Watching this module's viewings back-to-back was a wild ride. Going from Hetalia to Your Name and then to Sensōron really made me think about how differently the idea of a nation can be portrayed. It’s wild how pop culture can shape our understanding of history and who we are, whether it's done through comedy, romance, or straight-up propaganda.
Hetalia was a fascinating, if uncomfortable, one to start with. I have to admit, I found myself laughing at some of the jokes, but it's a complicated feeling. It takes these huge, complex countries and turns them into cute, moe characters in often homoerotic situations. The lecture and readings pointed out that this is perfect content for a fujoshi fanbase, but it’s a double-edged sword. It walks this fine line between making fun of national stereotypes and just reinforcing them. The controversy it caused in South Korea was a good reminder that these jokes don't just exist in a bubble; they can be really painful when they touch on real historical trauma. It made me think about how my own country’s history gets simplified in movies and TV shows, and Hetalia definitely made me more aware of that tendency in myself. Then I watched Your Name, and I was just completely swept away by the story and the animation. It's so beautiful. That’s why it was so eye-opening when the lecture talked about it being a conservative film that fits into the whole kizuna (or bonds) conversation that was happening in Japan after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. The movie's whole emotional core is about preserving tradition and memory in the face of disaster. I found that message incredibly moving, since the tension between big cities and fading small towns is something I see all the time. The film makes a strong case for holding onto those connections, suggesting that real meaning comes from tradition and community, not modern tech. I really resonated with its hopeful message, even after understanding its more conservative side. Finally, Sensōron was the most direct and, honestly, the most disturbing viewing for me. Reading it felt like being inside a propaganda machine. The lecture was super helpful in breaking down exactly how it works, pointing out the visual tricks—like drawing political opponents with goofy, exaggerated faces to make them seem hysterical, or cherry-picking a few faked war photos to try and discredit the entire Nanking Massacre. I could feel how persuasive those techniques were, even knowing the context beforehand. It made me think of what we read from Gellner, about how nationalism needs a single, unifying story to hold a society together. Sensōron is just a raw attempt to write that cleaner history for Japan. Reading it was a powerful, uncomfortable lesson in how easily a narrative can be manipulated, and it's a battle over memory that I recognize is being fought all over the world today. It made me think about how vulnerable we all are to these kinds of narratives, especially when they're packaged so effectively. Looking at all three together, it's just so clear how powerfully—and dangerously—pop culture can shape the "imagined communities" we call nations.
