion during a not-so-humorous time of international turmoil: World War II. It goes without saying that this aspect of comedy derived from the overblown representations of countries is inherently false. The blatant satirical stereotyping of countries is, of course, a mostly erroneous derivative of their actual culture. From the apparent portrayal of Germany as the “Aryan” race to the excessively boisterous and hamburger-loving America, the somewhat absurd generalization presents an interesting spin on the depiction of historical events.

Honestly, this anime isn’t without its faults - the most glaring one being the fact that it essentially glosses over the nuances of World War I/World War II and, by extension, war. There were morally questionable and/or incorrect actions from both sides of the war, but the anime doesn’t really delve too deep into these issues, if at all. To be frank, I think that’s perfectly fine, considering the nature of the series. Sure, the anime can be seen as a blatant disregard for the historical culture and events, but it also serves as a piece of reflective media that portrays the notion that stereotypes are just fallacies.

I mean, as someone who’s of Chinese descent, Hetalia’s portrayal of China was something that I didn’t really take offense to. Nothing could’ve prepared me for when the character just dropped a random “Hai ya” at the beginning of the sentence. That isn’t to say that it isn’t without its faults, but for the exaggerated comedic spin that the anime puts on these historical events, I found the series to be humorous over all else.

uchiharin0413

Xenoblade Chronicles 2

I was surprised and excited to see that we were assigned to watch cut scenes from a video game for class. I’m an avid gamer so this was right up my alley. I’ve never played Xenoblade Chronicles 2. I was amazed to see how in depth its cut scenes are. This JRPG has a myriad of goodies to enjoy but also offers a deep message about the importance of harmony between humans and nature.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is set in a post-apocalyptic world that was brought about by Klaus. He essentially destroys every facet of life and the world as we know it. I found his charcter to be a representation of the destruction humanity can bring upon our world if we don’t treat it with reverence and give it the tlc it deserves. Klaus also makes me think of how humanity can be implosive and destructive if we segregate ourselves from each other and tumble down a lonely hole of destruction. It makes me think of downward spirals that can be caused by depression.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 shows us the technologically recreated world that Klaus created in an attempt to make amends for the destruction he brought upon the world. After evolution in this new world takes place, we wind up with a new humanoid type people who coexist with blades and live in the ecological systems that grow on the backs of titans. We see Rex forge relationships with all the characters he rounds up to join him in his journey to preserve what is left of their world and find their next livable ecological system. He is able to bring together Pyra/Mythra (the blade) as she fights alongside him. She winds up making the ultimate sacrifice of her own life to save Rex and all her friends. Her great sacrifice allows them to escape their crumbling world and reach a livable ecology system to allow their species to carry on.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 can also serve as a warning against what could happen if we do not rally together to put an end to the human-caused Anthropocene geological era that we read about in this week's article.

dillonchujpt1311

I really enjoyed reading your post! I think your point about how destructive and implosive humanity can be is definitely valid. Humanity has the capability to shape the natural environment around us, whether intentionally or not. On another note, you drew a really interesting parallel with the symptoms of depression. I didn't see it that way at first, but I kind of get where you're coming from.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Ah, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - a game that I’ve always wanted to play. I will say, it is a bit unfortunate that I have to watch the cutscenes for this class, as I’m essentially spoiling myself, but it is what it is. I’m sure that it probably won’t diminish my experience if and when I do eventually get the game myself.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is set in the world of Alrest, a world overrun by a sea of clouds. The existence of this expansive “sea” is partly due to the destruction of the world that had occurred previously. As a result of his own actions, Klaus, known as the Architect, inevitably caused a cataclysmic event that resulted in the destruction of Alrest. After its restoration by his hands, the world was enveloped by a sea of clouds, with humanity now coexisting with massive lifeforms known as Titans. However, as time passes, the lifespan of these Titans comes to an end, resulting in a continuous dwindling of space and natural resources for humanity to exist on. Enter Rex, the game’s main protagonist and a scavenger who lives on the back of a Titan known as Azurda. Some things happen, and he eventually becomes the Driver of a legendary Blade known as the Aegis. I’m not really going to go in-depth about the entire plot of the game - I mean, it’s a 50+ hour-long game, and there’s absolutely no way I’m covering all the bases.

But there are a few things I want to draw attention to and explicate, namely the presence of “nature.” Unlike Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, where nature serves as a seemingly separate entity from humanity, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 depicts nature as a concept that exists because of human intervention. It’s later revealed that Klaus constructed the entirety of the ecosystem (and Titans) through nanomachines. This means that it’s only through human technological advancement and intervention that nature is restored, which is kind of different from the themes prevalent in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. In Xenoblade Chronicles 2, there is no separation of humans and nature, but that’s not necessarily a detrimental thing, either. So, both pieces of media offer seemingly similar but different outlooks on the same topic; however, they arrive at the same conclusion: nature is priceless, even if the concept of human intervention may be subjective.

jj-fink

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

Watching Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind really stuck with me. On the surface, it’s this beautifully animated sci-fi world, but underneath, it’s wrestling with heavy themes like environmental destruction, war, and human responsibility. What hit me most was how relevant it still feels, not just to issues in Japan but globally. The toxic jungle could easily be a stand-in for any number of environmental crises we’re facing today, and the way people react to it with fear, control, and violence felt way too familiar.

I was also struck by how the film reflects Japan’s own history, especially after WWII. The fear of destruction, the consequences of unchecked power, and the deep respect for nature all feel tied to that era. At the same time, these themes are global. We’re all living with the effects of climate change, and a lot of us are still stuck in this mindset of trying to dominate nature instead of working with it.

Nausicaä as a character really resonated with me. She’s calm, empathetic, and endlessly curious, qualities I wish I could channel more often, especially when things feel chaotic. I loved how she wasn’t a “typical” hero. She leads by listening and understanding, which made her feel powerful in a completely different way.

Some of the readings about Japan’s relationship with modernization and the environment added a lot of context. It helped me see how this film isn’t just fantasy. It’s a reflection of real concerns, and it challenges us to think differently about how we live in the world.

In the end, the film left me hopeful. It doesn’t shy away from how bad things can get, but it also shows that compassion and courage can change the future. That’s a message I needed to hear.

dillonchujpt1311

I really like your point that society is still stuck trying to instrumentalize nature. Part of our society is under the belief that nature is something to be controlled and made use of, almost like a tool of sorts. I think that this inherent disrespect for the fragility of the environment and nature is what the film was commentating on, showing that humanity should be trying to coexist with nature rather than take control of it.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is an extraordinary film that’s meant to scrutinize the relationship between humans and nature, or at least mankind’s perception of it. Directed (and technically written) by none other than Hayao Miyazaki, the film explores the instrumentalism of nature and the consequences it can have on the surrounding environment.

The film is set in a post-apocalyptic world 1000 years after a catastrophic event known as the Seven Days of Fire. In the current era, the world is beset by an insidious pollution brought about by the Seven Days of Fire, known as the Sea of Decay. This evergrowing “toxic forest” is home to a number of insects, many of which possess the capability to harm humanity in some manner. The film follows Nausicaä, a girl who serves as the princess of the Valley of the Wind. The Valley of the Wind is a relatively small country that dwells on the edge of the Sea of Decay, protected from the miasma by the ocean’s winds. Nausicaä, and by proxy, the rest of the people in the Valley of the Wind, have learned to exist with the Sea of Decay. Their way of life revolves around coexistence.

However, there are countries that seek to destroy the Sea of Decay, viewing it as a plague causing death and destruction. The countries of Tolmekia and Pejitei are one such example. They instrumentalize the Sea of Decay and, by extension, nature itself, seeing it as something that they can control and destroy at their own whims. What they are unaware of, though, is that the Sea of Decay was brought about by human pollution - the plants and spores are only toxic due to the water and soil from which they derive nutrients. Nausicaä essentially proves this by showing that the plants that she has grown herself are “pure.” Quite frankly, this notion alone shows a jarring parallel to how the environment is treated in our contemporary society. A lot of the time, people instrumentalize nature, seeing it as something a means to an end. The resulting effect is that pollution has become a rampant issue.

Something I do find interesting is that Nausicaä herself doesn’t actually offer a solution to this conundrum. Rather, she believes that coexistence is the key to survival and that nature should be allowed to run its course without human intervention. By breaking down the barriers of instrumentalism and reducing the impact that humans have on the ecosystem, it’s entirely possible to survive and thrive - her actions are proof of that. These contemplative commentaries are what make Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind such an engrossing film - it truly captures the essence of human’s relationship with nature.

lapspps

Conventions (and Fandoms)

I have never been to a convention in my entire life, but from what I have seen in the documentary video, it is a place where people can pursue their artistic interests — whether it be cosplay or fanart. I think of a convention as like a meetup of fandoms from different mediums — movies, games, anime, etc. That being said, I never went to a convention but I would love to attend one if I have the time for it. That aside, I did have experience with the fandom concept, and interacted with some fandoms. I will also try to make connections with the “True Otaku” documentary video and how this applies to not just fandom, but also youth culture and cultural identity formation.

As I was watching the “True Otaku” documentary, what stood out to me is when the video showed interviews from different cosplayers and how they talked about how they make these costumes of various fictional characters. For example, one cosplayer talked about how she made her costume out of wax resist (or lack thereof). There is also a family difference on how they perceive cosplayers. Generally, you might convince them to make you participate in a convention, but your parents may think that this cosplaying activity is “weird” to them. Fortunately, one of the interviewed cosplayers said that she has her grandmother help her create the costume because her grandmother is a seamstress. Normally, cosplaying may be appear as a foreign concept for parents to understand. Though it might appear as that, but as long as you explain to them that it is beneficial for the community and for fun, I am sure they will understand.

With that in mind, attending a convention for a specific fandom can somewhat lead to social isolation from the general populace. As I have mentioned, the example would be your parents, because they do not understand the appeal of attending a convention. That can raise some questions especially from the adult population, especially how it pertains to youth culture. Speaking of youth culture, conventions do appeal to this particular culture, as they allow some form of belonging and communication. The appeal of a convention reminds me of Genshiken, where we see an anime club that allows for interaction of people with similar interests. Likewise, conventions encourage a similar concept. For example, Star Wars conventions encourage Star Wars fans to do roleplay with the lightsaber fights. This is one of the examples that create some sort of belonging within the group. Moreover, there are also small anime clubs, which allow for more connections to conventions. As one documentary maker put it, “Anime clubs are like mini conventions that provide fans a place to gather and share their interests.”

As for my experience with fandoms, I do have an experience with them at some point. More specifically, I did observe and occasionally interact with the video game communities every now and then, especially when it comes to video game strategies. For this reason, I am going to use a mobile tower defense game called The Battle Cats. There is a Reddit community dedicated towards this game, and sometimes can be chaotic. There are memes, shitposts, video game screenshots, fanart, and even discussions as help to beat a specific stage. I picked this because it demonstrates both the appeal of youth culture and cultural identity formation within a specific fandom. Cultural identity formation exists as fandom allows for freedom of creativity and personality. Similarly, conventions do that through the form of cosplays, encouraging artistic creativity and personality.

This gif below is an example of an animated fanart from the Battle Cats community.

Overall, fandoms exist because of similar interests and they can be helpful for boosting the media economy. Weird as they are, most people in the fandom are actually nice and welcoming, and can even be helpful to society like making charity foundations in conventions. Thus, fandoms can be seen as a celebration of a specific media form and not a strange thing to avoid.

dillonchujpt1311

Hi! I found your anecdote and inclusion of the "Battle Cats" to be very interesting. The reason why that aspect stood out to me is because I'm in a number of fandoms and communities related to gacha games, which is what Battle Cats can be classified as. I think it's really riveting to see how pieces of media like video games can allow people to form tight-knit communities over shared interests.

True Otaku - Conventions and Fandoms: A Place of Connection

The True Otaku documentary dives into the cultural phenomenon known as otaku culture. It scrutinizes the sense of community and unity that stems from conventions and fandoms while directly understanding these concepts by interacting with individuals and exploring Otakon and Anime USA. Personally, I have never been to a convention despite being a huge fan of Japanese pop-culture. However, I found this documentary to be very intriguing, to say the least.

What sets the True Otaku documentary off from the rest of its genre’s mediums is how personal and involved it felt. Many documentaries featuring the Otaku subculture tend to victimize and antagonize it in some way, exploring its seemingly subjective, one-sided facet from an external viewpoint that portrays it as a liminal concept. True Otaku, on the other hand, takes a plunge into the world of the otaku subculture, fully immersing the audience into a narrative and environment that shows the true value and constructive nature of the community and defines what it really means to “be an otaku.”

True Otaku begins by exploring the concept of “Otaku,” tracing its origins back to Japan. However, instead of the conventional connotation of anime and manga that we associate with in the West today, the term otaku refers to the inherent obsession with any particular subject. Whether that be a certain type of music, visual arts, media, or even cards, the notion of an otaku encompassed all of these ideas in Japan. Initially, it began as a derogatory term, but as time passed and the idea of “fanatics” and “obsession” became more standardized and common, the term began to be used as a positively reinforced idea behind a unique and multi-faceted culture. Of course, the stigma behind it is still present, but it’s not as apparent and enforced as it once was. Nowadays, otaku mainly refers to an individual who is obsessed with and enjoys consuming Japanese pop culture like anime and manga.

The documentary True Otaku examines the community that has been built around otakus by exploring one of the biggest cultural phenomena that unite them: conventions. Conventions offer a place for anime and manga fans to connect with one another in a society where their tastes might not be widely accepted. The inherent isolation that stems from liking something that may deviate from societal norms begins to break down with the prospect of conventions. These short but impactful events foster a community that can only be found within the otaku subculture. Fans are genuine and passionate about their interests, and conventions provide an opportunity to validate them. As Takamasa Sakurai explains, “If you find joy in something common, you can build bridges. If anime can be a bridge between different cultures, that’s something that should not be ignored.”

A prominent example of this idea is the presence of cosplay at conventions. Through a variety of interviews, True Otaku indulges in the various aspects of cosplays and the intrinsic connotation behind each costume that people don. At its core, cosplays can serve as a form of character appreciation - it offers individuals the opportunity to get outside of their normal personality and be someone else. In the third part of the True Otaku documentary, we even get to see how cosplay can connect people with one another. Many people from different places and locations came together to cheer on and support the cosplayer DustBunny. This form of community engagement really shows just how supportive the otaku subculture can be.

Overall, True Otaku inspects the caveats of the otaku subculture and brings to light the community that has been created and nurtured from it. It’s a tight-knit community that’s shared a common and mutual understanding of acceptance. It serves as a bridge that connects individuals no matter the language or cultural barriers that are present. It’s the true acceptance of things that are different from oneself.

etanimeclass

Various thoughts on The End of Evangelion

…I wasn’t prepared for this to be the first scene of the movie.

I also didn’t really put the pieces together that the movie begins right after the original episode 24. After having lost Kaworu, he’s turned to begging for help from Asuka. In a way, he has given up on his own version of masculinity because of what Kaworu meant to him. Kaworu was the first person to accept him, but showed himself to be non-human, and thus an unachievable ideal. Shinji’s oddness is proven to be unacceptable to man, so he turns back to an avatar of strong masculinity, Asuka, to guide him as he must be unable to guide himself.

As the lowest of low points, his hand signals his new commitment to despair.

You aren’t the Rei we know.

Oh, it’s okay. Welcome Rei III, we love you too.

Unrelated, but women in Evangelion seem to be always subservient even long after death. Eva units 1 and 2 are both animated by the deceased souls of Shinji and Asuka’s mothers. The Magi System is at least in part Ritsuko’s mother, and Rei is used by Gendo as nothing more than a means to reunite with Yui.

In the invasion of NERV, Shinji was useless as he’s completely incapable of participating in Violent masculinity. Despite it being his only option, it backfired every single time. He’s caught between the impossible ideal offered by Kaworu and the reality forced upon him.

Hey, girl.

The postmortal women of Evangelion are violent without shame, brutal and honest. Both in the Eva units going berserk and the final apocalypse coalescing in a body resembling Rei does the series of Evangelion make an argument for femininity as the truest form of humanity. This critiques not just its current form, but rather the very existence of a differentiated “masculinity.”

THANATOS -IF I CAN’T BE YOURS-, the mid credits song, has a lot to say. What I’ve noted the most during this viewing is the contrast between the content and the song. I believe that the song reflects Shinji’s mental state by going into questions of self-love and judging oneself via your relationship to others. These apathetic lyrics and underscored by an almost romantic jazzy tune. This comes from what Misato did to Shinji. She attempted to manipulate his current view towards romance through a sexually intimate kiss. The body was activated, as shown through the tone of the music, but the mind couldn’t move on, as shown by the lyrics.

I also really really love this song. Normal Thanatos is also quite special.

Shinji and Asuka’s gendered role reversal continues long into the third impact. This scene brings to mind images of domestic abuse though Asuka takes the role of the violent and typically masculine abuser here.

He takes his revenge on the gendered society that hurts him. Komm, Susser Tod starts playing here (“come, sweet death” in German). I’ve always interpreted the song as belonging to Gendo and describes his motivations. But the title is German, and it starts with this moment. I wonder if it’s Asuka’s words to Shinji, though I’d argue it’s more a conversation expressing remorse over their shared lack of understanding.

I thought that I could live for no one else But now, through all the hurt and pain It’s time for me to respect The ones you love mean more than anything

dillonchujpt1311

I actually really liked the fact that you also added interpretative layers to the songs that were used in the film. I think a lot of what makes The End of Evangelion and the Evangelion series as a whole so special is just how open to interpretation it is. There are so many facets to psychological issues of perception that the characters undergo, creating their own defining narrative. However, the ending of it all is so vague and interpretive that it really puts the entire series into a metatextual perspective.

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