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Identity and Power (Your Name)

So I had never seen this movie before, but I had definitely heard the hype surrounding it. It felt like one of those movies that everyone but you has seen so I’m glad I got the opportunity to watch it. Let me just say, it did not disappoint; I was thoroughly engaged in the plot, the artstyle, and the characters. I could criticize some of the plot holes (How did NEITHER of them notice that it was a different year when they were switching bodies) but honestly the movie makes up for them in every way and sometimes you just have to suspend your disbelief a bit.

When it comes to how the reading relates to the movie, I was definitely a little bit lost at first, but I think I’ve come to the conclusion that it relates to ideas of power in the sense of identity. The movie finds the two main characters switching bodies with one another at random and in this experience they essentially gain power over each characters identity. For Mitsuha, this means she is observed acting like Taki and Taki is observed acting like Mitsuha. In the characters reactions we see how they start to form new opinions on each individual character based on the behavior of who is controlling the body. Others begin to see Mitsuha as erratic, acting strange on random days, but that's only at the beginning. As Taki assumes the identity more, Mitsuha is seen as more masculine and outgoing leading a higher social status. For Taki, Mitsuha acts femininely and that leads others to believe he has a softer side, including the girl he is interested in. Now this has benefits for both of them, but in a sense it introduces a power dynamic unlike any other. They have power over each characters identity, personality, thoughts, etc. and that is one of the very few things that is true to you. In a sense I believe the anime could be creating a commentary on relationships in which you are changed by the other person involved, not necessarily in a negative or positive way, but asserting that we are changed by the people around us. We certainly have power over how we act, but we aren’t under full control over it as others influence can have even more power.

ndsblog4uf

Hello zachary305,

I'm not gonna lie, I but almost word for word the same thoughts that you had in your introduction; I had never seen the movie, got confused on how neither of them knew they were 3 years apart, and still liked it even despite that. Anyways, I like your thought on how Your Name "relates to ideas of power in the sense of identity." I believe that this is true, neither one alone could have stopped the comet from destroying the town, but because they worked together they were able too. So I agree this is entirely true for this movie. Liked your blog!

Your Name

I decided to do this one last because I knew it was good and wanted to end the semester off on a high note and was not disappointed. This movie is captivating until the very end, and I would highly recommend it to anyone that hasn't watched it yet. You see two teenagers that both are deeply intertwined with their local cultural identities, so when the switch between the two happens it completely changes their whole world upside down. When the convergence stops though, both feel like they forgot something dear (which they did) with only a little evidence of that being true. In both they have pressure on their own life whether it be Mitsuha's father or Taki's male friends they both have a fair deal of things going on in their own lives so you'd think that the switching would be a great difficulty but they both began to enjoy the other's own live and the company they had together. Though I will say how is it that neither of them noticed that they were not switching on the same year despite going to school every single day (unless they don't make you date and name your paper or don't write the full date on the board in Japan but even then, I find it very unlikely they don't see what year it is once at all). Despite that, the story shows the power of perspective, the life of the country and the city both bring things to the table and so do both masculine and feminine traits, and that the combination of these two can do great things. This is shown through how much more popular Mitsuha becomes after switching and how Taki lands a date or how Taki’s plan and Mitsuha’s execution saved the town. It takes two to make a thing go right; it’s important to always get a second voice and remember the names of those who are special to you.

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.

ndsblog4uf

Hello abhiramanimeblog,

I like your point on "that the depiction of Germany especially in this time as being something noble and likable is a bit weird," as I also found it really weird for all of the axis powers in the show. Not just Germany, but Italy and Japan too were all doing horrible things during the period in history, so I agree it is very odd to see them represented as just normal men playing silly games. I think it is this way just for the humor aspect honestly and just to add to the absurdity of the show. Good blog!

Hetalia: Axis Powers

This show provides a humorous yet insightful way to show contemporary history in an unique way. Overall, this show is really goofy, taking the stereotypes of each country and doubling down on all of them providing commentary as it just basically makes every country all simultaneously stupid. It almost reminds me of if I were to ask a little kid to describe the events of the 1900's and this is what they would come up with. This humor though allows for small yet true jabs to be made at each one of the countries in the show without coming off as offensive. For example, America in Hetalia: Axis Powers is depicted as a loudmouth that constantly eats hamburgers and just expects everyone to listen to him. While this is a real perception that some foreigners have of the US, it doesn't really matter that much because every country's own faults are shown here (especially Italy) not just making fun of one in specific. I think that the boardroom scene is a good indicator of the show as a whole and what direction it wanted to go in as the absurdist tone is set from the very beginning. Now what exactly this show is trying to convey in its own message is kind of at a loss to me. It more just seems like it wants to poke fun at every nation and was written by a dude who likes European history, or possibly it could be that it was poking fun at nationalism. Either or, this show got a couple of laughs out of me (like in that scene where Germany got scared and yelled "Mein Kampf!") and I feel it shows a more laid-back way of looking at world relations. Not everything disagreement is going to lead to the end of the world, and we should all take some time to just laugh a little.

robian

XenoBlade Chronicles 2

I've heard a bit about this game before so I thought it was an interesting pick for the class. The anime is a clear cut comment on the relationship between humanity and nature. Basically, Klaus destroys the entire world and is trying to rebuild it. He uses nanobots and the titans in order to achieve this restoration. Humanity is clearly struggling with the absence of nature and would have completely died off if it wasn't for Klaus creating the titans. Humanities depictions of Heaven or “Elysium” is basically just a place that has nature within it. After living in a world absent of nature, humanity's greatest wish is simply to return to it. It comments on today's world that is actively harming nature. It's easy to destroy nature but hard to rebuild, and once it's gone, you'll wish you never destroyed it. So, we should preserve nature, so there is never a point in time where humanity is threatened by the absence of it.

What's interesting is that unlike in Nausicaa, it seems that nature has no way of naturally healing itself. Nature is completely reliant on Klaus and his plan in order to regenerate. Nausicaa gives the idea that nature can live independently without us but that we cannot live without nature. Xenoblade makes it seem that we are intereliant on each other. Personally, I think nature being capable on its own makes more sense from a current standpoint. We'd really have to mess up the world, for nature to not be able to survive without us. Ultimately, our job as humans is to simply not prevent nature from doing its purpose and preserving itself.

Anyways, like I said before Xenoblade is a clear comment on humanity's relationship with nature. We shouldn't harm nature for our own greed. We are reliant on nature to survive.

ndsblog4uf

Hello Robian,

I really like your point that nature and humans are "...intereliant on each other," as I believe this to be really important in Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Maybe before the time of humans during the dinosaurs nature really had its own regulation, but since humans main distinguisher from animals is their brain that can use the resources in their environment to their advantage we have been forever intertwined (especially after the industrial revolution). Our relationship is a push and pull though and sometimes humans pull too hard and we both suffer because of it. I agree with you that Xenoblade Chronicles 2 does a great job at showing this though its somewhat bleak setting. Great blog!

Xenoblade Chronicles 2

This story presents a different take on the relationship between humanity and nature after it has been destroyed compared to Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. In Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind the main consideration of the Nausicaä and other environmentally conscious characters is to preserve what's left, not to harm it in any way. Even if it may be harmful to humans. While in Xenoblade Chronicles 2 nature is almost universally seen as something that is good, they even describe Elysium similar to a place like heaven because it is one of the only green places remaining. Mainly Xenoblade Chronicles 2 isn't a question of man v nature it's more of a man v. man with the destruction of nature as a consequence. Like Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 shows that it was humanity that caused the destruction of the world. Unlike Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, in Xenoblade 2 it was an accident. Additionally, Klaus/ The Architect does almost everything in his own power to rebuild nature and humanity in the process. Kind of implying a sort of "what if science goes too far" type of scenario (which kind of reminds me of Jurassic Park due to the Titans looking like dinosaurs to me) it doesn't place man’s faults (like war) but man’s own existence as a threat to nature. This is why villains in Xenoblade Chronicles 2 mainly want extermination of humans because of what they did to nature as compared to Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind who want the extermination of nature because of what it did to humans. Amalthus is a good example of this due to his reasoning for the hatred of the world. Overall, I believe the message to be that humans have their faults and can cause massive damage to the world and therefore should try to help nature as much as they possibly can.

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

Hello Katibis,

I really like your point on how the Ohm are symbolic for disease as I found this very interesting. I can see how your relation on how disease can destroy humans creates a strong correlation to the Ohm, as the Ohm are a main concern of every society in the film (along with the fungus). I thought when I watched Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind the Ohm were more representations of nature as a whole, as they can both destroy (if treated badly) and heal (if treated well). This is shown though the destruction they cause to the capitol of Pejitei and by when they healed Nausicaä. But I think your interpretation can also be valid too. Great blog!

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

It's been theorized that the toxic forest in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is almost as deadly as 1 month in any mold infested hall (which is all of them) at the University of Florida. Jokes aside, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind provides a deep critique of industrial society's destruction of the natural world and the idea that humans live in a constant state of man v. nature. Nature can be deadly and harmful to humans but, we still should seek to coexist with it. Nausicaä is clearly a woman who has always been infatuated with nature, possessing a great aptitude for understanding it more than others. Unlike most of her peers, she correctly chooses to work with the toxic forest even before she eventually finds out that the toxic forest is purifying the land. Our Earth in real life almost anywhere in the world exists in a fragile ecosystem and is at just as much risk as the ecosystem in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind as humans walk the line of industrialization and eco-friendliness. Nausicaä gives a perspective that those in our own future may think as she asks why anyone would do this to their own environment when the risks are so great. She provides an example of what we should be doing by treating all creatures that she meets with respect. She even especially treats the scary and dangerous Ohms with respect and gets rewarded for it. While in real life even if you’re nice to something scary and dangerous like a wild tiger they probably won’t heal your wounds (they will probably still eat you) but they can aid in removing invasive species and keep the cycle of the ecosystem intact, which will have great benefits for those living under it. This provides the message that instead of trying to control or destroy nature we should coexist with it so that we can prosper. Also I thought it was pretty funny that Lord Yupa was voiced by Patrick Stewart, Asbel Shia LaBeouf, and Mark Hamill as the mean myor guy of Pejite. Has anyone else noticed that there were famous actors in other anime we watched? As I was watching the credits I thought this was pretty funny to see these famous actors for the English dub.

blogs-no-giggles

The End of Evangelion Reflection

The End of Evangelion timelines Shinji’s emotional states from inquiring for assistance to despair, to destruction, and finally to resurrection. After the death of Kaworu, Shinji becomes despaired because of the enforcement of the hegemonic masculinity on Kaworu ultimately to save humanity. He resisted to his queer masculinity, which is his true self, but the burden he carried as the 1st offering to Adam forces him to perform such acts ultimately devastating his inner peace. The show begins with Shinji in the hospital bed asking Asuka for assistance with his true queer masculinity and hegemonic masculinity required by society. He felt like there was no way out since society won’t accept him for who he is, but force him to commit acts that go against his own will. It seemed like a never-ending nightmare for him, this turned him into the sob, despaired individual who welcomes death as he is deprived of everything he values in life. In one scenario, when the SEELE forces attacked the main base of NERV, he even stood there welcoming death as the soldiers were given instructions to eliminate the Eva Series and its operator as a way to save humanity.

The show later came to the scene where Asuka becomes the conscience and realizes the meaning of life for which she powers up and becomes fully synchronized with Eva 02 and fights off the SEELE’s Evas that were deployed. However, a turn of events happened when Eva 02 is pierced by the Spear of Loginus. Shinji watched helplessly as the SEEL’s Evas tore apart Eva 02 piece by piece. I personally thought it was super pathetic of him to watch his friend get destroyed and possibly die while he just sat there and did nothing. Nothing seems to motivate him until his mother calls to him and he finally synchronizes with the Eva 01 and goes to fight off the SEELE forces. However, the Spear of Longinus and the SEELE forces froze him in place and flew him up ultimately for the goal of commanding the third impact. The SEELE’s plan works after Rei becomes one with the Mother and tries to help Shinji. The SEELE manipulated Rei into implementing the last step to restarting humanity which caused an world-ending explosion which wiped the surface of Earth, and later we also see how all the souls of humans were collected in the impact into the red sphere shown in the film. Within the red sphere, there’s Shinji’s consciousness and Rei who is talking to him about the outcome of his wishes if there’s no one to judge him. He saw the devastated world with no souls occupied within and thought to restore that balance even if it meant he could never be his true self.

Shinji felt that in reality, although things weren’t good for him. He still feels the emotions of each person, with a sort of genuineness that the empty space will never be able to provide. He ultimately realized that the perfect society within his head is not possible, that it is only a dream, a dream of fiction, something that can never be true. He realizes that although the reality is cruel and horrifying, the experiences that come with it are what make life genuine. I really like the overall show and the film of Evangelion. It really puts you into perspective of what life is really about, why we do things we do, and the tiny things that makes life fulfilling.

ndsblog4uf

Hi blogs-no-giggles,

I felt similarly to how you thought that Shinji was "pathetic" that he didn't save Asuka. And he was! This part of the film Shinji is locked in his own head that he is literally so unworthy because of his flaws he makes it a reality. He sits there and begs and begs, for first Asuka then Misato and finally Rei and honestly they humor him too. Asuka regains her strength and pilots again, Misato does what she can to convince him to do what he thinks is right, and Rei disobeys Gendo. All that he even asks for more, until Asuka finally tells him no and he throws a fit like a kid. Good thing he made the right choice in the end. Liked your blog!

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).

mochicrackersss

Blog Post - Neon Genesis Evangelion Part Two ᯓᡣ𐭩‧₊˚ ⊹

I don't know why I thought part two would be a new season, but it was just finishing off the original Neon Genesis Evangelion. I appreciate that choice so it's easier for us to follow the show! And I'm really excited that Asuka Langley Soryu was introduced in the first episode! She's like the og "tsundere" girlie and I love her for that. Asuka is such a petty girl boss and is also an interesting parallel to Shinji's and Rei's more quiet demeanors.

When Asuka is introduced to Shinji and his classmates, they are immediately surprised by her brash attitude. It might be due to her German descent that the Japanese characters are taken aback by her prideful personality. However, I believe it has nothing to do with where she comes from, and Asuka only comes off as confident to mask her insecurities. When she finally meets Shinji, the Third Child, she is jealous that he can effortlessly sync to his Evangelion, instead of going through the long training that she and Rei went through. In an attempt at friendliness, Asuka tries to bond with Rei about this dilemma in the locker room, saying sarcastically "He did it so effortlessly it's a little frustrating, you know? He's amazing! Magnificent! Tough! Too tough! Ooh, Shinji the Mighty! Our jobs will be so much easier thanks to him! Right? We'll have to work super-duper hard to keep him from leaving us in the dust!" Yet, her conversation falls on deaf ears as Rei leaves her alone mid-sentence. And she isn't the only one who doesn't care about her. Even though she should be at least acquainted with Misato and Shinji because the three of them live together, it's clear by the body language that they consider Asuka a very annoying roommate. All of this neglect doesn't just make Asuka feel more insecure about her capabilities as a pilot, but alone in Japan without anyone to truly connect with. It makes me feel really bad for her.

ndsblog4uf

Hello mochicrackersss,

I've watched NGE before taking this class and had similar feelings on Asuka and her attitude towards others. I think most of all the confusion in NGE (or any previously assigned show) comes from us not watching the entire series. Really it kind of sucks that we took this during the summer because in the fall we probably would have had plenty of time to enjoy these shows to the fullest. Your comment of Rei being mean to Asuka is understandable and has a full arc in the show that was entirely skipped that explains why Rei acts this way. So yes, I agree with you initially as I was watching that Rei was oddly mean to Asuka but in the show it became understandable. Also, I saw your review of End of Evangelion as I scrolled to this one and all the questions that you had I think could have been answered by 1. the movie is not a direct continuation of the series and 2. context that needed the watching of NGE in its entirety. Overall, I also do like Asuka and I agree that the world treats her too hard (honestly the world treats everyone in NGE pretty bad) and that Asuka serves as a good foil to both Rei and Shinji. Liked your blog!

NGE pt 2

The second half of the series gets more introspective than the 1st half, especially in the somewhat odd last episode. Going against everything he's seen and how the one and only person that he considered a true friend is gone, he still chooses life even after all that he's been through. Shinji's queer masculinity is further explored as this time he even tries to embrace the more hegemonic masculinity he fails (as seen in episode 16). So, Shinji is still alone, unable to change the forces around him that constantly attack and hurt him. He is still lonely and is forced to save the world again and again with little to no recognition from those who are around him. Despite that he fails to fit into the world he exists in, he still chooses life. In the introspective 2nd half of episode 16 he reconciles with that "People can't handpick a series of pleasant events to make up their lives," showing the side of him that believes that he should just deal with it verse the side of him that exists in the present that wants to continue what he does best and screams "What's wrong with that!" NGE doesn't condone this complacency or escapism, it’s the opposite. In the vast majority of the episodes not shown this escapism from the pain of living (whether it be the pain of not fitting into masculine norms or something else) is shown as harmful to every character (especially Asuka who’s whole character development was skipped). One must choose to take the step to accept themselves in the world that is lived in. Running away will only momentarily solve problems, so the only option is to change personally or to change the world. That is precisely what Shinji chooses to do in episode 26 (in his head which is why there is that wacky "congratulations" scene). I don't consider that the true end to the show though, honestly this is my least favorite episode as it is a pretty anticlimactic way to end the series. But the movie End of Evangelion has this internal conversation in a much better way that isn't completely random like this one. And the ending is super cool so sometimes I just tell people to skip 26 and watch the movie instead.

jimmyanimeblog

Module 11: Neon Genesis Evangelion (Part 1)

Following the viewing of this anime, it uses its sci-fi and mecha structure to delve into profound psychological and philosophical issues that are relevant both to Japanese audiences and viewers worldwide. Its themes of existential dread, identity crisis, and societal critique create a narrative that resonates deeply on a global scale.

One major issue that the anime addresses is where it deals with mental health issues and the search for personal identity. Characters like Shinji, Rei, and Asuka grapple with their sense of self, loneliness, and the pressure to conform to societal expectations. This reflection on mental health is significant in a society where such topics were less openly discussed like Japan. Furthering this idea, according to the text, "Relations among Masculinity", Connell points out that, "there's not just one kind of masculinity. Different regional, ethnical age groups, may have different kinds of masculinities", reinforcing the idea that there is a lot of pressure on individuals when it comes to having to fall under a certain group or identity. The anime's exploration of psychological trauma, depression, and personal identity speaks to a broader audience. It reflects universal struggles with mental health and the search for purpose, transcending cultural boundaries. Another issue that "Neon Genesis Evangelion" addresses comes from its exploration of complex family relationships, particularly parental expectations and the impact of absent or emotionally distant parents. This resonates with many societies around the world where there are societal pressures and high expectations placed on individuals to succeed and conform. In addition to this, the anime's depiction of apocalyptic scenarios and the end of the world taps into global anxieties about existential threats, whether they be nuclear war, climate change, or societal collapse. The series' portrayal of humanity's end-times reflects widespread fears and concerns.

When it comes to how this anime connects to my life and society, a major connection that really resonates with my life and most of my society is the impact of mental health issues and the search for personal identities. Many people within society struggle with various mental health issues and identity crises where its difficult for them to find their purpose in life and live a healthy life. An example of this can be seen where people can sometimes get anxiety and panic attacks from being overwhelmed with society's pressures and everyday stress.

ndsblog4uf

Hi jimmyanimeblog,

I absolutely agree with your point that Neon Genesis Evangelion has strong themes of mental health in it. I believe that making young teens do things that are as important as saving the world is a very irresponsible thing to place onto them. Shinji deserved to live a normal life but because of the depressing state of the world of NGE he is sadly forced to stop angles from making the 3rd impact. Very few people possess the ability to be able to stomach that massive responsibility, I sure know I couldn’t. While my own struggles aren't that deep (nor important) I can relate to Shinji a lot to on the mental health side. Great blog!

Finally, Peak Fiction (Neon Genesis Evangellion Pt.1)

Let me preface this by saying that this is one of my favorite anime of all time and I have already watched the whole show once before along with the End of Evangelion movie and the revamp movies that were made recently on Amazon Prime. So obviously, I recommend to everyone to continue watching this show if you enjoyed it. I even have a poster of Eva 01 on my wall.

Anyway, this show explores loneliness in though all of its main characters and its first and most explored is Shinji Ikari. Sinji isn't the most masculine, nor brave. Despite that, he is virtually forced into piloting the Eva. The immense pressure of not only being responsible for your own life but preventing the end of the world is debatably too much for any one person to handle, especially a timid 14-year-old boy. This is shown most prominently in episode 3 where Shinji stops angel Shamshel with only seconds to spare, Shinji is understandably visibly shaken. Because of whom he is and what he does Shinji still remains isolated, this quote form episode 3 exemplifies that too from Misato "Well, he'll eventually learn that growing up means getting closer to people and distancing them, finding a distance where you can avoid hurting each other too much."

Brutally alone, Shinji escapes his isolation through music. The, while pessimistic, perspective of Misato remains true to Shinji especially, nobody can relate to his own struggle and those who can are equally distant. He's not an always determined hero, nor is he stoic enough to keep his personal struggle inside of him, and too wimpy himself to face his problems without fear, making him an normal kid stuck with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Another thing to point out is the Christan symbolism in the show. Every angle is a real character in the bible (for example Shamshel is a gaurdian of the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve are banished, serving as a metaphorical example of how in NGE the angles prevent Shinji from living his own life) or that the name Neon Genesis Evangelion can be seen as the beginning (Genesis is 1st chapter in the bible) of the end (Evangelical translates from Greek to "good news" the good news is rebirth after death or revelation for believers) of the future (neon associated with future). Taking that the beginning of the end of the future is in the title serves as massive foreshadowing of something more to come. Very happy to be watching one of my favorite shows!

zachary305

Gender and Society (Wandering Son)

Wandering Son was really just a sweet anime to watch. I love the music, some of the choices they made for the soundtrack were perfect. Playing Clair De Lune was the quickest way to tug on my heart strings and they took advantage of it! I also like that this anime handles the topic of transgender identities, something I haven’t seen many other animes discuss, and if they do discuss it, often its done in a poor manner. Regardless, it uses this story about transgender youth to discuss themes of gender noncomformity and the pressure society places on the people within it to conform to its standards.

So the story follows two middle school students named Nitori and Tatsuki. Both are struggling to understand their transgender identities in an environment that doesn’t accept this idea. They slowly help eachother to realize their identities and present as who they really want to be, but not without resistance from their peers. It’s through this that the anime tackles these themes and also the varied levels of acceptance towards the two children. Tatsuki, who is a trangender boy, starts wearing the male student uniform to school, but this is only met with mild backlash and intrigue. However, when Nitori wheres the female uniform to school, its met with incredible amounts of ridicule and backlash. It shows the true nature of this gender divide and relates it back to the idea of gender as a performance. Women are known to have masculine traits, so many dont oppose to Tatsuki adopting the masculine uniform, however men are known to solely have feminine traits, which is why Nitori is met with backlash. It shows that there are rules and guidelines to these ideas and if you step out of line, you are going against the norm. There must be something wrong with you in society’s eyes.

Which is why its so touching to see Nitori and Tatsuki to also have support systems. They are adapting to who they believe themselves to be and although the world isn’t ready for that, those around them will defend them. I also think this anime lends to the idea that gender isn’t much more than a concept as it deals with the “genderbender” play near the end of the anime.

ndsblog4uf

Hi zachary305,

I liked your analysis on Wandering Son, particularly your point on "It shows that there are rules and guidelines to these ideas and if you step out of line, you are going against the norm," as this is ever present in real life. No matter if it be discrimination to transgender people or anything else discrimination doesn't need a rhyme or reason for it to exist. The actual reasoning of why human society is this way isn't explained in the show (and probably isn't explainable in general), but this says more about society if Wandering Son attempted to do so. People are afraid of things that they can't relate to, irrationally. No human is above this fear either, it’s one of the most important problems of the world we live in today. This is why we must all strive to be better, no matter who you are. Great blog!

Wandering Son

This one really confused me. Not because of the bad writing or problems with the show, it just that the episode skipping along with the complexity of the characters (especially Nitori) often made me baffled on their actions. Undeniably though, Nitori's struggle is becoming more relevant globally as transgender individuals have increasingly made their voices heard. While I personally can't comment on relating to the struggle of questioning gender, from everything I've ever heard about gender confusion or body dysmorphia is that it is exceedingly mentality taxing on those affected. I believe that Wandering Son seeks to explore this through the character of Nitori and makes it evident the effects of 3rd wave feminism as many women don't accept Nitori. Most prominently being his sister. This relates back to the questioning of the concept of gender that has been discussed in module 10, Nitori dresses and "acts" like the women in his life but despite that he is vastly discriminated against and even bullied. People are afraid of what they don't understand. No student was harmed by Nitori's actions, yet they still treat him poorly. His mom is worried and thinks that his cross dressing is bad for him, his girlfriend no longer considered Nitori her boyfriend after that, all the student are harassing him, and the teachers seem to be apprehensive about his presence. All that despite the fact that before he cross dressed publicly, they were either indifferent or even approved of his actions. If the world around Nitori was different, maybe he could dress like a girl if he wanted too. But because transgender people are so taboo almost any supporter of him is seen as a freak, as shown in episode 10 where students make fun of Nitori and his friends. Their reasoning for caring about Nitori's own cross dressing is never explained because they don't have a reason, they're all just following the norms set by the world around them so therefore they treat him like a complete weirdo. This isn't just in Japan either, trans discrimination (in fact most discrimination gender based or not) doesn't need to have any more reason than "They're different," to be effective in any part of the world. Overall, I wish we had more time to digest this show, but I understand why we need to have this pace as the end of the semester is quickly approaching.

studentmeyag

Aggretsuko

Aggretsuko is an anime about a red panda named Retsuko who faces workplace discrimination and uses death metal as an outlet. The anime has a lot to say about gender performance.

Retsuko is very complacent in the workplace because it’s the only way to get by. She eventually becomes friends with two women who work higher up. They teach Retsuko that she can be herself and rage is a small community when they all do karaoke together. These two women are very representative of third wave feminist attitudes. Almost to an extreme which can be seen when they act really upset when Retsuko mentions liking a man that she was set up on a date with. In this way, the show points out that the feminist movement is nuanced and there are extremes to either side. These women also have the luxury of getting to behave however they want when ever they want because they themselves hold power.

In season 2, the character Anai is introduced. He’s the young male new guy in the office. He refuses to tolerate anything remotely negative towards him and gets the luxury of acting like a baby to get his way. He even stands up to the boss without any reparation. His character is particularly frustrating because all the women in this workplace would never be able to act this way. In fact, Retsuko, who has worked in this office for much longer, is still treated like an intern and called “calendar” by her boss. On top of that, its Retsuko’s responsibility to tolerate this behavior that everyone sees as charming because Anai is a man.

Overall, I really enjoyed this anime. I thought Retsuko was a super relatable character and I thought it did a really good job showing how society puts women in a place where they must perform, and this just perpetuates stereotypes about gender because if people is Retsuko do not conform, they will not get anywhere in life.

ndsblog4uf

Hello studentmeyag,

I overall thought your blog on Aggretsuko was good and I agree with the points you made on Anai (the fact that what he did seemed to be all forgiven after he made some good food seems silly to me). But your most compelling point, to me, was "Retsuko is very complacent in the workplace because it’s the only way to get by." This fact, while depressing, is sadly true for women globally. And to think too Retsuko got lucky enough to meet other women higher up in the company that could defend her, imagine what it would be like if Retsuko lived in an even more discriminatory country where that wouldn't be an option for her. Retsuko's story is a one that unfortunately millions can relate to and this show proves that needs to be changed.

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