JPT1311 Blog Charan Sriram

In episode 5, titled “The World Meeting,” the anime portrays a fictional meeting of world leaders, including major Axis and Allied powers. By displaying exaggerated national stereotypes, the episode parodies the nature of international gatherings and diplomatic relations. For instance, Germany is depicted as overly serious and strict, while Italy is shown as carefree and prone to surrendering. Japan is portrayed as meticulous and somewhat reserved. America is depicted as highly energetic, enthusiastic, and somewhat brash. This portrayal is consistent with the stereotype of Americans as being outspoken and self-assured. In episode 5, viewers delve into the complex realm of diplomatic communication and the far-reaching effects of stereotypes on international relations. Through the use of exaggerated national traits, the anime effectively sheds light on how these stereotypes have the power to shape perceptions and interactions among different countries. The portrayal of these national characteristics serves as a thought-provoking critique of how real-world stereotypes can significantly influence diplomatic encounters, and in turn, contribute to misunderstandings or conflicts. It also offers a window into how Japan, amongst other nations, is both influenced by and responds to global perceptions of its national identity. The clever use of comedic presentation in the anime allows viewers to engage with and contemplate these weighty issues from a lighter and more approachable perspective.

In episode 11, it focuses on the relationship between Northern and Southern Italy, exploring historical and cultural differences between them. The anime personifies Italy into two distinct characters, Veneziano as North Italy and Romano as South Italy. The episode humorously contrasts their personalities and lifestyles, with North Italy depicted as optimistic and enthusiastic, while South Italy is portrayed as grumpy and cynical. This episode addresses internal divisions within a nation, reflecting on regional disparities and historical conflicts. This representation of national unity and division speaks to Japan, a country with its own historical tensions and regional differences. Through humor, the anime examines how various regions within a nation can have unique identities and how these variations can impact interpersonal relationships and national unity. By highlighting these internal issues through a comedic narrative, the show encourages viewers to consider the complexities of regional diversity and the challenges of maintaining national unity.

I had heard many amazing things about this movie in the past but just like every other anime in this class, I had never seen it before. The first thing that really stood out to me when I was watching this movie was the amazing animation. I thought the movie as a whole was a fantastic watch. The plot and characters were so captivating and interesting, I could not take my eyes off the screen for a second. The premise of the film is that two teenagers, Taki and Mitsuha switch bodies out of nowhere and begin to live in each other's place. Taki has always lived in the city and has wanted to know what the countryside is like. Mitsuha lived in the countryside and wanted to know what city life was like. Both people were able to experience what they had always wanted and figured out a system in which they could communicate through writing in a diary. Everything was going great until a meteor hit Itomori and killed Mitsuha. This led to Taki going back in time to save Mitsuha and other people in Itomori.

I personally haven’t played Xenoblade Chronicles 2, so watching through the cutscenes was a little bit of a strange experience for me. However, I did end up enjoying a lot of what I saw; the story was interesting, the art direction was cool, the worldbuilding seemed very interesting, and the characters themselves were very charming. When it came to themes, I didn’t know what I expected, but it absolutely wasn’t what I got. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 uses the worldbuilding I mentioned previously and uses it to craft a story about environmental disaster, rebuilding, and our role as part of the environment itself. 

The topic of not separating humanity from nature is something I immediately was hooked by within this module. I had been wondering much of the same things that were being questioned in the material for years, but I had never once heard others voicing the same ideas. So to see it in this class was something really cool and I think that same thinking can be applied to Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

In the game, we are introduced to 2 settings, Alrest, a world covered in a sea of clouds, and Elysium, a paradise where open fields abound and nature thrives. Elysium becomes this sort of macguffin for our heroes and once they get there, its revealed it isn’t a paradise of natural life, but a deserted ruinous landscape contained by some sort of futuristic technology. We learn that a long time ago, the earth underwent a cataclysmic event that killed almost all life on earth, but Klaus created the cloud sea, elysium, and the titans all to bring back life. Here we find the key aspect of this story: every single thing that is restoring life to the planet is tech, it isn’t naturally-occuring.

So finally we get to the connection to the idea that humans cannot be separated from nature, because we ourselves are natural. We must consider ourselves as natural and not try to let “nature” repair itself, but actively be a part of the repair process. Anything less is irresponsible and separates us from our true nature. We cannot heal what is broken, if we do not address two things, not either one, but both: 1. We broke nature

2. We are nature

When you get cut, you apply a bandaid, so why can’t we do something similar with our environment and work to heal ourselves?

This film was very interesting but I actually did enjoy watching it. The overall plot was very unique and a bit odd, but the storyline was developed very well and it was pretty easy to comprehend what was going on the entire time. In the anime, Nausicaa tries to protect the Valley of the Wind and the Sea of Decay from Tolmekia and people who want to destroy the Sea of Decay. During her time trying to save the Sea of Decay, Nausicaa finds out something extremely important. The Earth is the reason the forest is poisonous, and when spores and other parts of the forest are taken out and grown in a safe environment, they are not toxic. It was thought that the poisonous forest was just filled with harmful spores and also home to the Ohmu, which are abnormally large insects. But the forest is actually cleaning out the environment and the Ohmu have a huge role in that, yet some people do not see it that way and still want to terminate it. The point of this anime is to represent how in the environment and nature, everything has its own role and it is important to leave animals and natural environments alone, instead of trying to alter them. Also, it shows how pollution and human damage to the environment is detrimental to nature and if it continues, the world will become a dangerous place. It is essential to preserve animals and plants that wildlife need in order to succeed and be healthy. I personally can not relate to this anime due to my lack of involvement in environmental issues and my lack of understanding. I was never really into nature or anything in that aspect, so I have a lack of knowledge regarding the whole situation. Overall, this anime was interesting but it was also entertaining, and I am happy I got the chance to watch it.

I followed Neon Genesis Evangelion pretty well despite skipping a lot of episodes. The show was confusing, sure, but it posed a lot of interesting philosophical themes of self-hatred and fascinatingly illustrated biblical imagery. I even thought the ending of the original show was sweet despite its suddenness. I felt the characters deserved to learn to love themselves after the hardship they went through.

HOWEVER! The End of Evangelion movie confused the shit out of me! I thought the show was done? Does this take place after his self-love revelation in the last episode or before??? If so, why is Shinji now going insane again??? WHY DID SHINJI DO THAT IN FRONT OF ASUKA'S UNCONSCIOUS BODY IN THE HOSPITAL?????? WHY ARE A BUNCH OF ADULTS SEXUALLY HARASSING KIDS???????? (Insert defeated Shinji leaning over chair image here...) I just truly feel like I missed something here. I still don't understand what "The Promised Day" means, who Rei and her clones are in relation to Shinji's mom, why those black armored soldiers are attacking Nav HQ, or why Asuka and her Evangelion are going berserk.

I don't know... I feel like the original show put a lot of care into showing their characters' flaws, but also demonstrating that these flawed people were born from their terrible environment. Therefore, if they could accept their wrongdoings or learn to love themselves and others, they deserve to live peacefully. So is the movie trying to take back their claim or show the other side of reality? Is it saying sometimes despite bad environments, bad people don't try to change? Because End of Evangelion made a lot of their characters into suddenly shitty, violent people. It's fine to have those kinds of characters, but not so suddenly with no buildup. But that's just me, and like I mentioned, maybe I missed said buildup in the show.

At least those white, angel-like Evangelions are pretty cool design-wise. I have no idea where they came from, but I like their wings and hoverboard swords.

Today for class I was able to watch part of the second half of Neon Genesis Evangelion. I thought I had understood what was going on, but now that I rewatched it again, I can say that I am still confused at the ending.

The episodes in the second part of NGE continued to discuss masculinity. The introduction of Asuka really showcased the difference between her and Shinji. Asuka displays traits of hegemonic masculinity like assertiveness, confidence, and pride. Shinji, on the other hand, displays traits of queer masculinity like timidness, being accommodating, and being passive. Asuka seems to be the complete opposite of Shinji. The idea of gender roles are also prominent in these episodes of NGE. Asuka often yells at Shinji because of his queer masculinity. Although Asuka has hegemonic masculinity, she uses it to hide her insecurities. Shinji and Asuka are more alike than they know. Both of them lack attention from a parental figure and both of them do not feel like they are enough. Asuka is jealous of Shinji’s ability to perfectly sync with the EVA and wants to get closer to him, while Shinji doesn’t care. 

After he meets Asuka, Shinji tries to get more hegemonic masculinity by leading the EVAs to defeat the Angel. In the process he gets swallowed and trapped by the Angel. This leads him to spiral and reflect on himself. The EVA ends up saving him, because he was unable to do it himself. This leads him to meet Kaworu, who displays similar traits to Shinji, but is treated differently. Once Kaworu is revealed to be an angel and dies, Shinji slowly comes to terms with his queer masculinity and no longer hates himself. 

I feel as if Shinji can relate to many people in the world. There are many people who display traits that go against that of their gender role, which makes people feel like they don’t fit into society. 

When I began watching “Neon Genesis Evangelion”, I originally thought it was going to be like “Mobile Suit Gundam”. Although they have similarities, “Neon Genesis Evangelion” does not entirely focus on a war. The storyline of “Neon Genesis Evangelion” explains the stigma around masculinity and men’s mental health.

As young boys, men are taught to suppress their feelings. This misconception is drilled into their way of thinking from early on. The anime portrays this by showing the little care everyone had about Shinji’s feeling towards his father. He resented his father as his father had “no use” of him, so he abandoned Shinji three years prior.

Once his father had no one else to pilot the Eva, Shinji finally was of use to his father and was able to see him again. Shinji was reluctant at first to help his father with the Eva, but he knew he needed to help. In order to operate the Eva, pilots must sync their mind to the robot. They must be mentally prepared as it takes a lot of strength to operate. We see this as the character Rei fails connecting with Eva and the operators worry what she might have been thinking. Furthermore, we see the difference of treatment between Rei and Shinji. His own father is dismissive and negative towards him, but with Rei it is apparent he has a soft spot for her. The father’s care for Rei is shown when a malfunction happens and the father burns his hands to open the pod Rei was in. On the other hand, anytime Shinji gets hurt when in battle, he wakes up in a bed alone. This just shows the idea that men are supposed to be stronger than women.

Overall, I am interested in watching more and seeing how both Shinji and Rei continue to operate the Eva.

I haven’t been to any convention ever in my life, so I don’t have an experience to write about unfortunately and had to watch the True Otaku documentary. After reading some of the other blog posts and the experiences that some of my classmates had I honestly think it would have been really cool to experience one of these conventions, but I don’t think I will ever attend one honestly, unless my friend forces me to as I am just not that into things like this. The documentary provides an insightful look into the Japanese anime and manga fanbase. Although the term "otaku" is often associated with conflicting ideas, this documentary explores the lives of individuals who belong to this subculture in great detail, offering insight into the ways in which youth culture, fandom, and cultural identity interact and change within this community. Originating in Japan, the term "otaku" refers to those who have an intense passion for manga and anime. By depicting its members as fervent and committed aficionados rather than as socially awkward misfits, "True Otaku" illustrates this subculture. Focusing on the individual experiences of otaku is one of the documentary's most significant features. These stories demonstrate how closely their identities and fandom are entwined. Many people consider anime and manga to be more than just pastimes; they are integral parts of their life that influence their social relationships, worldviews, and even job decisions. The documentary highlights that being an otaku is more about expressing oneself and establishing a feeling of community than it is about running away from reality. Youth culture is a dynamic and ever-evolving phenomena, and in Japan, a large portion of this demographic is the otaku subculture. The documentary illustrates how young people use manga and anime as a coping mechanism for the challenges of puberty throughout their formative years. These stories' characters frequently deal with issues that the audience experiences, making for relevant stories that have a strong emotional impact on younger viewers. "True Otaku" is an example of how fandom provides a forum for identity development and self-examination. The otaku community gives young people a platform to express their uniqueness and make connections with like-minded peers in a world that frequently prizes conformity. In contrast to the loneliness that might come with puberty, this connection promotes a sense of acceptance and camaraderie. The documentary also discusses the artistic side of otaku culture, where followers create their own content in addition to consuming it. Young otaku are encouraged to discover and display their talents through cosplay and doujinshi, or fan-made comics. Through increased engagement with their interests through these creative channels, they further cement their identities within the subculture. As portrayed in "True Otaku," fandom encompasses more than just a love of manga and anime; it's a vital component of cultural identity. The documentary shows how fandom communities establish their own social structures, rules, and values, which then influence the identities of their constituents. These groups provide a haven from the stresses of society at large, enabling people to fully immerse themselves in a setting where their passions are not only acknowledged but also cherished. The documentary also emphasizes how otaku culture is becoming more and more global. Otaku communities have sprung off over the world as a result of the popularity of anime and manga. This cross-cultural interaction strengthens the common identity of being an otaku while also bringing new viewpoints and experiences to the subculture. This phenomena is captured in the documentary, which shows how the otaku identity crosses national lines and promotes a sense of global solidarity. "True Otaku" illuminates the intricacies of youth culture, fandom, and the construction of cultural identities by offering a deep and sympathetic portrait of the otaku subculture.

This was my first time watching Wandering Son and I enjoyed it. It consists of the themes of gender roles we have seen with Aggretsuko and Sailor Moon and further discusses gender performance.

The plot of Wandering Son focuses on Shuichi and Yoshino, who must negotiate the murky seas of their gender identities. Yoshino was labeled male at birth, although he feels like a boy, and Shuichi feels like a girl despite being assigned male. It was really cool to see how they dealt with their struggles and tailored to them. The way this show addresses gender norms is what makes it so unique from the others we watched in this module. It examines how Yoshino and Shuichi handle their own challenges as well as those of society. The animation demonstrates that gender is a very personal and individual characteristic rather than merely a collection of stereotypes.

From the pressure to fit into gender norms to the very real difficulties of expressing one's genuine self in a society full of fixed expectations, the show addresses many different aspects of gender roles and stereotypes. The animation acts as a reminder of how important it is to recognize and accept individuals for who they really are, regardless of the labels that society may ascribe to them.

I do not personally relate to this because I have always associated myself and my behaviors with my gender. I feel that is a big part of who I am and I have always identified with that. However, I think the animation was very eye opening to the experiences of the people who do feel that they do not identify with their given gender. I feel after watching this I have a greater understanding for identity and separation of identity from gender and behaviors and would definitely recommend this animation to others.