Shifter_Chronicles

In the first two episodes of Kanako's TV debut, simultaneous punches are thrown at the work culture, date-rape culture, burnout, misogyny, public transit groping, and honor-based culture. Kanako is immersed in the working adult world, but hasn't lost her sense of innocence, or so it seems. Having quit her job in a high pressure office environment and hating her former boss, she is so disorganized that she accidentally applies to a hidden want ad for a company that assassinates people. During her “red test” she is required to kill her former boss. She doesn't hesitate and is instantly hired.

As is common in manga the character possesses a super power of sorts. She is so used to being invisible as a woman in the workplace that she can literally turn invisible. She can also eat really fast because she was told by a previous employer that she needs to finish her working meals in under 5 seconds. In fact, she possesses a whole host of other random “skills” she learned due to harsh working conditions. When asked how she knows how to handle weapons so well, she simply answers “online”, but we find that most of her finesse with pistols come from being a fan of a Power Rangers-like Sentai program where all of the heroes use pistols.

Because all of her powers come from the work culture and it is played for laughs the message is subdued a bit by the tone of the narrative. Kanako questions her morality here and there, but when confronted by the terrible actions of the people she is to eliminate, she rarely hesitates. Eventually she even participates in finding contracts for people that she thinks deserve to die. This reveals a critical point for the moral core of the show: Kanako’s conscience.

Throughout the narrative Kanako is given asides that pause the story to represent her thinking or deliberating about something. Usually this is a moral question, or her mistaking someone’s intention through the lens of honor-based culture (usually to hilarious effect). During these asides her conscience is portrayed by various small cute animals, often in Chibi or plush form. Appearing with a pun involving the animal or type of animal, they give us part of her internal monologue and help to reveal what Kanako is currently overthinking.

In my opinion these asides are a literal psychotic dissociation that is common with comorbidity of schizophrenia and psychopathy. While the dissociation is relatively benign it rarely interferes with her decision to murder someone. The author uses the cuteness of the character and her Chūnibyō-like mental issues to soften the impact of her vulgar vigilantism in an extremely funny way.

I don’t think that it is a hyperbolic statement to say that. ‘Happy Kanako's Killer Life’ is possibly one of the most important social commentary pieces of Japanese media in the modern age. It is pure societal satire wrapped up in chibi sheep’s clothing, but is nevertheless very entertaining.

Japanese subcultures have a way of using subtext to pollute political discussion and have always done so. As westerners we tend to witness these subcultures as absurdist or at least comical. The most well known subcultures of Jirai Kei, Bōsōzoku, Japanoise, Gyaru, and Decora, barely scratch the surface of the deepest depths of true convention breaking fashion and lifestyle choices. Many if not all of these subcultures are born out of a need to go against the status quo, that is extreme conformity. Manga as an art form has more than once been the tool of political agitators and the rallying point for non-conformists.

In 1970 the Red Army Faction of the Japan Communist League hijacked a passenger flight. The members of the hijackers all repeated the phrase “We are Ashita no Joe!” in reference to the Manga Ashita no Joe’s titular character. It is rumored that the manga was used as a recruitment tool in various subcultures, as its themes were very popular with the disaffected youth of the time. Like Joe’s themes of corporate decadence amid repressive poverty were able to reach the hearts and minds of the 1970’s post war reconstructionist era, I believe that given the right platform Kanako has the ability to be a similar cultural touchstone.

While I don’t predict more hijackings, I think it is entirely possible that if it becomes popular it may lead to more reforms like the ‘female only’ train cars during rush hours. Instead of prosecuting people more harshly for the crime of sexual assault, the government opted for the option that attempts to use honor culture against sexual predators. Kanako’s admission just before killing a groper on the train that she ‘felt guilt as though it was her fault’ for being sexually assaulted is haunting and poignant.

While her cathartic killing of criminals is slightly satisfying, it is not something we can emulate if we hope to affect change. Rather, I suggest the message is, “Don’t get mad, take action.“ Despite the fact that Kanako’s actions are extreme and morally reprehensible, society is always portrayed as worse so we still accept her as a hero. She is still a positive role model in my opinion despite her terrible actions, because she is aiming to improve society. She is misguided and naive, but so are we all.