[sydneyyyyyyyyyy-blog2]

[sydneyyyyyyyyyy-blog2]

Symmetry

leading lines

Rule of thirds

Figure ground

Balance

contrast

visual weight

Leading lines

[sydneyyyyyyyyyy-blog2]

Nuts and Blots

[kylieottens]

Your name, Hetalia: Axis Powers, Sensoron

Hi Blog! Today I will be discussing my thoughts and feelings on the anime “Your Name” and “Hetalia: Axis Powers”. Also, for the first time I will be talking about a manga that I have just read called Sensoron.

To start, I will be talking about the anime Your Name. This anime made me feel almost every emotion I could think of. Sadness, joy, grief, and more. We saw a crazy story of two people who switched bodies every couple of days. This was honestly very humorous to me until we got deeper into the anime. If we look at the anime closer, we can see ideas of gender performance which I have talked about before earlier on my blog. When we watch the two characters switch places, we see them struggle to perform like the opposite gender. This further proves the point that gender is not biological or the chromosomes that we were born with, but it is instead the act of performing in a certain way to appear as one gender or the other. This brings me to my next point about the term I learned, Kizuna. Kizuna means bond, ties, and connections that we have with other people. This relates o the anime because of a similar event in Japan the triple disaster. The earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown created a lot of stir as we can imagine. When they started to rebuild the small towns that were already decreasing in population people were asking why they would spend so much money to rebuild a place that was already in decline. This is where the connections had so much impact. People had. Connections to those places that made it worth the rebuild. The second anime I watched was Hetalia: Axis Powers. I found this anime very amusing, to me, the stereotypical caricature of most of the main characters did not offend me. I found this to be very entertaining and an easier way to understand the Axis Powers. Though they poked fun at various serious topics I still felt as though this anime offered more good points than bad. Like this anime, I read a manga called Sensoron. I thought this manga had a very interesting take on the Japanese massacres. While I did not enjoy reading about such right-wing ideas, I felt as though reading such exacerbated ideas on such a sensitive topic was good for me. It’s not often where you get such an opposing view from your own.

[sydneyyyyyyyyyy-blog2]

I really liked your point about gender performance in Your Name, that part stood out to me too. Watching Mitsuha and Taki struggle to act like each other really shows how much of gender is something we learn rather than something we’re born with. Like when Mitsuha (in Taki’s body) uses the wrong pronoun and gets weird looks from his friends,it’s a small moment, but i think it says a lot. It’s interesting how the anime uses a supernatural setup to reveal something very real about how we’re expected to “perform” gender based on social rules. I think Your Name shows how gender norms can feel awkward and limiting, even in a story that’s about time travel and fate.

[sydneyyyyyyyyyy-blog2]

 Your Name, Hetalia: Axis Powers, and Sensoron

Watching Your Name, Hetalia: Axis Powers, and reading Sensoron made me think a lot about how anime handles identity, memory, and national pride. In Your Name the whole body swapping and time jumping thing was cool, but what was was interesting to me me was how the characters really learned to see through each other's eyes. It’s crazy how much that story says about empathy and connection without ever having to explain it. I think it'd be very powerful if we could all actually understand what it's like to live in someone else’s shoes for just a day.

Hetalia was different. At first, it felt all goofy and lighthearted, but then I started feeling weird about it. Some of the jokes really downplay serious stuff, especially around World War II. It made me uncomfortable how Germany was shown as this lovable character, when there's a whole lot of painful history being brushed aside. I get that it's meant to be funny and over-the-top, but it made me think about how easy it is to soften hard truths when we wrap them in cute animation.

Sensoron felt the most intense. It really forced me to think about how countries like Japan deal with the guilt and trauma of war. The way the manga critiques modern Japanese identity made me reflect on how every country has stories it tells to feel better about its past.

Out of all three, Your Name felt the most personal. I’ve never swapped bodies or time-traveled, but I’ve definitely felt that feeling of remembering something you can’t quite place.

[karaakii]

Blog Post: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind/Xenoblade Chronicles 2

After watching Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and the cutscenes of the video game Xendoblade Chronicles 2, I felt heavy-hearted thinking about the relationship between humans and nature. This is something that is deeply personal in my life and interests, so I found the material, particularly Nausicaä, very engaging and relatable. It was not just their ecological themes, but how both works grapple with the human desire to dominate, use, and "fix" the world, as well as the resistance against that instinct. Both stories present post-apocalyptic settings that are shaped by ecological collapse and human hubris, but both argue for the redemptive power of empathy and coexistence.

In Nausicaä, the Toxic Jungle is initially seen as a disturbance, but is ultimately revealed to be purifying the poisoned earth. This idea that nature is healing, not hostile, subverts the instrumentalist mindset very common in industrial modernity, that nature exists only to serve humans. Similarily, Xendoblade exposed the suffering caused by viewing others (especially Blades) as tools. Blades are born to serve humans, and are objectified by having their memory and any personal feeling erased, only seen for their purpose. Jin's transformation into a Flesh Eater is a tragic rebellion against that fate. These stories, despite their different tones and mediums, make the same argument that salvation is from listening, understanding, and resisting utter control, rather than power and domination.

Living in a world that emphasized productivity and utillity, especially at the cost of the environment, I was very impacted by these anime, because this is a topic I care a lot about. I see many around me treat other people, the environment, and even themselves as things to be optimized, rather than cared for. I also unfortunately have to watch as the climate collapses, with an uneasy feeling of inheriting a world doomed for the future. What Nausicaä and Xenoblade offer is something very hopeful and comforting, a possibility of healing through slowness, care, and humility.

Globally, both narratives resonate with Anthropocene anxieties. Begging the question of what happens when human activity reshapes the planet beyond repair, before realizing we're far beyond that point. More locally in Japan, there are echoes of the destruction of Hiroshima, Fukushima, and the trauma of rapid modernization that truly began under American influence post WWII. The fear of technology unmoored from ethics is very evident in both pieces. The Giant Warrior in Nausicaä and the Aegises in Xenoblade are "godlike" weapons born from human ambition, that turn against their makers, which I feel is even more relevant now. Both medias ask the viewers how they use the world, and more importantly, why they use the world the way they do.

[sydneyyyyyyyyyy-blog2]

I really liked what you said about empathy and coexistence being the central to both stories. I felt the same way watching Nausicaa and Xenoblade because they both push back against that mindset of control and the utility that our world runs on. When Nausicaa realizes the Toxic Jungle is actually healing the earth made me think about how often we rush to fight or “fix” things without actually trying to understand them first.

I also have an uneasy feeling about the future, and I get frustrated watching people act like being more productive is the only goal while the environment suffers.

[sydneyyyyyyyyyy-blog2]

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and the cutscenes from Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and the cutscenes from Xenoblade Chronicles 2 got me thinking about how fragile our planet seems these days. Both stories show a future where Earth is suffering, and people are just trying to scrape by in the wreckage. Even with all the strange stuff like toxic forests and massive Titans, the underlying fear feels all too real. It made me think about how climate change, pollution, and overusing resources could lead us to a similar dark place.

What I really loved about Nausicaa was the gentle, emotional vibe it gave off. Watching her care so much for the Ohm and the sick planet took me back to those moments I’ve spent in nature, like hiking or swimming in crystal springs, where you just feel the world is so alive when we’re not messing with it. It also made me realize how easy it is to see nature as something separate from our everyday lives. When there’s that distance, it’s way too easy to ignore issues until they blow up into something significant.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was different for me because it shows a world where humans and nature are totally intertwined. The Cloud Sea and the Titans give off this mix of hope and concern, since survival is all about teaming up with technology to rebuild nature. It got me thinking about how much my own life relies on tech and how our future with nature might need us to come up with human-made fixes instead of just leaving things be.

Both of these works gave me a sense of hope that we can adapt and find a way to live in harmony with the world, but also a reminder that we might only recognize the impact of our actions when it’s nearly too late.

[reviewer28]

"Man Up?"

Neon Genesis Evangelion tells the inspiring story of a boy who struggles with his mental health and finding his identity as he faces pressures from society to conform to traditional expectations of masculinity. In this anime, Shinji is forced by his father to control a robot meant to fight monsters known as Angels in the futuristic city of Tokyo-3. However, Shinji does not want to engage in violence, and he initially refuses despite facing great pressure from his father. He only finally agrees to pilot the robot when he realizes that the alternative is a wounded woman doing the job. Even when he does agree, Shinji is not very competent with operating the machine, and does not perform his duties well. During the show, Shinji struggles deeply with his mental health. Since he is not able to do what society considers “manly” such as exerting aggression, he feels unworthy and like a coward. Additionally, when he expresses his fear and frustrations, he is told to “be a man” and to deal with it. Shinji is shamed for his signs of weakness, taking a major psychological toll on him. This connects to numerous global issues. The first is that of mental health struggles, which are especially common amongst adolescents/teenagers. In the real world, coming-of-age is associated with numerous stressors and challenges in discovering oneself. For example, the desire to get into a top college and feeling inferior to others who see more accomplished is common. In addition, the feeling of not fitting and feeling unworthy compared to peers is common. Neon Genesis Evangelion is a perfect example of this, as the main character is a teenager who feels unworthy and struggles with depression and anxiety as a result of his rejection by society. The anime also connects to the idea of toxic masculinity. Men are not only expected to be strong and confident, but they are also often told to hide their emotions. When men express their emotions or ask for help, they are seen as weak. This can be clearly seen in the case of Shinji, as his concerns and his sadness are shut down since he is expected to act like a man. It is only when Shinji is able to free himself from society’s expectations of him as a man that he is able to accept his value. 

The End of Evangelion explores similar themes, but it shows Shinji grappling with his struggles in deciding whether to resort to hegemonic masculinity in a different way. Shinji tries to engage in displays of traditional masculinity through objectifying women and eventually attempting to inflict violence upon Asuka after he feels betrayed by her. However, Shinji eventually is unable to keep up with the expectations placed on him, and he returns to abandoning traditional masculinity. When he expresses his emotions and gives up on violence, he is called disgusting, showing how embedded hegemonic masculinity is in society. The analysis for The End of Evangelion is similar to that of Neon Genesis Evangelion. However, in this ending, it is clear how emotionally taxing it was for Shinji to pretend to be something he wasn’t and to abandon his values. This shows how in the real world, despite societal pressure to “fit in,” trying to change oneself in order to conform can be damaging and betray one’s true identity. From both of the anime, it is important to also take away the fact that in order to be a man, there is no specific way that one must act. Proving oneself as being strong or repressing one’s emotions is only unnecessary and damaging. 

​​

[sydneyyyyyyyyyy-blog2]

I really liked your breakdown of how Evangelion talks about toxic masculinity and mental health. I agree with how you described Shinji’s struggle with trying to live up to toxic masculine expectations and how damaging that is to his sense of self. When you talked about Shinji finally trying to perform hegemonic masculinity in The End of Evangelion by objectifying women and using violence, only to end up feeling disgusted with himself, that moment really shows how forcing yourself to fit society’s idea of “being a man” can be harmful and empty.

I also liked how you connected the story to real life mental health struggles. Feeling unworthy or like you do not fit in is something a lot of people experience, even if the pressure does not come from piloting giant robots. Your point that “there is no specific way that one must act to be a man” really ties it all together, because Shinji’s journey is a reminder that embracing your own identity is better than forcing yourself into a mold that just hurts you.

[sydneyyyyyyyyyy-blog2]

The show constantly shows how damaging toxic masculinity is to force someone to live up to narrow ideas of what it means to be a man. Shinji is expected to be aggressive, strong, and willing to commit violence just because he is a boy, and everyone around him treats it like there is something wrong with him when he hesitates. This is what Connell describes with hegemonic masculinity, where society rewards men who fit the dominant mold and devalues anyone who does not. I noticed how every male character is trapped by this pressure, Shinji’s father represents the cold, controlling version of masculinity that treats emotions like weakness. Asuka and Misato keep pushing Shinji to “be a man,” which shows how toxic masculinity is policed even by not men. By the time The End of Evangelion comes around, the result of all this pressure is clear. Shinji’s self‑hatred and fear of rejection build into despair because he feels like he will never be enough in a world that only values men who perform power and violence. What struck me is how this theme feels relevant beyond Japan. Toxic masculinity shows up everywhere. People are still told to “man up” or hide their emotions, and it can make someone feel like their real self is not worth anything. I do not relate to Shinji’s exact situation, but I relate to that feeling of not living up to what others want and the anxiety it brings. Evangelion captures how toxic masculinity does not just hurt men who fail to fit the mold. It poisons relationships, isolates people, and leaves everyone lonelier in the end.

[reviewer28]

Convention

The documentary “True Otaku” serves to humanize and challenge stereotypes surrounding the otaku community. Otaku culture is often stigmatized, and there is a lack of acceptance of the community due to characterizations of its members as being antisocial and lacking in meaningful hobbies at the expense of pursuing an interest that is seen by many as “childish.” The documentary shows the power of having a like-minded community where people can embrace their identities and bond with others without fear of judgement. In the documentary, narratives of individuals who enjoy otaku culture are given, allowing people a chance to have their perspectives understood. Some of these individuals include collectors of anime, manga, and comics, as well as gamers. Their stories challenge the idea that otaku enjoyers live an exclusively solitary life, showing how events such as conventions establish a sense of community and connection. The documentary helps viewers understand the diversity amongst the otaku community to dismantle negative societal perceptions, such as through showing members’ creativity, social interactions, and passions. Also, by showing the fanfare at the conventions, the documentary highlights how large the otaku community is, as well as the power of otaku to bring together a diverse group of people. 

Reflecting on the documentary, it is very powerful because it shows the power of shared passions in bringing people together who have nothing in common otherwise. Similar to how activities such as sporting events can bring people from different backgrounds and cultures together, otaku conventions help people from all around the world find common ground. Thousands of people line up to participate in the conventions, as well as purchase merchandise, comics, and other related items. Having a supportive community is extremely important, especially for those who may feel misunderstood by society and like outsiders. It can also help people find a community that they otherwise may not have had. Although I have little experience with the anime fandom and never explored anime much before taking this class, I have experienced enjoying niche extracurriculars that can be misunderstood. Throughout high school and college, I have found great comfort in finding groups with likeminded people who I felt I could be myself around. For example, my high school debate team and my college chemistry fraternity have greatly helped me come out of my shell and bond with others.  

Another impactful part of the documentary is seeing how fulfilling otaku is for fans, as well as how they have found their identities through the otaku community. Many who are interviewed are forming social networks amongst other fans. Some also produce creative work such as drawings related to the otaku, showing how their love for otaku pushes them to pursue other hobbies such as art. Seeing how otaku sparks people’s creativity is extremely insightful, and it also challenges the misconception that otaku fans lack other hobbies. The interviews also show the diverse looks and personalities of the fans. There is typically a stereotypical image associated with people in the community, but the documentary helps to dismantle the prejudices. The emphasis on interviews and individual perspectives makes the documentary significantly more impactful. 

Despite the influence of the documentary, there is still some lack of acceptance from otaku culture in certain spheres. Societal prejudices still exist, and despite becoming more common, the otaku community is still not entirely mainstream. However, by humanizing and reducing the stigma around the community, the documentary will likely help inspire others to not hide their interests, however niche they may be. This may also help people feel less isolated knowing others share their passions. This does not only apply to otaku. Many are ashamed of the activities they enjoy because they are considered to be “nerdy” or “uncool.” However, there is never a need to hide one's true personality, and it is always possible for one to find a community where they belong. 

[sydneyyyyyyyyyy-blog2]

I really liked your comparison between otaku conventions and sporting events, it shows how powerful shared passions can be, no matter the interest. It is interesting to think about how society treats the two so differently when they really are very similar. A lot of people think that people who attend and go all out for conventions are weird, but then people will dress up, pay crazy money, travel very far for sporting events and people don't bat an eye. It the same situation for musicians, I mean people went crazy for Taylor Swift.

It goes back to this whole idea of what is normalized in the US, sports and music are very popular, so its ok to be very passionate about them. But anime is not as popular so when people are passionate they called weird.

[karaakii]

Blog Post: Sailor Moon/Aggretsuko/Wandering Son

As a woman, Sailor Moon, Aggretsuko, and Wandering Son all felt like looking upon different phases of what it means to grow up and find power, especially as a girl in a society with rigid expectations around gender, success, and appearance. Even though these anime differ in tone and style, they each dive into the struggles of identity and agency, not only in Japan, but globally.

Sailor Moon as the most nostalgic of the three, but underneath the glittery aesthetics and moon tiaras was a very honest reflection on girlhood. Girlhood is something extremely important to me, and I loved the way these episodes of Sailor Moon portrayed it. Usagi's self-doubt, her fixation on appearance, grades, and crushes, all hit home for me as well as anyone who has ever felt like they were failing the expectations placed on most girls. It was so powerful to me how Usagi was often scolded for being late, eating too much, and not studying, however when she is Sailor Moon, her emotions are essentially her superpower. Her tears flip the idea that femininity is weak and embrace emotion. The reversal was extremely empowering, especially for someone who often felt they had to hide emotions to be taken seriously, even if the anime still works within some traditional gender roles.

In constrast, Aggretsuko confront adulthood. Retsuko's rage resonated with me, especially the scenes where she holds in her frustration all day at work, only to unleash it in an expressive way after (for her, death metal karaoke). Aggretsuko takes on workplace sexism, corporate culture, marriage pressure, and performative feminity with a darkly comic tone, but beneath it is a real exhaustion felt by so many women. Watching her try to balance pleasing others with staying true to herself reminded me of myself growing up, and furthermore that gender performance doesn't stop in childhood, just changes form.

By time I reached Wandering Son, I was very emotional. Shuichi and Yoshino's quiet, tender journeys toward understanding their gender identities felt so beautifully vulnerable. The episode where Shuichi walks to school in a sailor uniform, expressing both hope and terror, made me cry. Their "test of courage" is not just about clothing, but being seen for who you are in a world that refuses to understand.

Together, all three anime served to remind me that gender is not fixed, but rather navigated, resisted, and redefined. Whether it is through magical superhero girls, rage-filled office workers, or transgender teens, each story challenged me to rethink how identity is shaped, and how reclaiming it can be such a powerful act of resistance.

[sydneyyyyyyyyyy-blog2]

Your reflections on each anime felt really personal, and I loved how you connected them to different stages of life. Your point about Usagi’s emotions being her strength really stood out to me. It’s so true that we’re often taught to hide emotion to be taken seriously, so seeing a show where emotion becomes power felt refreshing and validating. I am myself always feel that I feel very strongly, I cry at every movie, sad tiktok, or anything at all. So it was nice to relate to a character in that way. I also appreciated how you acknowledged that Sailor Moon still works within some traditional gender roles while still creating space for empowerment. I feel like sometimes in demist movements the goal is to get as far away from feminization as possible, and I like that this show was feminist but in a different way.

[sydneyyyyyyyyyy-blog2]

Convention Reflection

I have never been to an anime convention, but after watching the documentary True Otaku, I feel like I got a good idea of what it’s like to be a part of anime fandom. The documentary showed a lot about how being an anime fandom is not just about watching shows, it can include being part of a larger community and using anime to express yourself. This reminded me of what we talked about in previous discussion posts about youth culture and identity. A lot of people look to music, games, and shows like anime to help figure out who they are.

In True Otaku, we met fans who talked about how anime helped them feel less alone. One person said they felt like nobody understood them, but anime gave them something to connect with, it made them feel seen. For a lot of fans, anime is not just entertainment, It gives them comfort and helps them deal with personal problems. This made me think about how fandom can be a kind of support system, especially for people who feel different or left out. A lot of anime deal with issues that people feel alone in, through a fandom people can connect with not just the character but real people who feel the same way they do.

In the second part of the documentary the focus was on cosplay. In cosplay some people just wear the costume of their favorite characters, but others act like the character too. It was really cool to see how seriously some fans take it. Cosplay lets people try on different versions of themselves, and embrace some parts of themselves they typically wouldn't in day to day life. Some fans said it helps them feel confident or express something about themselves that they can’t in everyday life. It made me think about how fandom gives people a chance to be creative and free, because they are not attached to their own person, instead they are embodying another person, which frees them from feeling embarrassed.

What also stood out was how anime fandom is global, people from all over the world are into anime. The documentary showed fans from different countries who come together at conventions. Even if they don’t speak the same language, they connect through anime. This shows how fandom brings people together and crosses cultural boundaries. It is interesting to see how people from different places take the same anime but bring their own meaning to it.

Another thing the documentary talked about is the word “otaku.” In Japan, it can sometimes have a negative connotation, it can make people think of someone who is obsessed and socially awkward. But in other places, like the United States, many fans will proudly call themselves otaku. It shows how words and ideas change depending on where you are and who is using them. Fans are always deciding what these labels mean and how they want to be seen.

I thought True Otaku did a great job of showing what it means to be part of anime fandom. Even though I have not gone to a convention myself, I could understand why it means so much to people. Fandom is more than just watching shows. It is about finding a place where you belong, meeting people who get you, and having fun while expressing who you are. For many young people, anime is not just a hobby. It is a big part of their life and their identity. Watching the documentary helped me see how powerful and personal fandom can be.

[sydneyyyyyyyyyy-blog2]

Sailor Moon, Aggretsuko, and Wandering Son

Sailor Moon, Aggretsuko, and Wandering Son made me reflect on how gender is really shown by behavior rather than by biology. Each anime explores different ways people go through gender expectations, and all three stories highlight how much of gender is about performing roles for others. Judith Butler’s idea that gender is something we do, learned, repeated, and reinforced, comes through clearly in each show, though the consequences vary widely depending on the setting and characters.

Sailor Moon appears playful and sparkly, it uses those traditionally girlish elements to make a larger point. Usagi and her friends save the world without giving up their interest in fashion, friendship, or emotion. Their tiaras and transformation brooches become weapons, and even crying becomes a superpower. Instead of rejecting femininity, they own it. This flips the value system that usually treats girlishness as weak. Still, I can understand why some feminists feel conflicted about this. The show empowers girls, but it does so using tools shaped by a culture that still expects them to look and act a certain way.

Aggretsuko felt more grounded and familiar. Retsuko works in an office where she is expected to be polite, quiet, and feminine. When she is mistreated, she holds it in all day, then releases her rage through death metal at karaoke. Her private performances are the only times she gets to express her full self. Even the powerful women around her, like Gori and Washimi, talk about how exhausting it is to maintain a graceful appearance. This anime reveals how gender performance is a kind of emotional labor, especially in spaces where women are expected to stay calm and agreeable no matter what.

Wandering Son was the most emotional for me. Nitori’s discomfort with her assigned gender comes through clearly, especially in the way she interacts with clothes, language, and public spaces. When strangers accept her as a girl, her performance feels successful. But when people who know her biological sex reject her, it causes shame and distress. The show doesn’t suggest that Nitori is pretending. Instead, it shows that gender is learned and expressed socially, and not everyone is given the freedom to perform the version that feels right. This ties directly into Butler’s theory that gender is not a reflection of an inner truth but something we create through our actions.

[karaakii]

Blog Post: Genshiken

Genshiken was both deeply entertaining and surprisingly relatable, espectailly in how it captures the nuances of fandom and fan productivity. The anime dives into the subculture of otaku in Japan, offering a lens not just into niche interests like dōjinshi, cosplay, and visual novels, but also into the social dynamics that form around them. In episodes like the first and second, the contrast between Kasukabe's fashionable, normal interests and the otaku world of Kohsaka and the others mirrors a broader tension in Japanese society between mainstream conformity and niche subcultures. This tension exists globally as well, whether the interest is in anime, gaming, or fanfiction, there is often a need to justify or hide one's interests depending on social context.

One thing that stood out to me was how Genshiken portrays fan productivity not as a passive experience, but rather an active form of self-expression. Ogiue, for example, creates dōjinshi based on imagines slash pairings of her friends, which blends her fantasies with real people. This is quite an intimate form of fan productivity, by transforming private fandom into public creativity. It reminded me of consuming Harry Potter fanfics, seeing diverse narratives that the source material ignored. Like Ogiue, many fan creators build on existing works not just out of admiration but to reframe or reimagine stories in ways that make space for their own desires.

Madarame's episode stuck with me for how it used humor and awkwardness to show how isolating otaku culture can be, even among fans. His inner monologue mimicking a visual novel format while stuck with Kasukabe captured the loneliness and hesitation that come with being seen as "too much" or "too nerdy" which is something I've often felt. Yet, Genshiken never mocks its characters, but instead allows them the space to grow and connect. The inclusion of seemingly foreign characters like Angela and Sue also speak to how anime and fandom are global phenomena. Sue's quirky, exaggerated behavior may seem excessive, but it reflects how international fans engage with Japanese media in a different way, and furthermore how fandom can bridge language and culture.

Ultimately, Genshiken humanizes otaku culture. It shows how fandom becomes a site of identity, creativity, and community-building, even when those things can be messy and uncomfortable. Watching it made me reflect on how transformative and validatng fan spaces can be, especially for people who don't always fit a mainstream mold.

[sydneyyyyyyyyyy-blog2]

I really liked your post. Ogiue making dōjinshi about her friends really stood out to me too. It’s such a vulnerable and bold move, and it says a lot about how fandom lets people express parts of themselves they might not show otherwise.

Your take on Madarame’s episode was great too. That visual novel-style monologue was hilarious but also kind of sad in a way that felt real. It captured that awkward tension of wanting to connect with someone but being scared of how you’ll be seen. I think a lot of people who are into niche interests or fandoms can relate to that feeling of being "too much."

And I totally agree with what you said about Sue and Angela. Their characters were kind of exaggerated, but it worked. It was cool to see how fandom crosses cultural boundaries and becomes its own kind of language. Even if people engage in different ways, they still find common ground.

[sydneyyyyyyyyyy-blog2]

Genshiken

Watching Genshiken was actually comforting for me, I grew up loving art, video games, and anime but I often felt like those things weren’t “productive,” this show felt like a quiet validation. It doesn’t try to dramatize otaku culture or mock it, it just lets it exist. The club members aren’t idealized, they’re awkward, intense, and sometimes painfully relatable. But through their passion, they carve out a space that feels real, even when the rest of the world doesn’t really get it.

Something I liked was how Genshiken shows fan culture as a creative, and almost rebellious act. The doujinshi production and Comifes scenes show how much energy and love fans pour into creating. This ties back to Fiske’s idea of the “shadow cultural economy” where fans build their own status, prestige, and meaning outside official culture. These aren’t passive consumers, they’re producers with a voice. And in a society like Japan’s, where conformity can feel consuming, it’s a very powerful form of resistance.

Saito’s discussion of otaku as people who turn general fiction into personal fiction also hit hard. I used to think fanfiction or cosplay was just for fun. But now I see it as a way people reclaim control over stories that speak to them, transforming something mass-produced into something deeply personal. Episode 9, where Madarame awkwardly gets locked in a room with Saki, becomes hilarious and heartbreaking because we see how much these characters struggle to balance real life with their love for fiction.

Azuma’s “database” theory also clicked into place here. Characters like Ogiue, who hides her inner otaku, reflect a postmodern tension, choosing fiction over “reality” not because it’s easier, but because it makes more sense when the larger narratives of society have broken down.

At the end of the day, Genshiken reminded me that community doesn’t have to be big or flashy to matter. Sometimes, all it takes is a shared table, some bad ramen, and a bunch of nerds who just get you.

[kylieottens]

Naruto, Wolf Children, and A Silent Voice

Hello blog! Today I will be reflecting on three different animes that I watched in the last couple of days.

The first anime that watched was Naruto. Obviously I couldn’t watch the whole series in a couple days…but I’ll give my thoughts on the few episodes that I did  watch. I immediately noticed just how ostracized Naruto was from society. No matter how hard he tried, nothing ever seemed good enough for his sensei or anyone else for that matter. He is heavily discriminated against for a long time and has to work five times as hard as everybody else to get anything. It takes about 400 episodes for Naruto to earn any sort of recognition from the people of his society.

The next anime I want to talk about is Wolf Children. I have to admit that this film was not my favorite. Even though it did not fit my personal style I can still see the meaning behind the movie. The children in this movie are forced to hide their true colors in fear of being discovered for what they really are. This relates to how children with parents of different ethnicities have to live. When they are with dads’ side of the family, the moms’ side is looked down upon and vise-versa. It is often very challenging for children of multiple races to truly find their true identity in a world that is not set up for their success.

This brings me to the last anime I watched which was A Silent Voice. This film really hot home to me as my brother is deaf. It made me so sad to see the deaf girl get bullied just because she was trying to make friends. I wanted to hate her bully so much. This was until I saw why her bully was acting this way. He himself didn’t fit in. he felt so bad that he couldn’t take it anymore and almost took his own life. I really feel for him as I often feel as though I don’t deserve to be happy after I made a mistake.

[sydneyyyyyyyyyy-blog2]

I felt the same frustration watching Naruto. It’s honestly exhausting how much he has to go through just to be treated equal to everyone else. The fact that he’s shunned for something he had no control over says a lot about how discrimination works, not just in anime but in real life too. Although I like that Naruto gains respect in the end, it does frustrate me that he is ultimately the one that changes. It is a reflection of our real world where you'll see these crazy stories of people coming from nothing and making it big and we use it as proof that the system doesn't need to change because if they could do so can you. The society should've changed to accept Naruto, not the other way around.

[sydneyyyyyyyyyy-blog2]

Naruto, Wolf Children, and A Silent Voice

Naruto, Wolf Children, and A Silent Voice made me think about how anime explores both societal pressure and the space for personal transformation. What interested me the most was the difference in who is expected to change.

In Naruto, the burden of change falls on the person. Naruto is isolated from childhood for something that he cant control, and the only way he can be accepted is through tons of effort and personal sacrifice. To me it seems to reflect a conservative message that society doesn’t need to change, but people just need to work hard enough to earn acceptance. That mirrors a lot of what I’ve seen in the real world, where people who are hindered so much but society are expected to “prove themselves” or “be exceptional” just to be treated fairly. And we see these singular cases of these "rags to riches" stories and use it as proof.

In Wolf Children, society isn’t hostile so much as incompatible. Hana and her children don’t fit into a system designed for these fixed identities. I was super moved by Hana’s decision to create a new life outside society’s gaze, giving her kids the space to decide who they are. It reminded me of the way many kids, myself included, when they realized public school couldn't provide for their needs, their parents (if able) changed their environment to a private, rather than making them adapt.

A Silent Voice actually shows society changing. Ishida’s growth and the community he builds around misfits was emotional, not just because of the redemption arc, but because it imagines a world where reconciliation and empathy are possible. That hope felt powerful.

Together, these anime explore different responses to discrimination, conforming, escaping, and transforming, and made me reflect on how those paths play out not just in stories, but in life.