Forum - View topicPolitics in anime.
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Wu Ming
Posts: 113 |
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I'm semi-inspired by another forum member's attempt to make the connection between the two. However, i think coming from a viewpoint with a variety of preconceived notions, he didn't properly examine the idea.
Has anyone noticed the political nature of anime? When i refer to the political nature, i am not referring to politics taken in the Western sense. That usually entails an Ideological viewpoint, a set of propositions about how one believes the world should work. Its the world of the "-ism." Its also not how politics works in Asia. There's a bad joke from the late-80s that gets circulated around every so often in the Japanese Diet, the South Korean Gukhoe/National Assembly, the Lìfǎ Yuàn of Taiwan, etc. "Asians don't believe in Ideas." Now obviously the statement is hyperbole. But what it was trying to convey is that Ideological standpoints about which many Western countries invest so much time and handwringing into tends to fall to the wayside in the face of things like: Region/Locality, Patronage, Pork-Barrel Business interests, Bureaucratic/Technocratic perogatives, and most of all Faction. Loyalty to the Faction (itself a combination of diverse interests usually centered around a Faction Leader) tends to trump Ideology, and this especially true in Japan. And i would contend this is mirrored perfectly in Anime and how writers/artists portray politics in anime. The first time i remember seeing politics in action in Anime was Neon Genesis Evangelion. Does anyone here remember an episode where Shinji and Rei need to go fight one of the Angels and use an experimental cannon of some sort but needed to get approval from the government. Flash to NERV, then to the Japanese Prime Minister's Office, than to another official on a Golf Course, than another official, all of them "Passing the buck" i think the expression is. My friend's grandfather, who is Japanese, was watching with us that day and he couldn't stop laughing at how the "silly little robot show" could capture what was in essence the classic behavior of the LDP/Japanese Government in real life = ie: No One wanted to take responsiblity for letting the cannon out less Shinji accidentally destroyed something. Evangelion also had a ton of factional influences. NERV vs. Seele vs. the UN vs. the Japanese government. Literally everybody spying on everybody else out of a direct mistrust. ****************************************************** My experience with American cartoons are limited, though a few friends have shown me examples. Backdoor dealings and multiple antagonists did not seem to be the norm early on. American cartoons always seemed to have the "Epic Battle of Good vs. Evil" with no shades of grey in between. GI Joe goes fights a terrorists organization called Cobra. He-Man goes fights an evil sorceror who looks like a Skeleton. Marvel and DC heroes go form their own club to fight villains who also form their own club. Its a very binary world, something i can only guess at is a result of the Cold War between America and Russia. It is an Ideological fight, a Battle where there are clearly delineated Goods Guys and Bad Guys. It is, dare i say, a simple world. [EDIT: Don't double post. Just edit the first one. -TK] |
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ShadowTrader
 Posts: 231 Location: NJ |
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Politics in anime is almost non-existant from my opinion. Besides who's the political commentary aimed at? 13 year olds?
Maybe if you're looking at historic anime with the Meiji era ,imperialism, etc. then you might see some side being taken and social commentary made by the creators. But all in all its more for entertainment then really criticism or ideology spreading. I don't believe anime is made as medium to spread the politics of a civilization or culture. It's just for entertainment and the spread of childish morals and ideals. |
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dormcat
Encyclopedia Editor
 Posts: 9902 Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC |
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animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-08-22/2nd-anime-political-ad-of-this-year-elections-posted
animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-08-13/happy-science-rebirth-of-buddha-to-open-in-october A medium can carry just about any idea to anyone. |
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One Vorlon
Posts: 34 |
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Have you seen Gasaraki (mecha show by the creator of Flag)? Much of the show focuses on how the deployment of giant robots would affect (and be affected by) modern society, and starts with their deployment to a search for WMDs (with UN support) in a recalcitrant Middle Eastern country. Besides the fact that the reason for intervention may drummed up, there are all sorts of political aspects - everything from debates on whether Japan can legally send forces in under its constitution to a trade dispute between the U.S. and Japan.
Actually, it arises out of a (largely forgotten) religion called Manicheanism, who's chief prophet (Mani) preached that there were two gods - one good and one evil - who's conflict defined the fabric of creation. Manicheanism faded into obscurity long before (as in millenia) the Cold War began, but that dualistic belief has endured pretty well. |
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walw6pK4Alo
 Posts: 9322 |
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Legend of the Galactic Heroes deals with political ideals of democracy and monarchy, that's about the closest I've ever seen it come.
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Zin5ki
 Posts: 6680 Location: London, UK |
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On the subject, wasn't Patlabor 2: The Movie a direct criticism of the Japanese Self-Defense Force, and the actions they were involved in during the early 1990s? Of course, most works by Mamoru Oshii these days have their political significance, but this strikes me as the only film in which non-fictional organisations are integrated into his critique.
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littlegreenwolf
 Posts: 4796 Location: Seattle, WA |
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I found myself loving Code Geass mainly for the political aspects they played with in that crazy world of British Imperialism, even if it freaked me out a bit at the beginning (would love to hear the opinion of the show by someone from the UK). Racism, colonization, nationalism, self proclaimed independence, how something can be seen as a right by one group and terrorism by another. The whole show was nothing but over the top political drama.
I haven't watched season 2 yet but I'm looking forward to it. I wouldn't lump all American cartoons in the same boat. There's everything from The Boondocks, which puts it right in your face, to something that can be discreet such as Disney's the Lion King. I think my earliest exposure to politics in an American cartoon may have been Captain Planet, which forever imprinted me with a very green liberal philosophy. Fern Gully as well I suppose. And I wouldn't be so quick to do away with the comics in general you mentioned. You'd find a number of people ready to go on about the politics behind X-Men. X-Men is far from a simple good vs evil battle. Sure you've got Magneto (who some would dispute isn't evil) but for me the biggest baddie in X-Men is the American Government as they fight for mutant rights. |
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SalarymanJoe
 Posts: 468 Location: Atlanta, GA, USA |
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While not at the forefront, many of the Universal Century calendar's events in the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise feature a range of political characteristics, such as Cameron Bloom's pacifism portrayed as cowardice to Beltorchika's turn from pacifism to permitting self-defense, to the overt militarism of the Principality of Zeon during the One Year War and the rampant corruption and ineptitude of the Earth Federation.
I do remember several years ago reading another forum where the OP believed that Tomino himself had some socialist leanings and put them forward when writing the Universal Century; however, I pointed out that many other factors, such as spacenoid liberation as proposed by Zeon Daikun, Amuro's belief that humanity should choose to evolve naturally into Newtypes rather than forcing them (either through enhancements like the bat-shit crazy results that occurred with Four or Char's eugenics) and the consistent criticism of the inept Federation and repulsion at the acts of Gihren "Genocidal F***head" Zabi and the Titans, it seemed that Tomino harbored just as many libertarian feelings and one could not exactly ascertain Tomino's exact leanings alone from Gundam. Nor do I think one could do so looking at his entire catalog. But these are very broad and general overviews of some political theory not an exact endorsement of one political philosophy over another. |
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DomFortress
 Posts: 751 Location: Richmond BC, Canada |
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The power struggle between the CEO and the executives, the JSDF and the special emergency deployment army, an active cult leader turned politician using PR to gain even more publicity. Even the agony of middle-management and entry-level office workers. Howbeit the whole show is a lot more cheerful than NGE. |
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Kruszer
 Posts: 7994 Location: Minnesota, USA |
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Politics are a waste of my valuable time since I'm an independent swing voter, and never agree with anybody or any particular party. Watching them being debated usually makes me want to change the channel or otherwise quiet the source of the annoying noise.
It's fine in anime in small doses but gets annoying when the message is too obvious or heavy-handed. For instance a lot of anime club you to death with the environmentalist "Humans=bad, Earth=good" stuff. |
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Zin5ki
Posts: 6680 Location: London, UK |
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It won't be released over here until next month. I haven't heard any major complaints from those who've imported it or watched it fansubbed however. If the fictional world depicted is meant to be a caricature of real countries in view of their histories, then it seems to take far too many creative liberties, such that it actually shows a possible world far removed from our own. This being the case, it's not really worth getting in a fuss about. (From clips I've seen, it certainly hasn't been dubbed in a manner which would suggest that Britannia is to be identified with Britain...) |
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RedSwirl
 Posts: 344 |
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Is it me or does a large portion of Production I.G.'s stuff, especially all of the Blood anime, seem to communicate certain feelings towards Japan's relationship with America?
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egoist
 Posts: 7762 |
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I can't see GB having anything to do with Code Geass other than the empire's name and that they have a king. Not to mention that there's a queen here, not a king, but I'd say she's more like a symbolic leader while the PM is the one pulling the strings and ruining the country.
But if you're looking for fantasy politics, Code Geass is the first place you should look for. |
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littlegreenwolf
Posts: 4796 Location: Seattle, WA |
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I don't remember too clearly, but it's an alternate universe time line for sure. I think the history in their world is the same until around Elizabeth I. After she dies her "illegitimate son" takes over and continues an absolute monarchy imperial power, all the way to the modern era where they pretty much rule most of the world. The royal family in the show is in a warped Social Darwin situation of survival of the fittest where they kill off each other for the throne. I had many a odd vision of picturing the current British monarchy in their situation which left me going :O! most of the time, but that's due to my over active imagination that likes to entertain my brain with many a weird thought. Either way the Holy Britannian Empire is definitely you guys if the maps they show in it are any indication. You rule us all! 
In all I found Code Geass to be fun, over the top alternate history crack, much like The Confederate States of America movie I had a good laugh about a few months back. |
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LKK
 Posts: 426 Location: Virginia, USA |
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Code Geass's alternate time line starts even earlier than that. In its history, Julius Casear did not conquer the British isles. He was defeated by a Celtic king who established the Britannian monarchy. |
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