Japan

[monjustmontemp]

So, I had heard good things about Jujutsu Kaisen, and I think those good things were accurate. I also think that my sixth sense that had me unwilling to commit by sitting down and giving it a go were correct. This is a good high quality series that is simply not my kind of series. I am glad to take that off my checklist.

On to the themes explored here, I think there's a bit about sacrifice, about love, about identity, about confidence, about the value of life, about futility, about heritage, about tradition, about individuality, about jealousy, about purpose, and about growth. It's a good well-handled mixed bag. If I had to pick an outstanding theme on the particular arc we watched... and especially one relevant globally...

Ok, I began writing this during the fourth episode, and then Geto starts off the fifth by suggesting genocide. And then he murdered a village. And then asserted that he killed a village not in a fit of rage, but out of genuinely genocidal intentions. And that completely changed my outlook. These episodes are about losing sight of what matters, these episodes are about losing hope and sense, these episodes are about the devaluing of life, of human life.

It is relevant, because it is a common little social trick that pops up in history ever so often. Take any population on any demographic, highlight the negative aspects in them that are in truth contained in the whole of humanity, and now you have an excuse! You have an effective excuse to dehumanize, begin calling this group of people any number of names, like, monkeys, and then do away or abuse at to your convenience! Without realizing, or perhaps uncaring, that if any one individual of humanity that can be stripped down to functionality and cost-benefit and left with no inherent value as a living being, then this is just a very thinly hidden way to do that to yourself. The moment you buy into this narrative, the moment you have to justify another's very existence and therefore your own, the moment being alive is not enough to grant anyone inherent value, you have objectified the whole of humanity, and made then no cost-benefit analysis makes any sense. You have to qualify things as good or bad based on... not living people. Not quality of life. Nothing. Nothing matters at that point. And then the world just becomes a drier, colder, more hostile place. Congrats! You have shot yourself in the foot!

What I mean to say, being shown a genocidal character and recognizing the stupidity of their philosophy is so essential, it is so necessary for the health of everyone. Holy mother.

I might actually watch this series on my own now. What the.

[mireuvn]

I really like your analysis on Geto. I also found his ideals to be really stupid. I think your analysis is very important especially in the society we have today where peoples worths and human rights are being challenged.

[mireuvn]

JJK

The last anime I watched this week was Jujitsu Kaisen. I had watched this one previously so getting the chance to rewatch part of it was exciting. Jujutsu Kaisen usually follows a boy named Yuji who gains cursed energy and now has to fight evil spirits but the episodes picked for the class deviated from the main character. The episodes picked for class were kind of like a prequel to the story of Yuji. In these episodes we follow Gojo and Geto during their time in the same school Yuji is enrolled in. Gojo is Yuji’s teacher and Geto is one of the villains of the series. 

Gojo is the strongest sorcerer in the world and has a lot of cursed energy. His existence is the sole reason the spirits haven’t overtaken the human world. Since he was born he has been that. That sense of duty is a lot to put onto a child and much like the other animes we’ve watched in class Gojo is a child soldier. He has the world of socceres on his shou;ders from the moment he was born.

Geto is Gojo’s closest companion and also forced to fight in the war against cursed spirits. Together they are tasked to take a girl and sacrifice her to the entity that protects their school. While doing this Geto’s sense of justice is broken and he becomes disillusioned with the sorcery world. He starts the question why children must be the ones to fight and when his younger classmate is killed it furthers this disillusion. This line of thinking is further linked when the girl they were protecting is killed right in front of him after he spends so long defeating other spirits. He much link Shinji fights for those who can’t and are weak. But due to these events he starts to hate those who can’t fight for themselves.

[keenanrutledge]

Violet Evergarden: Recollections

            Violet Evergarden: Recollections is a film that condenses the key events from the Violet Evergarden anime series into a cohesive video. The story follows a former child soldier named Violet who becomes an Auto Memory Doll, or someone who writes letters for others, after the war. Throughout the film, Violet is in constant struggle with her emotions and the weight of her past. As she wrote letters for people dealing with love, loss, and healing, Violet would slowly begin to better understand her own grief, emotions, and connections.

            The film Violet Evergarden: Recollections takes a deep dive into the real-life consequences associated with emotional repression. This is portrayed in Violet’s struggle to understand and express her feelings after experiencing the horrors of war. It proves to be very difficult for Violet to recognize things like love, grief, or empathy. This reflects a larger issue in the real world, where society generally faces challenges in acknowledging and addressing emotions. Mental health is a growing topic globally today and it is unique for popular media to comment on it. As a whole, Violet Evergarden: Recollections works to emphasize that emotional connection is vital for recovery and personal growth.

            Violet Evergarden: Recollections also works to comment on the importance and complexity of things like communication and understanding in human relationships. In the film, Violet learned to convey other’s emotions through writing letters for them. The movie also portrays how people tend to struggle to express themselves when dealing with strong emotions. This is especially relevant today with modern technology. It can be difficult to maintain genuine connections with people when not communicating face to face. Violet's growth in emotional understanding show the power of sincere communication, even in its simplest form.

[mireuvn]

I think the way you speak about the mental health and grief aspects on the film is really important. The conversations surrounding that need to happen. Great analysis!

[mireuvn]

Violet Evergarden

One anime I watched this week was Violet Evergarden. I had already watched this anime a while ago but I never knew this movie existed. I was very excited to see it as the animation and story is beautiful. Violet Evergarden is about a girl named Violet learning how to have and experience emotions after being a child soldier for so long. She works as a scribe who writes letters for others.

There was a great war that Violet was a part of in her country prior to the movie when she was a child. This use of child soldiers is meant to amplify the disastrous nature of war. She also lost both of her arms due to the war. This parallels a lot of the rhetoric we've seen surrounding WW2. Despite the war being over for years now the effects of it are still very present in everyday life. For example when the child asked a major to write a letter to their father that most likely died in the war.

A major theme of the movie and show is being yourself.This theme in the movie is rather beautiful as even going through grief she tries to remain true to her feelings.. Through helping others speak what they don’t know how to say she learned how to be true to herself over time.

Another interesting theme of the movie is the return to tradition. It has this effect due to the use of letters and the written word despite the times changing. A major invention of the telephone and radio is happening during this time which is making letters and the written word very obsolete. The way letters are being framed is in a way that makes them seem superior to these new technologies in a way that wants others to go back to tradition.

[keenanrutledge]

Akira

            Akira is a dystopian anime film set in Neo-Tokyo, a city that had to be rebuilt after an explosion had destroyed the original city of Tokyo. The story is based around 2 teenagers named Kaneda and Tetsuo who are members of a biker gang. After Tetsuo got into a motorcycle accident, he gained psychic powers. We come to find out that these powers are linked to a secret government project involving a mysterious figure named Akira. As Tetsuo begins to lose control of his powers, Kaneda and a group of rebels lead a charge to try and stop him. As a whole, the movie serves as a warning about the dangers of unchecked technological and scientific advancement.

            Akira gives us a look into the dangers associated with rapid urbanization. In the film, the city of Neo-Tokyo is portrayed as chaotic and plagued by inequality, crime, social unrest, and overpopulation. Society seems to be on the brink of collapse, with things like corrupt public officials and violent protests exemplifying the city’s social and political instability. The movie also explores how dangerous it can be when the military tries to control science. This is shown as secret government experiments dealing with psychic powers lead to terrible results.

            Akira also explores how societies tend to deal with trauma after disaster strikes, a theme that has commonly been brought up throughout many of the previous viewings. Akira, in particular, depicts a massive explosion that destroys large parts of the city in a similar fashion to the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This film, as well as many other anime, use imagery to represent how the memory of war and tragedy continues to shape Japan and Japanese culture.

[mireuvn]

Your analysis of the film is really good. The way you linked it back to WW2 and the topics we talked about surrounding it was really interesting. We both had similar thoughts about the way society was during the film. Good analysis!

[mireuvn]

Akira

One of the anime I watched this week is Akira. I was very excited to watch it since it’s often referenced and has been very popular for a long time. It follows two boys, one is named Kaneda and the another named Tetsuo as one of them gains powers. I found this movie to be extremely interesting. It was a lot like Neon Genesis Evangelion in the way that it was very multi-layered and I definitely did not understand it after the first watch. In comparison to Neon Genesis Evangelion tho I understand this one much less without a thematic device to view it through. 

I think the movie tries to address a lot of big relevant issues globally. The movie speaks and shows a lot of corruption going on and a lot of political unrest. In the world the story is set in, we see police and members of the state shoot and kill many citizens for protesting their corruption. This reminds me of the red scare in America where anything deemed “unamerican” was essentially outlawed. In the same way as to say who and what is “unamerican” in this movie anyone who doesn’t agree with the current government is deemed a terrorist and thus there are many terrorist attacks throughout the movie. These shootings, killings, and bombings happen so often that it seems like a minor inconvenience to the people of the city at that point. This parallels much of life in the states as well as shootings are rampant with one happening at FSU not even two weeks ago but everyone has moved past it. In both the movie and our society violence has become a common inconvenience and nothing to be too upset over. This is furthered by the gang violence the two boys are committing. The two gangs hit each other with steel pipes off of speeding motorcycles.

[cherryblossomcinephile]

Hetalia: Axis Powers....Its Like History Class But Funnier!

Hetalia: Axis Powers seems like straight chaos at first glance...an anime where countries are personified as humans who bicker, eat, and recreate history with a comedic twist (look at their names...). Beneath the humor and absurdity though is an unexpected exploration into real world issues such as cultural stereotypes, international relations, and the tangled web of politics beyond borders.

Created by Hidekaz Himaruye, Hetalia started as a webcomic before it garnered popularity as an anime. The show's name Hetalia is a blend of "hetare" ("useless" in Japanese) and "Italia" which makes fun of the gawky but lovable character who represents Italy. This series takes place mainly during the World Wars which portrays the Axis and the Allied powers as peculiar individuals based on stereotypes. In the show, we see that Italy is timid and obsessed with food while Germany is fast paced and intense. Japan is stoic and moves quietly while America is loud and the self declared savior. During my first watchthrough, I nearly fell out the first time Feliciano Vargas (Italy) squealed out PASTAAA! 🤣

Hetalia is a satire at its center using humor and overexaggeration to highlight the absurdity of international politics as well as the irrational nature of international conflicts. A good example of this would be in the way Arthur (England) and Francis (France) constantly argue. This highlights centuries of historical discord. The portrayal of America in Alfred as overconfident and intrusive criticizes the U.S.'s habit of inserting itself in global affairs. Matthew (Canada), often mistaken for Alfred, even comments on crises attached to culture and national identity.

While the show seems reckless with its historical accuracy, it opens the door for viewers to do their own research as well as have discussions of their own about how countries may see each other as well as themselves. It challenges the viewer to think about how our worldview is shaped by cultural stereotypes and history. The communication and interaction between the nations/characters often reflect true diplomatic stresses despite being presented in a humorous way.

Furthermore, Hetalia doesn't just speak on war and conflict. It also talks about colonialism, international organizations, economic issues, and culture. This series shows us that global relations are deeply personal which is often defined by history, misunderstandings, and trauma. By reducing the number of geopolitical events into short episodes between characters, Hetalia makes issues easier to digest especially for younger viewers or those who are just getting into history.

Like many series, Hetalia is not without its controversy. The way it uses cultural stereotypes, lack of empathy towards certain events, and lack of context for certain representations prompted criticism but many fans respond stating that the shows intent was to mock old fashioned, outdated worldviews...not encourage them.

Hetalia: Axis Powers gives an eccentric but encouraging way to look at world history as well as global political dynamics. While this series is funny on its surface, it harbors a peek into how international relations play out in ways that can be seen as all too human.

Have any of you seen this series? What are your thoughts? What were your most/least favorite parts?

[mireuvn]

I think your analysis was really good. I didn't know the show was named after Italy and that was really interesting to learn.

[mireuvn]

Hetalia

The last anime I watched this week was Hetalia. I have never heard of this anime before despite how popular it is. It has definitely amassed a large fanbase. It talkings about the major world power countries in the world during ww2 in a fun characterized style.

I’m unsure of how I feel about this anime. I find it light hearted and very easy to watch. However, a lot of the things included in it make certain atrocities seem less than what they were. For example we know that in the show Italy is bullied by the global powers all throughout the show before it joined the Axis powers. This is taken to be a joke but we know that there were wars for each take over and many died over wanting to be free. Another controversial part of this anime is how Germany is depicted. We know that at this point in time Germany was run by Nazi’s and hitler who commited atrocities and many crimes. However, Germany is depicted to be kind on the inside with a rough exterior.

Overall I think the depiction of the Axis powers to be a little too kind. Though it could be my own bias as I’ve learned history from the american lens as well as the fact this was made in Japan and there is that bias present as well. I think due to how Japan has changed since ww2 Americans often forget their involvement within siding with the Nazis. I also find the depictions of the Allies to be rather interesting. I think it’s important to note that China seems to wear the stereotypical Nazi uniform. I don’t necessarily know the context around that character design choice but I find it interesting that it was included from a western point of view. 

[leosdenial]

Your Name- An Analysis of Kizuna and Connections

Your Name is a heartwarming movie that delves into relationships, connections, and different forms of power. This film tells the story of Taki and Mitsuha as they constantly live in each other's shoes and are affected by the abovementioned aspects.

While this film discusses different forms of power that influence the two main characters, two forms are the most prominent: Government and gender performances. This movie creates an incredibly real example of how the government holds power over the people. For instance, Mitsuha's birth father is in charge of their small town. While in Mitsuha's body, Taki tries to convince her father to initially issue a public evacuation to prepare for the comet that is to strike and fails, as he says she sounds crazy and needs medical attention. This instance is so relevant to today's society, as many people feel the same sense of helplessness regarding their government's lack of action. However, with the positive ending of the film, it is shown that forms of government are meant to be sources of power that the people can trust and rely on. In addition to governmental power, a huge internal power source comes from gender-related traditions and expectations. At the beginning of the film, Taki and Mitsuha must adapt to being in one another's bodies; for both of them, this means learning how to perform as the opposite gender. Both of them set up ground rules to help one another; for instance, Mitsuha tells Taki to mind her skirt, as he is not used to sitting with his legs together or tucked underneath him. On the other hand, Taki tells Mitsuha to mind her dialect, as she is used to speaking in feminine ways.

One of my favorite representations that I noticed in this movie was the red string of fate. This movie is all about the connection between Taki and Mitsuha despite the time that they lived in different bodies in different time periods. In a lot of media, the red string of fate is an invisible thread that everyone has but cannot see. At the end of the red string of fate lies an individual's soulmate, who generally has the string wrapped around their finger. I felt that this representation was made incredibly clear during Taki's vision upon drinking Mitsuha's sake, as the red thread that Mitsuha had given him years ago connected him to Mitsuha's entire life. The symbolism of the sacred thread as a whole in this movie related to connection, as Mitsuha's grandmother often described it as representing the flow of time, which, in theory, is the biggest connector between all people.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Taki and Mitsuha's relationship dynamic was so emotionally intimate, and it gave them the chance to learn true empathy as they learned how the other functioned. The messages of power and connection were evident and even overlapped with one another as Taki and Mitsuha had to work with each other more and more, prompting their feelings for one another.

[mireuvn]

You had a really great analysis. I also touched on how the gender performance they had to put on in each others body's was a big exercise of power. You brining up the government was a really good point to add,

[mireuvn]

Your Name

One of the anime I watched this week is Your Name. I was very excited to watch this due to how popular it has been ever since it has come out. It’s a story about a city boy and a country girl swapping bodies and falling in love.

One thing I found interesting was the amount we learned about Japanese religions. The dances and weaving of the bands was very interesting. The part when the main girl had to chew the rice and ferment it to make wine was very cool to me. Another cool part was all the lore the grandmother shared about the family’s history and how they came to be so cemented in the culture of the small town.

I think this anime is related to the reading and other lectures and things we’ve talked about in class because of the connection to femininity and masculinity. Swapping bodies and gender puts different pressures on how to perform in society correctly onto them. This is much like the force relations spoken about in the readings. There isn’t an external force outside of society making them act a certain way while in each other's bodies. It’s their counterparts and how they wish to be perceived when they aren’t in their correct body that puts the pressure to perform differently than they would've onto them. 

This also leads into the third wave feminist idea that gender is a series of performances which is backed by the fact that when they are in their counterparts identity and were acting like normal during the beginning of the movie we could see how easily people’s perception on them changed. When the girl was in the boy's body his friends started to see him as cute and his crush started to notice him. While when the boy was in the girl’s body we could see her get more popular in school.

[monjustmontemp]

Last time I made a post that considered environmentalism, which was about Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, I linked an article about the 2050 deadline that we have for net zero emissions of carbon emissions. Now, writing with Xenoblade Chronicles 2 as a framing devise, a specific part of that article jumps to mind:

Crucially, this also includes developing and deploying carbon capture technologies to extract existing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Failing to meet this deadline will dramatically increase the risk of surpassing critical tipping points, potentially leading to runaway climate change with unpredictable and disastrous outcomes. Furthermore, even after reaching net-zero, it’s increasingly likely that active carbon removal will be essential to return to safe levels of greenhouse gasses.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is not a story about environmental conservation. It is a story about environmental restoration. It is a story where the world died and only a complex artificial process can bring about repair. It is a story about what is left to do after pushing nature past the point of resilience.

Humanity is now responsible for the extinction of many species and habitats, and for that alone, we would already have a moral duty to work towards restoration instead of waiting for mother nature to lick it's wounds. Now we probably should out of sheer need as we try to avoid a consequences of climate change interacting like falling dominoes. The message is absolutely relevant to the global crisis we are facing.

There is a marked difference, however. The question of what individuals can do.

Because in this game, the effort to restore humanity is huge. Human participation has a system in which it can contribute to restoration. Technology has been deployed literally around the whole planet, with nano technology seeking the material needed to restore the world. While the game is a search for answers, there are answers to find at the end of the narrative.

In real life, currently, humanity's environmental efforts are less one cohesive movement and more a series of desperate efforts, threatened by a wave of anti-intellectualism and lack of political interest. There is no readily available manner in which to participate in conservation efforts baked into the structure of daily life. Many individual's sorting for recycling efforts are lost to a city's garbage management answer: a landfill. One can try and stop wasteful consumption, reduce one's own carbon print, but in a world designed around consumerism, where the greatest emitters of greenhouse gases are huge corporations, the problem requires a systemic overhaul.

The hope becomes, therefore, that if there is no answer currently available, that we can come up with it as a global society facing a crisis.

[mireuvn]

I think the article you linked is really relevant to both anime. Your analysis on Xenoblade being about restoration is really spot on.

[mireuvn]

Xenoblade Chronicles 2

One of the anime I watched this week was Xenoblade Chronicles 2. It follows a boy named Rex as he attempts to find the heaven of their world, Erlysum. Watching what I watched definitely made me want to play the game. I had always been interested in it but I have yet to give it a shot up until now.

One thing that stuck out to me that connected the anime to our readings is the way people live on titans. I think this also parallels really nicely with Nausicaa. We see the main character Rex and Nausicaa live in harmony with nature as Rex was raised by a titan and Nausicaa is seen living off of nature but never harming it. Versus other peoples who industrialized and use nature as an object. Like the Tolekians and the Guild respectively.

When Rex is betrayed we see that the people are using Aesya as a means of power to fit their grand narrative. They were only able to get into the room where the blade was stored due to Rex and after that they toss him aside. I think this parallel how countries use smaller nations to attain their goals and ambitions. Global powers will use smaller less well off countries for their resources and then when their usefulness to the global powers wears off they will cast them aside.

In environmental stories we often see the effects of those who control power’s by products that they fail to take into account. This parallel real life where when war and other conflicts arise those in power only think of harnessing all the power they can and attaining their political goal. They have an instrumental view of nature and use it as a means to keep and maintain their power.

[jaythomasthetrain]

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

The anime we were assigned to watch this week was Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. I enjoyed this anime, as one would expect out of a Studio Ghibli movie. This anime's main concern and driving factor was the environment. The movie takes place in some kind of future world that has been extremely polluted by previous wars. The forest is toxic and has these huge insects that can kill humans with ease. I feel this movie speaks out about war quite a bit. War is what polluted this whole world, and there is a weapon treated as basically a nuclear bomb. This weapon causes the world to be on fire for seven days, and the main conflict begins when the weapon is introduced. I feel this anime could also slightly be critiquing how governments treat things like the environment and unknown threats. The kingdoms that did not understand the truth behind the forests tried to burn it, causing many issues like the wrath of the insects. The kingdoms constantly being at war did nothing but aggravate the environment further, making their situation worse as a whole. One of the most shocking parts of the movie is when it is revealed that the plants in the forest are actually not toxic, but the water and soil the plants use to grow is toxic, causing the plants to be toxic. It is also revealed that the forest is slowly cleaning out all the pollution and creating clean soil and water, and the insects are protecting that process. I feel that this speaks out about what is going on in the world. The Earth is slowly fixing itself, but humans are doing things to make the situation even worse, even without trying. The only way to truly make a full recovery is to wait and let the Earth fix itself.

[mireuvn]

I think your analysis is great. You speaking of the great warrior being essentially a nuclear bomb makes me wonder if this was inspired by WW2. I agree that humans are doing a lot to mess up the process of the earth healing itself.

[mireuvn]

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

One of the anime I watched this week was Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. I had already watched this anime previously but revisiting it brought a lot of new things to my attention that I didn't notice the first time. This anime follows a princess named Nausicaa as a war against nature takes place to put humans back on top of the food chain.

I think the entire anime is relevant globally. Climate change is real and as we see the earth change due to human pollution and other human factors this story becomes more relevant. Something that stuck out to me was the fact that the humans in this story would constantly try to use violence and war against the Ohms which essentially represent nature. They do this despite knowing the guns and other weapons don’t work against them and only make them more upset. This is very representative of how pollution happens. Despite knowing that negative impacts, nations continue to pollute.

Something that stuck out to me was the war between the Pejites and the Tolmekian. They both want the power of the great warrior to “end the sea of decay”. They both utilize this grand narrative of bettering all humans as a means to gain more power. This is relevant as this is how global powers have and continue to justify their means of creating and maintaining power over other nations. 

Through the war between those two nations we also see how smaller nations are essentially cast aside to benefit those from their own nation. We see the Pejites evacuate their own city before baiting Ohms to come and attack them to get rid of the Tolken. However, When they try to get the great warrior back they bait Ohms to invade the Valley of the Wind with no care for its citizens.

[cherryblossomcinephile]

Echoes of Evangelion: How a 90s Anime Still Speaks to Our 21st Century

Long after its release, The End of Evangelion continues to serve as a mirror reflecting the anxieties not only if its time, but also issues plaguing the world today.  

Shinji’s paralyzing social withdrawal, once seen as a character flaw, mirrors the concerns of hikikomori in Japan, in other words, individuals who isolate themselves for long periods. Shinji’s inability to form authentic relationships, his reliance on validation, and his fears speak on issues of increasing social anxiety and the difficulties faced when attemting to form relationships in a time of digital interactions. The rise of social media and online gaming further emphasize these themes. 

The depiction of SEELE’s control through technology and the power of unchecked power resonates with concerns surrounding data privacy. The influence of algorithms and the erosion of self autonomy in the face of powerful, and sometimes oppressive systems make it difficult. A dark metaphor can be seen in The Human Instrumentality Project as it can represent the pressures of globalization as well as the fear of losing one’s own identity. 

The portrayal of the breakdown of society and the failure of established systems mirrors the current concerns of political and economic instability. The sense of helplessness and the search for meaning in the face of overwhelming pressures are things that many can relate to. 

The film’s brutal portrayal of violence and destruction can be interpreted through the lens of conflicts as well as the powerful presence of the media. The search for meaning despite the chaos are also realities reflected within this film. 

The End of Evangelion isn’t just an apocalyptic anime film, its a human film driven by anxieties and societal systems. The power lies in the film’s ability to foreshadow and reflect issues that continue to affect the world today. It serves as a reminder that connections can be fragile, unchecked influence can be dangerous, and the need to confront our fears before they lead to potential disaster. The fact that this film doesn’t give us straight answers forces the viewer to look at the issues in their own reality which could inspire one to write a different ending. 

[mireuvn]

Your analysis was really good. You put together a lot of themes and ideas I didn't think of when watching the film

[mireuvn]

The End of Evangelion

The last  anime I watched this week was The Ends of Evangelion. It’s the last two episodes of evangelion following everyone and not just from Shinji’s narrative point of view. It was very interesting to watch this as the last two episodes of the original series gave me some confusion. A lot of different scenes stuck out to me as being applicable to the readings and previous talks about masculinity.

I think the most relevant scene to Shinji’s masculinity in this is the scene where he masterbaited to Asuku in the hotel room. What he did was a terrible thing but I don’t think he was entirely disgusted in himself for doing that act alone. I believe part of it was due to him knowing he’s not someone who can perform homogenic masculinity. Part of his distaste comes from the aftermath of forcing himself to do something hegemonically masculine. Much like the scene where he charges in and calls himself the best at carrying out state violence despite his distaste for it. This scene showcases him objectifying women to the highest degree and his disdain for it.

We discussed how throughout the series Asuka is a masculine figure of how Shinji should or could act. That’s why I think the scene where she is essentially killed and defeated to be so impactful for Shinji. Seeing this causes him and his Eva to go berserk and for him to experience ego death. This happens because it’s at a point where he has masculine figure to hide behind and must confront his own queer masculinity head on. Before this we see him begging Asuka for help to deal out the violence required of him. Seeing Asuka defeated after she tried so hard and is so much better at committing violence and traditionally masculine acts makes his view on masculinity crumble.

[mireuvn]

Evangelion PT.2

I finished watching Neon Genesis Evangelion and it is an incredible show. Even though I remain confused on some aspects of the symbolism and themes being presented I found it really interesting. It touched on a lot of problems and issues I personally dealt with before in a really interesting way.

The episodes really do touch upon the readings and viewings previously mentioned about masculinity. In one of the episodes Shinji is forced to fight against his friend Tohji after he loses control in his eva due to it being his first time in it. He starts acting like an angel to the enemies of the show. When Shinji sees that the angel is an eva he doesn’t want to fight it due to there being a human inside. His father then forces him to fight and be a first hand witness to the violence of it through a remote control of Shinji’s eva. 

I think this is a perfect example of how those who don’t fit into hemogenic masculinity are treated. Shinji’s wishes to not enact violence on others are overruled by his father who is the peak of hemogenic masculinity in the show. Not only does his father disregard his wishes but he forces Shinji to essentially enact the violence. His father is demonstrating to him how he will be treated if he doesn’t act more masculine and fit into the mold society created for it. 

This is linked to the fact that Shinji hates himself. We see this in the final episode. In an idealized world of a self he could be we see him displaying all the masculine acts that are expected of him in society. Shinji seeing himself being accepted makes him feel more accepting of himself and that he could learn to like himself. Only through fitting into the mold of masculinity  does he feel comfort in himself.