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I can totally understand why you weren't too fond of this anime. I similarly wrote about how the representation of the countries as overly cutesy, energetic, and honestly quite ridiculously, heavily glosses over the true events during this time period. To be fair, there are some funny moments but overall the show could've been done differently and attracted a larger variety of audience members if they had taken a more serious approach. At the very least, an approach more representative of the times. I don't think I would have minded if the anime was more transparent about historical events; if anything, I would've found it much cooler if such a cute art style dared to portray such atrocities.

Hetalia

Hetalia was a show I simply was not too fond of. Comedy has to be my favorite genre, with Fantasy a close second, and Historical third, so I was expecting this to be somewhat enjoyable. However, I’m not sure what went so wrong in my mind. The episodes were shorter which was nice, but I felt like some of the jokes got overplayed to a fault and some of the historical events probably just should not be represented in this manner. I can see though how some people may have enjoyed it.

Hetalia is placed historically in the period of early to mid 20th century, focusing of course on the two world wars and the powers involved. I think I just did not like this form of comedy where the powers who committed some pretty gruesome atrocities were portrayed in a cutesy and fun manner. Although I do understand that it has been long enough that the people who lived through this time have mostly passed, so this may be a form of making people aware of what happened. I do not agree with it, but the world is complex and some people may be more receptive to this than others.

My personal significance to Hetalia is that I have always been fascinated by the military and military history. If I had not done so well in school, I almost certainly would have enlisted to one of the branches of the military and attempted to work my way into a special forces division. That being said, of course I am familiar with the events that Hetalia covers, and though I do not like the form of representation, its always somewhat enjoyable to see history being brought back into the spotlight. I heard a quote once that I really liked. “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” This quote embodies the importance of making history something that is well known and understood as we will continually make the same mistakes as we did before if we do not reflect and learn from them. I did not like this anime, but hey, you can’t like them all I suppose.

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Hetalia: Axis Powers

Oh.......................................................

So Hetalia. A wildly, incredibly popular series among fujoshis and lovers of cute boys. Or maybe countries during WWII I don't know. Admittedly, I have watched this before, more out of curiosity than anything. How was this anime going to portray countries as humans I wondered? Surely not...no, no yeah. Surely. A lot of stereotyping. Now I don't think stereotypes are inherently bad and are very commonly used in comedy. As long as it is understood that stereotypes are just that, stereotypes, and not facts.

There are just a couple things that bother me about this series. Firstly, when I watched this initially, I was still watching anime in English. Now, when you have an anime portraying countries as people and they're speaking in English, what do you get? Very, VERY interesting attempts at accents. I get that English voice actors basically get recycled over and over throughout many dubs, but hearing my beloved Todd Haberkorn attempt an Italian accent hurt.

Secondly and mostly to be honest, is the timeframe of this anime. This would've been more enjoyable had it not taken place during WWII. Germany, Japan, and Italy are just silly goofy guys and we all know that was very much not the case during this time. The anime is also overly energetic and exaggerated, which is the complete opposite tone a WWII based anime should have. There is some conflict between the Allies and the Axis Powers, but again it is really not appropriate...The show as a whole kind of glosses over WWII and makes for a weird atmosphere.

That doesn't mean that the anime is all bad; it definitely has its funny moments and if you look at it with a satirical lens you may enjoy it more. I was not particularly offended by anything in this anime but to be fair, there are little to no Hispanic/Latin countries portrayed. Overall, the concept is not absolutely horrible but there are much better ways the story could've been written. 5/10.

Oh also...last blog post...

It's been a pleasure gang. I'll try not to overanalyze every anime I watch from now on! (this will be difficult).

peace.

[naash-24]

Hi Dillon, crazy throwback you just made to gemeinschaft and gesellschaft however I do see where you're coming from! It is definitely interesting to relate these concepts to the film as there is an obvious difference between Taki and Mitsuha's values at the beginning. Their experiences as they switched bodies had them experience the other half in a way they would've otherwise never gotten to experience deeply. I agree that this movie is a literal masterpiece, and I for one think the plot holes add some charm, especially since the film isn't entirely realistic to begin with. Besides, there is enough depth in the film by several standards that I think it's okay to overlook it :)

Your Name

I've lost count of how many times I've watched this film. It's one I always recommend to and am happy to rewatch with friends and it's my go-to film to put on if I just want some background noise or viewing while I'm working on other things. Somehow, I still find myself noticing new things on some of these rewatches, and that was true this time, too, with the hindsight of all our previous modules under our belt.

I was reminded of previous terms we've gone over, gemeinschaft and gesellschaft. I think those two words can be tied into the contrast shown in the film between the country life Mitsuha lives and the city life that Taki lives, respectively. Mitsuha represents the community bonds and shared beliefs of gemeinschaft and that is most of what we see of her life. Taki's screentime, on the other hand, shows how much his life revolves around corporation and impersonal connections with his colleagues, with Mitsuha even berating him for working too much. But the more they swap bodies, the more each of them experiences the other half of the gemeinschaft-gesellschaft dichotomy and the stronger their bond to each other grows, until they can finally 'sync up' atop the mountain.

Only temporarily, of course.

I don't think the movie was meant to depict literally the concepts of gemeinschaft and gesellschaft specifically, but I do think they're still interesting to think about when viewing these snapshots of their lives before and after they started swapping bodies. There is obviously a lot more you can take from the film, such as the importance of keeping tradition and spirituality alive or how you must expect and plan for environmental disaster to strike when you least expect it (Taki uses this as part of his reasoning for applying for jobs at the end of the film), and I had a lot to say about how it portrays the old generation versus the young when it comes to environmental issues, but that's the topic I chose for my final essay and far too long to get into here! I will instead end this post by saying that, if you enjoyed Your Name but have not seen Shinkai's other recent works, please do yourself a favour and watch them!

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Your Name

Arguably one of the most popular and critically acclaimed anime movies of all time, Your Name is a must-watch. It is the first standalone, non-series-related anime movie I had ever watched way back when I first got into anime. This movie is absolutely stunning: the visuals, the music, the storyline, and the emotion of the film really got me. This story transcends time and space, so realistically I was a little confused on my first watch. However, I've watched it many times since, and the message becomes clearer each time.

Your Name is a love story with a twist. It tells of two high school students, Taki and Mitsuha who begin to randomly swap bodies for no apparent reason. Unlike Taki, who is a boy dwelling in Tokyo, Mitsuha hails from the rural town of Itomori. They are initially confused about the occurrence but they easily adapt by leaving notes behind for each other to utilize in their different lives.

Taki and Mitsuha eventually get closer as they develop feelings towards one another despite never having met physically. Then, there is a twist in the plot when Taki discovers that Mitsuha and her town were destroyed by a comet three years before. Through this realization, Taki embarks on a desperate mission to save Mitsuha and her town which surpasses barriers such as time and destiny.

Urban and rural lives are set against each other in the movie, which brings out the enormous gap between lifestyles, morals and difficulties faced by inhabitants of these places. Mitsuha’s yearning for urban life’s excitement is contrasted with Taki’s battle against the fast paced Tokyo life, thereby giving a wider comment about Japan’s countryside-urban differentiation.

Body swapping also symbolizes empathy and comprehension. By living each other's lives, Taki and Mitsuha come to appreciate better their respective struggles and dreams thus emphasizing on using someone else's shoes to bridge the gaps that separate us most of the time.

Again, love this movie and always recommend it everyone, even those who don't watch anime. 10/10.

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Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

Studio Ghibli strikes again! Such good movies all around. This film was really good. It follows the story of Princess Nausicaa and her living in a post apocalyptic world, where the remaining members of humanity are fighting to survive in the Toxic Jungle filled with monstrous insects. Nausicaa is the princess of the Valley of the Wind, a kingdom on the edge of the Toxic Jungle. The bugs inhabiting the Toxic Jungle are called Ohmu, and Nausicaa has a unique ability to communicate with the Ohmu and has an understanding of the ecology. She finds out that the Toxic Jungle is actually a result of all of the human integration and disruption by past wars, as the Toxic Jungle is helping to cleanse or purify the world again. A militaristic entity wants to destroy the Toxic Jungle, and Nausicaa actively opposes this, claiming it will only cause the cycle to be repeated. This movie has a powerful commentary about environmentalism and the consequences of himan action through domination of nature instead of coexistence. The environment in the movie, specifically being the Toxic Jungle, is shown to be both a source of life as well a formidable force when it is being threatened. This is an obvious commentary about how humans treat today's world. Pollution, deforestation, climate change, and other environmental issues show human's lack of sympathy for nature and soon everything will be lost if we continue this way. The military force in the movie is meant to showcase humanity's actions through continuous destruction of the Toxic Jungle. Thankfully, Nausicaa serves as a light of hope who promotes diplomacy, empathy, and harmony. She and the movie get us to reflect on our own relationships with nature and how we can change our outlook, potentially saving future generations from having the same issues or worse. I give this movie a 9/10.

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End of Evangelion

End of Evangelion portrays the aftermath of the events in the original series. NERV is under fire and Shinji is still battling with indecision and self-hatred. The thing that most stood out to me in this film, and likely to many other people because of how controversial it is, would be the masturbation scene. Shinji visits Asuka while she is in the hospital and in a coma. He sits next to her and just masturbates to her unconscious body. It's strange and relatively simple act but it says so much about Shinji in this moment in time. It shows that he is mentally and emotionally broken as he battles with feelings of isolation and abandonment. He is still trying to come to terms with his position in society and his self worth. This is also a commentary on Shinji's attempt at hegemonic masculinity. He treats Asuka as an object for his sexual desire, as is typical of hegemonic masculinity. This traditional masculinity promotes emotional suppression and assertion of dominance. Him masturbating to Asuka in this way may be him trying to take control and assert dominance in a situation he feels only he can dictate. This is especially so because of how powerless he feels at this very moment, so doing this might grant him some control over himself. However, once he finishes, he claims that he is pathetic. This also shows that his inability to cope with his emotions in a healthy manner makes him only continue to launch himself into a deeper despair and self hatred. He acknowledges the fault in his actions but we see him continue his hegemonic actions throughout the film. Specifically so later when he gets into a fight with Asuka; he tries to display more hegemonic masculinity behaviors by being aggressive with Asuka, even choking her. This movie was pretty good and I felt helped explain Shinji's character even further. I give it a 7/10.

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Neon Genesis Evangelion Part 2

This is a continuation of the previous post on Neon Genesis Evangelion, further exploring the themes of Shinji's masculinity and psychological themes in episodes 8, 16, 24, 26 (so mainly the later/ending episodes).

We are introduced to a new character later in the series named Asuka, and she is essentially a contrast to Shinji. Despite being a girl, she is strong and has no issue with committing violent acts. She is very good at piloting her Eva and in some ways represents the type of masculinity that Shinji fails to be in the eyes of everyone. Asuka also breaks typical gender norms in this way, as she portrays more of how young boys are typically expected to act and the interests they are supposed to have when they "come of age". She serves as a reminder to Shinji that no matter how much he is trying to learn and fit into his role as a violent fighter, he is still below her.

There is a shift in his behavior during one of the fights, where he displays an unusual amount of confidence. Asuka continues to make fun of him as usual, yet Shinji responds in a haughty, superiority complex-esque manner, saying he will show her how fighting is really done. I guess this was sort of his breaking point in the series. He tries to be confident but things don't go according to plan; he reverts to his meek state after some traumatizing experiences within the Eva during the fight. So that didn't last too long. The experience and realization that he will never be able to display this masculinity and project violence launch him into a sort of depression, as he associates his masculinity with his Eva's performance and whether or not society sees him as valuable. This half of the show is better in my opinion so I will give it an 8/10.

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Neon Genesis Evangelion Part 1

It is not surprising at all that we had to watch this anime: it's honestly like a rite of passage among avid anime watchers. I watched this a very long time ago and was severely confused. I think most people feel it to be either a masterpiece or a convoluted mess upon watching it for the first time. However, there is a lot of commentary to be explored in this anime. This blog post will focus on the first couple of episodes.

Neon Genesis Evangelion is a mecha anime paired with some heavy psychological undertones. It follows a boy named Shinji Ikari and the unfortunate situation he's found himself in: as the pilot of an Eva, which is a giant robot that is controlled by a human. Shinji is by no means a typical representation of "manliness", which is an interesting contrast to him being expected to pilot this Eva and commit acts of violence. The Evas are meant to be weapons used to fight these otherworldly beings called Angels. Shinji's father is the one who created and worked on these massive robots and essentially threw Shinji into the middle of it by demanding he pilot one despite Shinji's clear disinterest and honest incapability. He initially refuses to pilot the Eva, but then sees a girl named Rei be wounded from a fight and decides he might as well fight, so women don't have to be doing it instead. While fighting, you can see he is not great at it and has no concept of violence, even towards these Angel beings who threaten the Earth.

In terms of masculinity I think it's pretty clear that Shinji is not seen as "manly" by typical gender norms. He does not care for violence or fighting or robots. His classmates envy him for living this extravagantly cool, metal lifestyle, but Shinji is not interested in such things. It's very cool to see this genre of anime tackle issues such as these in its commentary. I give this anime a 7/10.

[naash-24]

Hi, apologies for the late reply as I'm catching up on work! I have to agree that this movie was so masterful with its storytelling; I was so invested the whole movie and cried a little at the end. Seeing the siblings drift apart because of them picking between their identities was really heartbreaking. I wish they would've embraced both sides of themselves, but unfortunately, society wasn't going to be accepting of that. Hana being left alone was also really sad, though I definitely felt a sense of pride for how hard she worked with the cards she was dealt.

Wolf Children

Wolf Children is a beautiful movie. The artwork isn't great. The animation isn't great. But the storytelling is what makes this movie truly special. At the very beginning we get a sort of “how I met your mother” type story where we see Hana meet her future husband. They naturally hit it off and one day he decides to show his true self to her, his wolf form. Yuki, although shocked, still accepts him for who he is and they even consummate their love while he's in wolf form (yes I just typed that). Accepting people for who they are is a major theme in this story. We see it again much later when Hana has to accept Ame and his wish to live in the mountains and also when Sohei accepts Yuki's wolf form. We see Yuki and Ame fight because they both want the other to follow their path.

Another major theme was also finding oneself. Yuki and Ame were always contrasting characters. Yuki was a very energetic young girl while Ame was a fragile and timid young boy. Yuki loved running around in her wolf form and playing with animals, while Ame didn't. Yuki loved the new home while Ame wanted to go back to the city. Yet, as they grew older and found themselves this all started to change. Yuki decided that she wanted to live as a human and fit the norms of a young girl. She wanted to go to school and make friends. Ame lost his timid nature, but decided school wasn't for him. He bonded more with his wolf side and decided to embrace that side instead. Both in the end found themselves and found people who accepted them.

I want to end this post by talking about the bittersweet ending. Yes, Yuki and Ame found themselves, but I feel so bad for the mom😭. Imagine having to say goodbye to your kids at 10 and 12 years old. She even lives alone in the mountains. Luckily, she still has a nice community but it's still sad. Finding yourself is amazing, but make sure to spend time with your parents. Always have to end these posts with a little rant, alright bye.

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Hi! I myself was not super interested in Naruto at first, but it's really grown on me! I have watched all of the original series and am currently watching Shippuden; I have to say that Naruto's backstory is so sad and unfair because of the way he is treated despite not having any say in his difference. I also find the Pain arc interesting because it shows that Naruto and Pain aren't all that different, but took different routes in managing the trauma. Funnily enough, neither Naruto nor Pain have the most progressive ideals for change, to say the least. If only society changed its ways to view them as regular people despite their differences, it would've been a very different show!

Naruto

I don’t think I’ve ever actually sat through an entire Naruto episode despite its notoriety and acclaim. My older brother would occasionally put on Naruto while we were growing up, but I never found it really appealing. Despite this, I ended up enjoying the assigned episodes.( the character designs are so cool LOL) I found the way Naruto discussed themes of discrimination particularly interesting. 

From the start, Naruto is treated as an outcast due to his association with the fox tail. Adults discriminate against Naruto out of fear, which then influences the children as well. The notion that Naruto may bring havoc weighs heavily on the village’s conscience at all times. The fox spirit sealed within him was not his fault; rather, it was simply an innate trait placed upon him at birth, yet it's still seen as his burden to endure. Naruto’s rambunctious behavior is a coping mechanism against this repetitive discrimination. By acting out, he tries to draw attention to himself that he does not receive. His aspirations to become Hokage are rooted in his need for societal acceptance.

In the Pain Arc, Naruto faces Pain, also known as Nagato. Nagato is similar to Naruto in that he also faced discrimination and hatred. He was a victim of war; his nation, along with several other small nations, served as collateral for the peace of greater nations. Instead of seeking societal acceptance like Naruto, Nagato admonishes all of society, deeming it irredeemable. He believes that only through collective violence or pain can society begin anew. Yet, it is doomed to endlessly repeat this cycle of hatred. Naruto cannot forgive him for his transgressions, but does choose to not kill him. In doing so, Naruto effectively halts the cycle of hate, offering an opportunity to work towards peace without the pain Nagato ascribes to it. Naruto is celebrated thereafter, illustrating the idea that he had to work hard to be accepted into society while society itself remained unchanged.

[naash-24]

I agree with everything you said! I, like you, have watched A Silent Voice multiple times, more than I can count really. It is still great every time and handles delicate topics with such ease yet needed emphasis. I actually really like that the film is in the perspective of the bully so we are able to see his thoughts and feelings during the beginning, middle, and end of his character development. It also fits the theme of placing the responsibility of accommodation on others, not those with disabilities like society tends to do. I also like that you mentioned Ueno being representative of those who are so deeply rooted in hatred and ablism that they are not willing to change their views. She is kind of a foil for Ishida. Great post!

A Silent Voice

I've watched "A Silent Voice" multiple times now; I think this is my third rewatch, if I remember correctly?? Yet, I still find the movie very compelling despite my familiarity with it. A Silent Voice handles hard topics such as discrimination, ableism, and bullying quite effectively through its narrative.

Shoko, a deaf girl, is constantly shunned by her classmates due to her disability. Shoya, the main character of the film, is the primary individual who incites this treatment of Shoko. The bullying culminates in Shoya and his group of friends ripping out Shoko’s hearing aids. But rather than all the individuals receiving reprimands, the blame is only placed on Shoya. Shoya then becomes ostracized and essentially faces the ramifications of his bullying through his own isolation. I think the film is unique in that it chooses the perspective of the perpetrator and not the victim. Often, media is accustomed to showing events from the victim's point of view, but A Silent Voice uses its own perspective to drive home the psychological strain these actions can have on both victim and perpetrator. Shoya is left to repent his actions for a long time, to the point where suicide seems like a favorable way to atone and free himself from the weight he holds. Fortunately, Shoya instead decides to mend his relationship with Shoko. This improvement shows a society where, rather than the discriminated changing, society changes towards acceptance.

However, this acceptance isn't fully comprehensive, as demonstrated by Ueno's actions in the film. This shift in societal norms is something we should strive for in today’s world. I also want to acknowledge that during the bullying, the authorities did nothing to intervene. Unfortunately, this reflects real-world situations where authority figures often turn a blind eye to maintain established norms. The lack of accommodations for Shoko further underscores this issue.

[naash-24]

Thank you so much for pointing out the obvious misogyny of Tuxedo Mask. I get that he is Sailor Moon's love interest, however he always seems to show up no matter what is going on and do something to intervene the fight. It is also when Sailor Moon is in a binding moment and rarely does she get the opportunity to build character or strength from the struggle. Instead, she was constantly being saved by this man as if she were incompetent. Love Tuxedo Mask, but it feel like they should have cut down on his intervention or had them work together instead of him doing things himself.

Sailor Moon

Sailor moon is a super cute anime that came out in 1994 and was directed towards younger girls. I think what made this anime so ahead of its time was that it depicted an average 14-year-old girl who was chosen to become a hero; just like many popular shonen works aimed towards boys. Usagi dreams of feeling accomplished by defeating bad guys to escape her failing at school, something many children fantasize and would relate to. I’m sure this was a revolutionary anime because it showed that girls can have the power to save others, and they don’t always have to be saved by a male hero. However, even though she has power, Usagi still struggles with love and school. She is still a crybaby. I think this shows that girls can both still act themselves while having power in society. That you are capable of being powerful and feminine.  I’m sure throughout Usagi’s journey as Sailor moon she will grow and overcome her problems.

However, I do think that this anime still held misogynistic or problematic ideas. One thing that stood out to me was that Sailor Moon needed the Tuxedo Mask man to hype her up and make herself feel empowered enough to defeat the monsters. A more modern take would be to have an older woman be this role model.

Episode 4 was very obviously problematic. It opened with a 14-year-old girl freaking out about how she has gained weight. Sure, this is something all young girls feel pressured about. But the anime reinforces the idea that children should worry about the numbers on a scale by having everyone around her tease her for “eating too much” and looking chubbier. Usagi then STARVES herself which is just such a dangerous idea to project to a young audience. As an adult, it makes no sense to pressure a child into losing weight when they are literally growing by the day. I think that this episode sets a dangerous precedent for the younger girls watching this and I wish they used this topic instead as a lesson on loving your body.  It was also sad to see the other girls agreeing that being skinny is ideal. I think the conflict with the gym sucking life force from these girls and women who are desperate to be skinny is an effective commentary on our society if I had to put an interpretive layer on it. The girls would do anything to be skinny, even if it was destroying their bodies or killing them. Unfortunately, we see this happen in real life and that may have been the inspiration for this villain scheme (though it lacks criticism).

[naash-24]

Oh my goodness this was a joy to read. I have never been to a convention and reading people's personal experiences just hypes me up even more! I especially love how passionate you are, I can definitely feel it in your writing. The Sailor Moon outfit is amazing and I hope that I will be able to cosplay a character I like at a con one day. I totally get the nervousness and I know many other people feel that way when starting out. However, it just goes to show how deeply welcoming and accepting the anime/otaku community is! People-watching is also great at conventions, as most people are expecting the attention and may love it too!

Convention Blog Post

On August 1st, 2021, I went to Tampa Comic Con with my dad. This was the first and only convention I've ever been to, but I'm planning on going again with my dad this year at the end of August. At the time I was 15 and a very anxious teen so i was SO stressed about going and being judged. I had planned to cosplay as Nobara from Jujutsu Kaisen, but I decided last minute not to wear it because I didn't want to be embarrassed if I saw someone I knew while walking into the convention center (for context I lived an hour away from Tampa and there was no way I would see anyone I knew but you know when you're nervous you don't think clearly). I was very into manga and anime back then, and I was going with my dad because he's HUGE on Marvel and DC Comics, which I am also still interested in. I didn't have any big expectations going in, or really any sort of plan. I was hoping to buy some Chainsaw Man merch but that was really all I thought of ahead of time.

The convention was 3 days long: a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We decided to go on Sunday, when tickets were reduced and the convention closed earlier than it had the previous days. We also got there as soon as it opened, and I was praying that both of these conditions would make for it to be not nearly as busy as I was anticipating, but I never could've imagined how insanely packed it was. From the short walk to the parking lot to the center, we passed numerous people decked out in cosplays of all kinds. Some just wearing shirts with their favorite characters, others wearing an outfit that they bought from Amazon most likely, and a few people adorned in completely homemade cosplays that they had clearly spent days, if not weeks, completing. I didn't wear a cosplay because I thought I would be one of the only ones, but it turned out that my normal clothes were actually in the minority. After going through the long process of entering, getting our wristbands, and traversing the center to make it to the convention space, I was amazed at how many people I had already passed. And my shock only grew as we stepped inside the large room. The space was like a labyrinth, a maze with walls of tables and booths, filled with all kinds of merchandise. I had thought that fanmade anime merch like keychains and art prints would be the main thing being sold, but I was very wrong. There was a GIANT section right next to the entrance that was just at least 10 long tables of boxes filled with vintage comics. There were multiple woodworking booths that sold beautifully intricate sculptures and wall art that were all well over $300 (which seemed a very appropriate price for the amount of detail that was hand carved). It's easy to say that I was very overwhelmed by all this.

I have always LOVED people watching, and I've never been to a better place to do so than this convention. After walking around for about an hour just taking all of the information in, my dad and I went to a little snack stand and each got a cheeseburger and a drink. The few tables they had were full, so we sat against a wall and surveyed the crowd. People of all ages were cosplaying and interacting. I saw one middle aged man dressed as Batman go up to a kid dressed as the Joker who couldn't have been older than 12 and start pretending to have a rivalry with him. There were so many group costumes for things I couldn't have even imagined cosplaying. Another teenage girl was sat on the floor a few feet away from me with her group of friends, wearing her interpretation of Bill Cipher from the show Gravity Falls. It genuinely filled me with so much joy to be able to watch all of these diverse groups come together to just celebrate what they like. I was so nervous going in, but everyone there seemed so friendly and at ease, I couldn't help but feel a lot less embarrassed.

My dad and I sat on the floor for about an hour and finished our food, and we went to explore the rest of the convention. We stopped at almost every booth, and I had bought 2 things along the way, a Gojo Satoru poster for my friend's birthday, and a Neon Genesis Evangelion shirt for my other friend's birthday (all of our birthdays are within a week from each other so it was nice to be able to get their gifts all in one spot). The event didn't really seem like my dad's cup of tea, and I was getting worried that he wasn't having fun, but he reassured me that he was just enjoying walking around and hanging out. After 3 hours of being under bright fluorescent lights and surrounded by people and bright colors, we were both starting to get a headache and decided it was time for us to head out. I know lots of people stay at conventions from open to close every day that they run, and I have to give MAJOR props to them because I am not nearly strong enough for that. On the way out, my dad and I passed a booth that we missed before that was selling $5 vintage tees. I dragged him over to look and was SO excited because all of the shirts they had were actually really cool. He bought 2 Marvel shirts, and I was very happy that he wan't leaving empty handed. I also got 2 shirts, an oversized graphic tee of the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles show that my dad made me watch as a kid, and a Def Leppard shirt that I still wear to this day (shown below in a picture way too big for this post but it won't let me make it smaller).

3 years later, as a much more confident college student, I can't wait to return to Tampa Comic Con. I'm planning on wearing a Sailor Moon cosplay that I wore for halloween last year (added below in case anyone wanted to see), and after my previous experience, I'm no longer nervous about being judged. Comic Con is a place where the only requirement to be accepted is to be kind <3

(So so sorry this is over 1k words I just got really into writing about my experience and reminiscing. Please don't dock any points I'm just overly passionate)

[naash-24]

Hello! I agree with everything you said and additionally love that you mentioned the art style and it being geared towards young women. I just recently found out that Aggretsuko was made by Sanrio, same as Hello Kitty and such characters. It is crazy to compare the two since Retsuko swears, drinks, and doesn't act what is considered "cute" or "ladylike" in the way that Hello Kitty presents its characters. I don't know if you've watched all of Aggretsuko but I can say that Ton gets some major character development; while he definitely fits the chauvinist pig criteria at the beginning, he learns to be more respectful and appreciative of Retsuko. He is actually one of my favorite characters once he opens up!

Aggretsuko

Aggretsuko is a slice-of-life sitcom which follows the daily antics of Retsuko. Retsuko is an anthropomorphized raccoon who works a typical office job. The conflicts in the series are rather tame especially when compared with other anime like Naruto or Sailor Moon. Typical antagonists include Retsuko’s angry boss or the social conflict of awkward interactions with coworkers. What sets Retsuko apart is her signature talent: To unwind after a long day of hard work, Retsuko likes to belt heavy metal music at her local karaoke bar.

The series likes to explore and subvert traditional gender norms. Aggretsuko herself is a subversion of the “typical” woman. She’s a petite young woman who belts heavy metal. This is in stark contrast to who Retsuko is at work: a softspoken young woman who is generally a pushover. Some characters, though, due embody gender stereotypes. Retsuko’s boss, Ton, is a chauvinist manager who makes the young women do menial tasks around the office. In the form of an anthropomorphized pig, Ton clearly represents an oppressive patriarchy that Retsuko has to work for. Retsuko’s coworker, Tsunoda, is a stereotypical woman who acts ditzy and subservient towards men.

Throughout the series, the viewer is presented with the juxtaposition between those who conform to traditional gender norms and those who do not with the latter category largely filled by Retsuko. Retsuko is constantly confronted by hallmarks of traditional “womanhood”. She is yelled at for not being competent at work, she is pressured to get married and go on dates before she is ready, and she cannot cook very well (the series itself is animated in a very cutesy, bright art style indicative of programming geared towards young girls). Naturally, these conflicts frustrate Retsuko. She expresses these frustrations in the form of her art, heavy metal singing, and this gives her control she cannot get elsewhere in her life. Her singing is her way of reclaiming the agency taken away from her by society.

All in all, I would say I recommend Aggretsuko. Retsuko is a great role model for young women in the modern age (especially when compared to Sailor Moon), and any young woman would be proud to be like her.

[naash-24]

Naruto

I have watched all of the original Naruto series and am in the process of watching Naruto Shippuden. It is truly a great series; Naruto's character development and growth really shine through. However there is an underlying theme of discrimination that is handled differently than how it should be in a real-world situation.

In the original Naruto series, Naruto is a young boy whose parents died shortly after he was born, leaving him orphaned. He was born with the spirit of the Nine-Tailed Fox within him; because of this, he was almost immediately deemed as an outcast from society. Kids his age make fun of him or avoid him, while even grown adults shun him. Naruto had no choice in the matter yet still gets treated like an outcast because of his difference. He dreams of being Hokage, the village leader, in order to gain the respect from his fellow townspeople. It is sad to see that Naruto tries to work so hard to earn the favor of people who clearly do not care about him. Naruto has to change himself in order for people to accept him, which is not what should be done in a real-world scenario. However, it is not uncommon for shonen anime to portray the main character in this way; it just stands out way more in Naruto. When we move from Naruto to Naruto Shippuden, a lot of time has passed, and Naruto has matured significantly. He worked very hard and endured many challenges. He is surrounded by people who trust him and love him for who he is. The townspeople who used to shun him now cheer for him because he saved their lives. Don't get me wrong, it's always great to see a character get stronger and push forward, but within its underlying context lies the social pressures that are placed on those with differences to fit in. I give this anime an 8/10.

[naash-24]

A Silent Voice

A Silent Voice was one of the first anime movies I had ever watched, along with Your Name and Weathering With You. I really love this movie even now and I was happy to rewatch it for the billionth time.

A Silent Voice follows a boy named Ishida who used to bully his classmate, Nishimiya, when they were young. Nishimiya, being deaf, was made a target almost immediately for Ishida and his friends. It got so bad that Nishimiya ended up transferring to a different school specifically for deaf and hearing-impaired students. Ishida then gets bullied himself by those he considered to be his friends and others, and begins to experience the social isolation that Nishimiya did. Years go by and Ishida feels heavy guilt and regret for his actions; he decides to find Nishimiya again, apologize, and try to become friends with her. They spend the rest of the movie going through ups and downs, and Ishida learns to open up to others again.

I think this anime does a really good job of showing how, as a society, it is important for us to work on accommodating those with disabilities, not having those with disabilities try to accommodate themselves so society will accept them. Nishimiya does not change who she is at all throughout the film really, she's still good old Nishimiya who tries her best to communicate and make friends. Ishida demonstrates this change by trying to learn sign language in order to communicate with Nishimiya. Not only does Ishida attempt to reconnect with Nishimiya, but others accommodate her as well and go out of their way to talk to her and make her feel included. Again, I like that the highlight of the movie is really about Ishida's redemption and showcasing the implications of bullying while also showing that Nishimiya owes nothing to society for being deaf. I give this anime a 9/10.

[naash-24]

Wolf Children

This anime was absolutely beautiful. The visuals, the music, the message, everything. I was a bit skeptical because of the wolfman human girl trope being a little out there, but it was done really well. It was emotionally packed all the way through, but also had some especially powerful moments that moved me heavily.

This anime was about a woman, Hana, who falls in love with a wolf man whose name we never learn. Hana falls pregnant and they have two adorable kids, a daughter named Yuki and a son named Ame. They are half human half wolf. Sadly, the wolfman dies while out hunting for food, and Hana is left to raise her too half breed kids all on her own.

What I found to be the most prominent theme of this anime was identity and a sense of belonging. We can also see the lack of accommodation for mixed culture. Hana tries to raise her kids in the city but is unable to, realizing this when one of her kids gets sick and she doesn't know whether to take them to the doctor or the veterinarian. Hana, Yuki, and Ame move out of the city into the countryside; Hana tells her kids that now they can grow up with the freedom to choose how they want to live.

What was interesting to me was the way Yuki started out being more in tune with her wolf side to then wanting to be completely human; meanwhile, the opposite was true of Ame, wanting to be more human as a child and then wanting to embrace his wolf side fully. One of the most powerful scenes in the movie revolves around this conflict of identity, where Yuki wants Ame to be more human, and Ame wants Yuki to be more wolf like. They get into a huge argument, verbally and physically, drawing them further apart. Hana knows she gave them the freedom to choose, however, she probably didn't expect them to fully abandon the other half of themselves. There is no real resolution to the conflict of identity in this film. Yes, Yuki and Ame end up picking their lifestyles and abandoning their other half, but it's not really the message I would've wanted to send. It would've been nice if they were able to accept both halves of themselves, but then again we know that this is not always the case for everyone and is actually quite realistic.

I really enjoyed this anime, though I don't know if I'd watch it again because it made me feel so many emotions (similarly to Grave of the Fireflies). I give it a 9/10.