Iteration of a Phoenix

Death Note is a modern anime which is widely known and extraordinarily popular. There is many memes and jokes also present within the realm of this series, that being said it is an extraordinarily deep and heavy story which is told about Light and L. At least, through the 1st season (which is all I really care about, no hate towards Near, I just strongly prefer the L storyline).

The main plot of Death Note follows Light after he receives the book and then his usage of it in order to try and make an ideal world. He uses it to kill criminals, then later anyone he considers to be a threat to this new world he is designing. The psychology of this is fascinating because you are watching a character who truly believes they are doing the right thing fall deeper and deeper into a chasm of being corrupt. He truly believes that he is in the right, even up to the end. He thinks that this new world will be the best because he is in the right, he is intelligent enough in order to be correct about this. His only challenger, L, is someone he even eventually overcomes. This shows that his greatest competition is gone in the end. Which provides deeper evidence for him that he is the smartest and knows what is best for the world. It helps him develop a god complex, he even states that he will be the "God of the New World." He has no qualms with this idea and begins to not even look past what is actually going on with him. He sinks further and further into a state of destruction. He thinks becoming Kira was a stroke of amazing luck while the viewer sees that it was his greatest misfortune. As in the end he loses everything that he had hoped to gain.

The vigilante justice he serves goes to show the core problem with the idea of vigilantism. The idea that eventually one will take it too far, it's why there is a core problem when there is no judge, jury, and executioner. The moment someone becomes all three, it is them playing god. Something no man has any right to do. Even if he were able to maintain a fair world, who is to say the next person would too. This goes to show the inherent flaw with that system.

I love this anime and manga. I feel like Death Note is a right of passage in many ways. While I do enjoy all of the memes, I find myself favoring the story far more. I think following Light, who is undoubtedly the villain, was an amazing design mechanic of the story. Having heroic antagonists was possibly the best decision of this anime

This has been an amazing semester and I am so happy to have gotten to review and watch all of these anime. This is Iteration of a Phoenix signing off.

As a choice for one of the anime that we got to pick, this was a very interesting choice. Not because there wasn't a lot to gather within the anime, but instead because I felt like it fit the total theme of the semester very well. The Elric brothers were extraordinarily interesting to watch and follow. While I have not seen the whole anime before, I have seen parts of it throughout the entirety of my childhood. With that being said, looking at it with a critical lens, seeing the affect the war had on the veterans and viewing it from the next generation was extraordinarily interesting. This is because I felt like it made there be a more rounded view on what I was watching. This is because it provided me with a view on what was going on within the world, while also showing an aspect of the past. The characters were focused upon their own goal in the landscape of a land which had suffered greatly, due to this, the amalgamation of the different pieces was honestly breathtaking. I feel like looking at the situation from the generation who had now taken the land shows the idea of continuation of time. No matter what, things continue to move on, this is a fact which is oftentimes forgotten or ignored, yet within FMA:B, I feel like this is at a forefront of what is being shown. With a world of the past and younger protagonists for the future.

This show does take itself seriously, but in the best way possible. This is because it allows for the serious scape of the world to be viewed and for the deep development of what has happened to be viewed by the audience. I am aware of the older Fullmetal Alchemist show. I personally have never seen it, but I have heard good things about it. I personally wonder whether watching it would make me appreciate this anime more. While I do know there is changes that have been made, I feel as though seeing it from an earlier perspective might be really fascinating and provide an even deeper context.

I enjoyed watching these episodes, though I would have preferred to watch more of the earlier episodes because I felt really disjointed on what we saw. It did make me want to completely restart the anime however, which was a nice thing to be entirely truthful.

Akira is an anime for 1988 which is honestly a landmark for all of anime. It's popularity globally has set it to be one of the most well-known anime films of all time. I had not seen it before we watched it for class and I have to say I really enjoyed it. I could see aspects of it which are mirrored in anime today, not to mention the bike slide, which after some research I found out it was originally from Akira. What I found so fascinating about this film was the dystopian cyberpunk world it took place in. It was not unique to what I have seen now, but at the time in which it came out it would have been entirely different and something honestly completely new. To me, this added to my enjoyment watching the film as it made me feel as though I was watching a small piece of cinematic history.

I feel like there is a lot of places you can go with the themes within Akira. I would like to quickly discuss the connection I felt it held to some of the other anime to which we watched. Most notably Psycho-Pass. While these two anime are very different, I felt a lot of similarities between the two of them. Not to mention I feel as though the world which the story took place in was somewhat similar. I feel as you could feel some aspects of Psycho-Pass which might have been taken from Akira. On top of this, the society to which they are placed in and the conclusion reminded me of Neon Genesis Evangelion. This anime was also released after Akira, which once again points to the idea that perhaps other shows to ideas from it and used it in its development. My point in saying all of this, I feel like this anime has had a profound effect on modern day society, more so than any other anime we have watched. I can name so many other shows which reference or pay a nod to Akira. For instance, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds is literally a world which ride bikes to play Duel Monsters and they have the Akira Slide and a few other aspects present within it.

Overall, it was nice to finally see this anime.

Sensōron was the only manga that we read throughout the entirety of the semester. It was provided to us with the knowledge that it was a very Japanese right wing source of commentary on World War II. That being said, the warning which was provided to me definitely did not do what I witnessed justice. I felt so out of the world as I read it. This is because it just seemed crazy to me the ideas which were being put out. It put me off the manga as a whole. While I did try my best to regain some sort of mental footing, I just couldn't really do it. This was in part due to not wanting to accept the idea of history being edited so deeply (though I do know this is something which happens more often that we would like it to), but also because I felt like it was just very absurd as a whole. Now as I write this piece analysing the media to which I was given, I see a bit more clearly what I think I was meant to.

The point of Sensōron was to provide a different commentary that did not paint the Japanese in such a bad light, by providing contradictory evidence to what was being said about the horrific actions of the Japanese actions. It was not made to necessarily justify, but instead to show a different idea of what really happened. This is because they don't want to acknowledge what they did. For that paints them in a bad light. It is like trying to forget something ill that one did within the past in order to make themselves feel better. While this is a goal that I feel like many can sympathize with. Ignoring history is a one-way ticket for it to repeat itself. Which I think, in part, is why this manga bothered me so much. It is important to accept the faults where they are so that we can move forward, if for no other reason than to stop them from happening once again. For, it shows a lesson learned. One so important that we can't but hope that it is not repeated again.

Your Name is honestly such a beautiful story and anime movie. I truly enjoyed watching it and it definitely didn't disappoint. Before this class I had never seen the film before, it had always been on watchlists of mine due to all of the positive things I have heard about it, but I never have sat down to really watch it. Due to this fact, I was super excited for it to be on our watchlist this semester. It went above and beyond the expectations to which I had set for it when I started.

I found the story to be beautiful and I felt like there was such a deep and beautiful message about personal connection to be viewed from the film. I feel like you could easily discuss what the two of them are able to do within each others bodies and the personal connections they were able to make for hours. The fact that the upbringings that they both had helped them to thrive within each others lives was fascinating. It shows how different skills which are cultivated can be used in many different positions. I feel like it also goes to show that sometimes a different perspective is all that it takes in order to really solve problems. While I did notice all of these features deeply, I truly was most affected by the fact of the presence they had on one another's lives even when they didn't remember each other. To me, this was just such a powerful thing to include within the movie. It showed the depth and importance their relationship with one another was. It also showed the complexity of human relationships. It shows that everyone who comes up within your life has an effect on you. With that being said, it is important to note that you might not remember these people. For most individuals, most people are but blips of importance within their lives. Even though I feel like the protagonists are more than just blips for each other within Your Name, I still feel like the point stands due to the fact that they do not remember each other. It shows such an amazing aspect of the human condition to change and be affected by things which aren't wholly present within your current lives.

Overall, I would give this movie a 10/10. It was honestly an amazing watch and I plan to show it to my parents over the summer because I feel like my mom will really enjoy this film.

Hetalia Axis Powers is a fascinating anime which discusses world politics on a stage designed wholly off of irony and satire. The entire point of the anime is to draw attention to the stupidity that is politics at the world stage. This is done through stereotypes, jokes, and comical situations between the different countries who are all played by anime boys. This is not the first time that I have watched Hetalia. I originally watched this anime years ago because I had heard of it's humor many different times in the past. This time looking at the anime from the lens provided within this class I was fascinated to see the differences to which I saw within the anime. I felt like it almost made it funnier, as it brought a deeper meaning into the different aspects of the anime to which I was watching. I understood before it was satire, but instead of it being used for a quick laugh, it truly did exist to bring home the deep point within the anime.

Hetalia has many different themes which I feel like you could draw from it, such as stereotypes, but I feel like it is important to focus in on the main point and idea that exists within it; world relations. Not only does it paint them as a bit absurd, but it also shows them through stereotypes. This makes everything go on seem childish, as a bunch of stereotypical anime boys arguing about problems as though they happen on a playground might come off as menial. This in turn, causes these large issues (usually surrounding World War II) come off as unimportant or stupid. It is important to note here that Hetalia is not trying to make these issues less important, but instead providing a backdrop so absurd that its clear the global politics which surround these issues to be over-the-top. This is vital to discuss because otherwise it might seem as though this anime is very inappropriate with its handling of sensitive subjects. That is an important aspect of satire, however, because without this piece, it isn't as effective. This anime is trying to show that the political aspect is so stupid in comparison to what is actually going on within the anime.

This was an extraordinary game to get to go through and watch the cutscenes of. Also, just an extraordinary game in general. I definitely recommend playing or simply watching all of the cutscenes, because the story as a whole is really quite fantastic, and there is some characters you don't really even get to know or meet with the part that we were required to watch. So, just note that there is so much more than just what we quickly went through. Definitely my favorite thing we have covered so far within this class.

I feel like there is so many places to go with this game, there is a post-apocalyptic world to discuss as well as so many different interpersonal themes spurted throughout. So that this post does not get too long, I have decided to talk about two main aspects in two different paragraphs. First will be the world and second will be the characters.

The world of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a postapocalyptic world in which mankind lives on the backs of giant creatures named titans. It is during the setting of this game that the Titans have begun to die off, leading the world to a sense of desperation, at least from the perspective of Rex. This leads him to want to explore and discover Elysium so that he can provide safety and a utopia to the people who all live in Alrest. Elysium means ideal happiness. So, it is important to note that even the creator is calling this location a place worthy of a utopia. As you watch the story unfold things get a lot darker and you learn that Alrest is the aftermath of a destructive event which destroyed Old Earth, or as it is called the Land of Morytha. This world that was destroyed looks exactly like ours. This shows a direct connection between the real and fantasy provided within the story of this game. It is also important to note the destructive nature of mankind, the Anthropocene which is seen within the game itself. This connects to our article, which discussed the changes that us humans are capable of making. I bring this all up and together with the note of how many different aspects there are to this world. Living off the backs of Titans could be equated to the need humans have on so many different nonrenewable resources and each other. It also could be used to show the importance of life and an ecosystem. The destruction of Earth as we know it can show either the hubris of mankind and man trying to play god. There is also discussion of the cyclical nature that humans live within, always repeating past mistakes. That being said, Rex, is shown to help break free from this. Which could be attributed to either destiny or free will depending on how you read the story. Regardless, the world of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 develops so many themes in such an exemplary manner.

Now to discuss the characters. Most notably, I'd like to talk about Rex. He is such a fascinating main character. This is because at the offset he seems like generic shonen protagonist no.1. That is quickly dissuaded, at least from my view, as we watch him on his journey. This is because the way he views the world is idealistic in a manner which I do not feel fits a common protagonist. This is because he sees the world being destroyed and instead of the usual heroes journey, he takes smaller steps in helping himself and others out. He does have the main quest, but I never felt like his goal was simply that. He cared a lot about Pyra, worked towards her goal. Even though they were aligned, I never felt like he would have done anything differently if they weren't. In this manner, he was very down-to-earth. He worked towards what he was able to solve, then followed through on that. He knew bad things were happening and got thrown into the middle of it, but it wasn't in a manner which a protagonist usually follows. It was much more in the method of simply doing things for the smaller purpose. That isn't to say he wouldn't have gone to find Elysium on his own, just more so that he was about the present, not the future in a lot of ways. In a good way. Now, I could also go deep into the meanings of Pyra/Mythra, their duality and connection with Malos, but that is a lot. So, I will leave that discussion for another time.

Overall, such a fascinating story which was executed very well. Definitely recommend and will look through the game again.

This is an anime about the trials and problems within the environment and hubris of mankind. It was an extraordinarily interesting anime to watch. This was in part because of the discourse, but also because I found a lot of the graphics to be very stylistically beautiful. I think it was a really nice switch from the topics we have been talking about as of late. I do see the connections that can be made, such as the world facing so many troubles due to mankind, but at the same time, I felt like the way it viewed and discussed the environment made it very unique to other anime that we have watched within the semester.

I feel like the theme I would really like to dive into is the hubris of mankind. Specifically, the fact that it always seems that people believe that nothing bad will come or the actions will not lead to major consequences. This anime directly combats those ideas. This is because it shows the world from a point in which mankind has already screwed up, and now the trials and tribulations which come with that have to be discussed. On top of this, I think it is important to note that the idea of being invulnerable is something to which everybody goes through at a point in time. It is seen as a common part of development within the human brain. The difference is that most people outgrow it, and continue to live and move past it. The rational side of the brain takes over. That being said, sometimes rationality is ignored for personal gain or ignorance. I feel like the world within this anime is a direct consequence of both of those things. Regardless, it is important to note that this all was caused by the idiocy of the people within the society.

Overall, I did enjoy the anime, but I almost wish I didn't have to watch it for class because I feel like I would have enjoyed it a lot more and gotten so much more out of what it was that I was watching.

I went to Swampcon and it was extraordinarily fascinating to watch the machinations of a wide intersection of fandom. It was cool to see a mix of artists, performers, vendors, and fans. It was a collection of people who might not have anything to do with one another during their daily lives, yet all came together for a singular event, which was Swampcon. It was very cool to see the many different costumes that people wore. There were varied levels of effort and skill visible within the different costumes, but with that being said, the people clearly still had a passion for what they were doing and dressed up as. Within the class we have been talking about all of these different societal issues, one section which discussed fandom and fan culture. This one in particular was very fascinating, as it talked about Otaku culture and how it is often seen as a negative thing. But, within that space of Swampcon, nothing like this was noticeable. It was very clear that everyone there was willing to embrace their nerdy and geeky side. On top of this, I felt like a convention like this is a perfect time to discuss the fascinating nature of how data collection and analysis works within fan spaces. This is to do with the fact that it is much more categorical and less story-based. This was very noticeable in a couple situations, but most notably how people face their fandom from a particular section or idea. So, you can discuss only a single character or person, and ignore a lot of other aspects. It is a positive and a negative, but within Swampcon, it helped bridge many gaps. I spoke to one exhibitor about their art, which led into a conversation about an artist for a comic that we both enjoyed, which was fascinating. But, we specifically in that conversation discussed a singular character in one scene and iteration. We tore them away from the rest of the show and ignored a lot of character growth and development to discuss this. Which is a perfect example of the idea that knowledge collection in fandom is much more about specific facts than an entire storyline.

Another very fascinating thing about Swampcon was that I attended with my friends and that made it way more fun. It allowed us to get to know each other even better because we were in an environment filled to the brim with subjects that are oftentimes treated in a manner that is negative. So, Swampcon provided an opportunity for me to see the community aspect of fandom which for me is oftentimes ignored.