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Hi robian! Understandably, Hetalia is not without its flaws: it was created by a Japanese man so, of course, Japan is going to be painted as reserved and polite while all the other countries are made fun of. I do love how you mentioned that most of the stereotypes are contemporary while the main story is set around WW2. That's kind of funny to think about -- what were the stereotypes of our countries back in the 1940s? That's a question I've had for a couple of hours now and it makes me wonder how much the anime would've changed if we knew the truth. It's clear that the anime was basically a modern "what if?" for the author. What if we make America a high school jock with a food obsession? What if we made a tea loving Britain have massive eyebrows? Overall, at the end of the day, I can't deny that Hetalia made me smile.

Hetalia Axis Powers

Hetalia Axis Powers is basically just a comedy show where countries are represented by a single person who embodies the nation's stereotypes. What's interesting about this show is that it supposedly takes place around the WW2 period, yet many of the stereotypes used are actually more contemporary. For example, stereotypes such as the US eating too much and Japan's quietness are stereotypes I would argue didn't exist during WW2.

What was very concerning to me as I watched this show is how it sort of downplays the events of World War 2. Germany repaying his debts to France is portrayed seemingly to make you feel bad for him. Germany's character overall is depicted in a cute trying to act tough sort of way. In reality, Germany was murdering millions of innocent people at this time.

This anime also glazes Japan like crazy which makes sense considering its anime. All I could think about during the whole sweet China x Japan scene was how Japan literally massacred hundreds of villages, raping and torturing people while doing it. They also show how amazed Germany is by Japan's industrial rising. Japan is portrayed as someone who's just trying to defend his lands when in reality Japan was actively invading people at the time.The only Axis Power they really poke fun at is Italy. They talk about Italy's obsession with pasta and their cowardness during WW2.

Anyways, this anime is obviously satire, but there's definitelyconcerning elements within it. I would consider this a kid's show, and I don't know if I'd want kid's introduction to WW2 to be cute Axis Power anime boys.

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Hetalia

Man do I love this show. I first watched it during the pandemic and have not stopped loving it since. It’s (slightly) educational, witty, full of lovable characters, and overall just an amazing show to watch to put you in a good mood if you’re able to laugh at stereotypes. I’ll admit, the fandom was a bit toxic for a while back in 2012, but most of the group in 2020 just wanted to enjoy the show and its characters. Yes, there were questionable ships that totally would not have made sense in the real world because of historical context, but that’s why it's important to remember that this is just a show and that the boy versions of countries from our world do not actually exist. If you keep that in mind, you’ll get along with (mostly) everyone. And for those who like to engage in whether subbed or dubbed anime is better, you need not worry about that here, because both the subbed and dubbed version of Hetalia are quirky and hilarious. 

Now as much as I adore the show, I am not blind to its flaws. The biggest problem I see people discuss is how every country is portrayed to have only one accent/language, one distinct look, and one distinct trait. Trying to accurately sum up a country with a complicated and rich history into only one look is quite impossible. Every country is unique and has multiple languages, races, ethnicities, cuisines, etc. That’s why it’s important to remember that Hetalia is a work of fiction, designed to bring laughter rather than offense. It’s also important to remember that the web comic was created by a Japanese man, so really, Hetalia is basically the world seen in a satirical light from a Japanese standpoint. Not everything is going to be correct or accurate, but that’s the beauty in it. Every country will have a different point of view, and since we can’t change the past, hopefully programs like this will help unite us and work through our differences.

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Hi sinjpt11! Overall, beautiful blog! One of the first things that drew me to Your Name was the art, but I must admit, the art came in the form of the manga. I read that first around 2017 and then watched the anime sometime in 2020. To say I was pleased was an understatement. The anime very much did the manga justice with its beautiful animation, colors, sequences, and depth.

I like how you connected the film to the environmental concerns we're currently facing. And I love how you use the word "vulnerability" -- at the end of the day, mankind may think themselves strong and capable of anything, but if we mistreat the Earth, Mother Nature's wrath is strong enough to take everything we love away. It's even strong enough to erase us form existence. Quite a dark turn, but it's an important reminder that Mother Nature was here first and is millions of years stronger than us.

Your Name

While watching "Your Name", I was immediately visually pleased by the animation's fine details and contemporary style (as you can see why the eggs GIF is my favorite frame). Since I've always enjoyed watching body-swapping cartoons growing up, it became one of my favorite assignments. Through the lens of Mitsuha and Taki's body-swapping adventure, the film subtly addresses themes of identity, memory, and the longing for connection in an increasingly fragmented world.

In Japan, "Your Name" relates particularly to the younger generation, grappling with societal expectations and the pressure to conform. Mitsuha's desire to escape her rural life in Itomori reflects Japanese youth who feel stifled by tradition and the rigidity of societal roles. This theme is universally relatable, as many young people worldwide experience a similar struggle between individual desires and societal expectations.

Globally, the film's exploration of natural disasters taps into collective anxieties about climate change and the fragility of human existence. The comet disaster that threatens Itomori serves as a reminder of our vulnerability in the face of nature's wrath, an issue that transcends borders and is ever more pressing in the wake of increasing environmental catastrophes. It also challenges the attitude of rugged individualism by suggesting that our lives are intricately linked and that our actions profoundly impact others, even across time and space.

Michel Foucault's "The History of Sexuality" can be seen as complementary to "Your Name." Foucault's exploration of how societal power dynamics shape individual identities parallels the film's depiction of Mitsuha and Taki's struggles with their own identities within the constraints of their respective environments. Both works leads us to question how external forces shape our understanding of ourselves and our relationships with others.

Overall, "Your Name" is a beautifully crafted film. It provides a reflection on the human condition, urging us to look beyond the surface and recognize the deeper connections that bind us all.

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Your Name

Your Name was the very first manga I read back in 2017. It introduced me to the art of manga and helped me recognize that these “cartoon drawings” that I used to make fun of are actually quite smart and witty. The story revolves around two teenagers, Taki and Mitsuha, who live in different parts of Japan. Each of them have different ambitions: Taki is a city boy who longs to become an architect. Mitsuha is a country girl who wishes to live in a city like Tokyo. One day, out of the blue, they woke up in each other's bodies and they had to learn how to navigate this mysterious switch between them. They eventually start communicating through notes and summaries so that each one doesn’t miss out on the day they “weren’t there.” As this communication develops, so too does their connection and they find that they’ve created a bond that transcends time and space. 

In accordance with our class, the anime for Your Name reintroduces the idea that gender is performative: both Taki and Mitsuha have to take up the roles of the opposite sex and must learn to do so without raising the suspicion of their closest friends and family. The switch between them highlights how gender roles and behaviors can be experienced and performed differently depending on one’s body. Moreover, their behavior, that has to align with societal expectations and must pass personal interactions, underlines how gender roles are not intrinsic but rather culturally constructed. Lastly, I feel that the switch helped the two understand and develop a deep empathy for the opposite sex. We’re always so caught up in our own world that sometimes we don’t realize that society is hard on everyone, and that sometimes gender roles are performed and can vary depending on one’s unique perspectives and experiences. 

I loved this movie so much as a kid, and as an adult it’s very easy to remember why. The ending has me hopeful that the couple will reconnect and form a bond even stronger than before.

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Hi robian! I thought it was funny how in Greek mythology, Elysium is likened to heaven, a place where great heroes go, but in Xenoblade this great, glorified place is a place without the sweet treats and is instead abundant in nature. People were left without nature for so long that it became something "out of reach" for them and something they could only long for. It stays true to the age old saying of "you don't realize what you have until it's gone."

And I completely agree by the way, nature was just fine without us, I hardly think it wouldn't be able to heal itself just because we're in the equation now. We would have to mess up big time to make nature reliant on us.

XenoBlade Chronicles 2

I've heard a bit about this game before so I thought it was an interesting pick for the class. The anime is a clear cut comment on the relationship between humanity and nature. Basically, Klaus destroys the entire world and is trying to rebuild it. He uses nanobots and the titans in order to achieve this restoration. Humanity is clearly struggling with the absence of nature and would have completely died off if it wasn't for Klaus creating the titans. Humanities depictions of Heaven or “Elysium” is basically just a place that has nature within it. After living in a world absent of nature, humanity's greatest wish is simply to return to it. It comments on today's world that is actively harming nature. It's easy to destroy nature but hard to rebuild, and once it's gone, you'll wish you never destroyed it. So, we should preserve nature, so there is never a point in time where humanity is threatened by the absence of it.

What's interesting is that unlike in Nausicaa, it seems that nature has no way of naturally healing itself. Nature is completely reliant on Klaus and his plan in order to regenerate. Nausicaa gives the idea that nature can live independently without us but that we cannot live without nature. Xenoblade makes it seem that we are intereliant on each other. Personally, I think nature being capable on its own makes more sense from a current standpoint. We'd really have to mess up the world, for nature to not be able to survive without us. Ultimately, our job as humans is to simply not prevent nature from doing its purpose and preserving itself.

Anyways, like I said before Xenoblade is a clear comment on humanity's relationship with nature. We shouldn't harm nature for our own greed. We are reliant on nature to survive.

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Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 follows the story of Pyra, a powerful blade with amnesia, and Rex, a young salvager who has to live on the back of a titan because the Earth was destroyed and turned into a wasteland. His journey is a quest to reach Elysium, a paradise said to be the last remaining hope for humanity. The game features a story with the common theme of friendship, destiny, love and loss; however, the theme related to this course seems to be a combined theme of nuclear and environmental concerns. 

At one point in the story, we meet Klaus, a scientist from a parallel universe who single handedly destroyed the Earth to the point of no return. His experiment, one aiming to create a new, ideal world through merging two different dimensions, went disastrously wrong and caused catastrophic damage to both of the worlds involved. Alrest was created shortly after the destruction of Earth, but it too faces conflicts and struggles that unfold throughout the series. Alrest is dominated by Titans, who serve as both land and energy sources. The story thus reveals the consequences of exploiting Titans for energy. The use and exploitation of these Titans’ energy result in raised concerns about sustainability and the risks associated with their overuse, an issue that mirrors nuclear concerns where powerful energy sources can lead to dangerous consequences if not managed properly. Moreover, various regions in the game are destitute and overrun by pollution. These areas highlight the impact of industrial and technological advances on the environment, showing how unchecked progress can lead to ecological ruin.

Unlike Nausicaä that emphasizes humans must leave nature alone, Xenoblade stresses that the restoration of nature goes hand in hand with the restoration of humanity. The solution is not to leave the place alone, but rather to help nature reconstruct artificially through the process of human technology and innovation. This definitely had me raising my eyebrows, because it was human technology that caused the environmental issues in the first place, but it certainly is one idea to try to use modern inventions to right the past wrongs.

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Hi robian! I had completely forgot to factor the Cold War into context for this film! Utilizing that, the film definitely seems to mark a warning for mankind. For decades, the world waited with baited breath to see which country would be the first to launch a nuclear bomb -- thank Goodness we didn't actually have to go through that. Regardless, the film warns about the environmental effects that our lovely Earth would undergo had someone decided to fire. And I love your Albert Einstein quote because at the end of it all, we're all going to return to the basics. We can improve all we want, at the end of the day our techy gadgets will fail us and we will have to return to mother nature.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

I actually think this is my new favorite studio ghibli film. Something about it was extremely beautiful and touching. Was I just under a rock, I don't know how I haven't heard of this film before. Also before this analysis begins, I just wanna put out there a theory that the design of Malenia from Elden Ring may be partially inspired by Kushana. Could be a coincidence but that's why it's just a theory.

Two major themes of the film are Anti-war and connection with nature. I'll start with Anti-war. The films depicts a world one thousand years after a nuclear war. The soil and water is filled with radiation/poison and is fetal to humans. The forest keeps spreading is seen as a threat to mankind, but in reality it's devitalizing the world with new soil through the ashes of the trees. This film was created not too long after the cold-war in which many worried about the possibility of a complete nuclear war. If that war was to happen it would have damaged the earth, leaving lasting effects for thousands of years. If a nuclear war on the scale of a World War happened, it could very well be the end of humanity or at least set us back many years as depicted in the film.

Theres this famous quote from Albert Einstein that I can't help but think of: "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones". Nausicaa realizes that the hate and war needs to stop. Even she was blinded by rage from the murder of her father and retaliated by killing people. Yet, she learned to put aside her feelings for the good of the people and from that time on, she never killed another soul.

Nausicca has a special connection with nature. From a young age she's depicted protecting a baby Ohmu. She gets along with every animal she meets and most importantly she doesn't see the forest as something to be feared. In the end, nature quite literally brings her back to life symbolizing a new beginning where the world is connected with nature once again. The nature of the forest was the world healing itself after the nuclear war and the Ohmu shared the feelings of the Earth. The film criticizes current society's distance from nature. Current society does not respect nature but rather uses it for it's own benefit. The pathway to peace is a world where we embrace the Earth rather than fight unnecessary wars that end up harming it.

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Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

The opening scene featuring the strange man picking up the doll brought me a huge wave of nostalgia for back when I was a little girl obsessed with the Disney's Mulan movie. It reminded me a lot of Mulan picking up the doll in the massacred village. This set up quite an ominous and eerie atmosphere for the film and intrigued me to keep watching. 

The big theme I found surrounding this movie was human’s effect on the surrounding environment. The film makes it a big point to compare nuclear technology and pollution, and declares them both equally as damaging to the Earth. We’ve molded the ecosystems around us to fit our needs but as a result of our negligence, we’ve become the root of most environmental issues. Essentially, we’re bad for it, we’ve harmed it, but we need it to survive, thus we must form a balance and find a way to live in harmony with the planet. In our current world, we seem optimistic, and believe that we can slowly reverse our wrongdoings over time; however, according to the film, only nature can heal itself now. Mankind has done enough, nature needs time to heal now. 

Unfortunately, the film doesn’t really provide us with any solutions or ideas that humans can do to help. In fact, it asks us for the opposite: to back off and stop contributing to the problem. I find this to be a reasonable request, but the question now becomes: how? So much of our world consists of plastic and pollution – the very same people telling us to switch to paper straws and fly less are the same people flying privately on jets and traveling around the world each week. Unfortunately, I don’t have much of an answer to provide either. All I can do is promise to shop locally, and switch what I can to sustainable substitutes. Maybe one day someone will have a better answer.

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Hi rhejac! I completely agree: seeing Asuka's renewed vigor throughout her fight scene was absolutely nail biting. I was so into the scene, so wide-eyed, that I completely stopped breathing as the seconds ticked closer to zero. From an animation standpoint, that whole battle was impressive. From a viewers point, I damn near cried watching her lose. I'm glad she didn't give up, but seeing the other evas eat her eva, watching Asuka cry out in pain, had me in absolute terror. I had to pause and step outside shortly after that scene. It was absolutely (a little too) well done.

the end of evangelion (1997)

My brain is pretty tired from watching this movie. I love the concept so much, though. The visuals of everyone becoming one, everyone seeing the psyches of others, the darkness that lies beneath everyone's skin, was absolutely mesmerizing to watch.

Asuka's violence at the beginning of the movie was so cool to look at from an animation standpoint. Seeing her complete confidence in her mission and the way she tried to take out every Eva had me on the edge of my seat. It was gut-wrenching when she did lose. It was like I felt all the pain and gore myself as her Eva gets eaten to death and she screams in horror.

Shinji's journey through the movie was equally captivating and harrowing. His deep psychological struggle, depicted through surreal and intense imagery, was a powerful exploration of his inner turmoil. The moment he confronts his mother, and the subsequent scenes where he grapples with his sense of self and his place in the world, were profoundly moving. The merging of human consciousness, while visually stunning, also conveyed the immense loneliness and desire for connection that Shinji experiences. It was heartbreaking to witness his pain and confusion as he navigated this new reality.

The climax, where Shinji makes the decision to reject Instrumentality and embrace individuality, was a poignant resolution to his character arc. His choice to return to a world where people are separate but capable of forming genuine connections underscored the series' recurring themes of identity, loneliness, and the human need for understanding. The final scene, with Shinji and Asuka on the desolate shore, left a lasting impression. Their ambiguous interaction, full of raw emotion and vulnerability, encapsulated the complex and often painful nature of human relationships.

Overall, The End of Evangelion was an intense and thought-provoking conclusion to the series. Its exploration of deep psychological and existential themes, combined with its stunning visuals, made for an unforgettable viewing experience. Despite the exhaustion, I can't help but appreciate the profound impact of this film.

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Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion 

The End of Evangelion is a recreation of the series after the Fifth Children’s death in the original series. At this point, Shinji is conflicted and feels betrayed. The reality that he thought was possible was shattered the minute he decided to kill the Fifth Children. In a last ditch attempt, Shinji ends up masturbating to Asuka’s breasts over her unconscious body in the hospital. Yes, this seems totally out of pocket for us viewers, but to Shinji this was his final effort to be the man society wanted him to be. Alas, his efforts are in vain because when the pleasure fades, Shinji is left looking at his hand with the cold hard truth setting in: no matter how hard he tries, hegemonic masculinity is not who he is. He is not meant to align with society’s expectations. And that’s a hard pill for anyone to swallow. It’s a different type of loneliness that sets in, the fear that you couldn’t meet the expectations of those around you. What’s worse is that Shinji is left with the question: what now? Unfortunately, he can’t do what he did in his vision because strangling Asuka, killing her, is essentially Shinji trying to fight hegemonic masculinity with hegemonic masculinity. To do that, he must become what he swore to destroy. In the end, Shinji can’t do it, and finally gives up the fight. He accepts who is by the end of the film: a person exhibiting queer masculinity who won’t ever fit society’s standards. It’s a difficult path with much social exclusion, but one that he must walk. 

Throughout the film, there were a lot of “what in the world is going on” moments, but I think the one I want to talk about is Misato kissing Shinji before her death. A 29 year old woman kissing a 14 year old boy. Quite a thing to have in the final film. I have no explanation for this scene – she was his surrogate mother, is more than double his age, and was even in love with another man. I truly cant help but wonder why the director chose to include this scene. And honestly, I don't want to find out.

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Hi rhejac! I loved reading your post, you took the words right out of my mouth. I found it so interesting how in the alternate reality Shinji was able to align with society's idea of man. He hit on his teacher, was a total fool for seeing girls underwear, and was able to laugh and bond with his other male friends freely. But of course, this is only a version in Shinji's head -- one where he thinks that the simplest way of life would be to simply follow what society expects of him. It was very intriguing in a way. But life is hard, and the beautiful part about that is that we get to experience our journeys alongside others. Life is never going to be easy, but it'll be much more meaningful once you learn to love and appreciate yourself for who you are.

neon genesis evangelion PART 2

The second part of the anime seemed to get more and more abstract and confusing. I definitely had to watch some lore videos on tik tok to fully grasp what I was watching. The most interesting episode was the one where Shinji meets Kaworu. Their relationship hinted at romantic feelings between them, and it's really interesting that Kaworu, an angel in a human's body, wanted to save humanity after meeting Shinji. Shinji's pain and struggles for feeling useless and unwanted seemed to inspire Kaworu to die, which I thought was really interesting if I looked at the anime from the lens that the lecture wants me to.

Asuka's downfall was pretty sad to me, especially seeing her so emaciated and withered. The way society treats the child soldiers reminds me of the previous anime we watched about war. Her energy and expressiveness, and the self satisfaction she gave herself giving her life to the war was really infectious for everyone. I wish I got to see more of her apart from the assigned episodes because she seems like a really intriguing character. Maybe some other day I will find time to watch the whole series.

The very end was really confusing to me, and it felt like a drug trip. The way Shinji has to rationalize loving himself resonated so well, but I was still drowning amidst all the lore that was thrown at me previously. The most interesting scene was when Shinji sees himself in a happier, more simpler life. There he is doing hegemonic masculinity right. He objectifies women with the other men, for instance. I think it's really interesting that in another life he seems to align with what society's ideal man is supposed to be like. Seeing that alternate version of himself helped him realize he's not as helpless as he thought, and he could finally love himself.

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Neon Genesis Evangelion (Part Two)

THAT ENDING!!!! I was halfway through episode 26 and all I could think of was “don’t tell me this was all just Shinji’s dream please don’t tell me this was all Shinji’s dream.” On the bright side, the ending handled such a sensitive topic in a gentle yet encouraging way, unfolding all the truths that had been building up throughout the series. It was a very satisfying ending to a very good anime.

I’m not going to lie, at first, part two left me with more questions than it did answers. Don’t get me wrong, it was quite interesting to watch since there was quite a bit of a jump between the assigned episodes. In the beginning, we got to meet the spitfire Asuka and get to see the Unit #2 in action. We also find out about Misato’s on and off relationship, which I believe brought in more depth to her character. She’s a brash, loud, sassy, intelligent woman who can’t deny her attraction to a man. Unfortunately, it’s a man full of red flags, but we get to see Misato’s internal war with herself as she discovers more about who she is and wants to be. We also get to see moments where Shinji’s confidence goes up, not only as the Third Children but also as a man. In episode 16, he confidently stated “After all, fighting is a man’s job” and took initiative in leading the group against the unknown angel. And even though he didn’t want to fight the Fifth Children later on, he stepped up and went after him, fighting with all that he had.  

I feel that the big theme of part two is humans and purpose. What are we all looking for? What do we all want from life? Do the people around us want us here? Do they love us? Who am I really? These are all questions we’ve asked ourselves at one point in life, and they’re all valid questions. Shinji’s internal war with himself gave me a lot to think about as a person. I consider myself a people pleaser, a person who can’t say no to others for fear that it might upset them. I fear abandonment just like he does, I fear not meeting people’s standards, not being enough, but most of all I fear having the people around me hate me. As the show mentions though, these other people are the ones who make up a part of your heart. The you inside their hearts is one version of you, and you are made up of dozens of versions. You shape your world, but the heart cannot live by itself. You need others to help you define your world.  

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Hi robian! I loved that you mentioned the juxtaposition between how men and women are presented in this anime. Shinji, rather than being presented as a strong, violence-driven male, is instead shown to be more on the kindhearted and calm side. He avoids physical fights, avoids the objectification of women, and is overall considered meek and gentle. The women, like Misato, are pictured as dirty slobs, who can't cook or clean, and who want to participate in the greater good of war. The anime comes to show that there are different versions of masculinity, just like how there are different versions of femininity. It's not supposed to represent a bad take or to suggest that one may be completely queer, but rather encourage the viewers to understand all different angles. Shinji may or may not be queer, we don't know that, but what we do know is that he doesn't represent a hegemonic masculinity and is so far showing evidence of representing a queer masculinity instead.

Neon Genesis Evangelion Part 1

I'm writing this after watching the entirety of Evangelion because I didn't wanna ruin it by watching specific episodes. I'm also writing this early so I'm just going to make an educated guess about what part 1 covers.

Okay, so I'm going to mainly talk about Shinji because we don't really dive deep into the other characters until what I assume will be covered in part 2. Shinji is very different from your average anime protagonist. Most anime protagonists are seemingly always good looking and brave. They try to appeal to the watchers' desires. Shinji on the other hand is just a frail and scared young boy who just wants to be loved by his dad. Personally, I love characters like this. They tend to feel more realistic. If you almost died like Shinji did, and had to endure the pain simulated from the Eva, you'd probably be scared shitless too just like Shinji.

Also by starting off as weak, it allows more character development. But, to be honest, Shinji doesn't really have much character development (until literally the last 2 eps). Shinji realizes that he pilots the Eva to please his dad (hopefully this was part of part1 I don't remember). He even returns to his Eva after leaving, but he's still scared. Even though I enjoy character development, I think in certain situations, a lack of it can be just as telling. He's not suddenly just going to become brave and lose his fear of fighting in the Eva, and by this lack of development, it really highlights just how much he desires his dad's admiration.

Now, I also want to talk about how Shinji takes on more feminine than masculine gender roles. Shinji is depicted as kind and caring. He always apologizes and avoids any conflict. He cooks and cleans the apartment, while the women are depicted as slobs. He's scared to pilot his Eva, while the two women Rei and Asuka are fine with it. Honestly, I'm trying to think of a different anime that's male protagonist is like Shinji, and I can't (although I'm sure there's a few). It just tells you how unique of a character Shinji is. Going back to the last module, Shinji really challenges what we view as gender roles. A man doesn't need to always be tough and brave, he can be weak and scared too.

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Neon Genesis Evangelion (Part 1)

From the second episode one began, I knew this was going to be an amazing anime. I’ve heard the intro song, A Cruel Angel's Thesis, millions of times before – it’s renowned as one the biggest bops in the anime community and is beloved by many of my friends. It’s one of those songs that even though you don't know the anime, you still know the song bar for bar. It was nice to finally put a backstory and plotline to the song. It slightly reminded me of Mobile Suit Gundam at first, but quickly unfolded to be much more interesting in my eyes. However, just like with MSG, both anime stressed that teenagers are the solution to humanity’s problems, and quite frankly that stressed me out a bit. But at the end of the day, we are, in fact, the future and there is definitely no changing that. 

There was quite a bit of unnecessary sexualization going on within the first assigned episodes, with many scenes focusing on close ups of the female body. The opening even featured Misato’s introduction as her shadowed, naked body rather than a nice picture of her posing happily. And there was also the scene where Shinji falls and brings a naked Rei down with him, presenting a typical male-on-top-of-female dominant position. It was definitely on purpose to draw in more of a male crowd, but honestly unnecessary in my eyes. The anime would’ve done pretty well without it, but given that it was made in the 1990s, I might not know the audience as well as I think. 

In accordance with this week’s reading, a hegemonic male is one who is capable of stepping up and thriving in violence and the objectification of women. Our main character, Shinji, can’t do either of those. Initially, he didn’t want to step up and fight inside a giant robot – something many war men would beg to do. And he didn’t want to participate in objectifying Rei and her body. Thus, Shinji doesn’t exhibit hegemonic male traits, which leads us to believe he exhibits a queer masculinity rather than a hegemonic masculinity. 

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Hi robian! I like the point you brought up: it's very easy for women to cross dress than it is for men. I totally think it could be a deemed a fashion statement rather than anything else. I mean, women wear pants and some people unfortunately see that as "crossing into male territory." It's not unusual for women to wear pants, and that's basically half of the male outfit, so it isn't hard to put the rest on as well. For me, personally, jeans and a jersey is a casual outfit -- one that I love to wear without feeling judged. Nowadays, men can get away with cross dressing as maids, but only under the pretense of being funny or doing it for the instagram photo. It's a lot harder for a man to go into Target wearing a mini skirt and crop top without getting weird looks from the people around him. It's all a little unfair in my opinion. Women get to wear mens clothing, so I don't understand why it isn't socially acceptable for men to wear women's. Anyway, as you said towards the end: be you, do whatever you want.

Wandering Son

Honestly, at first I thought this anime was a comment on discrimination against transgender people. However, by the end of the show, I think the anime was more of a comment on cross-dressing. Either way, the discrimination portrayed could easily be applied to either one because most people can't differentiate between the two. Most people, if they saw a bio male in a dress, would automatically jump to the conclusion that the person was transgender.

I thought it was interesting how the anime portrayed the contrast between male and female cross-dressers. Women can pretty much easily get away with dressing as a man, but if a dude were to wear a skirt (unless you're about to whip out the bagpipes), people would judge him. My personal thoughts on the cause of this is that women tend to be more fashionable in general, so a woman dressing as a man could just be seen as fashion.

The anime makes a pretty clear statement that society frowns upon men to women cross-dressing. What I think is interesting is how we've applied gender labels to so many things. Even the color pink is seen as girly. Personally, as a dude, I love the color pink. Society, from a young age, conditions us to like certain things. Boys are given toys different from girls, they're dressed in different clothing, etc. There's nothing biologically that implies a guy can't like wearing a skirt. It's all psychological conditioning.

I wonder if transgender people feel that they were born into the wrong body because their interests happened to align with the opposite gender's. gender and sex are fundamentally different after all. One is based on psychological aspects while the other is based on biological aspects. In my opinion, theres actually nothing psychologically wrong with transgender people at all, rather, it's society assigning labels that's the problem.

Society is wrong for discriminating these people just because they don't fall under it's standards. Just let people like what they like. If it isn't hurting anyone, then what business do you have with them. To all my homies out there, if you wanna go dress up as a woman, go do it. To all the ladies out there, if you wanna dress up as dude, go do it. Who cares what society thinks, cause it's all BS anyways.

p.s. if you disagree or feel strongly about any of the things I said just know I don't read any of yalls reposts, but feel free to criticize🙏

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Wandering Son

As a native Californian, I grew up in communities that taught about and welcomed transgenderism. As such, I am able to admire Wandering Son for how they handled the delicate portrayal of this show’s journey of self discovery. Gender identity is regarded as a sensitive topic, so I’m glad the story provided a gentle narrative demonstrating the unique journey and struggles of Shuichi Nitori and Yoshino Takatsuki. Now this week’s reading, as I talked about in my Aggrestuko post, focused on how gender is a performance and how it can be learned rather than simply engraved in our system. We can see how this is proved true when Nitori dresses up like a girl and accidentally bumps into the older man. Nitori apologized in a calm and graceful manner, and the older man accepted it and walked away, proving that Nitori had successfully acted in a manner befitting a girl. For some reason, I figured that if Nitori had been dressed up as a boy, the man wouldn’t have taken the apology so easily, and may have even put up a fight and demanded more from Nitori. But because Nitori was acting ladylike, the man bypassed his pride and did the “gentlemanly” thing of walking away. 

Unfortunately, Nitori’s class isn’t very accepting of her true self, thus allowing the show to depict the harsh reality that many transgendered people go through on their journey of self-discovery. The show provides us with a bully, Doi, who’s meant to represent the conservative standpoint of thought. Doi seemed oddly pulled to Nitori, and I’m not quite sure if it was because he himself is a little fruity or if he really was just hardwired to be a bully. Regardless, he tries to push her back to being a boy, but Nitori’s resistance signifies the changing of the era in addition to a hopeful outlook for the future where acceptance won't be so hard to come by.

[i-like-soup-2]

Hi n4stasia! I totally agree -- Retsuko's boss is the one person I wouldn't mind giving coal to on Christmas Day. It's quite fitting that his character design is a pig because he sure acts like one. And at first, I slightly agreed with Retsuko: be polite, and don't talk back to your boss. After all, he's your boss, and he's there for a reason. But after a certain point I could barely stand to watch her take so much verbal abuse. All this man did, instead of doing his job, was reinforce and push his toxic masculinity, creating a workplace that encourages males to act like this towards the women that work under them. It made me appreciate my job a lot more -- I may complain a lot, but my job encourages women to speak up and be themselves, to challenge societal norms. Overall, the show was a great satirical parody of what actually happens in many workplaces in real life, and it's important to understand that change begins with us women speaking up.

Aggretsuko

↑ literally me & JPT1311, right now.

First and foremost, "anime" is a bit of a misnomer for Aggretsuko. Technically, it is, since it's animated and Japanese but it gives off major BoJack vibes. And I actually enjoyed consuming something rather different for this class. Refreshing! As soon as I saw the description, I knew I'll love it. It's a great watch, especially if you're stuck in a 9-to-5 grind. You don't have to be in a corporate job to understand the struggles. Modern workplaces are pretty much the same everywhere, with their endless bureaucracy and office politics.

Good Girl

The show really nails the experience of being a woman in a male-dominated workplace. Retsuko's boss is a classic example of a toxic male boss who makes inappropriate jokes. And Retsuko? She just takes it. She bottles up all her anger and resentment, which is something a lot of us can relate to. Retsuko, as a young woman in a corporate environment, is expected to be submissive, agreeable, and supportive. Her character is often portrayed as the 'ideal' office worker, smiling through adversity and avoiding conflict. This is a classic example of the 'good girl' archetype, a role that many women are socialized to play. However, the show subverts this expectation by revealing Retsuko's inner turmoil and anger, highlighting the dissonance between her public persona and her private emotions.

Toxic Male Boss

The male characters in Aggretsuko often embody toxic masculinity. Retsuko's boss, in particular, represents the stereotypical aggressive, domineering male leader. His behavior creates a hostile work environment, reinforcing the power imbalance between men and women in the workplace. The show effectively critiques the normalization of such behavior and its impact on female employees.

The Escape

Aggretsuko's choice to express her anger through death metal is a powerful statement about the limitations of traditional female expression. By adopting a traditionally male-coded form of aggression, Retsuko challenges gender norms and reclaims her agency. Her private performances become a form of resistance, allowing her to process her emotions and find a sense of empowerment outside of the constraints of her professional role.

The show doesn't really give you all the answers, but it does a great job of capturing the frustrations of office life. It's a satire of corporate culture, but it also acknowledges the challenges of finding a better way. Maybe the creators were a bit cautious about criticizing Japanese corporate culture, nonetheless, it lets us know we are not alone in these struggles.