The Anim(e)ted World

This class has been one of my all time favorites, and this module definitely had us going out with a bang! ₍₍⚞(˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶)⚟⁾⁾

Your Name

Your Name is one of my favorites, as per usual. Watching this again, I didn't finish it the first time. Not sure, but I have the first volume of the manga that I cherish. I'm surprised that the anime puts such an emphasis on the small town that Mitsuha is from, especially given the media coverage it received in the movie. Usually when it comes to small towns like that, there isn't much coverage, but the comet made it more of a spectacle. The dedication that both characters put towards finding each other was refreshing to see, especially from Taki, who seemed more "nonchalant" at the beginning of the movie but changed at the end. The nationalist aspect of Your Name felt less "in your face" than I am used to, so that part went over my head ngl, but I can see it now after watching the lecture.

Hetalia: Axis Powers

Hetalia was such a trip to watch. I have been in anime fandom for over a decade, but am just now watching Hetalia. The amount of memes and criticisms of both the anime itself and the fandom that I have seen is crazy. I can proudly say I get the hype, but the nationalism was LOUD with this anime, and I couldn't ignore it. By the third episode, I had a "Wait, what?" moment. Germany, Italy, and Japan were being so cutesy about WWII, which threw me off. So much is happening in this anime; I wasn't expecting Holy Rome to be there.

Sensōron

Sensōron almost fooled me for a second; the manga was very convincing. I have done my separate research about comfort women and Nanking, so I already had previous knowledge of the war crimes Japan did commit. The cherry-picking, though, threw me off severely. I had to take breaks from reading because I felt like I was losing my mind, meaning the author did a good job at being persuasive. There was so much text in each panel too, so it felt like it was wearing me down mentally, which made me more susceptible to misinformation. The nationalism was very evident here, and I can see how one would be swayed.

As usual I haven't watched the lectures yet but I NEED it for the Xenoblade cutscenes... (◞‸◟,)

Nausicaä

I love, love, love Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. On the other hand, I almost hated watching the Xenoblade Chronicles 2 cutscenes. I will discuss the former before discussing the latter. I watched Nausicaä when I was a child, and I found it boring. Given the movie's slower pacing compared to other popular Ghibli films, it's understandable that my low-attention-span baby brain struggled to follow the environmental message and critique of humans and war. As an adult, I see the message clearly, and its execution was beautiful, raw, and direct. When the baby Ohm was revealed as bait for the herd of adult Ohms to stampede the Valley of the Wind, my jaw was on the floor. The cruelty it takes to punish not just an unsuspecting creature, but a baby at that, broke my heart. The answer to living in harmony was so evident to viewers and Nausicaä, but seeing how long it took for the rest of the humans (I am assuming they are human) to get to that conclusion was like a mirror to real life. At least in the film, there is a good ending where the Valley of the Wind starts to get rebuilt and efforts to live with the insects peacefully are being taken, but I can't say the same for our world.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2

I have to be honest, I was beyond lost regarding the cutscenes. I was having trouble following what was happening for multiple reasons. From what I gathered, Pyra and Mythra were awakened by Jin? But when Rex died and then wasn't dead, I was lost. An observation I made that I feel like has some merit is the "good guys" have a softer, younger looking art style and the "bad guys" are more angular and appear more like adults, which could be a critique on how adults take advantage of and use power for selfish reasons even if it harms the environment because they want control, which is similar to Nausicaä in some ways. I didn't like the cutscenes, to be honest, and I think it's because there was context lost because I wasn't playing the game myself, and I'm not a fan of 3D anime (besides Beastars, but the manga is better). This was interesting, though.

Evangelion, my beloved. (˃ᆺ˂✿)

This is another anime that I watched as a kid! I have distinct memories of begging my mom to help me get it when it wasn't on Netflix, so it was fun to reflect on those moments because she was glad to see me show interest in anime she watched when she was younger. There is so much to love about this anime, and almost every anime fan I know is familiar with it, especially the iconic opening theme (which I listen to way too much). One thing that is super interesting to me, though, is how many fans forget that Shinji is a baby. Fourteen is so young, watching back, I almost felt maternal because they look so much younger compared to the adults around them, now that I have matured. I mentioned this sentiment in my discussion post, but it's something that I feel strongly about because, as I reiterate, he is just a kid! I feel like a lot of media, back then and now, love to have a very young protagonist and have them save the world or take on adult duties. As a kid, that idea felt awesome, and many of us wished we could've been a pilot for the Eva, but now I see the problematic nature of that trope. It puts an unfair amount of pressure on children, leading adults around them to expect unrealistic things from them, essentially making them work. I can feel and understand the emotions Shinji was going through, because his behavior is not uncommon among many pre-teens and teenagers. At that age, I wanted nothing to do with my family; I felt like the whole world was against me, and I just wanted love and understanding, similarly to Shinji. The "child soldier" trope isn't cool to me anymore, and all the media with it in it either critiques or enables unrealistic views of what kids' responsibilities are, instead of the adults around them.

A late post, but better than no post at all!

Fandom is one of those things that I hold very close to my heart. It's something that I have experienced both online and in person. In particular, I have been a part of the anime fandom since I was born, thanks to my parents, who are self-proclaimed Otaku and Weeabos. Unfortunately, I have not attended a convention of any kind. Still, watching the True Otaku documentary and having done some research about old fandom internet lore, such as DashCon, I was able to learn more and have some of my ideas of what a convention would be like confirmed.

Focusing on the documentary itself for a moment, it was so endearing to see just how different fandom culture was in the late 2000s or early 2010s. Instead of social media posts, there were websites and blogs, people were taking pictures on digital cameras instead of smartphones, and the fashion and cosplay techniques were jarringly different from what I am used to seeing now. I take for granted the accessibility of anime and manga on streaming platforms and services like Amazon. My mom has talked extensively about how back in the day, she and my father would subscribe to mail-in DVD services to rent things like anime and kdramas. It's wild to think about how the people who attended the convention in the documentary were probably just like my parents, buying DVDs and posting in forums about new anime and other Japanese culture.

The closest I have come to an anime convention is my current job, which is at a bar that doubles as an arcade. There, I work with older coworkers who are also into anime, manga, gaming, and cosplay, among other things. I have met so many customers who have gathered at the bar for gaming tournaments and special events like our "Rad Prom", "Halloween in March", and "Emo New Years", where customers are encouraged to dress up in costumes, and all of the staff do a group costume together while we work! It's thanks to spaces like my job where I have felt seen and comfortable to be myself, which means I get to geek out about anime, manga, games, and other "cringe" hobbies with people who are just like me. My community is small, but I already feel so accepted. I can't imagine how amazing it would be to go to a large convention like Otakon or Anime USA.

Being a part of "fandom" is one of the most freeing things in the world to me. I put it in quotes because I believe being a fan and being a part of "fandom" is different. It's like a whole other culture, and the people who classify themselves as being a part of it will probably know what I talk about. In recent years, fandom is often associated with things like "cringe culture." Many anime fans I have met or seen online in the past five years will go out of their way to distance themselves from fandom culture and use it negatively. I believe that while fandom may not be for everyone, it deserves respect and recognition as a valuable tool for the community, particularly for individuals who have faced rejection due to their passionate interest in a particular subject.

To touch more on "cringe culture," I have seen myself and other anime fans labelled as such, which makes me sad. I believe that the idea of who and what is "cringe" or "weird" is subjective. I am fortunate to be surrounded by people who share my interests, like anime and manga. To me, anyone who isn't into these things seems weird. I wasn't always proud of being a part of fandom, though, which is why I stopped watching anime, reading manga, and deleted all of my online art/fan accounts halfway through high school. It wasn't until I left the environment full of people who made fun of me and shamed me for my interests that I became confident to love what I love and not hide my hobbies. That's why things like conventions and the idea and culture of fandom are so dear and vital to me.

Sailor Moon

Sailor Moon was one of, if not the first, anime I watched as a kid. That or Hamtaro, but my point is that it is a show that I hold dear to my heart. Watching it again, as an adult, was both nostalgic and eye-opening. What stood out to me the most was how young the characters are, and the talk and discussion surrounding young girls' bodies. Usagi and her friends are not even close to being fat or overweight, but she and the characters around her say that she is going to get there soon, just because she likes to eat! Even as a 14-year-old with a still-growing body, she felt the need to monitor herself and get thinner. It makes me think about the body issues I had at that age, and how media like Sailor Moon can influence how young girls view themselves, with these ideas to not "let yourself go" being implanted at such a young age, intentional or not.

Aggretsuko

I'm surprised I didn't watch Aggretsuko sooner. I haven't laughed out loud at a show in so long, I am going to binge the rest of it soon. Work culture is right at the forefront, and the sexism was not shied away from in the slightest. Seeing the treatment Retsuko went through from her boss and the expectation to go on a date was frustrating, but undeniably real. It was refreshing to see Anai finally come around to his coworkers, though, after being treated with a more "gentle" temperament. Men are often expected to tough it out, and that they don't need positive enforcement or reassurance, but that is not the case. And having his opposite of the idea that "women belong in the kitchen" and being the better cook than him and Retsuko was endearing and funny to watch.

Wandering Son

I had no idea an anime like Wandering Son existed at all, and I'm so glad it does. I'm also happy that more media are portraying transgender characters. Having the characters be so young is very real, because that's the age at which a lot of my friends and I started to question or embrace exploring our gender and sexuality. I think this is a good anime, but it doesn't capture the entire transgender experience, which is vast. However, having one show encompass all of that would be impossible. I know some transgender people have many critiques about the show and its representation, though, which are very valid. I'm glad more representation is being made. I hope to see more in the future.

Blogging after the lecture? Who do you think I am... wrote my thoughts before watching as always!( ๑‾̀◡‾́)σ"

This anime was a nice change of pace from the more serious anime that we have been exploring. This era of anime is especially endearing because it's this style of comedy and art that my parents would watch! Saki represents how many "outsiders" viewed people who enjoyed anime at the time, which was often with judgment and perceived as a perverted interest (she isn't wrong, though, since all the club members did act like perverts, LOL). However, by episode nine, she was choosing to spend time reading manga in the clubroom without Kosaka being present. It was exciting to see how much otaku culture has changed since the airing of Genshiken. Back in 2004, you couldn't just go online and find vast amounts of anime, manga, and fanworks at your disposal. Another significant change is that the overall demographic considered otaku has shifted from a majority of men to having more women at the forefront of fandom spaces. I saw myself mostly in Sasahara, Kosaka, and Saki. I used to be very "meek" when it came to enjoying anime and how vocal I was or wasn't about collecting manga and seeking doujinshi. There were also many times when I felt out of place in fandom spaces or around other otaku-like people because I looked "too normal" and didn't fit the standard weeb image. In terms of being like Saki, I used to judge others who were overtly otaku-like in the past, but since maturing and becoming more involved in fandom, I have changed.

This anime was pretty silly, and I chose to watch it in the dub since older dubbed anime is hilarious and has a sweet/raw quality about it. The art style of this anime was super nostalgic for me as well. I hope we watch more early 2000s anime in later modules! (•‿•◍)

MY FAVORITE MODULE BY FAR!!!! All of the works in this module I have watched before, so I was very pleased to watch them again, as they are media that I love dearly. ヾ(*´ ∇ `)ﾉ

Naruto

Naruto is an anime that I watched in middle school, and seeing it again with a more mature mind, I felt more emotionally invested in the story. Naruto's expectation of his sensei was that he would doubt and see him as a monster, but the realization on his face when Iruka defied his expectations made him so emotional. He became a hero, a symbol of hope in the village that treated him as an outcast before, defying all expectations.

Wolf Children

Wolf Children is a movie that I thought I had never seen before, but throughout watching it, all I was thinking was: "Wait, I know exactly what comes next…" I wish we could have seen both children all grown up, but I understand the open ending that the viewers were given. It leaves more to the imagination and lets the story live on inside your head.

A Silent Voice

A Silent Voice is one of my all-time favorite works. I read the entire series online, then purchased the manga in physical form because I needed to own the story in print. It's that good. The character growth that Ishida undergoes is so well-written, and I appreciate how he can grow and understand the pain that Shoko endured at his hands. Facing your mistakes and apologizing is a tricky thing, and for that to be shown on the big screen is so powerful. Sometimes I did wish that Shoko would slap him like her mother, though.

I watched the lecture before writing my post this time because I was lost the entire anime LOLOL. ꉂ(ˊᗜˋ*)

Unfortunately, this anime was not my favorite to watch so far, but I did like the concept and ideas that the anime explored and the world that was created. I’m not going to lie, either. I was very confused after watching all the assigned episodes. It took me a bit to understand what was going on, and the genetically modified rat humans added to that.

I think this anime reflects how children are often not seen as people but can be seen as deviants if they act abnormally. I think it also highlights the pressure that children can go through if they are “behind” when it comes to their peers. If the society of Shin Sekai Yori were implemented in the elementary school I went to, for example, many children would have been killed in my classes either from disruptive behaviour, having to repeat a grade, or not being as social with other kids. It’s a freaky idea to consider.

I’m unsure if I can relate this anime to myself or any aspects of my life, but I wasn’t as hooked on this anime as the others, which might be a reason for that thought. If there is one thing I do know, it’s that the children in Shin Sekai Yori’s society were given an unfair shot at life from day one. Fear is a powerful tool, and in this case, fear drove adults to rationalize eliminating children without psychic powers and children who acted “out of line,” even though there is a more just and moral way to go about it. The humans who ended up turning into rat people also were done dirty. One could see their resolve to violence as reactionary because they were driven out and ostracized by humans with psychic powers, and then altered to look different so they could be killed easily.