The Anim(e)ted World Blog

[sienafr]

Your Name, Hetalia: Axis Powers, Sensoron

To begin, the three assigned works were vastly different, and left me pretty shocked and confused. At first, I was unsure how the three were connected, but after watching the lectures I realized that they aren’t supposed to be connected, rather they demonstrate different aspects of nationalism. 

The movie, Your Name, I think easily became one of my favorite anime movies. Every aspect of it, the story, the visuals, the music, they worked so well together and it was really just a masterpiece. At first I didn’t really see how it was connected to nationalism, I just saw it as a beautiful love story full of self-discovery and character growth. Then, I began to understand the connection between the more traditional culture of Japan and the modern culture, bonded together through the symbolism of weaving. It reminded me of the so-called red string theory, which is that people’s souls are connected through time and space by a red string, which was clearly shown in the movie as well. When it was revealed that the town had been destroyed and the girl was dead, I was genuinely shocked. I feel like the creators did such a good job of creating suspense and it just made it that much better of an experience. 

As for Hetalia, I had never heard of it before which is kind of surprising. I know there is a lot of controversy about it, but I felt that presentations of the countries were so obviously exaggerated that they weren’t trying to perpetuate harmful stereotypes, but rather just poke fun at these stereotypes. That being said, I do think that representing such devastating historical events in that way is a little harmful. As a big history person myself, I just found some of it hard to watch because of this. Then for the manga, Sensoron, I was just shocked to say the least. To claim these horrific events as being fake news just for the sake of not harming nationalist pride is just wrong. It also really showed me how easy it is for people like this to almost brainwash a whole community of people, and it is just scary to think about.

[pedroc-animeted-world]

I really appreciated your insights on the anime of this week. Especially your outside perspective of different ideas not introduced in the anime, such as the red string theory you mentioned when talking about Your Name. These anime made me think not only about nationalism but outside perspectives and how different cultures view national issues and how they interpret media that comes out of it. Is it easy to be fooled by the media when you are not involved in the problem? How much have we been lied to without realizing it? And how can we distinguish what is justifiable depending on the end goal and the paths to get there?

[pedroc-animeted-world]

This is the final week of my anime course and writing this final blogpost is very bittersweet. I was not the biggest fan of anime when I started this course, but after watching a variety of different movies, shows, video games, and reading manga, I have gained a much greater appreciation for this form of media and will definitely become more invested in it even after this course is over.

This week I dove into Your Name, Hetalia, and the manga Sensoron. Each anime had their own unique features that gave me a varied perspective of each one. Your Name presented a beautiful story with amazing visual images and ear-catching melodies, not to mention a shocking plot twist that gave the movie a darker mood than I had anticipated. Hetalia made many serious topics seem very lighthearted which threw me for a loop, but the anime itself was mostly an enjoyable watch, with different country representations, and connections between nations that are explored in an unpredictable way. Lastly, Sensoron was very different than the rest and the mood was much darker with menacing undertones that made me feel uneasy during and after reading.

The main thing that was on my mind after watching these is how astonishing it was to see Japanese media tackling national and social issues head-on. Most of the other anime I viewed in this class such as Spirited Away and Psycho-Pass critiqued and satirized many societal issues and governmental problems by creating similar situations and merely referencing it, leaving most of the connections up to the audience’s interpretation. These anime and manga, on the other hand, created a direct relation to problems such as gender performance, international relationships, and governmental manipulation, by directly acknowledging it, and fearlessly inputting it for the public to see. It truly made me think about the liberty that the media has to draw attention and discuss grand issues that affect us all. In my life, I have never consumed media that was so blunt about what it was trying to teach and it truly made me learn how to view the underlying messages in other pieces of media, helping me realize that social commentary is everywhere in pop culture, its just a matter of learning to find it.

[aidansanimetedworld]

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Watching these anime reminded me a lot of the contrasts between nature and technology. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind feels like a warning about the possibilities of environmental destruction. The Sea of Decay is toxic but also symbolically beautiful. It is a reminder that nature regenerates even when poisoned by human carelessness. It reminds me of Avatar in that way, specifically the game Avatar Frontiers of Pandora. The RDA is trying to take over Pandora, the world of the Na'vi, and the planet works to recover after parts of the RDA are taken down. In Xenoblade Chronicles 2, the Titans and Cloud Sea feel related to parts of the world Nausicaä. Ancient beings that literally carry human civilization on their back. the slowly are dying of exploitation. Both stories exemplify the anxieties that feel not only Japanese but global. Although, Japan, an island rooted in a long history of natural disasters and postwar industrialization, and the atomic bombs. The ideas that our survival hinges on respecting the balance we keep destroying is so painfully relevant in todays world.

Personally, these works made me reflect on how detached my own daily life is from the land I live on. Driving around in a car, use electricity, eat packaged food, etc, all without seeing the real cost it has on our environment. Nausicaä's empathy for every living thing made me question how I could live more gently. In Xenoblade Chronicles 2, the theme of inherited mistakes resonated too, how we carry forward problems we didn't create but have to fix anyway.

One connection I keep thinking about is how both stories blur the line between savior and destroyer. The same humans who poison the earth also hold the power to heal it. That contradiction feels very honest, its a very grey area seemingly without heroes or villains and a hope that we change before we lose everything.

[pedroc-animeted-world]

I really appreciated your commentary on self-reflection, this movie and videogame also made me think about my own connection to the environment that surrounds me. When watching these anime and reading your blog, I also felt the sense of duality, as the nature presented is either dead or rotten, which has many negative effects on the people around it. Although the ecosystem is polluted and poisonous, it is only due to human actions, and the effort it puts in put=rying itself is truly beautiful, which as we saw in the anime, created the purified caves underground, far away from interaction with humans. Which goes to show that the ugliness of nature is only a reflection of our actions towards it.

[pedroc-animeted-world]

This week I did not watch any anime shows. For a change of pace I watched a movie called Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and also watched all the cutscenes from the anime video-game Xenoblade Chronicles 2. These anime were very different from the ones I previously watched, instead of focusing solely on social issues and interactions within human communities, these focus on nature and environmental concerns. Learning about ecological issues was not something I expected to learn in an anime course, but these anime gave me a greater understanding on what problems we have now and how we should work to fix them in the future.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, in my opinion, not only helped explain and provided solutions to many ecological problems, but also presented satire in its production. The movie provides an ironic twist on our current society’s relationship with the environment; the environment is now the one corrupting and destroying humans and their villages, which in our lifetime, we have constantly seen happen the other way around. We are constantly surrounded by urban buildings, roads, cities, and many industrial aspects that were once lively habitats for wild animals and varying plants. Humans have always destroyed, depleted, and abused nature’s environments, and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind flips the narrative as nature takes revenge after the fall of industrial civilization.

The main topic that both anime presented was the need for a harmonious relationship between human civilization and nature. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind presents the problems of having conflict against each other, only leading to more destruction, and emphasizing that humans cannot win in a fight against nature. On the other hand, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 presents the issues that occur in the end of nature, when human dominance has become so powerful that there is no more true living nature in the world. These anime provide their own solutions to the disastrous circumstances it presents. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 explains how the only way to have nature thrive again is by synthesizing it, demonstrating how both humans and the environment must help each other to survive in this conflicting world. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind however, shows how we must actively choose to stop conflicts and learn to live in peace with nature, as nature is self-healing and humans will only suffer trying to prevent it. Both interpretations show how we must live harmoniously with nature to ensure that our world stays safe and beautiful, proving how we can’t heal nature ourselves, but only help its healing by not fighting against it.

[eliacker]

Evangelion

Throughout this animé Evangelion critiques queer masculinity versus hegemonic masculinity. This is especially present in the twenty-fist century and many gender bariers set in the 1900's are being broken down with all haste.

Characteristics of Hegemonic Masculinity

For example, across the world the LGBTQ movement is taking place, and while the main goal is trying to normalize homosexuality, it has also taken traits that are associated with homosexuality, which are different from hegemonic masculinity and making them seem more masculine.

While third wave feminism for women is taking items and traits that women already have and making them more feminine and powerful, for men it is taking traits that are not the norm and infusing them with masculinity. For example, in my own life, I have many friends who love to go shopping or love to smell good, however that was in the past a primarily womenly thing, especially using fragrences to smell good. Men now are using queer masculinity in their everyday lives, changing the narrative on masculinity.

In this animé it depicts the main character physically not being able to do many things related to hegemonic masculinity, resulting him falling into a cycle of depressing and internalizing the hatreds of society towards him. Now boys do not have to play sports or be competative to be seen as men or have to embody the traits of hegemonic masculinity. I believe this animé must have had a major effect on the world because people are not as prone to reject someone who is representative of hegemonic masculinity and are more likely to accept a queer masculinity.

Overall, I feel as if masculinity is going through a change at the moment, especially with the lecture term of hegemonic masculinity being represented by a military man. Many of the men I know in my life would never want to go into war or even into the military, and would rather rely more and brains and intellegance than violecnce to get themselves through life. I dont know if this is due to major non-violence campaigns throughout the world, or the non-violence preached in schooling systems, but men in this age have lost much of their need to commit violence whether to bond or if it is call upon by a person.

[pedroc-animeted-world]

I loved your take on the changing narrative of masculinity in today’s times. More and more, men are doing things that in the past were considered predominantly female actions. The point you made about making these aspects of queer masculinity seem fit to hegemonic masculinity is something that is clear and present in our current society. This show truly breaks barriers and challenges our views of society, and pokes critique at the path it is currently going on. Being able to integrate LGBTQ+ individuals and actions into our society will make sure that we eliminate these barriers and help create a more unified society, and I believe this anime is a great example of how society can affect an individual, and makes us think about how we can do better.

[pedroc-animeted-world]

This week I watched Neon Genesis Evangelion and The End of Evangelion, and both of these presented heavy topics that changed my views on society and how one should behave in it.

The most prominent element used to critique societal standards was the character of Shinji. Shinji was always hesitant, passive, and never got mixed up in conflict. This inner conflict he struggled with always made things worse, and kept me angry at Shinji as he never stood up for himself or those around him. Although his choices were questionable, I analyzed the show deeper after finishing The End of Evangelion and studying the lecture and understood that his cowardice was the lesson the anime was trying to teach.

Shinji isn’t the classic hero seen in many different anime and pieces of media, he has many flaws that make the audience mad at him instead of rooting for him. His inner conflict with shame and self-image leads to him presenting a non-traditional masculinity, and our frustration as audience members exemplifies the rejection from society.

Shinji’s actions reflect what society thinks of him and his self-shame causes him to act in a way that does not follow the masculinity society describes, but instead shows a different side of masculinity that has more emotional depth and empathy towards others.

In the end, his character does not have a defined conclusion, but the show does this to portray the truth of real life. This is done to show the audience that societal rejection does not easily go away, but one must learn to live with it and be happy with themselves so that they can make the best out of their life. Societal norms don’t fit everyone, but it is important to understand that and be proud of who you are, even if it does not please all. Both Evangelion anime were truly special, allowing for true understanding of the human condition and how to deal with the pains inflicted by society.

[tavisholman]

Blog Post - Sailor Moon / Aggretsuko / Wandering Son

My favorite out of the 3 shows that we watched was Sailor Moon. I love to see a girl as the hero. I like that she did not stop being herself. In most superhero shows, like Superman, the person takes on a different persona, but it is usually given increased confidence because they are considerably better than everyone else. I liked that she was still nervous and did not have everything figured out after a few tries because she is literally a middle school girl. On the other hand, Aggretsuko resonated with me the most because, at a job, you cannot always share your feelings. You can report something to the manager or HR, but it does not always stop the problem. In the show, she is publicly humiliated because he finds out that she reported him, and this happens often in the workplace. Women, even when in equal positions, are not usually heard or taken seriously. This is detrimental to the workplace environment because people can end up hating their jobs. Moreover, music is used to express Retsuko’s feelings. This is relatable because almost everyone has music that they listen to. People find it freeing and comforting when they listen to their music. Some people have concerts in their showers or their rooms, so I loved to see her sing in the bathroom to let off some steam. It is something that most of us have probably wanted to do. Furthermore, Wandering Son made me question the way that I think. At first, I was confused, but then each person was straightforward about their intentions. Multiple times during the show, the question, “What are little boys made of?” or “What are little girls made of?” is asked. This question demonstrates the stylized repetition of acts that would be considered to make a girl or a boy. I thought this was interesting because we have seen girls who dress more masculine and act more masculine, and I have never thought of them to be trans. In the same way, I have seen boys act feminine and wear makeup and dresses. I usually think that they are homosexual, which would probably be a monolithic view. This anime really made me reflect on how I view people.

[pedroc-animeted-world]

You truly made me reanalyze the way I saw these shows. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed each anime, your connections such as comparing Sailor Moon to Superman, really made me understand a different side of analysis for the show. The way that Aggretsuko can accurately portray the flaws of the working class when it comes to gender discrimination and stereotyping makes it one of the best representations of new wave feminism. Not to mention, it also connects to a personal level, how each person can connect to music to cope, let out steam, or escape cruel life. The way you used rhetorical questions when analyzing Wandering Son also made me think about how I classify gender and my views on these situations.

[gavanalysis]

Fandom

Something a little bit different from the regular blog post, but still a part of my college course, a talk about my experience with fandom and conventions.

As the description for my blog says, before taking this class, I had little to no knowledge of anything anime. The closest things were passing references to Dragon Ball, Naruto, and Sailor Moon, and me knowing Ace Attorney and Persona 5. So in terms of anime fandom, I have no real experience, the same can be said about conventions.

While I don't have any personal experience when it comes to conventions, I know enough about them to think they seem very fun. I recently watched the documentary, True Otaku, and I thought the anime conventions looked like a blast! I even recognized a lot of outfits from different franchises I know of. My only thing is that if I ever go to a convention like that, there is no doubt in my mind that I would have to buy a costume because there is no way I could ever design my own. I have zero artistic skill, I can't draw for crap, my handwriting is horrible, and I can barely draw a straight line even when using a ruler. Even my parents do now want to see the clay abominations I made at "Do Art" as a kid, there is no way I could make my own costume.

(The face was supposed to be a dog...I think)

I love Halloween, I may not trick or treat anymore, but I still love wearing a costume, scaring kids, and seeing other great costumes. Conventions seem just like that to me, but just replace the "scaring kids" part with buying merch.

Outside of True Otaku, I have heard of other similar conventions (namely Comic-Con) through the internet and have seen panels for them and similar events, but the most memorable thing about them that I know about that I haven't already said is the experience a friend of mine had. Her dad has a Jurassic Park car and they were able to tale it to a convention and they had a great time, and I want to say (might need to fact-check this with her) at one convention she was able to meet Matthew Lillard, the guy that plays William Afton in the FNAF movies. Overall, I have heard only good things about conventions.

But now onto my experiences with fandom, and ,more accurately, my thoughts.

I am a fan of many things, mainly video games, tv shows, movies, and YouTubers. I grew up a big fan of Super Mario, Skylanders, and The Rabbids. I may not know much about the Rabbids anymore, Skylanders hasn't had much of anything new since 2018, and Mario is just as enjoyable as ever, but I have moved on to other things, I will always enjoy those franchises and I still cherish them to this day.

But as I have gotten older and have gotten into more things, there is something I have learned and always try to keep in mind. I even said it and most of my thoughts around it in a previous reblog, and I will say it all again. Any fandom has the potential to be very positive and capable of such amazing things that you would not believe, as well as the potential to be negative and toxic.

When people become fans of something, they identify with it, try to have a part of it be theirs with their passion and/or fan works. But there have been far too many times where I have seen that cause people to become defensive over their views of what they consume, patronizing, bullying, hating on, or even trying to cancel others because of it. Over the past two years or so I have been watching Doctor Who, becoming a fan of all things Doctor Who classic and modern. But especially recently, it has gotten to the point where any modern "who" video I watch on YouTube, even on the official channel, has hate comments and the very toxicity I just described. Doctor Who is a show that has been ongoing on and off for over 60 years now with 14-16 different lead actors as the title character, there are many opinions on it and so many people are defensive over them to all else.

Now I'm trying to bash those fans, or the Doctor Who fandom, or fandom in general, I am just of the belief that everything has a light and dark side to it. Anything is capable of great good and great controversy, even you and me. Any fandom must be prepared to take the good with the bad, but always remember to look on the bright side. While fandoms can be toxic, the good things that a fandom can do are great. Conventions, fan works, you name it, those are what make a fandom great, what makes a fandom, a fandom. Even something as simple as watching and leaving a "like" helps, that's what I do. I find that the best way to go about any fandom, no matter how you do so, is to be supportive of what you and others enjoy, and always be respectful. Yes, people can criticize, but only when it's constructive and comes from a place of good. You and others are allowed to enjoy what you enjoy, anything that says less is not on you.

[pedroc-animeted-world]

Your blog was great! Just like you, I don’t have any personal experience with anime, manga, or Japanese video game conventions, but I also watched the True Otaku documentary and got to experience a day in the life of an otaku at a convention. I definitely agree with your point, buying a costume would be the best way to go, as creating one would be a nearly impossible task for me. I believe that ,although these communities, clubs, and conventions are welcome to anyone, the thing that makes them special is that they are attended by those with a passion for it. If someone is not passionate about the content of these conventions, the time, effort, and joy that defines activities like cosplay and doeichi, will not be at the same level, and the center of otaku would be diluted into the general public.

I truly appreciated your views on how fandom can have both positive and negative effects. I believe that the passion for something can bring people together and allow them to connect, creating communities of otherwise outcast individuals. I also believe that obsession over a certain topic can create a toxic fan base, defined by bad influences, criminal behavior, and social isolation. Most people grow in and out of fanbases, but how you place yourself into one is what defines the impact of it in your life, should you allow it to fuel you, or consume you entirely.

[pedroc-animeted-world]

These past few days I watched three different anime, Sailor Moon, Aggretsuko, and Wandering Son. I have to say, I did enjoy all of these and I had a great time going in depth on some very popular anime that I had only heard of before. These three anime, although very different in their own way, all do an amazing job of exploring the sense of someone’s true identity, and how to properly express yourself and own who you are without the fear of discrimination.

The first one, Sailor Moon, does a great job at expressing proud femininity. This show has been very popular for a long time, and after watching it, it was clear why. This show breaks social norms by making feminine objects, activities, and appearances powerful, showing how the more feminine you become the stronger you are. It allows young girls watching this show to understand that, even in a patriarchal society, it is still ok to be feminine and it is important to embrace that femininity to separate the masculine from feminine and make women stand out and embrace their power and characteristics. Aggretsuko, was one of my favorite anime that I have watched during this course. It portrays the different roles of men and women, especially in the workforce. This anime helps to define the barriers that society builds up because of gender and emphasizes the grandness of gender discrimination in our world currently. Wandering Son also presented some pretty serious topics without being too deep of an anime itself, it portrayed the life of someone who is transgender, struggling with issues about identity and acceptance. Throughout the show, we see how Nitori deals with presenting herself in a different gender placement than what society has placed for her, showing how people deal with the new waves of gender acceptance and feminism in different ways, and showing the point of view of the victim, being affected by the discriminative attitudes of society.

[pedroc-animeted-world]

After watching a variety of different anime this week, I decided to make this blogpost about the fans. Better known as otaku, anime fans are present all around the world. The otaku not only appreciate anime, but they also have a passion for other mediums such as manga and Japanese video games.

Unfortunately, most often than not, the otaku are seen as outcasts, not fitting into society’s standards and perimeters. Even so, that does not stop the otaku from loving what they love and exploring their passion beyond watching, reading, and playing.

Every year there are multiple conventions for anime lovers to gather with others who share the same passions. These conventions allow for otaku to dive into their interests like never before and truly experience Japanese culture all around them. I wanted to learn more about these conventions and see what it was like for otaku fans worldwide to attend such an inclusive event. Without having the opportunity to attend an in-person convention, I decided to explore this topic by watching the documentary True Otaku: The Documentary.

It is clear that there is a lot to experience at Otakon, with many different activities, rooms, and culture to explore. One of the main things that caught my eye was the immense amount of cosplay happening at Otakon. Otaku spend time and effort creating exact replicas of costume and makeup to represent their favorite characters or anime, showing how they fictionalize what they love and make it their own. There are multiple different types and intensities of cosplay, some of which I had never imagined could exist. Not to mention how different otaku pursue their passion in varying extremes, some go to Otaku conventions once every few years, while others cosplay everyday either by themselves or with friends to show their appreciation for the Japanese culture.

It was very interesting to see an in-depth explanation of how cosplay is made and what it can mean to people. Many otaku love to cosplay for the attention they get, while some do it because they love sewing the costumes, painting the fabric, and replicating the designs. It is a long and tiring process, requiring extensive research, careful planning, and meticulous detailing to make sure everything looks perfectly identical to the character it is supposed to represent. Although it can be done just for fun, there are also many competitions where cosplayers can compete to win prizes for best costume, allowing them to take pride in their work and receive a professional achievement after all their hard work.

I also learned that there is a huge community of otaku outside of conventions. There are multiple clubs, and online servers that spread the love for manga, anime, video games, Japanese fashion, and J-pop. These communities meet up in many different places around the world, uniting many different people through a common interest, even helping to form relationships.

The best part that I discovered is the unity found by the otaku. The feeling of being outcast or classified as weird by society is common for many of the anime lovers found in these conventions, but through these conventions, people can learn to be themselves and be proud of what they love. It is a love that is not defined or restricted by age, gender, social class, and cultural backgrounds. These conventions, big or small, bring people together and form a community of people who are usually shunned by others. It allows otaku to take pride in their passion and the work they put into it and to connect to others on a local or global scale. It allows them to know they are not alone in this world, and it is a wholesome event that not only do they get to live in the life of their favorite character, but also explore more about the Japanese world free from judgement.

[sienafr]

Genshiken

Let me just begin by saying that this anime was a complete 180 compared to what I have been watching these past few weeks. Although initially caught off guard, I grew to really appreciate it, and it gave me some good laughs as I watched. 

The whole otaku culture of Japan was something that I was not particularly familiar with. I will admit that I did have some preconceived notions about the type of people that consumed this type of fictional work, but this show really broke down those stereotypes that I had in my head. My absolute favorite character in the show was Kasukabe, and I feel like she really did a good job of reflecting what the general public feels about otaku initially. One of my favorite scenes was when she found all of the pornographic material in Kosaka’s room and was just genuinely confused about how he could be like that. I think this scene really showed that even though otakus consume sexualized material, it doesn’t mean that they inherently are perverts or weirdos. They are able to separate their actual desires and fictional desires through that critical distance, and I think Kosaka is a great example of that.

 I also thought it was interesting how the friend group served as a home for those that would otherwise be outcasts. Because of their shared interests and enthusiasm for a fictional work, they built their own community that turned into an actual friendship. I think that just goes to show how the idea of fandom culture can really be a positive experience, where a group of people can validate your passions or interests without fear of judgment or shame. As great as this sounds, I do feel like sometimes social media can turn this into a very negative and toxic thing. As someone who consumes a lot of media, I have seen the toxicity surrounding fandoms in every aspect or industry. Whether it be pop stars, sports teams, or social media influencers, this fandom mentality can be equally harmful as it is helpful.

[pedroc-animeted-world]

I enjoyed your take on how the friend group serves as a home and community to otherwise outcast individuals. It ties back to a discussion from a few days ago when anime explored discrimination.

In a world where those who dedicate so much time and effort into something uncommon are labeled as “weird”, it is great to find a pocket of society where you can be yourself, not afraid of receiving judgement from others about the things you are passionate about. This show teaches viewers that it’s ok to indulge in your interests and not be afraid to be yourself, as there are always others who will share your passions and create a safe space for you.

[pedroc-animeted-world]

Recently, I watched practically the entirety of seasons 1 and 2 of the anime show Genshiken. To start off, I’d like to say that this show was very different than many other shows I have seen in my time taking this college course. The show does not have any true exciting action sequences, dramatic issues that need to be resolved, and does not analyze any deep social problems like the previous anime did. This show provides a light-hearted take of the life of otaku in Japan, through their own point of view.

Many stereotypes are formed in the minds of most people in this generation. Whether it be from American movies, TV shows, social media, etc, there are many ideas that are formed due to the way a group of people is represented in a country’s society. This anime, Genshiken, helped me not only debunk many of the views I had, but completely reshape my point of view on the otaku group of Japan.

Before I started this course, I had not had much experience with Japanese culture and media, so to see how they think, and interact, and explore their passions was a complete culture-shock, as it varies greatly from the approach of the American way of thinking. This show allowed me to understand the importance that mediums such as manga, anime, and video games have on the otaku, while also showing how the appreciation for these mediums is unexaggerated and not an all consuming obsession. Expanding on how the otaku can still take creative liberties with the material and explore their own interpretations without fear of demeaning the original work.

Overall, although not an intense anime, I still enjoyed taking the time to watch a more superficial level anime, discussing unproblematic topics while still adding comedic effect and engaging plot lines.

[sienafr]

Naruto, Wolf Children, A Silent Voice

To begin, I just want to start off by saying how much I enjoyed watching these shows and movies. Even with the heavier topics of discrimination, I think it was interesting to see how each work approached the issue in a different way.

In Naruto, his main goal was to somehow assimilate back into society, by becoming a hokage. He felt that in order to end his discrimination that he had to prove himself to society, and to show them that he was not the demon they all thought he was. I think that this is a kind of backwards way to view discrimination, and one that could be harmful to those that are suffering. In a way, this show teaches young kids that in order to not be victimized by society they must be strong and change themselves to fit in and become the hero. That isn’t to say that the show itself is harmful, but its approach to the theme of discrimination could have a negative impact on its young audience. 

Similar to Naruto, the movie Wolf Children depicts a family in which the children are both human and wolf. In a similar way, the children are forced to choose to be either human or dog, thus molding themselves to fit into a particular sector of society.  The family even had to isolate themselves in the rural village to figure out their identities, and be apart from society. In this movie, society is demonstrated as a rigid, unchanging entity, and because of this those that don’t fit in must change themselves.

Finally, in the movie A Silent Voice, this idea of society being unchangeable is challenged.  In order to try to make amends with Nishimiya, Ishida learns sign language, thus demonstrating society’s willingness to change to accommodate those that are discriminated against. It was this action that showed Nishimiya that Ishida did in fact change, and that he wasn't the bully he once was. I think that this movie really demonstrates that it is not the responsibility of those that are discriminated against to change themselves, but rather society needs to change.

[pedroc-animeted-world]

I loved your analysis on Wolf Children and how, as you said “those that don’t fit in must change themselves”. Both Wolf Children and Naruto provide overall negative solutions to discrimination, placing a burden on the individual to have to change themselves to fit into a mold that they feel forced to be a part of. In contrast, A Silent Voice shows the change in society to provide support and care for those left out. As Ishida changes his bully ways to help Nishimiya, and the other people change to help Ishida feel less alone. It shows the power that society has to help others, while showing the harsh truth that not all of society is like this and therefore everyone should find the group that will provide them support and care, and create a sub-society for themselves and whoever is welcoming and kind. All three anime provide the audience with hope that discrimination is not permanent if you find the right people, while also emphasizing that not all of society will be accepting and that you need to be around those that you love to keep you safe from the cruel judgement of the world.

[pedroc-animeted-world]

These past few days I dove deep into different anime. At first I started watching Naruto, then Naruto Shippuden. Out of all the anime I have watched for my college course, this was the first one I had actually watched previously. Years ago I watched the entire original series and a couple Naruto Shippuden episodes, so it was a good trip down memory lane. After that I watched two movies, the first one being Wolf Children, and the second one being A Silent Voice. To say that these anime are different is an understatement, each having its own theme, mood, and style. Each anime followed a drastically different story, but all of them explored the same topic: discrimination.

Naruto, both original and Shippuden, expand on individual discrimination and how it can be solved. In summary, the anime teaches that if society hates you and shuns you out, you must work hard to earn their respect and become an accepted member of society. Everyone discriminated against Naruto, calling him “Nine-Tails kid”, “that boy”, etc, and saying he should not be a ninja and that he was worthless. Even so, Naruto did not pay them any attention, and through ceaseless determination, resilience, and powerful endurance, Naruto proved everyone wrong. Due to his efforts, Naruto singlehandedly earned the respect of his masters, peers, and all members of his village. The lesson the anime was trying to teach was clear: it is up to you to end discrimination against yourself, and you must show your worth to others to make them respect you.

Wolf Children, the next anime I watched, can have multiple interpretations. Although it can be argued that the movie criticizes the discrimination against those with dual-intentities, I believe that the anime explores more on the subject of self-discrimination. From the beginning of the anime, we learn that the father is part human - part wolf, and the children are the same. Even though their mother loves them, she still knows that this is uncommon in a normal society, so she hides her kids away from others, even moving them to a house far away from most civilization. She is scared of what society will think so she hides her kids away and warns them to never transform and never show anyone who they truly are. I believe the mother’s control over the children’s identity caused many of the problems in this anime. The mother’s self discrimination against her family forced her children into thinking they could only be one or the other, leading them to go on separate paths in life. She was never fully accepting of her son leading the animals of her forest and encouraged the children to go to school and be human. We also see how, when the daughter shows the boy what she truly is, he does not mind, and tells her he’s known the whole time and did not care. The kids grew up thinking that they weren’t normal because the mother taught that to them, and it teaches the audience that self-discrimination can be just as detrimental as societal discrimination.

The last anime, A Silent Voice, was the most emotional anime I have seen so far. A Silent Voice, brought up issues of disability-directed-discrimination, past mistakes, depression, suicide, forgiveness, relationships, and societal acceptance. Nishimiya, a deaf girl, joins an elementary school, and Ishida begins to mess with her, getting his friends to tag along and bully her as well. Nishimiya is affected by this, but the constant harassing causes her to believe it is her fault, and she is responsible for others hating her. Years pass, and Ishida suffers the consequences of bullying Nishimiya, pushing out others and being deemed as the “bully” or “harrasser” and everyone stays away from him. The anime emphasizes society’s need for a scapegoat, or someone to blame. Whenever society fails, and does something bad, it finds something or someone to point at, and help justify the wrongdoings. This is outlined by the victimization of the other characters from elementary school, claiming they never bullied Nisimiya, and if they did, it was only because Ishida forced them to. Eventually, people learn that Nishimiya does not deserve all this aggression, and Ishida has apologized for his mistakes and is trying to do better, encouraging people who are victims of discrimination to find those who are willing to accept you for who you are and forgive any past mistakes you might have done. Different from Naruto, A Silent Voice teaches that society must accept individuals, and that everyone deserves a second chance, showing that people change and self improvement should be rewarded.

[sienafr]

Shin Sekai Yori

When going into this anime I didn’t really know what to expect. Then after the first scene of the boy ruthlessly murdering the people in the city, I was really caught off guard. It then clicked as I watched why we were assigned to watch this in the first place.

I would like to say that I enjoyed the show, but that would not be entirely true just based on the fact that I don’t love shows like that. However, I will say that it did a great job of creating suspense and making the viewer feel uneasy and anxious. What seemed like a cute story of a group of children at a magic school quickly turned into a thriller of disappearing children, demons, and monsters. It became clear that the children that did not pass the psychological and personality tests that the school gave out were eliminated, demonstrating the idea of a strict surveillance system. Then, when the children eventually found out about the history of their society, and how PK users used to rule, they began to understand the fear of their society. Although dramatized, this show demonstrates in a way how society today treats children, especially in the education system. Those that cannot keep up, or demonstrate tendencies of learning disabilities, are separated from the rest, and increasingly surveilled. They become part of a system, documented and watched over. 

Just like in the show, this surveillance can be good, but it can also have negative effects. For one, children who need extra help or attention receive it, but they are deemed as being abnormal and isolated from the “normal” children. No matter how much society aims to understand the psychology behind children and their actions, there are just some cases where their actions do not make sense, like the case of Shonen A. I think that the show does a good job of calling out this fear that society has and shedding light on the idea of the “wild child”. It also proposes the idea of a life where this type of surveillance and punishment system is not necessary, which is not totally realistic but it does offer some hope that this system can be improved in the future.

[pedroc-animeted-world]

I completely understand the shock of the first scene of this anime, and it truly does make you uneasy while watching the show. You also are absolutely right, usually society attempts to take action to stop something from happening but some things are completely out of control and unpredictable, just like Shonen A. The “wild child” concept is one of the rare things that society will never have a firm grasp on, and it defines how the world is made of inconsistencies and bumps in the road that shape who we are as a whole. As the case of Shonen A proves, we call it a tragedy, and not a common occurrence, which shows a lot about how we’ve a;ready managed a lot of societal issues, and we must be very careful with not trying to control everything, as this anime shows it can have disastrous consequences.

[pedroc-animeted-world]

I will be talking about some sensitive topics in this blogpost, so please be aware and if it affects you in any way, do not continue reading.

This week I watched a new anime called Shin Sekai Yori. When I first received the assignment to watch this anime, I figured it was gonna be a lighthearted anime about a group of girls, and was confused about how it related to the lecture about violence and gruesome crimes committed by children. So to say that the plot was a shock to me is an understatement. The anime covers the story about a group of kids with telekinetic powers who search for the truth about their society.

The anime presents a lot of violent themes, and the episode that really drew my attention was episode four. In this episode, the children find out about many secrets presented in their society. The origin of violence and criminal activity directly references the state the world is in right now. As the crime rate is at a peak, not only in Japan, but globally, this show (like many others) provides a prediction or warning of what our future will look like. As I thought about how the society of Shin Sekai Yori worked, I couldn’t help but make connections to previous world events such as World War II. The scientists chose a specific trait to define whether someone is right for society or not, the PK powers, and if someone did not contain this trait, they were eliminated. Regardless of age and gender, those who were deemed “dangerous” for society were removed from it. This reminded me directly of the Holocaust and how people were killed off for things they could not control, simply due to the Nazi regime frowning upon non-Aryans.

This anime portrays how highly-invasive surveillance methods can be detrimental to society, alienating children, running tests, removing their abilities, and killing them off, all for the sake of a “better” society.

[gavanalysis]

So I just finished watching up to Episode 17 of Psycho-Pass for my college course and I must say, after I am done with the course I am taking for this and have some free time, this is the first anime (that I have not seen all of yet) I am going to finish watching all the way through.

Spoilers for Psycho-Pass Below!

To me, the premise of Psycho-Pass felt like if a detective cop show met The Suicide Squad in a futuristic high-tech "utopian" society; Inspector Akane Tsunemori and her superior, Nobuchika Ginoza, working alongside the supposedly dangerous Enforcers with high-tech weapons, solving mysterious and getting into high-action fight scenes. But the plot runs deeper than that with the injustices of the Sibyl System, the supposed AI that monitors people's Psycho-Pass, the psychological state of a citizen and the possibility of them committing crime. From victims becoming targets, to people only committing crimes because of the all-encompassing Sibyl System, the series makes it apparent that the system is not as infallible as the people of this world think.

One of the reasons I enjoyed this anime is because it fixed one of the biggest problems I had with Eden of the East. As I mentioned in a previous blog post, one of my gripes with Eden of the East was that the plot and themes ended up overshadowing the main premise of the Selecao game. But Psycho-Pass ingeniously interweaves the premise with the plot, maintaining the same "detective show meets Suicide Squad" premise I mentioned previously, but having the plot of the Sibyl System add new layers to the premise via subtle plot lines all coming to an explosive head with the introduction and actions of Makishima.

Shougo Makishima, one of the anime's main antagonists, a man who knows how to trick the system and get away with heinous crimes, with the goal of freeing the world from the Sibyl System. He is the other reason I heavily enjoyed this anime, the catalyst that causes this anime to become more plot-driven in the form of a well-written antagonist. Antagonists in stories are made to help the protagonists grow, overcome an obstacle, but accomplishing this by having everything they say be true, valid points, while still having them do undeniably bad things is a truly remarkable and rare feat that is never easy to get right. But the writers succeeded with Makishima, giving him an understandable philosophy while still having him do some horrible things, then revealing him in Episode 17 to be a lesser evil compared to the true antagonist, the Sibyl collective.

[pedroc-animeted-world]

I completely agree with the way you talked about Shougo Makishima and how he was crucial to the high quality of the show. He shows how not everyone will be appreciative of a system, and how many will be hurt by an overall governmental function. Even though he is the antagonist of this series, he could be seen as the protagonist if the show is viewed through a different perspective. He is a rebel to society and does not like the way that his world is being controlled. He is able to drive the show forward without being a true opposing force, representing not evil, but the unseen perspective of those who choose to disagree with the Sybil system.