Blanco

Blancos Blog

[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.

[pixiebat13]

Hi! I liked your take on Hetalia as well as you described the stereotypes shown for each country, especially Italy and Germany. I agree with how the depiction of Germany may not be the most favorable due to their actions within the past. Personally, I think this show makes over-exaggerated stereotypes to make the show more digestible since it's discussing a serious topic. Overall, great blog post!

[pixiebat13]

Hetalia

Despite being a popular anime, I have honestly never heard of it before. The show had times where it made fun of stereotypes however, I think the satire of these stereotypes can come off as insensitive for many viewers. Since the topic being stereotyped is a sensitive one some fans didn't react as well to the series in comparison to others. As seen commented by many people, the portrayal of the Axis Powers falls flat to me and honestly is quite offensive. Could they still have poked fun at Nazi Germany? Yes, tons of media have done it before, but it could've been done in a more sensitive manner. Personally, I think by over exaggerating certain stereotypes the message can be lost in translation and often be seen as glorification of a certain group of people or forgiveness of their past.

However, despite the controversial nature of this anime it can still be taken critically. Each axis power is depicted in a different manner. Italy being helpless and meek, and certain generalizations are made regarding their love for pasta. Germany is depicted very seriously within Hetalia due to the stereotypes of being rigid in nature. Japan is reserved and polite.

Overall, satirical media is not for me, and I think the conversation of critical points of our history can be discussed in a different way. However, despite my disapproval with this form of media many people can take away from this form of media since it's easier to digest than many serious war-related movies. This anime still has things to offer, but I think it should be taken lightly and comically instead of taking it face first. Personally, I didn't take this anime as offensive, but I can see how many people would see it as offensive if their country is depicted in a certain way.

[autoblur]

Your Name: by Makoto Shinkai

I have watched this film a few times and it still is one of my favorite Japanese films alongside Howl's Moving Castle. This is more my cup of tea because I love romance in anime. However, unlike most romance stories in other animations which can be repetitive, this one had such a lasting impact on me. I remember the first time I watched it I genuinely started crying. It tells the story of Taki Tachibana and Mitsuha Miyamizu, two high school students. Although this anime does take themes and common tropes from other animes, it does so in a very unique and beautiful manner. Their love story transcends time and space.

The two strangers begin switching bodies without ever actually meeting each other. These episodes occur for an entire day, and then they return to their original bodies. Whenever Taki tries calling Mitsuha on the phone, the body-switching stops.

An important element of the film is the natural disasters that it depicts. The most important phenomenon is the comet Tiamat which was expected to pass near Earth during the autumn festival. This is my favorite part of the movie, I had never watched such a beautifully written story. When the body-switching stops Taki tries to find Mitsuha only to find out that the village had been destroyed by the Comet three years prior. The two were not only switching bodies, but time traveling. They were traveling between the years 2013 and 2016. Mitsuha was one of the 500 people killed by the comet.

The red ribbon is also a crucial element of the move in my opinion. I always loved the symbolism of the red ribbon which connects people's fates. Mitsuha had visited him three years prior but he had lost the memories and given him the red ribbon he always wore. Taki again awakes in Mitsuha's body and tries to save the village and their timelines cross. This was such a beautiful and memorable scene, the image of the scene is still engrained in my head. Taki returns the ribbon, and they try to write their names on each other's palms. Both of them had been losing their memories of each other. When Mitsuha returns to her body she convinces her father, the mayor, to order an evacuation that saves the city. However, she loses memory of Taki, but learns that he wrote that he loves her on her palm instead of his name. Years, later they meet again in Tokyo but they have lost their memories of each other. However, the red string of fate has connected them throughout different timelines and universes. They feel the connection between them, and they ask each other for their name.

This film was an emotional roller coaster for me. I love watching romance films because although they endure challenges to their love, the ending usually is predictable which is comforting. However, this film truly takes fate into a different direction. There was a point where I didn't know how everything was going to work out, but it did.

[pixiebat13]

Hi! I love this anime to and how it takes the approach of love transcending time and space, as you mentioned. You brought up a point I never even though of being the red ribbon or red string theory. I've always believed in fate and connections so seeing that within a movie is nice to see. I also agree with your point on how this film sends a message to prevent natural disasters, despite us not being in time to do it there are definitely other methods to prevent natural disasters from occurring.

[pixiebat13]

Your Name

My first time watching this film was in 7th grade and it still remains one of my favorite animated films to date. Despite being a traditional love story, I appreciated its moments as well as its beautiful animation and soundtrack. Before, I never took this movie as anything more than a romance movie but now rewatching it I can attribute more meaning to it. Your Name discusses themes surrounding the importance of our bonds with small towns and the divide present between small towns and cities.

Present within Japan at the time is the Kizuna discourse where the emphasizing of rural life and small towns is made. At this time, the Japanese Government intended to leave rural towns instead of restoring them after the destruction of them. I feel like this movie is a criticism of the government for making these choices against many peoples wishes. Within Your Name, Mitsuha is born to a small town that carries more of a traditional lifestyle, opposite from Taki who lives within the city of Tokyo. Mitsuha has a distaste for the rural life, however upon switching bodies with Taki and experiencing the urban life she begins to appreciate her town more. Taki, who was raised in Japan's busiest city, still came to appreciate Mitsuhas way of living.

Eventually, they find out there from two different timelines and Mitsuha will die from a comet and her town will be left in shambles. In an attempt to save this terrible fate from occurring, Taki saves her timeline by completing a series of traditional rituals.

Overall, I appreciate this film, and it also gave me insight upon the divide between rural and urban life. Despite living in Miami, I can still appreciate the importance of rural life and what traditional culture practices have to offer.

[keyboard-meister]

The End of Evangelion (1997)

Get ready for a rant.

What the HELL did I just watch? If this is how Hideaki Anno wanted the anime to end, I really don't trust his judgement. This film somehow manages to ruin the MAIN CHARACTER of the series in 87 minutes. While the end of the Neon Genesis Evangelion series focused on Shinji's inner thoughts as he experienced Human Instrumentality, the film actually shows what happened to the world and the rest of humanity during this event. Weirdly enough, I prefer the events of the series. I preferred the focus on Shinji's character arc and the optimistic ending. The events of the film, however, kind of just made it feel like the creators were trying too hard to be mysterious and edgy.

In the case of Shinji, some of his actions in the film felt wildly out of character, especially that scene with Asuka (sidenote- why is he so obsessed with her all of the sudden? All she ever did was bully him). The film took a character who struggles with performing hegemonic masculinity, who doesn't really like expressing his sexuality, and made him into a horny creep who masturbates on a comatose girl. I feel like the film absolutely ruined Shinji and took away from his queer masculinity that is so heavily focused on in the series. The End of Evangelion just has him act like a typical, masculine teenager, which he so clearly was not in the series.

As for Asuka, I actually liked the direction the film took with her character, for the most part. I think her sexual attraction to Shinji felt completely wrong, as she literally hated his guts in the series, but I think the blind rage she entered as she fought to her death was a depressing, yet sensible ending to her character arc.

I was WILDLY surprised when looking at how good the reviews of this film are.

[pixiebat13]

Hi! I like your take on this movie, I agree with you on how Shinji's character arc is basically thrown away and essentially taken into a 180 in the movie. I feel like his odd bursts of hegemonic masculinity is taken into extremes and performed in possibly the worst ways (busting on Asuka basically). Asuka was the model of hegemonic masculinity in both the series and the film so to have her being killed by Shinji, her counterpart (queer masculinity) felt right as you mentioned. Overall, great blog post!

[pixiebat13]

The End of Evangelion

Honestly, I didn't really understand the point of this movie and overall, I prefer the events that take place in the series rather than the movie. The series takes a more optimistic approach and actually puts a value to Shinji's character while in the movie he's just a train wreck of a character.

I think Shinji's break from his queer masculinity is shown within the movie. Despite all of the development in the series to finally have Shinji accept himself I think the movie instead shows the case where he conforms to the masculine ideal. The first scene we see being represented of this is when he basically busts one to Asuka's unconscious body. Before this we really never saw Shinji being attracted to women or even showing any initiative to be romantic with women, so this scene felt out of place. Honestly, I'm not really sure why this approach to Shinji's character was made but I believe it as Shinji's sanity being broken under the goals he's expected to meet as a masculine individual. Due to this he essentially does a lot of questionable things. I bet this has a deeper meaning, but I haven't read or even watched any other outside sources to explain his character so I'm not sure.

Asuka is basically depicted as Hegemonic masculinity. She's confident, fierce, and violent despite being a woman. I think the discourse between Asuka and Shinji can be a metaphor of different identities of masculinity fighting against each other. In the end, Shinji kills Asuka, essentially killing the Hegemonic masculinity he detests and can never achieve. She calls him disgusting which I feel is directed towards his queer masculinity.

Overall, this film is an interesting one and honestly, I feel like it isn't met to be understood completely. Many people have different takes on the film so honestly, it's up to the watcher to how they want to interpret it.

[michaelaaa]

⋅˚₊‧ ୨ ℕ𝕖𝕠𝕟 𝔾𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕚𝕤 𝔼𝕧𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕠𝕟: ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝟚 ୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅

In episode eight, we are introduced to Asuka Langley Soryu, a confident pilot who brings a new dynamic to the series. Asuka's character highlights the pressure placed on individuals to excel and the competitive nature often seen in Japanese society. Her struggle to maintain her self-worth and prove her abilities resonates globally, reflecting the universal challenge of balancing personal identity with societal expectations.

In episode sixteen, shows more of Shinji's internal conflict and the theme of self-acceptance. Trapped inside an Angel, Shinji confronts his deepest fears and insecurities. This introspection is a commentary on Japan's increasing focus on mental health, a topic that has gained more attention in recent years. Globally, the struggle with self-identity and mental health is universal, making this episode's themes widely relatable.

In episode twenty-four, Kaworu's complex relationship with Shinji addresses the human need for connection and the pain of loss. In Japan, where societal harmony and relationships are highly valued, this episode underscores the importance of interpersonal connections. The global relevance lies in its exploration of human emotions and the existential quest for meaning, something everyone can relate to at some point in their lives.

Lastly, in episode twenty-six, it presents a narrative that transcends traditional storytelling, focusing on introspection and self-realization. The philosophical nature of this episode challenges viewers to reflect on their own lives, encouraging self-awareness and acceptance. In Japan, where societal roles and expectations can often overshadow individual desires, this episode's message is particularly poignant. Globally, it speaks to the universal journey of self-discovery and the pursuit of personal happiness.

The characters' struggles with identity, self-worth, and relationships mirror the challenges many of us face in our own lives. Watching these episodes, I am reminded of the importance of mental health, the value of genuine connections, and the ongoing journey of understanding oneself.

[pixiebat13]

Hi! I liked how you dove into each episode and described the message it had. I agree with how the last episode reaches into Shinjis self-acceptance and is basically the pinnacle of his character development. Despite all the expectations for him to align with a gender role, he rejects this and accepts himself. Overall, great blog post!

[pixiebat13]

Neon Genesis Evangelion (Pt 2)

Within this part of the anime, we dive more into Shinji's queer masculinity as well as his battle with Hegemonic masculinity and his eventual acceptance for himself.

We are introduced to a character called Asuka in episode 8, someone completely opposite of Shinji. She's confident and showcases more character traits aligned with Hegemonic masculinity than Shinji does. By adding Asuka's character later on in the series more is expected from Shinji, and he starts attempting to change himself to align with his expected gender role more. Gradually, he starts achieving Hegemonic masculinity and he becomes more confident in himself and enacting violence within his suit.

Eventually, his facade of masculinity fails when he enters the void of an angel, unable to escape. His descent with this void, and his curling into a ball are both metaphors of being in the womb, and when he escapes this void is a metaphor of birth. I feel like this metaphor is a showing of Shinji's rebirth and how he doesn't align with the gender roles he was forcing upon himself.

Shinji falls into self-loathing, but this is quelled once he meets Kaworu. Kaworu is the very depiction of queer masculinity that can still be accepted within society due to his confident nature. This gives Shinji a revelation on how he can still be himself but also be a functioning and accepted member of society. However, this all falls down once he realizes Kaworu is an angel, and he needs to kill him.

In the last episode of Evangelion is when we can finally see Shinji accept himself. Here he begins to introspect and accept that it is okay to not be accepted by others and not align with societies expectations.

Overall, this is a great anime, and I will probably watch it in its entirety to get a better understanding in the future.

[bootaro51]

Neon Genesis Evangelion (Part 1) Analysis

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

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

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

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

[pixiebat13]

Hello! Overall, your analysis is great. I particularly liked how you defined queer masculinity in order to get a better idea of Shinji's character. The women around him definitely show more masculine traits than Shinji, highlighting his queer masculinity more. I also agree how this show criticizes society by not enforcing gender roles.

[pixiebat13]

Neon Genesis Evangelion (Pt 1)

Even with Neon Genesis Evangelions popularity I have only ever watched the first few episodes in the past, never continuing the series. The storyline was quite confusing and since I was younger, I never bothered to pick up the series again. Despite that I think this anime is very influential and discusses many topics throughout the series. However, for part one we are going to focus on Shinji's character as well as his queer masculinity.

At the beginning of the show, we get to see Shinji become manipulated by his father to become a weapon of war by using a robot suit to kill angels. This is the first act of societal masculinity being forced on Shinji. Despite his wants being different, his father still forces him to enact violence, something opposite of Shinji's character. This masculinity being forced onto Shinji is known as Hegemonic Masculinity, one where men are expected to be violent and show no signs of queerness.

Shinji is the very embodiment of queer masculinity. His actions don't align with the typical expectations of how men should act, he rejects violence, and he also doesn't objectify women. We can see characters try to force expectations on him to be a man, even the women around him do the same. Within his own hatred of himself he even says he prefers for violence to be done to him instead of him enacting it upon others. Shinji's queer masculinity is also highlighted when the women around him are depicted in a more masculine nature. He cooks, cleans, he's timid, and he avoids violence.

Overall, this part of the anime tries to challenge typical gender roles as well as patriarchal society by focusing on Shinji's queer masculinity.

[parivvv]

Today for class I was able to watch the cutscenes from the Xenoblade Chronicles 2. I had never played any of the Xenoblade games before, but I had seen some of the characters in games like super smash bros. Although this isn’t an anime, I loved the artstyle in the game. 

The whole world of Xenoblade chronicles has been struck by disaster (thank you Klaus), leaving most places in ruins. Because of this, there are only a few small spaces that are habitable. Klaus feels guilty about destroying the world, so he tries to rebuild it using robots and titans.

In the beginning of the game, Rex talks about wanting to visit Elysium. When he finally visits, he sees that Elysium is a place that is the opposite of his world. Elysium is full of greenery and nature, things that he does not see in the real world. 

One interesting thing about the game is that nature is not able to restore itself. Klaus has to make devices and titans in order to fix it. Although the general themes of the game are reflective of the real world, this aspect is not. 

I think the themes of this game can be related to anywhere in the world. With growing urbanization and technology, it is becoming easier to unintentionally harm the environment. Although some of the impact is not as harsh as that of Klaus’s disaster, it is possible that over time, our consumption can lead to dire situations, like those faced in the game. The potential to ruin the earth is why it is important to have conservation and preservation in nature. Conservation and preservation, along with other restrictions may be able to keep the earth from losing all nature to the point where we’d need outside technology to fix it.

In the end, I think Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was a really interesting game that discussed humans relationship with nature. 

[pixiebat13]

hi! Overall, i liked your analysis and agree with many of your points. I think this video game shows many parallels to the real world and is more of a warning of what may occur if we don’t take care of the nature we have. I also think by having nature not being able to restore itself within the video game, its trying to actively send a message of how one day nature may fall into a point of being irreparable.

[pixiebat13]

Xeno Blade Chronicles 2

Honestly, i’ve never heard of this video game before till now. I feel like this video game tries to show a relation between humans and nature and how we could effect it negatively and how we should be protecting it. 

Klaus destroys the world essentially, leaving many places not suitable for living. Due to his regret, he seeks to restore the world by using robots and titans. With the environment now in ruins, humans struggle due to their dependency on nature. 

Rex visits Elysium, a supposed heaven for humans due to the amount of nature present, unlike their world. This is a direct opposite of their world and depicts how their want of nature is equivalent to heaven. However, nature in this world isn’t easily rebuilt and needs external methods of help in order to restore it how it was. Just like in real life, nature is a very difficult thing to restore once it’s destroyed. Now with climate issues, greenhouse house gases, ocean levels rising, etc, this is especially apparant. I feel like this video game is trying to send the message of protecting nature before it gets to a point of being irreparable. Nature within Xenoblade has become dependent on Klaus’ restoration, and without him it would’ve died off long ago. I believe this shows us how nature has become dependent on humans for its restoration, as time goes on and nature becomes more destroyed it needs outside methods of restoration. Even though nature is self-restorational I think Xenoblade is showing how it may one day become dependent on us. 

Overall, this is a great video game that discusses imporant themes of protecting nature as well as discussing the relationship between humans and nature. Despite us being reliant on it, we can sometimes become the destroyers of nature due to our consumption.

[dillonmorse-ufl]

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

This is one of my favourite films, not just in the Studio Ghibli collection but films in general. The worldbuilding is relatively simple, but I still adore it and the characters in the film. Except for Kurotowa, he can take a hike.

This film has a strong and obvious reference to the pollution and destruction of the environment that we've done in real life, but given the time period it came out in, I think it's also fair to say that a lot of the film is a metaphor for nuclear weaponry too. It fits better, I think, with the idea of an "invisible" poison that slowly kills people (like Nausicaa's father). Yes, there are the spores that you breathe in that are quite visible that will make you sick, but as Nausicaa found out through her private garden, it's not the spores themselves that are toxic, but the soil and water they grow in.

But it's not really made clear what the pollution is. More than that, there's not really anything shown being done about it because you can't do anything about it. There's no attempts to clean the soil or purify the water because humans can't do that, only nature can. This is very similar to radioactive fallout in real life, where once an area is affected, there's not really much you can do except wait it out, and it's not something you can just "stop" polluting with like you can with chemical waste or garbage or stuff like that. Once a place is radioactively polluted, that's kind of it. That's why I think this film is more about nuclear fallout than run-of-the-mill pollution.

Which is not to say I don't think the film tries to send the message that we should be mindful of these things. We might not be able to help the environment, but we can stop making it worse. War is obviously a big part of making it worse in the film, and that's true in real life, too. So I guess I'd say it's also got a strong anti-war stance but uses that stance as a vehicle for it's anti-nuclear weaponry stance. Hopefully, we don't need to sacrifice ourselves like Nausicaa did to get people to get on board with that in real life.

[pixiebat13]

Hi! I liked how you described that the pollution can’t go away as easily as people would want it to. It shows how once something gets radiation poisoning it also impossible to get rid of it, as you mentioned. I definitely agree that this movie tries to send a message to avoid these events from occurring.

[pixiebat13]

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

This studio ghibli movie has been on my list for a while so I'm happy I finally got to watch it due to this blog post. Like all studio ghibli movies this one also has a special message. We can see themes of the dangers of pollution and how it affects the environment, almost a direct relation to what was occurring in Japans environment due to the nuclear pollution from the bombings in WWII.

There are direct relations to WWII seen through the parallels with the Seven Days of Fire and the moldy environment. I also believe this movie reflects themes against war. Seen through the destruction caused in the environment this movie is trying to actively send a message against more nuclear wars by showcasing what has already occurred. At this point in the world, the world was very tense and a nuclear war seemed more and more likely. Even though it never occurred, people at the time were scared that the Cold War would destroy many countries, due to the sheer power of nuclear weapons.

Another theme reflected within this film is the call to protect nature and the effects nuclear waste can bring. Within this anime we see they’re affected by an “invisible” poison, this directly parallels the events after WWII where nuclear waste couldn’t be seen but could kill many. The spores growing were toxic and so was the very soil it was growing from. It also shows how difficult it is to purify the already toxic land, hinting towards the effects of nuclear fallout and how it won’t leave for many years to come.

Overall, this was a very good movie and helped send an important message for future wars in order to prevent the events that occurred within the film. 

[robian]

Convention Post

I've only been to one convention in my life, which, to be fair, is one more than most. In the summer of 2022, I was lucky enough to be able to attend Anime Expo in Los Angeles, California with a friend of mine. Honestly, in some ways I regret going to Anime Expo as my first con experience because every other one in the US pales in comparison (except maybe the NY one). However, Anime Expo was an amazing experience that I will never forget.

When I arrived at my hotel, people were already in cosplay. When I woke up, I saw a line for the bus and a ton of people were in cosplay. I actually felt out of place since I wasn't and if I went again I'd definitely try it out. Then when I actually arrived, I felt even more out of place, because so many people were in cosplay. Of course, many weren't, but the people in cosplay were just so noticeable. Maybe it was just luck or maybe it was because we arrived more towards lunch time, but we skipped the notorious hours long line and headed straight in.

Honestly, it was overwhelming, there was just so much to do and see. There were events constantly happening, and sadly I didn't know that many needed pre-bought tickets. I still had a blast just exploring the exhibit halls and Artist Alley. I think I ended up spending like $150, which I found out through other peoples posts, is actually not a lot. Some of these people are dropping over a thousand dollars on merch. Maybe I should start using that as motivation to do well in college and get a well paying job so I too can drop a rack on anime merch.

Honestly, I was super nervous to ask any cosplayers for a photo but next time I'm going to need to just suck it up. I did get one photo though with this dude in an awesome set of armor. I really admire the skill and dedication it takes to make some of these cosplays. I'll do my best, but I have a feeling I'll be buying a premade one in the future.

Anyways, the con was amazing and I'd 100% recommend people to go to it. When I went, the last day was July 4th (this year, July 4th was the first day) and the post con depression hit so hard as I watched Los Angeles’ sky fill with fireworks from my hotel window. It was as if the fireworks were a farewell or an ending. Kinda like how some anime end the season with a firework festival y'know? Post-con depression hits hard though, so be wary.

[pixiebat13]

Hi! Super cool that you got to go to Anime Expo! I definitely agree that not cosplaying can often make you feel out of place, but I just decided to focus on the cool cosplays rather than my lack of cosplay. Conventions can definitely be overwhelming when they're big. I went to Supercon in July and by the end of it I was drained. Overall, great post on your experience on cons. (the post-con depression was real :(

[pixiebat13]

Convention Post

I remember as a middle-schooler I always dreamed of the fact of going to a convention. However, I was scared people would judge me or see me as odd, so I never acted on this dream. Finally, this summer I decided to stop caring and went to my first two conventions in Miami, FL, Supercon and Otakufest. I went with friends both times and it definitely remains one of my close memories for this summer.

Upon preparing for Otakufest in May my friends and I wanted to cosplay but didn’t know what the best options were and so on, so we put Kuromi and My Melody headbands and called that our cosplay. I loved seeing all the well-done craftsmanship for the cosplays and seeing the thought and work they put behind it. Seeing all my favorite characters and anime being cosplayed made me so happy, I’d often find myself just admiring the cosplays instead of paying attention to some events. For the second convention I went to, Supercon, the cosplayers were even more amazing, and I even went to a cosplay competition event to see all the cool and well-made cosplays. However, supercon was definitely not for the weak and I found myself exhausted at the end of it from all the walking. It also didn’t help that I decided to cosplay as Sylveon for this con which consisted of a large furry poncho in the middle of Miami heat, this was probably not the smartest cosplay choice. 

The artist alley was definitely my favorite part of the convention. I got to buy so many cute stickers, posters, prints, and figurines I can’t wait to decorate my apartment with once I go up to Gainesville. However, my most favorite merchandise there were the pokemon cards. As a kid I was a huge pokemon card collector and I played nearly all the DS games, but as the years went by I lost my interest and stopped collecting. The moment I saw all the pokemon card stands I cracked and I bought so, so many packs. I also loved to see so much Madoka Magica merch, which is my all time favorite anime, I never expected it to still have a living fandom. To say the least, I'm a pretty bad impulsive spender so artist alley was a death trap for me. I spent at least 600$ in total between both conventions. I'm not the proudest of it, but I definitely don’t regret it. Thank god my friends held me back or I would’ve easily blown a band. 

Supercon was definitely bigger and more exciting. David Tennant was there but god was the line long so my friend and I just took a picture of him from afar and called it a day. There were so many voice actors from JJK, MHA, Pokemon, Red Dead Redemption II, and so on. Personally, I didn’t care enough to wait in line or get an autograph but it was cool to see them from afar and for the option to be there. 

I didn’t go to many events other than the Cosplay Competition in Supercon. I tried going to a few Otakufest, however they weren’t really my style. I also was a little scared to ask people for cosplay photos but after much reluctance I finally asked. I got many cool photos of cosplayers like Lethal Company, Vigilante Deku, God Madoka, and so on. 

Overall, I loved both cons and I definitely want to go to more in the future and even possibly do an in-depth cosplay of one of my favorite characters!

^Picture of my pokemon pulls

^Tapestry I liked

[dillonmorse-ufl]

Wandering Son

This anime is one of the few I've seen (which isn't to say there aren't others) that tries to depict and represent the issues it does, that is, the realization in youth that you might not fit into your assigned gender identity/performance and you don't really know what to do about it, not when the world around you doesn't want to help you figure it out. But from the start it's made exceptionally clear that Nitori does not feel comfortable living as a boy. She complains that the boys uniform is too tight and suffocating. The performance she has to put on, like one puts on a uniform, does not fit her.

Takatsuki doesn't fit within his uniform, either, and mirrors Nitori in that he would rather perform masculine gender. Unfortunately, society at large does not really accept the fact that someone can present as a different gender than the one they were assigned at birth, an issue that transgender children (and adults, of course!) still face just about everywhere today. Sure, no one really reacts badly to Takatsuki coming to school in a boys uniform, but that doesn't mean they see him as male. They see him as a girl emulating male gender—that's not exactly affirming. Takatsuki dressing up in a boys outfit is only acceptable because women emulating men is seen as a normal, if not slightly out of the box, thing to do. But Takatsuki doesn't want to be a woman or to be seen as just playing pretend.

And as we saw, the consequences for Nitori coming to school dressed as a girl had much more severe social consequences. Even Anna, as supportive as she was before, broke up with Nitori because of the surprise of seeing Nitori present as the gender she was most comfortable with.

(In fairness to Anna, the two of them do get back together later in the manga and she accepts Nitori's identity.)

This anime shows the unfortunate reality of growing up and realizing that society doesn't like your gender performance. It's not all happiness and acceptance, there's no guarantee of support, you might just be forced to wear the suffocating uniform and put on a play. It's difficult to find the acceptance you want as an individual who doesn't fit gender norms, but it's not impossible, and I thought the show did a good job of portraying these things realistically enough, especially given how long ago the source material was written.

[pixiebat13]

Hi! I liked how you related that the fact that Nitoris uniform is too tight with how she is expected to conform into a gender she doesn't want to. I definitely agree with how Tatsuki is met with more acceptance than Nitori since acts of female disapproval of gender is more normal than men not fitting within their assigned gender. I believe this is because of toxic stereotypes of masculinity and the expectation that men cannot even show a sliver of femininity. Overall, great blog post!