JPT1311 Blog - SK

"God's in his heaven / All's right with the world!"

[letadlock]

Hetalia

Hetalia is an anime personifying various countries and depicting comical interactions between them. I thought this anime was pretty amusing even though it harnessed a lot of stereotypes. Although I will say at times I could not tell if this anime was taking these stereotypes seriously or just purely mocking them.

As for the characters physical appearance they all seem to fit a narrow idea of what I'd imagine each to look like. As far as personality, Italy was honestly surprising to me. I was not expecting him to be this dense golden retriever type character but I honestly came to love him for it. I was also amused by America's character consistently holding a burger... because we all know Americans love hamburgers!

It was interesting to see bonds between the characters reflect actual allied bonds from history. Most notably the bond between Germany and Japan where we see a conversation where Germany is admirable towards Japan's productivity and efficiency. Germany's characteristics are not deployed as either good or bad but are interestingly neutral. After the atrocities committed by Nazi Germany I was honestly surprised to see him depicted in this neutral light. I would have assumed Germany to be depicted as malicious instead.

I can see why this anime would be pretty popular as it is fun to see countries depicted as people. But I at the same time that this anime amuses me I'm also conflicted because it feels wrong to have a very narrow view of a country. The developed countries in Hetalia each have diverse populations and so it feels a little disrespectful to group an entire population into a few characteristics. But maybe I'm looking too deep into this and the anime should just be enjoyed for what it is, a parody about personified countries.

[blakesuga]

Little Things #22: Your Name

I find it ironic that I began this course watching a critically acclaimed anime film I had heard was iconic. Now, I have finished the course with another widely acclaimed anime film that is also iconic for anime fans worldwide. I think it is just a full circle at this point, a nice little conclusion that marks the end (or even start?) of my anime analysis journey.

As expected with a heavily respected movie, it is no surprise that the art style that was displayed throughout the movie was a feast for the eyes. The colors, the cinematography, the fluid-like movements made by the characters... I could honestly watch the movie without subtitles or in the English dub so I can just enjoy watching the pictures moving across the screen. However, if I did that then I would not be able to even understand what the film's storyline was and why it is impactful. The main premise of the film is on two teenagers Mitsuha Miyamizu and Taki Tachibana who suddenly gain the ability to swap bodies with each other after they have expressed dissatisfaction with their current lives. Usually, this plot line is cliche (Lookism I'm looking at you (get it?) but I love you so I am choosing to ignore it), but the twist is that Mitsuha is from three years in the past in a rural area in Japan while Taki is living in the modern world three years in the present while also being in Japan. What is even more interesting is that the main characters are unable to remember the other's name and struggle to remember why they are familiar with the other person, but they will for some reason never be able to find the reason why they feel as if they are missing a part of themselves. So throughout the movie, the two try to live their lives in the other person's body, eventually meeting the other and finding purpose (as well as love for the other), and saving Mitsuha from dying in a meteor strike.

What I like about the anime is how they demonstrate aspects of love that are not discussed in today's society. Usually, when discussing love in entertainment, the characters long to be physical, and while emotions play a role, physical attraction and contact are still widely sought after. Your Name is the opposite of the standard romance film since the main focus of its story is the transcendental connection between the two characters and their yearning to be with each other. It is the familiarity of knowing the other's existence but not knowing why, the only thing you can make of this is that the person should be instrumental in your life, but why? This unique take on love and the emphasis on familiarity over physicality is what sets the movie apart from others of the same genre. I think that everyone should watch the movie and hopefully find their own "missing link".

(PS. I also had fun writing all of these blog posts for the past week, even if they stressed me a little bit lol)

[katibis]

Hello, I loved your analysis of this movie. Love is a difficult concept that is not yet fully understood but is known to be difficult to understand. "Your Name"'s unusual romance is one reason I believe the film became as popular as it did. Another factor is the beautiful art, as you mentioned. Many people are searching for something but are only aware of it once they see it. Many people are drawn to the romance in this movie because it is like their search.

[katibis]

Your Name - Blog Post

“Your Name” is a popular anime romance movie that I have heard about, and I was familiar with the main idea. However, the twist with the meteor completely surprised me. Like most people, I had assumed that all of the characters existed during the same time. This was used against the viewer in a great way.

Most people are searching for something, often times happiness. However, searching for something implies a lack or need of what you are searching for. In this case, these two people were searching for each other without recognizing each other. After thinking about this movie, I believe this is a movie encouraging people to go out and find love, even if they do not know who to look for. It is a fact that Japan is facing a population crisis and has been searching for causes of this problem as well as solutions. One solution is encouraging people to marry and raise children. However, people will not marry anyone, they have certain qualities that they look for in a partner(s). Taki and Mitsuha live unsatisfactory lives but due to a supernatural phenomenon, they swap consciousnesses. Eventually, they get used to this and improve each other’s lives. This is symbolic of the fact that romantic relationships usually improve each person’s life. One day, this phenomenon stops and each of them falls into despair and try to search for each other. Taki realizes that he remembers where Mitsuha lives and tries to search for her only to find that her town was destroyed, and she died in an unforeseen meteor impact. Taki attempts to reach out to Mitsuha and try to warn her and save her town from this impact. Eventually he succeeds but forgets about her name and identity, until they meet on passing trains. I think the theme of this movie is about finding love through tradition. It is hinted at in this movie that some god is manipulating their consciousness, allowing for the characters to meet during twilight. Taki was only able to meet Mitsuha at the end by traveling to the shrine and drinking the fermented alcohol. If we consider that action to be partaking in the tradition, then Taki and Mitsuha were only able to meet because they both engaged in the tradition. This meeting sets the basis for their deja-vu at the end of the movie.

Overall, an interesting movie. I might watch it again, but I hate how Dramas pull at my heartstrings. Until then I will continue my search for happiness.

[katibis]

Hetalia - Blog Post

Throughout the entire course, I have seen many animes and movies. I watched tragic movies about the horrors of war, I watched awesome mecha battles, saw amazing fantasy worlds, and even got a peek into fandom cultures. None of those have had such an impact on me as “Hetalia” did to me, today. While watching this anime, I alternated between laughing and questioning what I am watching. I have always avoided anthropomorphic fandoms because they do not interest me and to put it bluntly, are cringe, in my opinion. “Hetalia” is exactly what I expected it to be, especially after the reading.

“Hetalia” is a comedy parody of nations and their relations/history. The historical accuracy is decent but not as perfect as it should be since this is about nations’ histories. I am not sure if there was a plot or progress with the plot because of how often it reversed for humorous reasons. “Hetalia” is able to just many stereotypes to make jokes but none of them feel too offensive to the viewers. I struggle to find meaning in the anime. I believe this anime to be a form of propaganda. The usage of stereotypes for jokes was fine however during the WWII arc, this anime fails to represent the horrors of war and the tragedies that occurred. Italy is shown as a weak, passive and cowardly nation when during WWII they were invading and annexing African nations and supporting the Germans. Not to mention the war crimes committed by the Japanese and Germans before and during WWII. This anime is a gross oversimplification of WWII. If this manga was released in any nation involved in WWII 70 years ago, the reaction would be one of mass outrage. Such is the amazing ability of parody, to take that which is serious and turn it into something else.

I am curious what other people think about this anime and I would never like to watch this anime or interact with the fandom, ever again.

[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!

[whisperingwisterias]

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and Compassion

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is another stunning film from Miyazaki that explores the impact of humanity on nature and how society reacts when they feel threatened by it. In particular it presents Nausicaa as someone who both calls out humanity for how they have caused harm while also acting as an example for how to heal that harm.

The film first sets up how dangerous the world has become for humanity: we see villages ravaged by the Sea of Decay, humans that have had to adapt by wearing gas masks outside and creatures that will turn against humanity in a rage if incited. We also see how humanity has come to view this new world, as the people of the Valley of the Wind are quick to demonize the Sea of Decay and refuse to interact with it at all. People from other tribes demonize it even more than the villagers do, preaching about how they want to eradicate it entirely, despite warnings not to anger the insects that live within it. Even though the forest and the Sea of Decay are just doing their best to survive and heal the world of the damage that has been done to it, most of humanity reacts with nothing but violence: when threatened by the insects he angers with his own disturbance, Asbel’s first instinct is to kill everything in sight; and instead of trying to live harmoniously with the world both the Torumekians and the Pejitians want to bring destruction to the very thing allowing them to continue living in the world, and are not above even hurting an innocent Ohm baby to do it.

In the midst of this hatred it is Nausicaa who teaches humanity to react with kindness instead of violence. Rather than being afraid of the forest, Nausicaa takes the time to appreciate its beauty without harming it. She does not villainize the forest or the insects inside it, but tries to treat them with respect. When she accidentally steps on an insect, she apologizes to it, and when she spots an Ohm chasing after someone she does not try and fight it off but instead calmly redirects it back to the forest. Even outside of the forest, she treats everything with kindness, befriending Teto with gentleness even when he bites her out of fear. Nausicaa is also the only one to notice that it is not the plants themselves that are dangerous, it’s the soil they grow from that was poisoned by humans themselves that make them dangerous. And by the climax of the film, when humanity is so ready to ruin themselves in the name of hatred and destruction, Nausicaa remains compassionate and kind hearted, going so far as to sacrifice her wellbeing and even her life to protect the life of an innocent Ohm baby and save her people. At the end of the film it is this pure kindness that is celebrated and commended as the people of the Valley of the Wind learn to rebuild themselves alongside nature rather than against it.

Throughout the film Nausicaa serves as a role model to society, she points out that we cannot ignore the harm we have done to our world but also that continuing to live and impact the world the way we have without changing anything will only make things worse. Nausicaa’s actions also serve as a reminder to not treat those different from us with fear and violence but to instead respect them and treat them with kindness. Overall Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is not only a truly gorgeous film to watch but also a lesson in how we should treat both other people and the world that we live in.

[katibis]

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - Blog Post

I was surprised that we were assigned to view cutscenes from a video game, although I am not complaining. I believe that video games are a form of art and can also carry a message like anime can. I do not think I have ever played or seen a video game with environmentalist messages like “Xenoblade Chronicles 2”.

Like the movie assigned previously, war is seen as the cause for massive environmental destruction. With this idea, producers are able to criticize both war and environmental destruction. This new world that Rex lives in was created by the survivor (and destroyer) of the previous world, or that is what I understood. There are no landmasses, and all life lives upon the backs of a large lifeform known as titans. The titans are mortal and therefore all life on their backs will soon die. This is the driving force behind Rex’s search for Elysium or the perfect place for life to live, atop the world tree.

This is much like life on Earth where we are losing more livable land each year. Like in the game, this global problem does not prevent humankind from causing war. It is interesting to see the solution to this problem being the life cycle of blades, weapons that one-day can become titans. I think this was a trial created by Klaus, the Architect, as a way to test this reborn humankind. Humans were fully aware of the life cycle of the blades, but they still used them to fight instead of trying to raise them into titans. I think this is one message from the game, war is inevitable as long as humans interact and have weapons. The ending is interesting, Rex finds a landmass where people can live without fear of sinking but this landmass is not Elysium or in the world tree. But Rex was only able to find this land after Pyra/Mythra sacrificed herself to destroy the world tree, the longstanding reminder of war. By destroying all of humanity’s past, these reborn humans lose their reason for war. In this sense, Pyra/Mythra is like Christ, sacrificing their lives so to save humankind from their past sin(s); Allowing humanity to seek a better future.

[katibis]

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

“Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind” is an environmentalist movie about post-apocalyptic humanity in a world infested by fungi and insects. In the forest of the fungi, exists a large toxic cloud that prevents humans and animals from living there but insects are not affected by this cloud. These fungi/insect swarms only arose after the apocalyptic event of the seven days war, in which large organic humanoid creatures incinerated most of the Earth and human population.

Most people in the “Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind” movie believed that the fungi are the producers of the toxic cloud in the fungi forests. However, the princess raised many species of fungi domestically with clean water and soil and was not poisoned. This proves that the toxic cloud, while it may come from the fungi as a medium, does not originate from the fungi themselves. The princess theorizes that the toxic cloud must come from pollutants that are spread by the spores released by the fungi, which are absorbed from the soil. Since the fungi forest only emerged after the seven days war, it is obvious that mankind was the source of this pollution in the soil.

This infected forest is symbolic for the pollution and environmental destruction performed by humans that will one day cause their destruction. I think the Ohm are symbolic for disease; diseases destroy humanity, and we are almost powerless to fight back. The black plague was only so destructive because of poor cleanliness and compact living conditions, caused by the industrial revolution. Disease is always nature’s response to pollution, like how the Ohm always attack the fiercest when the fungi forests are burnt. Often times humans are infected by their own pollution, accidental or not. Pollution can reach such high levels that even the air is not breathable without a mask. This can happen in large cities, like New York or even affect entire countries like India or China.

[ndsblog4uf]

The End of Evangelion

The pain of existence is an ever-present thing in this world but one that only exists momentarily. Shinji in this film seemed to have given up though, just like his father and the radical members of SEELE. After everything he has gone through throughout the course of NGE has completely exited reality, insisting that because he can't be the man the world wants him to be expects help from the world. That's why in the second half of the film (after the 3rd impact) Asuka not only represents the masculinity expected of Shinji but partially the world itself. Asuka finds Shinji disgusting, worthless, pathetic, but is she wrong to describe a wimpy fearful man who chooses to end the world because nobody will give him free handouts for being the way he is. Luckily though, after seeing the world of no pain by removing all human reaction, Shinji still chooses life and returns all human souls back to their bodies. The important part is that he does this despite having no solution to his problems; as long as the world is turning, he can find this happiness, he can make the world better, and his pain will come to an end. He still isn't happy (which is why he chokes Asuka again), nor is he completely changed, but he made the right decision for humanity. That's why Asuka reaches out to him and finally recognizes him, this is the affirmation that his pain can end even if the world hasn't fully accepted him yet which is why he lets go of Asuka despite her overall feelings towards him not changing. While it still has its less savory moments, like Shinji's sexual assault of Asuka or Misato's kiss to a 14-year-old, I still think that this is a much better end to the series compared to episodes 25 and 26 are they are overall more boring and less profound even though they have the same message. Glad I got to watch one of my favorite shows again and would highly recommend those who found this show interesting to finish NGE even though they know the ending or at least watch the spinoff movies (as I think those are pretty good too).

[stevescimoneanimatedworld]

Neon Genesis Evangelion Part 2

I found these episodes to be much more interesting than the first ones we watched. Although I liked them both, I think possibly because these episodes were so spread out, I got more details about different aspects of the show, instead of just focusing on one part of the plot. Each episode focused on something different which is probably why I was constantly engaged more than I usually am. One thing I really like about this show is the contrast between Shinji and Asuka’s character. They are almost polar opposites, however they are forced to work together on something very important, which I find very entertaining. This part of the anime went more in depth on Shinji’s inner feelings, explaining his lack of self-worth and vulnerability. The anime also goes in depth on Rei, Asuka, and Misato’s feelings as well and reveals important things about their past and their character. These episodes allow the reader to have more insight on the characters which further explains why many of them act the way they do. This anime is a great representation of how you never know what people are going through. Although they might seem one way, their thoughts and personal feelings can be completely different, so it is important to be nice to people and try to understand that not everybody is as they seem. The characters in this anime go through significant character development due to what they go through internally and externally while piloting the Evangelion. Personally, I can relate to the anime. I mean this not in a mysterious way or depressing way, but there are a lot of emotions and feelings I have that many close people around me do not know about. Some of them are very good and some of them are not, I just am not a very emotional person on the outside so many would never be able to tell. Overall though, I really enjoyed these episodes.

[katibis]

Hello, I also find the latter half of the NGE to be more interesting and depressing than the first half. The addition of Asuka, a foil character to Shinji, is a choice by the director to help with displaying Shinji's characteristics more openly and provide new opportunities to show how they interact, or that is what I think. NGE definitely changed the way that I view others and interactions between people. I'm glad you enjoyed this anime.

[bootaro51]

Neon Genesis Evangelion (Part 1) Analysis

This was my first time watching the widely popular series "Neon Genesis Evangelion." My initial thoughts on this anime were filled with excitement due to its amazing reputation; even the intro song was superb! I did find this anime similar to Mobile Suit Gundam at first, naturally due to its use of giant fighting robots. However, as it progressed, I became a little confused about the storyline. It doesn't help that the assigned parts for this watch skipped an episode. Nonetheless, I still thought this anime had really nice visuals! Here are my takes on this part of the series.

The plot line for this series was a little strange because it kind of throws you right into the middle of the story. A 14-year-old boy named Shinji is more-or-less manipulated into becoming a pilot for a super awesome fighting robot to protect his city from the giant monsters known as "angels". We don't get much of a backstory than that, though. It is known that he does not have the best relationship with his father, who presumably left him at a young age to focus on his career in the government. Shinji also has no mother to turn back to.

With that out of the way, Shinji definitely exhibits characteristics of "queer masculinity" as defined and touched upon in the readings by Heasley and Connell. Queer masculinity is described as straight male masculinity that in some way does not align with the typical, patriarchal representation of masculinity that supports a dominant male and a subordinate female. Shinji is portrayed as nervous, unsure, frail, and submissive- all antonyms of hegemonic masculine traits. A majority of the team behind the construction and implementation of the giant fighting robots is made up of women who seem to hold more stereotypically masculine traits than our main character, Shinji. The show is most definitely in this way criticizing patriarchal society by swapping gender roles and expectations.

Overall, I'm interested in seeing where this show will lead in the next few episodes! Though I didn't pick up anything of notable value yet, who's to say I won't make a 180.

[katibis]

The End of Evangelion - Blog Post

Mixing gore and body horror, lightly seasoned with some pornographic elements, “The End of Evangelion” is a movie I will never forget. This movie always leaves me in a slightly stunned state at how mesmerizing it was. EoE is a more nihilistic version of the final two episodes of the NGE series. Viewers may feel after watching this movie that humanity will always be doomed to face war and conflict with each other and that truly we can never understand each other.

Shinji is used to trigger the Third Impact or mass extinction event which in turn leads to Human Instrumentality or the total assimilation of human souls into one being. Shinji, like many others, wishes to be understood and happy in a society that he does not fit into. Until Instrumentality, Shinji’s mode of protection was to keep quiet and stay in the shadows, alone. He feared the pain he would receive if he grew close to anyone and thought that all he caused was pain for others. Ironically, Shinji’s father, Gendo Ikari, thinks the same way about himself. We can now reflect on the past interactions between Shinji and Gendo to see that pushing others away did not help solve the problems in their hearts nor prevent each other from hurting one another. During Instrumentality, Shinji is able to learn that it is ok to be yourself and alone and make peace with his mother. This is where the movie deviates from the anime. Instead of accepting Instrumentality like in the anime, Shinji rejects it and chooses to return to Earth. His friends and family support him and his decision. Shinji is aware of the pain and loneliness that is caused by being unable to fully understand others, but he accepts it. His mother leaves him with some advice, “As long as the Earth, Moon and Sun exist, everything will be alright.” This movie, as opposed to the anime, accepts that loneliness and pain are inevitable parts of life but tries to encourage the viewer that despite these problems, life will always be alright.

[katibis]

Neon Genesis Evangelion - Blog Post Part 2

One reason I find “Neon Genesis Evangelion” so interesting is because of the premise. I believe that all of the main characters (except for Kaji) possess some sort of mental illness or trauma that prevents them from being normal and it is interesting to see how they all interact and try to achieve their goals through the Evas. In the later half of the anime, we see the relationships break down between these people, and the series starts to turn dark.

Asuka is an interesting addition to the anime. She is obviously loud and pretty, gaining the attention of everyone around her. But at the same time, see pilots Eva seeking attention. Asuka tries to be close with Shinji but fails because Shinji is not like a normal man she loves and also the fact that Shinji pushes away others to protect himself from the pain. Asuka also tries to grow close with Kaji, but he says she is too young and Kaji is also busy with Misato. Eventually Asuka loses her will to live which in turn makes her unable to pilot the Eva and so she rests in the ruins, awaiting death. I can relate to Asuka to some extent but not as much as Shinji.

We see all the established relationships start to deteriorate until episodes 25 and 26 which occur during Instrumentality. Instrumentality was mankind’s solution to loneliness; by combining everybody’s mind and soul into one, no one should be lonely. I think Rei is in control of instrumentality and tries to help Shinji overcome his problems through discussion with other people he is close with. Shinji learns from this discussion to overcome his problems by being more confident in himself and leaving his self-hatred behind. My takeaway from this series is to escape depression, you must not let you hold yourself back. You must learn to place less value on the perceptions of others, love yourself and leave your self-hatred behind. Life may feel cruel or like a struggle but as long as I keep having the will to live, I may one day be happy. I rewatch this series to remind myself of these facts.

[katibis]

Neon Genesis Evangelion - Blog Post

“Neon Genesis Evangelion” also know as NGE, is one of my most favorite animes. I originally found this anime through a recommendation from a friend of mine. I should mention I have watched the entire anime series, movie series and EoE (The End of Evangelion) many times. At the age of 14, I could relate with Shinji the most out of any character in fiction and I loved the mecha battles, music, and themes, so it was only natural I made this anime one of my favorites. This anime is also well received by Japan and the anime community. Side note: The director has stated before that there is little to no meaning to be found in the Christian or Jewish symbols and ideas, found in this anime so I will avoid speaking about them.

Shinji is an oddball of a teenager boy. A lonely boy abandoned by his father is suddenly recalled by his father and tasked with saving the world. Shinji, like many young men, are figuring out their future, goals, and identity when suddenly life calls for them. Fortunately for Shinji, piloting the Eva provides him with attention, praise, and indirectly, friendships, somethings he lacked in his life before becoming a pilot. But as time goes on, his identity becomes dependent on being an Eva pilot. Whenever Shinji runs away from being a pilot, he is always alone as he was before he became a pilot. He is only seen as useful and therefore praised and loved, when he participates in the system. I never would have made this connection before this module but, I can see the connection between being an Eva pilot and hegemonic masculinity. If what I understand from the readings is correct, hegemonic masculinity exists to reinforce the patriarchal system and thus any man who exists outside of this masculinity weakens the system. In my opinion, I see Shinji as one of the “Males living within the shadow of Masculinity” mentioned in the readings. He has been hurt in the past so he withdraws all his emotions into himself and shuts out the world by listening to his Walkman (the tape player with earbuds). I look forward to discussing further episodes and elements of this anime series and eventually, the movie.

[jpt1311summerbnixautumn]

Convention Blog Post

On August 1st, 2021, I went to Tampa Comic Con with my dad. This was the first and only convention I've ever been to, but I'm planning on going again with my dad this year at the end of August. At the time I was 15 and a very anxious teen so i was SO stressed about going and being judged. I had planned to cosplay as Nobara from Jujutsu Kaisen, but I decided last minute not to wear it because I didn't want to be embarrassed if I saw someone I knew while walking into the convention center (for context I lived an hour away from Tampa and there was no way I would see anyone I knew but you know when you're nervous you don't think clearly). I was very into manga and anime back then, and I was going with my dad because he's HUGE on Marvel and DC Comics, which I am also still interested in. I didn't have any big expectations going in, or really any sort of plan. I was hoping to buy some Chainsaw Man merch but that was really all I thought of ahead of time.

The convention was 3 days long: a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We decided to go on Sunday, when tickets were reduced and the convention closed earlier than it had the previous days. We also got there as soon as it opened, and I was praying that both of these conditions would make for it to be not nearly as busy as I was anticipating, but I never could've imagined how insanely packed it was. From the short walk to the parking lot to the center, we passed numerous people decked out in cosplays of all kinds. Some just wearing shirts with their favorite characters, others wearing an outfit that they bought from Amazon most likely, and a few people adorned in completely homemade cosplays that they had clearly spent days, if not weeks, completing. I didn't wear a cosplay because I thought I would be one of the only ones, but it turned out that my normal clothes were actually in the minority. After going through the long process of entering, getting our wristbands, and traversing the center to make it to the convention space, I was amazed at how many people I had already passed. And my shock only grew as we stepped inside the large room. The space was like a labyrinth, a maze with walls of tables and booths, filled with all kinds of merchandise. I had thought that fanmade anime merch like keychains and art prints would be the main thing being sold, but I was very wrong. There was a GIANT section right next to the entrance that was just at least 10 long tables of boxes filled with vintage comics. There were multiple woodworking booths that sold beautifully intricate sculptures and wall art that were all well over $300 (which seemed a very appropriate price for the amount of detail that was hand carved). It's easy to say that I was very overwhelmed by all this.

I have always LOVED people watching, and I've never been to a better place to do so than this convention. After walking around for about an hour just taking all of the information in, my dad and I went to a little snack stand and each got a cheeseburger and a drink. The few tables they had were full, so we sat against a wall and surveyed the crowd. People of all ages were cosplaying and interacting. I saw one middle aged man dressed as Batman go up to a kid dressed as the Joker who couldn't have been older than 12 and start pretending to have a rivalry with him. There were so many group costumes for things I couldn't have even imagined cosplaying. Another teenage girl was sat on the floor a few feet away from me with her group of friends, wearing her interpretation of Bill Cipher from the show Gravity Falls. It genuinely filled me with so much joy to be able to watch all of these diverse groups come together to just celebrate what they like. I was so nervous going in, but everyone there seemed so friendly and at ease, I couldn't help but feel a lot less embarrassed.

My dad and I sat on the floor for about an hour and finished our food, and we went to explore the rest of the convention. We stopped at almost every booth, and I had bought 2 things along the way, a Gojo Satoru poster for my friend's birthday, and a Neon Genesis Evangelion shirt for my other friend's birthday (all of our birthdays are within a week from each other so it was nice to be able to get their gifts all in one spot). The event didn't really seem like my dad's cup of tea, and I was getting worried that he wasn't having fun, but he reassured me that he was just enjoying walking around and hanging out. After 3 hours of being under bright fluorescent lights and surrounded by people and bright colors, we were both starting to get a headache and decided it was time for us to head out. I know lots of people stay at conventions from open to close every day that they run, and I have to give MAJOR props to them because I am not nearly strong enough for that. On the way out, my dad and I passed a booth that we missed before that was selling $5 vintage tees. I dragged him over to look and was SO excited because all of the shirts they had were actually really cool. He bought 2 Marvel shirts, and I was very happy that he wan't leaving empty handed. I also got 2 shirts, an oversized graphic tee of the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles show that my dad made me watch as a kid, and a Def Leppard shirt that I still wear to this day (shown below in a picture way too big for this post but it won't let me make it smaller).

3 years later, as a much more confident college student, I can't wait to return to Tampa Comic Con. I'm planning on wearing a Sailor Moon cosplay that I wore for halloween last year (added below in case anyone wanted to see), and after my previous experience, I'm no longer nervous about being judged. Comic Con is a place where the only requirement to be accepted is to be kind <3

(So so sorry this is over 1k words I just got really into writing about my experience and reminiscing. Please don't dock any points I'm just overly passionate)

[kiddynamitesblog]

Sailor Moon

Before watching Sailor Moon I didn’t think it’d be my kind of anime, which I was unfortunately right about. I understand some consider it to be an iconic series, but the pacing and some of the characters just weren’t my favorite. While viewing I kept thinking about the only other show that I’ve watched with a similar premise and girl power theme, The Powerpuff Girls, which I actually am a fan of so maybe I was comparing them too much. Regardless, it’s certainly true that the messages in this anime are extremely important and need to be shared.

Sailor Moon undeniably is about female representation, girl power, and feminism. From the main character and how she does things out of the norm, to her superhero team full of women, and the show's antagonist also being a woman, the main focus is clear. It's a theme that the media at the time likely wasn’t conveying very much when this show came out. It emerged during the 3rd wave of feminism and portrays powerful female characters that each have their own unique personal qualities. This makes sense because the 3rd wave of feminism heavily advocated for diversity of women of all kinds. The show does a great job of also emphasizing this part about being a woman and is something that can resonate with women all over the globe, there’s not one way to be a woman and you don’t have to conform to be one.

Being a male, there’s not many ways I can relate to the anime, but I can recognize the importance of the show and its role in showing girl power. However, one critique of the show I do have is how it, in a way, fails to empower women is how Usagi transforms into Sailor Moon. I feel like it’d be more powerful if instead of becoming someone else essentially, similar to Shazam, Usagi's normal self would be able to do all of these things, showing women that they can do what they want with the way they already are.

[theanimatedworldblog]

Aggretsuko

Aggretsuko was definitely an interesting watch because the animation portrayed animal characters. I’ve seen my siblings watching this anime but I have personally never watched it myself. As for worldwide issues that the anime portrays I would say that this anime portrays women stereotypically. For example all of the female characters are cute and prioritize their looks and how they are displayed. Another issue the anime displays is envy, Fenneko keeps track of Tsunoda’s post and knows which post she will upload and when. Both Fenneko and Retsuko bond over hating Tsunoda because of how perky and perfect she seems to be. I think this highlights the issue of shallowness and kind of portrays all girls this way as if all women are always in constant competition. Fenneko also makes a comment about Tsunoda putting her body “on display” in order to lure in some guy. An issue not related to gender that I also noticed was how bosses are expected to be mean and nasty people. In the anime when Retsuko’s boss was trying to be nice and respectful everyone was so shocked that it caused chaos and confusion within the office, though the boss’ actions were made up because he was spoken to by the CEO. As for the relation of this anime to the module it portrays feminism and equal rights. This anime is set in a modern corporate-like world much like our real world today. The women are working the same jobs as the men and are not placed only in secretary roles showing that they get to decide how far up the ladder they truly want to go. This show was different from what I usually watch and honestly I don’t think I would've watched it if I weren’t taking this class. I will say that I enjoyed the watch because it was interesting and, though different, the animation style was cute and unique