Nicole's Notes

[marsisfried]

Death Note Analysis

This has always been one of my favorite anime's as well as one of my first in like 1st grade. I thorughly enjoyed rewatching this anime. It is interesting how the last few works such as Sensoron, Akira, Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood, and now Death Note have all been built on is idea of power as well as morality. Inittially, Light Yagami represents going through the mundanity of life as a high school student he says "day in and day out the same thing over and over again." Yet, he still has ideals that the world is rotten even before recieving the death note. He quickly adapts ideals that say "if one or two people like him were going to die no one would care." He goes from killing someone holding hostages, to someone harassing a girl, to random people for his own agenda (the 12 agents he kills). Light is a person who seems to never be satisfied. Even while recieving the best grades, with a supportive mom who asks him if he wants anything, he responds he doesn't want anything at all. Which I find to be interesting as he gets no enjoyment it seems from anything else besides killing people with the death note. We see the joy he recieves from the death note and ridding the world of "rot" as he alreay has 2 pages filled of names before Ryuk even comes down into the human world. His intention is to create a world without eveil by doing something thats objectively evil in the eyes of society, murder. It creates an ethical question of whether murder is valid when it has to do with people who are not morally ethical in society throguh their crimes. Light thought he was chosen to be this "god of the new world" because he was smart, but it was simply based off of luck that Ryuk dropped the notebook there. He has a god complex and says "someone has to do it, In fact only i can do it" he believes he's truly a god of this new world he is trying to rid of "evil." Yet, this world is alreay tainted because he himself is commiting acts of evil in the process. This anime also deals with the ethical issue of the true intentions and feelings behind society. Light states that "of course humans would say it's wrong because they must put up a front like that in public. But their true feelings are there." If this happened in real life, I wonder how many people would support Kira's agenda as both kira and L both believe they're this idea of "justice" and "judgement" but in different ways. As mentioned before, the act of the death note dropping in the human world to Light Yagami is simply an act of luck. Yet, Watari and L both think if Kira was an ordinary person who gained the power to kill, he is very unlucky. The idea of luck is constant throughout the series it seems.

[nicoles-notes-blogproject]

I really enjoyed reading your post because of how you described Light. Light definitely is a character who seems to be never satisfied, and I think a visual representation of someone who has those tendencies is interesting to see for me personally. There are a variety of individuals in my life that display these tendencies, although obviously not to the same extent, and it is interesting to see how that can shift moral values.

[nicoles-notes-blogproject]

Death Note

Death Note is a very popular anime within popular culture and current society. This anime is one of the few that I have personally seen, and I know a lot of people who have watched it. In my opinion, this anime is one of the ones that even those who do not enjoy anime or appreciate its culture tend to enjoy in their own lives. I think it is so popular because it provides individuals with a nuanced analysis of universal themes that are relevant in modern society. 

One of the most important themes that I noticed was the theme of justice. The anime begins with the main character intending to harm only those who have harmed others deeply in the past. However, it slowly progresses to being uncontrollable harm. I think this is socially relevant to current society because it reflects how evil is hidden around us everywhere. Justice is a very touchy subject because when you discuss justice, you must also immediately discuss power. Justice is fueled by those who are in power, and power can alter the justice system within society. This means that those who are in a lust for power often do not face consequences because they are the ones controlling the justice system. 

Another theme that I think is extremely socially relevant is the concept that individuals lose their morality to gain power. This is shown within Light as he is completely obsessed with gaining power, so much so that he loses his sense of personal moral values. He is completely focused on power and his form of justice, and does not care about those around him. He becomes completely power hungry, which is important to reflect on because it is extremely common in our current society. Often, those who acquire power begin to feel a lust for it at the sacrifice of others and moral values. 

[marsisfried]

Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood Analysis

At its core, FMAB is about dealing with loss, facing the consequences of your actions, and figuring out how to move forward when everything feels broken. The story follows two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, who try to bring their mom back to life using alchemy. It backfires, Ed loses limbs, Al loses his body, and his soul gets attached to a suit of armor. From there, they set off on a mission to fix what they've done and find a way to regain their bodies.

What makes FMAB stand out is how emotional it gets while not focusing solely on battles or powers. The characters don't cry always or are expressive about their emotions, but you can feel it in the silence after scenes. The anime also looks at how power is used, who gets to have it, and what it costs (similar to Akira). The anime shows that alchemy is cool but it cannot fix everything. Some of the most dangerous people in the anime aren't alchemists, they are the ones in charge and use fear to stay in control. The anime doesn't hold back from pointing out how systems of power can become corrupt and how people in charge sometimes hurt others just to keep their position. When looking at Greed's character he starts selfish and obsessive. However, over time, there is character development as he learns what it means to care for other people.

Then there's the war narrative. The show doesn't shy away from showing how senseless war can be. The Ishvalan genocide is a turning point in the series and highlights how people (especially those in power) can justify horrific actions through ideology and the hunger for power.

Overall, I really enjoyed this anime as I've previously watched most of it and liked rewatching these episodes. In the end, the anime is about growing up, taking responsibility, ethics, and figuring out what kind of person you want to be in a world that is objectively unfair.

[nicoles-notes-blogproject]

I liked how you specifically discussed the perspective changes within the anime as a result of the plot progression. The anime does reflect the concept of determining who you want to be as your own independent person. I chose to focus on a different theme that I thought was more important, so it was nice to see a different perspective.

[nicoles-notes-blogproject]

Full Metal Alchemist

Of all the anime we had as options for our class choices, I was by far the most interested in this one. This anime is one of the only ones I have ever personally had an interest in watching because I have seen various things about it online that I thought were interesting. It was definitely just as good as I had hoped, and I really enjoyed having a reason to finally watch at least a few episodes of this anime. I liked the action in the anime and how the storyline progressed throughout the entirety of the episodes we had to watch. 

This anime heavily focuses on critiques regarding war and the post-war narrative. Specifically, this anime focuses on the war crimes that often occur. War is often a time when morality is lost from society, and power begins to be the ultimate source of control. This anime reflects the atrocities of war and how there truly are no winners because of the heinous actions that occur in times of war. Another important thing that the anime notes is that there are heavy societal impacts for attempting to gain control over another population. The anime places an emphasis on the concept of “playing god” and critiques the idea that they can push boundaries without ethical considerations. 

Another thing the anime reflected on is the concept that capitalism and consumerism will always be a part of our society. Social hierarchies are maintained through cycles of hatred, control, and guilt that form these economic philosophies within society. The anime critiques how there is always a social hierarchy within society because of the importance of power and financial circumstances to stance on the economic ladder. Social hierarchies are maintained by systematic oppression of the lower class or minorities by those seen as above them.

[gigadrillbreak]

Akira

Akira was very interesting. While I can't claim to have understood everything it was trying to say, I still very much enjoyed watching it. The animation is incredible, with all the movements of everyone, even the background characters, seeming almost lifelike, and even the mouth flaps almost perfectly matching what the characters are saying. I can only imagine how much it cost (just looked it up it was $5.5M USD). Extremely impressive for 1988, and it inspired many other anime and pop culture in general, especially the ever-famous Akira bikeslide which has probably been referenced in every piece of media since its release that contains a motorcycle. On to the actual contents of the movie itself, there were a lot of things that I felt I didn't understand, such as how the Numbers were created and where the other *at least* 22 of them are, how Tetsuo developed his powers in the first place since it seems the rest of the children with powers were created through experiments, and what happens in the final scene of the movie. Also, the anti-government doesn't really go anywhere, with the messiah they were hoping for turning out to be nothing. Maybe that was the point, and that anti government movements should take matters into their own hands, but they were already doing that in the movie, the rebels were rioting and conducting raids on the regular. I just had trouble figuring out how it all connected rather than just being a series of well animated events that the directors thought would be cool.

[nicoles-notes-blogproject]

I really appreciated reading your post and realizing that other people were also a little confused. This anime was great visually, but it does not connect well when you consider the actual storyline. The overall message is somewhat anti-government and about control, but it gets kind of lost through scenes that I agree the directors simply thought would look cool.

[nicoles-notes-blogproject]

Akira

This is our first class choice anime, which I personally think is a really engaging way to end the semester. Since there was no assigned article or intended module for this anime to play into, I looked at the description of the anime to understand the societal commentary that is intended to be made. The Sci-Fi Cyberpunk nature of this anime is not my personal favorite, as I tend to gravitate to more calm and neutral anime. This anime however, was very impactful and brought out a lot of emotions in me, in a way that I thought was really well designed. 

A big aspect of this anime is youth rebellion and the concept that certain populations of youth are vulnerable to alienation, which then drives them to rebel. The main characters are part of a biker gang that is extremely nihilistic in nature, which I think furthers the emphasis on the alienation of youth and the effects of that. This connected deeply with me personally because I feel as though youthful rebellion is a really important part of growing up. As you grow, you rebel and discover whether or not you truly agree with what authority has told you. This allows you to become your own person and establish your own personal values. 

Another aspect of this anime that is important to consider and connects to previous anime we have watched, is the concept of post-war anxiety. This anime is set after the Nagasaki and Hiroshima bombings, which affected the overall attitudes within the country. This post-war anxiety shifted societal values and Japanese culture. It is important to mention this because Akira’s bombing can be understood as a reference to the constant fear that occurred after the war within Japanese society. War changes the way people see the world around them, and that shift in perspective must be understood to understand the anime deeper. 

[clnme]

Sensōron

This was a pretty wild manga, which presented a revisionist perspective on Japanese war crimes during World War II and claimed that the United States exaggerated these crimes and essentially brainwashed the Japanese people over the next 50 years. The main focus was on the United States' claims about Japan's Nanking Massacre. I honestly don't know too much about the Nanking Massacre, so I have no clue how true any of the manga's claims are, but they seem really dubious to me. While the manga attempts to point out multiple facets of propaganda that apparently exaggerates Japan's crimes, it is also obvious how the manga itself is propaganda as well, and quickly jumps to large and often absolutist claims through logical fallacies.

The associated text, A short history of mankind by Gellner, provides more context for the claims made within Sensōron by analyzing the concept of nationalism. Sensōron appears to be driven by a desire to reclaim Japanese national identity that was corrupted by American influence, which is also apparent in the later pages of the manga that switch the focus to how Japanese people have come to develop individualism as a result of the United States, rather than nationalism or unity through Japanese identity. The manga does this by framing Japan as the victim rather than the aggressor, which directly opposes the history that Japan and the rest of world have come to accept.

The biggest thing I noticed, though, was how the manga attempts to make its perspective appear more appealing by frequently depicting the "brainwashed" Japanese people as extremely childish and infantile, mainly through their dialogue. The author also claims that he used to be brainwashed too before he realized the truth, which his parents and the older generation have always believed. Through this, I feel like he attempts to establish himself as an authoritative figure through the age of the older generation in addition to his own experience and development. It can make the audience feel like they are intellectuals for siding with the author, because they were able to "see the truth."

[nicoles-notes-blogproject]

I like how you established that the manga's author seems to want to appeal to the older generations by stating that the younger generations are brainwashed and childish. I did notice this, but your drawing attention to the specific artistic choices that help further this point made it more evident. He wants to be seen as authoritative and trustworthy through his perspective on Japanese society.

[nicoles-notes-blogproject]

Sensoron

Since we discussed how this manga is different from previous ones we had been assigned throughout the course before we had to read it, I decided to do a little bit of research on the manga before I read it. I discovered that this manga is one of most influential, but controversial, manga within Japanese culture. This manga being so popular and so debated was important for me when reading it because it allowed me to recognize the aspects that I believe make it so influential. The manga critiques postwar Japan, but it more importantly critiques postwar identity overall and emphasizes nationalism. 

The manga has been stated to emphasize nationalism, but in an exclusionary way. This means that it emphasizes the importance of supporting your country, and not focusing on the negative actions it may have taken. This is controversial as many people in Japan saw the manga as a sanitized version of what truly occurred throughout Japanese history. The manga chooses to deny various actions that Japan took within wartime, such as the Nanjing massacre, focusing only on how Japan was wronged by other countries. Many individuals believe the manga does not recognize Japan’s actions as a country within the war and that this sanitized version of history does not accurately depict what occurred. 

Another important commentary within this manga is that the creator seems to believe that modern Japanese society has become selfish due to the postwar attitudes towards the country. The manga displays Japanese society as losing their collectivism after the war, and losing their nationalism due to shame in their countries actions. The manga however, comments on this by advocating for a return in national pride and more emphasis on a powerful national identity. This manga is controversial, but allows perspective onto certain beliefs regarding postwar identity.

[orionautoparts]

Your Name

This was a really beautiful piece of art to watch. The animation and the story was really beautiful. It reminded me that we are all connected, past and present. I also loved that they showcased gender expression when they would switch bodies. For instance, when Taki would switch into Mitsuha’s body, he would squeeze her breasts and when Mitsuha would switch into Taki’s body, she would act more feminine and initially used feminine pronouns when referring to herself as well as use emojis throughout her notes. I think keeping the person’s personality and actions the same even when they switched bodies made the characters feel more humanistic. Also, it was interesting to see a portrayal of how Mitsuha was pushed into becoming a shrine maiden because of her family. Since she comes from a long line of shrine maidens and priestesses, she has to keep the tradition going, even if she gets ridiculed by younger folks who do not follow Shintoism. This reminds me of people who are forced into a religion because their parents practice it. Specifically in Catholicism, growing up in it often leads to something called “Catholic guilt,” which is a sort of an exaggerated or irrational sense of guilt that’s typically felt by practitioners. Anyway, I am glad that she follows and honors her family’s traditions. Even though there are times when she hates it, e.g. after performing a ritual to make kuchikamisake in front of her classmates, she still honors and practices tradition and even makes the trek to the Shrine of the Body with her grandmother on her back to offer up the kuchikamisake that she made. Overall, it was a really beautiful anime to watch, and gave me hope that I will meet someone that I may have known in another life.

[nicoles-notes-blogproject]

I really appreciate how you commented on the artistic style of the anime. This anime is beautiful and the visual elements are very pleasing to the eye. I also really appreciate how you commented on the fact that there is a shift within the gender conformity in the characters that can even be seen through various visual elements.

[nicoles-notes-blogproject]

Your Name

This anime is very entertaining and in a sense, visually pleasing. The visual aspects of the anime were softer than previous ones we had watched and I really enjoyed the artistic style within the anime. This anime however, does not have a soft message. It has a very complex and deep meaning that is fairly evident, even to someone like me who is inexperienced with Japanese culture. To begin, the anime depicts two characters consistently swapping bodies. This is symbolic of how the characters are searching for more from their lives, each wishing for the other's lives and getting to experience it through the swap. It allows each of the main characters to recognize the good within their own lives, and what was missing that they wish to find. They also discover a lot about themselves through being in the other person’s body, which I think is really socially relevant today. People often find themselves not appreciating the good in their own lives, but that does not mean you cannot want more for yourself than what you have.

Another interesting connection that I found was the connection to fate and the idea of a higher power. There are clear references to how there is a destiny that your life is bound to follow through the fact that there is a religious depiction of the two main characters switching bodies. The main characters are said to be destined by the gods to switch bodies, in order to save their homes. This anime references fate a significant amount and plays on the concept of determining how much an individual has control on their outcomes. I really appreciated the commentary on the fact that fate may have a significant impact on your life, but that fate can also be challenged or even changed.

[kenjakus-frontal-lobe]

Hetalia Axis Powers Ep1-19 -- General Thoughts + Analysis

I think if you've been on the internet long enough, you've heard of Hetalia. So this was my push to finally take a gander into what the grand internet phenomenon of this show is. I think I have some pretty mixed opinions; it was pretty funny at some points, but I think I got a bit of a headache from how rapid fire the bits were. Probably a show best consumed periodically, not so much all at once.

Onto the analysis -- the most obvious aspect of Hetalia is that it's a big satire. Countries are embodied into these little characters, and in turn these characters are all walking stereotypes. The show pokes fun at every nation: Italy is a coward who loves pasta, America is egotistical and always eating unhealthy foods, Britain has bad food, China is an expansionist, Germany is cold and serious, etc. Most of the show is a series of bits centralized around world history/conflict. I think there's something to be said within the satire -- the countries constantly sit around bickering or training but nothing ever really gets done. The axis powers sit around a fire on a beach for several episodes, the allied powers argue over plans in a board room, and there's even an ongoing thing where the episodes keep teasing "America cleaning out the closet", and yet its just the same thing over and over. There's obvious satire here about the fact that the world is constantly a stage for countries fighting or forming alliances, but no progress is ever made. I think the stereotypes lend a hand in this, in the way each country performs how others view them, and its these stereotypes that prevent things from happening.

Fascinatingly enough, I found at some points it was a little educational. There were tidbits snuck in within jokes about actual historical fun facts and war history. There seems to be more of these informational bits for other countries, not so much Japan, which I suppose makes sense for the intended Japanese crowd watching.

My only criticism really was that I definitely feel the show is a very sanitized telling of the history it's trying to present. I suppose you kind of have to if you're doing a comedy show; the actual history of WWII is pretty upsetting. Unlike the other wars mentioned in the show, the set-up and major aspects of WWII (which is arguably even more important since its the backdrop of the show) are kept very vague.

Ironically enough, I think my favorite character was America. Maybe I just love trope characters that are "American stereotypes", I'm not sure why.

[nicoles-notes-blogproject]

I really appreciate reading your post because I had never heard about this anime before. It was nice getting to know that the anime is actually very popular. I also thought it was interesting to see that you believed the anime was too sanitized. Although I do believe the historical context of the anime is extremely important and should be kept accurate, the anime is meant to be for entertainment and not education so I saw it in a different perspective.

[nicoles-notes-blogproject]

Hetalia: Axis Powers

The first thing about this anime that I really want to touch on is the fact that the episodes are extremely short. I really enjoyed the fact that each episode was only about 4 minutes long because it allowed me to stay captivated the entire episode and not lose focus, which is normally my main issue. I also thought it was interesting how there is not really a major plot, but just minor subplots under an overall theme within each episode. The episodes each had their own issue they focused on, but all of the episodes focused on major political issues across the globe. The issues they focus on are both historical and current, which I also thought was interesting. The anime also gives brief recaps on historical moments that they reference. I thought this was extremely beneficial to ensure that viewers are aware of what the characters are speaking about. The depiction of the countries across the globe as people, and the formation of narratives about historical concepts helps me a lot to understand what is happening within the political context of the anime. I thought it was really interesting to hear narratives of conflict within history in a more unserious way than we usually do. 

To connect the anime to the article that we had to read, the anime is a visual display of conflicts across the globe. However, it also depicts how these conflicts are dealt with and how each country is perceived by Japanese society. When closely analyzing the anime, you can recognize that each country is perceived by Japanese society as dealing with conflicts in extremely different ways. The article describes how conflict is always going to happen, but the way it is handled changes with the current political climate within the world around us all.

[nicoles-notes-blogproject]

Xenoblade Chronicles

The cutscenes of Xenoblade Chronicles were extremely different from many of the animes we have had to watch throughout this course. Many of the animes we have watched have focused on big societal concepts, and this anime focuses more on the natural world. Specifically, it focuses on human interactions with the natural world. Although I do not think the main message of the anime is pollution, I think it is an important aspect of the anime to consider. It shows how society can damage the natural elements around it and cause depletion of the resources the world provides us as a society.

The scenes we watched specifically analyze the loss of landmass, which is the central plot of the anime. This loss of landmass is a visual depiction of the world slowly collapsing into a more unnatural state. The anime shows the implication of industrial processes on society and how industrial advancements change society. There are a lot of scenes that show how industrial means destroy the stability of the natural environments, showing how much pressure society places on the natural environments that surround them. This anime takes place within a game world like previous anime we have watched, and it analyzes social processes as a whole. 

The Titans represent the world and the cloud sea may not represent pollution in a typical sense. Still, it illustrates how society can place strain on the natural environments around them. The destruction of the natural environment can lead to instability within society. The anime represents how important the balance between society and the natural elements is. If this balance is out of place, society will be unbalanced which can cause destruction and a variety of issues. The anime shows the desperation of citizens to restore the balance, but their inability to know how. 

[nicoles-notes-blogproject]

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

Studio Ghibli has yet again created an extraordinary film. This anime is not like other Studio Ghibli films due to its loud and dramatic nature, but it is highly emotional, which is a characteristic trait of the studio. I enjoyed watching this anime and seeing Nausicaa encourage peace throughout the valley. I thought it was exceptionally inspiring to see a young girl who has faced so much trauma, still choose to be good and work through peaceful resolutions. There is a sense of obedience that Nausicaa faces at the beginning of the film when her valley is overruled. Still, she slowly realizes the importance of understanding to create peaceful resolutions. She holds true to herself throughout the film, attempting to be the best leader she can be and doing what is best for her people. Her actions show a deep respect for those around her, including the nature that surrounds their valley. 

A theme that I thought was pretty important within this anime is the concept that nature has a deep influence on the world and that there must be a natural balance between society and the natural world. Nature and people can coexist, but people must recognize the power that nature holds. Nausicaa feels a deep connection to the insects and the jungle, which allows her to respect the natural elements around her and have a sense of power from nature. She is saved at the end of the film by the insects, while those who have disrespected them are viewed as villains. Her respect for the insects saves her life and her valley, which illustrates the importance of respect for the natural world around you. Her choice to seek understanding allows her to make peaceful resolutions, which is also important to note as it contrasts with how angry the insects were when they were simply being shot at.

[iterationofaphoenix]

The End of Evangelion

Unlike most anime that we have watched, The End of Evangelion is extraordinarily special. This is because it was created to be an expanded or alternate ending to the original ending. This is extremely fascinating because the creator stated the original was the true ending, yet this got made due to the insistence of fans. That being said, it doesn't have to be watched in order to understand all of Evangelion. This is because it is merely an expansion or another take of the last two episodes of the original series.

I feel like an extremely important note to cover upon the themes of this film is the aspects of choice and meaning. What I mean by this is that while a lot of what we have discussed about Evangelion has been about masculinity, this end movie of the series brings about a different theme which could be connected. The idea of choice and free will. I feel like it was sometimes easy to lose the idea of free will when watching the pieces we did of the original series, as the path Shinji is following is very absolute, and the choices he is given feel very one-sided. What I mean by this is the fact that because of the negative actions which would take place if the other idea was chosen, the idea of free will kind of was lost. Because it is easy to forget that there is always a choice. Even if the choice is death, that is still an action which can be taken. This is really important to note and I feel like really comes across throughout the movie, because I feel as though you take deeper note of the different actions of the characters. It also helps that it dissuades the ascribed meaning to which felt like it existed previously to do with the show.

With the discussion of meaning comes the idea of escapism, which is seen throughout the show and can be brought back to the topic of masculinity. This can be done via the idea that he had to confront his emotions and problems instead of leaving them stewing. This is seen on many different levels within the show, but due to the ideas presented in the movie it feels a lot more prominent.

Overall, I enjoyed the movie fine, but I preferred the original ending for a variety of reasons. Most notably, it is what I grew up on and I do feel like the ending existed, even if it wasn't exactly what people wanted it to be.

[nicoles-notes-blogproject]

I really enjoyed reading your post because it gave me a term for what I thought the meaning of the movie was. I reflected on the concept of escapism in the same way you did, but I was unsure what to call it. I am glad I have a word to describe what I believe was a really big and important theme within the anime.

[nicoles-notes-blogproject]

The End of Evangelion

The end of Evangelion was created after the conclusion of the original series due to a variety of questions posed by viewers. As I discussed in my previous post, the creator of the anime was struggling with his mental health and circumstances. When analyzed, you can see many of those personal struggles reflected in the anime, especially toward the end. An important theme that I think the movie specifically reflects that is less present in the original anime is the idea of hope. The end of Evangelion depicts Shinji returning to the real world and discovering to believe that there is hope for a better future, even within his lifetime. Shinji initially accepts the Human Instrumentalist Project, abandoning his personal identity, but later chooses to reject the Project. Shinji, as a character, is extremely complex, and you can see many of the personal battles that the creator of the anime faces reflected in this character’s personal identity. 

Although it may not be the intended focus of watching this anime, I want to touch on how the creation of anime can be a massive form of self-expression. In a sense, the creator of this anime used the anime as a form of therapy to deal with the issues that he was facing in his own life. This connects to how many viewers use anime as a form of escape from their personal issues. Anime is often overlooked as a form of expression and escape, but it is often a way for people to deal with the real-world issues that they are facing. Whether those issues be personal mental problems or major historical events that impacted their life, like some of the animes we have discussed previously within this class, there are often issues that can be seen within the anime that reflect various issues within society or the creators' lives.

[nicoles-notes-blogproject]

SwampCon 2025: Your Cup of Tea

Swampcon 2025: Your Cup of Tea was an experience for me. I am not a massive anime fan, and honestly, admittedly, I chose to take this class because it seemed like the most entertaining option. I made the decision to go for a few hours and bring my boyfriend, who is actually much more into anime than I am and has really enjoyed watching new animes with me for this class. We went and observed. We wandered around for the first hour, seeing everyone in their costumes and exploring the various vendors that displayed their artwork. I really enjoyed seeing the artwork and the vendors because each of the vendors had a very specific style or interest that you could see reflected. Each vendor had an obvious personal interest that they chose to make artwork based on and they are an obvious reflection of culture capital. The artists are specifically a reflection of shadow culture capital exchange, but the artists are a reflection of official culture capital exchange in which consumerism is also reflected. To conclude my discussion on the artists and vendors at the convention, there is also an impact of simulacra that can be recognized. Many of the artists choose to display artwork that is original but inspired and, in a sense, pieced together from other animes. This is a further reflection on how the anime that a person is interested in their artistic style and the characters they chose to create as well. 

I ended up coming back to the convention a few hours later with a friend from my sorority, who I view as really open-minded and who is always really interested in discovering new things. She really enjoys interacting with people who are different from her and learning from them in a way. I helped her make a TikTok about the various majors of those in attendance at the convention, in an attempt to show how the convention brought people together as a community with shared interests. Shared interests and shared values are an important part of societies, creating natural communities beyond geographical ones. 

Recognizing how anime facilitates the formation of niche interest groups or communities, it is important to acknowledge the impact that anime has on certain individuals in terms of mental health. Many people use anime as a form of escape from their daily lives in a variety of ways. Certain individuals, such as my boyfriend, use it simply as a form of entertainment. However, others find themselves immersed in the fandom of an anime to a point where they find refuge in that community. They often find themselves isolated before finding a community within their fandom, but access to that community grants them access to social interaction as well. This increased social interaction often promotes positive mental health within the individual and can allow them to form genuine connections based on shared interests.

To be honest, I was critical of having to attend this convention at first. However, walking around and seeing the various principles regarding fandom, culture capital, and others that have been discussed as a part of this class reflected in a real-life setting was quite eye-opening. I have been aware of the universality of the themes and concepts we discuss, but I have not had an opportunity to see it reflected for myself until attending the convention. I also was given a moment to reflect on my fandoms, and how they do not differ that much from the ones I was slightly critical of. This reflection caused me to analyze how I have allowed my personal biases based on my Western experience to cloud my judgment, which was a really important part of this experience for me.