JPT1311

[abhiramanimeblog]

Hetalia and Stereotypes

This was my first time watching Hetalia and I have to say I did not like it. I found the stereotypes to be amusing, but the overall experience was just not fulfilling. It may be that I have just watched Your Name, but the story of Hetalia did not hit. I was also surprised to find out how popular this was since I have never watched it or heard of it, but it has over 9 seasons. I think it is offensive, but like the reading suggests it inspires conversation which is also important. For this discussion, I want to talk about the stereotypes in Hetalia.

I want to preface this by saying that stereotypes are not inherently bad. They can be very comedic when used to that effect. They are generalizations about a population which is definitely bad if it is taken as fact. However, most will not take a stereotype as fact so it is not a bad thing. I did not get offended by anything Hetalia showed. A big part of my not being offended may be that my country was not represented heavily. I can see how people from Italy and England could be offended by the depictions Hetalia showed.

Italy is depicted as a very clumsy and helpless country. This is true in some regard since they were not big winners in any major wars. Where I can see Helalia stepping too far is when they make Italy a country or a depiction obsessed with pasta which may be offensive to the Italians, any generalization about a country's interests will be offensive to some people. One of the only things I found truly funny from the show came from the chibi form of the show where the Holy Roman and Italian relationship was shown which was hilarious.

I also think that the depiction of Germany especially in this time as being something noble and likable is a bit weird. To most people, this time period in Germany is definitely villainous. They did some undeniably heinous acts and to paint them as some kind of good character is very odd. Obviously, the show does not go out of its way to have any villains. It is just trying to showcase a funny telling of events. It is still a bit weird.

In my life, I have seen a lot of stereotypes about Indians told to me. I do not let these stereotypes make me feel bad. I know who I am, and while I do fit some of them I am still my own person. I am not a generalization of my people.

Overall, Hetalia is a short show that can comically tell you about the history of the Axis powers. If you have some time you should check it out.

[hayleyrainbowprincess]

This is a very insightful write-up for this not so good of an anime! I agree with you that this show just did not seem as good as the other things we have watched. I agree with you that the way Germany is written in this show is WEIRD! Everyone knows what was happening during this time and it's strange to try to downplay that. I think the paragraph of you describing how this relates to your own life is also super interesting and important to tell. Overall, I think this was a really good blog post for this horrific show!

[hayleyrainbowprincess]

I am not so sure if Hetalia: Axis Powers is really my thing! I am not that big into history movies or shows, but I have seen a few. Let’s just say this is definitely not the best! It just seemed kind of weird and like it glorified certain aspects in a lowkey disrespectful way I feel like. This definitely did not make it up top on my list of favorite things we’ve watched.

The stereotypes that Hetalia: Axis Powers gives to each of the countries is obviously exaggerated and made to reflect what is most often seen in that country. There are some funny moments and also we see certain conversations that kind of reflect what actually happened between the countries in history. 

One part of this that I actually thought was offensive was the way it kind of made World War II not seem as big as a deal or as horrific as it actually was. Everyone knows how significant and awful this war was and Hetalia made it seem like it was trying to make the viewers feel for Germany. I don’t know, but this scene just rubbed me the wrong way and I thought it was pretty out of line. 

I am hoping most viewers can watch this and see how far from reality it is, but also it just has some concerning messages it signals out that I do not think should be spread as it is false. 

I would not watch this again as it is simply not to my taste and I found some parts weird and rude! I am not sure who exactly I would recommend this type of media to! I think most people in my life would agree that this is not the kind of media that they would prefer to consume as it glorifies stuff that should not be.

[mochicrackersss]

Blog Post - Your Name ᯓᡣ𐭩‧₊˚ ⊹

The movie Your Name is so recognizable within anime communities and is vastly known for its beautiful animation and endearing story. So why the hell have I not watched it until this class??? I knew for years this film would be right up my alley, and I loved watching similar movies like Suzume, Belle, and Weathering with You in the past. I even know the famous end-credit scene where Mitsuha and Taki reunite on the staircase years later. So I think I'm just insane or something, I don't know lol.

The movie was super cute, especially with its time-traveling Freaky Friday-like plot. I found the main characters endearing, with their struggles and embarrassment to live as the opposite sex. I liked how eventually, the two of them began to enjoy each other's lives and even helped save it. And I always enjoy a story that mentions the concept of the "red thread," or "Musubi" in the movie. The idea is that everything in the world is connected by time and place. Especially your soulmates, platonically or romantically, are all tied to your body by an unseeable thread until you find them is super fascinating to me. It felt similar to the anime, Kamisama Kiss, where the human girl Nanami and the fox spirit Tomoe were bound to fall in love again across every lifetime.

I will add that this movie surprisingly was an in-depth commentary on gender performance. A scene that stood out to me was when Taki, in Mitsuha's body, kicked a desk to stop the school bullies from talking behind her back. Everything that normal Mitsuha has done, being nice to them, staying quiet, and not bringing anything up, is stereotypically considered a "feminine" reaction to bullying. Your Name tells us that being feminine isn't the solution, and to stop someone from bullying you, the victim has to reject them in a "masculine" way (i.e. kicking your desk or getting into a fight). Of course, this isn't 100% true in reality, but the concept behind it is seen in the real world. Women have been taught for generations to bottle up their problems and not cause a scene so they aren't a nuisance, so some close-minded people believe only being a man or being masculine will get things done.

[hayleyrainbowprincess]

I absolutely agree with this blog post you created! This film was so amazing and I regret not watching it sooner, honestly. I like that you brought up the part of the red thread and specified on what it meant! This was obviously a key part in the film and it is good that you mentioned it. Also the very last sentence that you wrote is speaking VOLUMES. It is crazy how some people still have the mindset that only if you are masculine or a man will things get done. I think this was a well-written write-up!

[hayleyrainbowprincess]

Your Name was a BEAUTIFUL film! I have actually heard so many things about this movie, which were all good reviews. The animation itself is so pretty and really makes the anime so much more entertaining and easier to stay focused on. I think this is in my top 3 favorite things that we have watched over this semester! 

The plot of the two characters that are opposite sex switching bodies was such a good and interesting way to take the film. I have seen films that do this as well, but honestly I preferred the way Your Name does it as it feels like it has a stronger meaning behind it. I think I like Your Name’s version better is because Taki and Mitsuna are the opposite sex so it offers each of them a glimpse into the other’s world and the expectations that are expected of them. They get to experience things that are gender-specific that they could not do if they were in their original bodies. Of course each of them run into obstacles while being switched, but it quickly becomes something beautiful as they each come to enjoy and help the other out. Honestly, this film had a lot of stronger messages about gender societal expectations than what I was expecting before watching. Overall, Your Name carried many morally right messages that I think should be acknowledged more. It relates to many things and shows comparisons of real activities that some people may not realize. 

I cannot relate to this film since I cannot switch bodies with people. Rip. BUT I loved the insight we got of what it could possibly be like. I would definitely rewatch this movie and recommend it to those who have not seen it already. From the beautiful animation to the plot to the message about gender, it is truly one of a kind.

[mochicrackersss]

Blog Post - Xenoblade Chronicles 2 ᯓᡣ𐭩‧₊˚ ⊹

Going into Xenoblade Chronicles 2, the only knowledge I had previously was my exposure to some of the featured characters in Super Smash Bros and Super Smash Bros Ultimate. (Shulk was saur annoying to fight and then there were those two girls, but I don't remember their names lol). Besides that, I really didn't know much. I also assumed for how popular the franchise was, it would've gotten some sort of anime adaptation instead of relying on its multiple video games for its story. That's not inherently a bad thing, but just something I wondered about since Japanese video games sometimes do get their own shows, like Corpse Party or Castlevania.

I think Robert Schimelpfenig's way of thinking within The Drama of the Anthropocene is so flawed. As seen so many times throughout history, no amount of pro-environmental media will truly change everyone's minds and encourage them to take care of the Earth. It's sad, but it's the truth. Media like Xenoblade Chronicles 2 or Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind are powerful pieces of fiction that depict their characters' "risks and sacrifices" for their ruined worlds (Nausicaä has the toxic jungles, and Xenoblade has the cloud sea) as "heroic and honorable" but they will never truly grasp all of their audiences. Especially those who could truly make a difference to slow the processes of climate change or war.

[hayleyrainbowprincess]

I think this is a really interesting blog post about Xenoblade and also Anthropocene. I agree with your last paragraph how the Anthropocene that Robert Schimelpfenig thinks of is not perfect at all. It would be so difficult to change EVERYONE's train of thought on the environment. Especially in our time as there are people who are now endorsed with corruption and care more about money than our home. Overall, this was a very detailed write-up of Xenoblade and the reading we discussed.

[hayleyrainbowprincess]

The Xenoblade series wasn’t something I was particularly interested in. I just don’t know if this was really my thing. This could be because we only watched the cutscenes and didn’t fully engage in the content and world though. 

In this series we find out that the characters are trying to make it to this place where their planet is actually thriving. Any other point on the earth, besides this area, is destroyed and inhabitable practically. We come to find out this place doesn’t really exist though. There is no paradise or ideal living area. Everything is the way it is because of a character named Klaus. He forced nature to be able to never recover from the damage he has caused. Klaus has created life on this planet through technology to populate on Earth again. He uses humans to create a bond with which creates this life. So humans are used to populate the earth, but are also the destroyers of it.

I think the Xenoblade series displays a key message though. We are the destroyers of the places that surround us. We can cause chaos or we can learn and fix our mistakes. I think this series is kind of a warning of what life has the chance of becoming, which is nothing. Our world could turn into something hideous with irreversible consequences. 

I do believe I can relate to this anime series! In our world, we have made so many technological and economic advances which are amazing, of course! However, some of these were made by harming or taking from the natural environment in a way that cannot be repaired. I think it’s important to think about the decisions we make and how it will influence the environment because whatever happens to nature will eventually affect us. 

I’m not 100% sure if I would recommend Xenoblade to people! At least not the cutscenes, maybe the actual game!

[parivvv]

Today for class I was able to watch Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. I haven’t heard of the movie before, but I am glad I was able to watch it. It was a Ghibli movie, so the artstyle was beautiful. I loved the characters, the artstyle and the story. 

As the movie started, it became evident to me that the movie was about the environmental impact that humans have had on earth. Forests all over are growing spores that are poisonous to humans and creating mutant insects that often harm humans. Nausicaa knows that the nature around her is dangerous, but she can’t help her curiosity. Nausicaa loves learning more about the animals and plants around her and wants to learn how to make people and insects coexist. 

Princess Kushana of Torumekia then goes to the Valley of the Wind, hoping to destroy the forest. She forces the people of the Valley of the Wind to follow her orders to stay alive, even if that means going against their values. Obaba very outwardly opposes Kushana’s actions, saying that the forest is not meant to be destroyed. It doesn’t matter to Kushana as she continues on with her goal of trying to destroy the forest. During this time the people of the Valley of the Wind try to defy Kushana, waiting for Nausicaa to come back and help liberate them. On her way back, Nausicaa finds a herd of ohms going for the Valley of the Wind, being lured by a stolen baby ohm. Nausicaa frees the baby ohm and even sacrifices herself in order to save the valley. It was then revealed that Nausicaa was the “man in blue” in the legend told by Obaba. 

I think this movie is very relatable in the current day. The movie displayed that most problems with the environment were caused by humanity and its greed. As humanity has evolved, so have our daily practices. Because of this, we are consuming much more and wasting much more. These processes often deplete the earth of its resources and make it harder for the earth to replenish all of the natural resources it has lost. 

Overall I think Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind was a great movie. It was very insightful to the impact that humans have on the earth. 

[hayleyrainbowprincess]

I love this blog post you wrote for this movie! I think it is very insightful and describes the film well. The important message of how the Earth is impacted by humans is definitely easily picked up on. I agree with you on how this film is pretty relevant in our world now. I feel like we use up so many resources that the Earth provides without necessarily think of the consequences in the long run. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this write-up for the film!

[hayleyrainbowprincess]

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was a movie I actually enjoyed watching and thought it had a good moral message. It is a Studio Ghibli creation so that could also be why. 

It is really interesting to see how the people in the film, besides Nausicaä, believe that the Earth and its resources are for THEIR use. They also like to get rid of any obstacle that they find within the environment. Nausicaä, however, is the complete opposite! She sees the world in such a different light. She believes that we should respect nature and work in harmony with it, not forcing it to work for us. 

Nausicaä does have her flaws though. After her father is murdered, she has a lot of anger within and she does end up killing someone. She immediately regrets it, but it’s something she cannot take back. She puts this rage she is filled with aside so she can help the people. I think this was a really important characteristic and action to see Nausicaä make. I feel like in most films this would have been the beginning of her villain arc. However, she decides that this isn’t her and she needs to put the others before her emotions. This is such a brave and strong move. 

Personally, I do not see myself with the instrumentalist perspective that is displayed by some of the people in the film. I think nature is something that humans take too much advantage of everyday and it will definitely be our demise if we keep it up. 

I really enjoyed this movie as I think it takes an important stance on nature and human impact. Most, if not all, destruction is caused by humans. I think this shows that we should respect the environment we are very fortunate to have. I would for sure recommend this movie to people as I find it very fascinating and honestly a good warning sign to possible future endeavors.

[mochicrackersss]

Blog Post - The End of Evangelion ᯓᡣ𐭩‧₊˚ ⊹

I followed Neon Genesis Evangelion pretty well despite skipping a lot of episodes. The show was confusing, sure, but it posed a lot of interesting philosophical themes of self-hatred and fascinatingly illustrated biblical imagery. I even thought the ending of the original show was sweet despite its suddenness. I felt the characters deserved to learn to love themselves after the hardship they went through.

HOWEVER! The End of Evangelion movie confused the shit out of me! I thought the show was done? Does this take place after his self-love revelation in the last episode or before??? If so, why is Shinji now going insane again??? WHY DID SHINJI DO THAT IN FRONT OF ASUKA'S UNCONSCIOUS BODY IN THE HOSPITAL?????? WHY ARE A BUNCH OF ADULTS SEXUALLY HARASSING KIDS???????? (Insert defeated Shinji leaning over chair image here...) I just truly feel like I missed something here. I still don't understand what "The Promised Day" means, who Rei and her clones are in relation to Shinji's mom, why those black armored soldiers are attacking Nav HQ, or why Asuka and her Evangelion are going berserk.

I don't know... I feel like the original show put a lot of care into showing their characters' flaws, but also demonstrating that these flawed people were born from their terrible environment. Therefore, if they could accept their wrongdoings or learn to love themselves and others, they deserve to live peacefully. So is the movie trying to take back their claim or show the other side of reality? Is it saying sometimes despite bad environments, bad people don't try to change? Because End of Evangelion made a lot of their characters into suddenly shitty, violent people. It's fine to have those kinds of characters, but not so suddenly with no buildup. But that's just me, and like I mentioned, maybe I missed said buildup in the show.

At least those white, angel-like Evangelions are pretty cool design-wise. I have no idea where they came from, but I like their wings and hoverboard swords.

[hayleyrainbowprincess]

TOTALLY AGREE!!! This movie was so confusing! ALSO WHY DID SHINJI DO THAT?!?!?!?! I feel like this film left me with so many more questions than when I started! Even the first part of this show we watched, I was kind of confused! Definitely not this much though! The characters just really sucked and it bummed me out after feeling like we saw them have some type of progress. Well I think this is a good blog post that I honestly have similar opinions with!

[hayleyrainbowprincess]

SO WHAT DID I JUST WATCH EXACTLY??? I don’t think I’ve seen a film that has confused me this much in so long. Maybe it’s because I didn’t watch all of the episodes, but I still feel like it would be confusing for anyone?? 

So basically what in the hell are you doing Shinji? LEAVE ASUKA ALONE???? Guys, I’m telling you this really confused me because Shinji is NOT the type to do this thing (Or so I thought? Idk guys). It felt like all of these characters just became really awful in this movie! I’m not sure what the point was or like what the truth is behind this series now! 

This is basically a complete guess, but I’m wondering if this is Shinji trying to find a strong masculine version of himself again. I do NOT agree with the ways he went about it at all though. We do see that he regrets what he did which PHEW LIKE OMG?? But also don’t do it in the first place, please. He realizes that he does not have that masculinity in him and retreats to who he really is once again. In the process of all this back and forth, he honestly hurts a lot of people. I think this shows that not embracing who you truly are not only harms yourself in the long run, but can hurt others around you as well. 

I do not personally relate to this anime series. There wasn’t anything in this movie that made me think, “Omg this is me!” Maybe I missed why all the characters became awful, but I was not prepared to see this sudden change of them and have definitely not seen this with any people in my life. 

I think I would recommend the show to others, but this movie…probably not! I think it lowkey ruins what the ending is supposed to be and personally confuses me so much, I’m now questioning certain parts of the show!

[parivvv]

Today for class I was able to watch part of the second half of Neon Genesis Evangelion. I thought I had understood what was going on, but now that I rewatched it again, I can say that I am still confused at the ending.

The episodes in the second part of NGE continued to discuss masculinity. The introduction of Asuka really showcased the difference between her and Shinji. Asuka displays traits of hegemonic masculinity like assertiveness, confidence, and pride. Shinji, on the other hand, displays traits of queer masculinity like timidness, being accommodating, and being passive. Asuka seems to be the complete opposite of Shinji. The idea of gender roles are also prominent in these episodes of NGE. Asuka often yells at Shinji because of his queer masculinity. Although Asuka has hegemonic masculinity, she uses it to hide her insecurities. Shinji and Asuka are more alike than they know. Both of them lack attention from a parental figure and both of them do not feel like they are enough. Asuka is jealous of Shinji’s ability to perfectly sync with the EVA and wants to get closer to him, while Shinji doesn’t care. 

After he meets Asuka, Shinji tries to get more hegemonic masculinity by leading the EVAs to defeat the Angel. In the process he gets swallowed and trapped by the Angel. This leads him to spiral and reflect on himself. The EVA ends up saving him, because he was unable to do it himself. This leads him to meet Kaworu, who displays similar traits to Shinji, but is treated differently. Once Kaworu is revealed to be an angel and dies, Shinji slowly comes to terms with his queer masculinity and no longer hates himself. 

I feel as if Shinji can relate to many people in the world. There are many people who display traits that go against that of their gender role, which makes people feel like they don’t fit into society. 

In the end, I think Neon Genesis Evangelion was a great show and I’m really happy I got to watch it again. 

[hayleyrainbowprincess]

I loved your perspective and blog on this part of the anime! I think it still is a bit confusing, but also I feel like it's easy to get the main message that the series is sending. You mention how Asuka uses her hegemonic masculinity to hide her insecurities which I think is really important to mention. It was nice to see Shinji come to terms with who he is though!

[hayleyrainbowprincess]

I enjoyed Neon Genesis Evangelion (Pt.2) more than our other episodes that we watched! I also just love a good girl boss character in any show. In this case, Asuka was this character for me. So she does have a hard-to-crack shell, but she literally kills it so I’ll excuse it. 

She is honestly a really interesting comparison to Shinji. She comes off as more masculine than him, so this trait that he “lacks” is more apparent and obvious now that she is introduced. Honestly, it seems that the other characters find her annoying which makes me super upset to see! I can understand certain actions, but totally leaving her alone essentially makes no sense. So this part hurt me a little!

Let’s discuss Shinji a bit more though! Shinji starts trying to become more masculine in these episodes so he won’t be as isolated. However, his plans do not go accordingly. It was devastating to watch, but also held a really important message. You cannot change who you are. You can grow, but changing who you are personally is almost impossible. This scene also showed how difficult it is to be accepted in a highly masculine world when you don’t fit the supposed standards. 

I do not relate to Shinji in trying to become more masculine, but I think many people can. In some ways, many people just try to fit in in any way possible. After several attempts though, people understand that they shouldn’t try to blend in, but embrace who they are. I think this anime showcases this very well and describes this from a male’s perspective which isn’t seen a lot in really any media outlets. 

I enjoyed these episodes of Neon Genesis Evangelion and would recommend this series to others! The themes it represents are highly important and not talked about enough in our society.

[mochicrackersss]

Blog Post - Neon Genesis Evangelion ᯓᡣ𐭩‧₊˚ ⊹

I've wanted to watch Neon Genesis Evangelion because it's just so iconic within anime culture. I never did though, because I heard the series could be hard to follow. However, despite that fear, it really drew me in! Evangelion was like Mobile Suit Gundam but a thousand times more terrifying, especially with its darker tones and the presence of Lovecraftian-like Angels.

I can definitely see how the main character, Shinji Ikari, not only rejects masculinity throughout the series (like the readings from this module discuss) but he also rejects everything within the show. The boy is invited by his absent father to be at the organization, Nerv, with no other information. Once rescued by Misato, he is brought to the top secret location where eventually (with much prying by his father) finds out that the only reason he is here is to pilot the mech suit, Evangelion. Suddenly, all the adults around him who told him nothing are now telling him to do everything. They constantly push him to pilot the suit and make him feel horrible if he doesn't, which puts an enormous amount of pressure on Shinji. And once he finally accepts to pilot (only because Rei was hurt) they still belittle him and say things like "Suck it up! "Be a real boy!" and "Stay calm!" as it isn't his first time piloting a dangerous mechanical monster against a terrifying biblically accurate angel.

This is a bit off-topic, but I find it interesting that the mech suit is treated like an uncontrollable wild animal. (Which it kinda is since its revealed to have an alive creature inside.) It's constantly restrained to prevent a "runaway" or becoming "berserk", and only a few people can pilot an Evangelion without rejection. In a way, I wonder if it was an intentional comparison between Shinji and the Evangelion suits. They are considered dangerous deadweight until they become useful to the people around them. Maybe that's why only people who reject societal norms can pilot the suits.

[hayleyrainbowprincess]

I love this analysis and perspective of the episodes we watched! Your last paragraph is a really interesting take that I didn't even fully think about until your post! After considering what you said, I'm also thinking that it could've been intentional of the similarity between Shinji and the suits! Overall, love your take on this.

[hayleyrainbowprincess]

Neon Genesis Evangelion was not what I was expecting at all. Not in a negative way, I just haven’t had much background on the show prior to this class. I’ve heard good reviews about it, but I’m not going to lie, it was a little hard to follow. I think this was because of the jumping around with episodes, so it took me a minute to figure out what was going on. 

Shinji represents so much in this show! It was so interesting to see this side of masculinity and see someone being torn down for “not being masculine enough.” However, it’s something that is REAL! This happens to men everyday! Specifically in the scene, where Shinji is getting yelled at with words such as, “Be more of a man!” I think many men actually have been in a similar situation, but don’t talk about it because THAT is even seen as unmasculine. 

Let’s talk about the amount of pressure Shinji is under as well because WOW. When he gets pressured into controlling the mesh suit, honestly it made me emotional??? It’s very apparent that he is terrified and doesn’t want to do this, but all these people are practically forcing him and making him feel guilty if he doesn't. Honestly, it seems that nobody respects him at all. His father, scientists, and many others just call him weak and a coward. It’s so heartbreaking to see this honestly. 

I don’t personally relate to this anime, but I can definitely understand the situations and how scary they are. Also, being forced into a position that is literally the opposite of who you are is so difficult.

Overall, I think this anime was pretty good and had some highly important themes that really do not get talked about enough. Masculinity within boys is something that is enforced and frowned upon if you are not enough. I’m interested to see how this show will continue!

[theanimatedworldblog]

Wandering Son

This is another first time animation that I’ve had in this class because I have never heard of this watch or heard of this animation before this point. I personally have never watched anime that display real world issues such as politics and sexuality or gender. In the beginning of the show I will say that I was confused about the show because Nitro’s narrator voice was more feminine than those of other animated male characters that I had seen before. I soon was able to grasp onto the idea this show was based on gender identity after that point. This animation was definitely a pleasant surprise because it addresses issues that people struggle with on a daily basis while also integrating in with a pleasantry many people enjoy, which is watching different media. In the anime Nitro isn’t comfortable with the gender performance that he has been assigned according to society. The idea of gender performance comes from Butler's theory of gender performativity. Butler’s theory says that gender is a performance that is learned through societal structures and history which are taught and learned to children. Essentially I would say that this theory identifies that gender is learned through the stereotypes that are taught to people like boys should be strong and girls should always be lady-like. As for how this anime relates to the module’s intended lesson it is quite obvious to fit along the line of gender discussion. This anime doesn’t personally relate to my life at all actually. According to society I would align with the conservative views of where gender and sexually “should fit” according to my biological sex. I will say that this anime is definitely well thought through and necessary because surely there are people struggling with expressing their identity in a similar way that Nitro was. To have this anime to look at and know that you aren’t the only one feeling out of place within societal “norms’ is a big necessity.  

[hayleyrainbowprincess]

I also have never seen a display of gender in anime as strong as this one! It was super interesting and I think it had very strong/telling points. I really like your closing sentence of how this anime can actually help people realize that they aren't alone if they are going through a similar situation. Our society is definitely becoming more accepting than what it used to be, but there's still a ton of progress to be made!

[hayleyrainbowprincess]

Wandering Son was such an interesting watch! I honestly didn’t exactly know what to expect as I haven’t heard of the series or what it was about until this class. I think it dealt with important themes and messages that are honestly not talked about enough in society.

Transgenderism is the most important thing talked about within the show. Nitori is one of the most important characters, as she demonstrates how hard the task of transitioning can be to society that is unbuilt and strict on it. Nitori does not want to wear the male uniform she was assigned, she wishes to wear a female uniform. Uniforms are definitely more common in Japan than most places. They are much more defining and limit those who wish to transition. 

Nitori does eventually attend school in a female uniform after her friends give her some much needed confidence. However, it does not go well at all. The other students start seeing her as strange and do not wish to be near her anymore. She even gets in trouble for it with the school and her parents. 

This series shows how hard it is for people who are transgender to be accepted into certain societies. I think it has definitely become easier in certain areas of the world. However, as demonstrated in the anime, Japan is still not that accepting of people with specific traits.

I do not personally relate to this anime, but I do have people in my life who can resonate with it deeply. They have expressed to me countless times about certain feelings and pressure that society can put on a person through gender identification. 

To sum up this blog post, I think Wandering Son does a good job in displaying the pressures and struggles of transgenderism. This topic is pretty serious, but this anime handles it well. I wouldn’t recommend this to someone to watch whenever, maybe for someone who would like to see a certain perspective about transgenderism. 

[mochicrackersss]

Blog Post - Aggretsuko ᯓᡣ𐭩‧₊˚ ⊹

I'm such a big Aggretsuko fan! I've followed the series since its first season dropped in 2018 and loved it ever since. I even have little plushies of the characters, like Retsuko and Haida! :) I find it extremely fascinating and ironic that this show was produced by Sanrio, which is mainly known for its affordable, cute animal mascot merchandise targeted towards children and working adults. Yet it depicts such real topics that only the adult portion of their audience would relate to. (If you decide to continue the show, I personally recommend you stop at Season 3 because Seasons 4+5 sadly felt kinda rushed and that ruined a lot of the characters and their arcs.)

Aggretsuko is such a hilarious show, but also acts as a great showcase of Japan's toxic corporate environments, especially for female employees. Retsuko constantly faces constant harassment, not just from other employees (both male and female), but from her own boss Director Tom. Even though he is supposed to treat his staff respectfully, he has to be one of the biggest jerks ever. Not only is he rude to Retsuko because he enjoys the power imbalance, but he is an outright sexist. Director Tom gets a thrill out of singling out Retsuko for everything because he believes she is an "incompetent woman." He shoves more work onto her plate, makes her get tea for him during office hours, and consistently belittles her. Director Tom feels right doing so because he knows Retsuko will never stand up for herself, as that is the built-in system of the office. Haida even states it's "standard office politics" to stick up to their boss. One character who's mastered the art of "boss suck up" is Tsunoda. She overly compliments and flatters Director Tom to get her way out of work, which makes other employees dislike her (and that is understandable, as she is kind of a bitch. I love her though). But Tsunoda is only dislikable because the work environment led her down that path so her career could thrive. If Tsunoda didn't constantly suck up to Director Tom, she would be in the same spot as Retsuko.

[hayleyrainbowprincess]

Love this write-up for the show! I also really enjoyed watching Aggretsuko and think I'll finish watching it (until season 4 as you recommended lol). It's kind of neat to see that it's animated and has funny moments, but can still show real world problems that people face everyday. Also, Director Tom really does suckkkkk, he literally made me want to throw something at my screen everytime he popped up. But there are also people like him in our society, which sucks even more!