Forum - View topicSeppuku.
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Dalvyn
 Posts: 86 |
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I have watched a lot of anime, but I rarely see the topic of seppuku brought up. Though admittedly I have seen few shows that happen in a period for it to make much sense.
I was wondering what examples there where in anime, and your opinions on seppuku as a whole? With it being closely, (if not as much now) tied to a culture that I would assume we all have a certain respect for. For those who don't know, or are don't have the time to look it up, seppuku, (also known as harakiri, or belly slashing) is a form of ritual suicide most commonly associated with samurai as a way of preserving, or earning back, honor. As a disclaimer, I don't condone suicide in any form, ritual or otherwise. |
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EireformContinent
 Posts: 977 Location: Łódź/Poland (The Promised Land) |
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There are two main reasons why anime usually avoid this trope
-Firstly, anime usually aren't meant to deal with serious issues- even in so called "historical" shouens serious mentions about that wouldn't it the mood. Eventual suicide is mentioned usually to make fun out of it- Ranma 1/2 (manga, I haven't seen the anime), One Piece, Love Hina, Lupin III but it's easy to miss them. -Secondary, nowadays Japan consider high suicide rates as a social problem, so showing it in positive light in shows targeted to teenagers would be unsuitable and irresponsible knowing which kind of teenagers is the biggest target. As a person who had to deal with suicide attempts as a first aid I strongly approve the attitude of showing it as an outdated custom that was a relic of old era and has nothing to do with new times. There are several series, that raised that topic are far from glorify it -Code Geass- as a cover story for the death of one of the background character -Hetalia (manga) captured Japan wills to do it, his companions don't. -Naruto -Lone Wolf and Cub |
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Dalvyn
Posts: 86 |
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I don't know if I would call Code Greasse's suicide a form of seppuku, though I can see where you are coming from. (I think we are talking about the same scene anyways.) I want to iterate again, I just see it as an interesting concept, and don't seek to glorify it. That being said, in a different time frame, that had a very different perspective on things I could respect it. In modern times however, it does not translate over very well. |
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dtm42
Posts: 14084 Location: currently stalking my waifu |
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Peacemaker treated the issue in a silly way, with a character who failed to kill himself in a seppuku attempt turning the resulting scar into a mouth that he 'talks' with. Of course, why he wasn't beheaded (as was customary) I don't know.
As to my opinion on seppuku, my answer is a shrug. I don't mind if it is used as long as it's used well, same with any other trope or story element. |
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Vaisaga
 Posts: 13243 |
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I recall the opening scene from Shigurui: Death Frenzy involved a guy who had committed seppuku begs his lord to stop this death tournament he was holding. The guy had bound his stomach together with bandages but his intestines eventually fell out...
Shigurui really didn't hold anything back. Anyways, while I understand the cultural significance, I don't condone suicide either. I'd much rather live with shame than be dead and I think it takes more strength to do that. I also recall in Tales of Vesperia this dude has to commit seppuku to prevent a war. The main character volunteers to be his Kaishakunin (the one to chop off his head). |
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Riddley
 Posts: 536 Location: Ireland |
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Sword Art Online - spoiler[guild leader throws himself off the side. the LBs it was mentioned as having happened a lot.]
Seppuku is just suicide for honor purposes. Doesn't have to be a tanto to the gut or beheading by a katanaThose gave the most honor, but any suicide for honor purposes is seppuku. |
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Polycell
 Posts: 4623 |
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The only instance I know of is from WORKING!! after Yachiyo spoiler[gets some hint that Jun's got the hots for her]. Kyouko actually acts a bit like a manager for once after being asked to be her second.
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18563 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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In Cat Planet Cuties, Assist-a-roids that are unable to complete their master's orders attempt to commit seppuku. (Or at least one does, anyway.)
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Animegomaniac
Posts: 4174 |
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Though to be a 100% honest, he was dressed as a samurai and had a sword. Otherwise, it wouldn't be seppuku. I know I've seen this done in more than one show though for the life of me, I can't remember which ones. Villains and more often their minions, rather than being captured, go for the sword and high honor instead. How do I feel about it? It's all just part of the show and I don't take it seriously. It's not too far different from the "You have failed me" villain minion death popularized by Vader. Only it's self inflicted rather than... self inflicted... "I have failed you." It doesn't get much traction in the West for one very good reason: Villains are evil, self righteous bastards here and they don't care. Then there's the heroic varient, which is weak. That's the easy way out; "I failed. That's it." Ok, here's one show: Koihime Musou, parodic comedy with seppuku taken seriously for some reason. Lord To was stopped from killing herself because it wasn't her fault. |
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Furudanuki
 Posts: 1874 |
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From Dai Mahou Touge aka Magical Witch Punie-chan.
Who could ever forget Potato-dono's magnificent gesture? |
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nightjuan
 Posts: 1473 |
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Actually, I believe EireformContinent was probably talking about a different case here, that does refer to the term. One or two very minor Japanese characters were in fact killed off by Zero, but he claimed it was a case of seppuku as a cover story in order to hide the truth, which was rather cynical of him and not a way to glorify the concept. |
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Veers
 Posts: 1197 Location: Texas |
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RHachicho
 Posts: 897 Location: Essex, UK |
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Do you think that the western perception of seppuku i.e that of the harsh face of an ancient unforgiving and inhuman "code of honor" influenced it's decline of depiction?
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infiltration.cru
 Posts: 321 |
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I'd speculate it has more to do with the almost complete collapse of Japan after the end of WWII, hence a decline of social structures and practices that originate in the feudal era. Sure, Japanese society still remained very hierarchical and strict towards people who deviated from social standards but I'd still say that this was probably the historical turning point. |
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EricJ
 Posts: 876 |
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And the beheading by katana was technically harikiri (in case the victim chickened out), despite the number of people who confuse the two. (Or the folks during the wartime 40's who pronounced it "Harry Carey", like the old B-Western actor.) But either one's still associated with the feudal-mythology days, which's why Nodoka Saotome satirizes such fierce traditionalism on Ranma 1/2. |
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