Whenever the subject of the representation in the anime arises, certain corners of the Internet are quickly filled with The articles declaring that the anime discussing deeper themes, making political points or featuring various casts is a modern creationAnd that these elements are something that studios are forced to add to appease an unknown group of executives. However, this is far from the truth, because the anime has always presented deeper subjects and oppressed or neglected groups highlighted, and it is essential that the medium continues this proud tradition in the future.
Since its early days, the anime has reflected and discussed culture and politics surrounding its creation. For example, one of the first recorded anime films (but now lost), 1917 Imokawa Mukuzo Genkanban No Maki (which translates directly by The history of the Internet concierge), was Created and led by ōten Shimokawa, a man who was best known for his work as a political designer for satirical magazine Tokyo washer.
The history of the representation of anime
The anime has always discussed the political and social problems of its time
This film (and several other contemporaries) would inspire a whole generation of animators, throwing the foundations of modern animated industry. But, during the Second World War, the The Japanese government has achieved the usefulness of the medium as a propaganda tool And (like all the other countries involved in the conflict) began to hire filmmakers to create films glorifying the country and insulting its enemies, leading to the production of films like 1943 Momotarō: umi no shinpei (Momotarō: sacred sailors).
Naturally, after the end of the war, many artists began to use the animated environment to tackle what they had experienced. This The era would see the rise of Osamu Tezuka, which would become known as the “manga godfather” when it laid the foundations of manga and modern animated industry Fans know and love today. One of Tezuka’s most influential works was AstroA series that made its manga debut in 1952 and its beginnings on the anime in 1963.
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Even this series, so early in the modern history of the medium, transports several messages linked to societal discussions during the time. The most obvious comes from the first chapter of Ambassador Atom, The short series that introduced the character Astro Boy. In this chapter, Foreigners similar to humans arrive on earth. Naturally, humans do not trust these interstellar visitors, and fights are starting to break out Despite humans and extraterrestrials who seem almost identical.
Astro finds himself in the middle of the two factions and tries to negotiate peace, but quickly notes that it is not easy, because many humans are bloodthirsty and suspicious towards anyone who does not resemble them. It is impossible to read this chapter without realizing what Tezuka was referring, because the chapter clearly uses the human and extraterrestrial conflict as a metaphor of the Second World War, which makes a greater point on the need for peace and understanding between different groups of people.
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Astro Boy has laid the foundations for decades of representative narration
Shortly after, Tezuka would be invited to create a story like Astro But intended for a female audience. After accepting the request, he was inspired by the entirely female and non -complied theatrical troop of Takarazuka gender revised and wrote from the years 1953 Princess Knight. This series follows Sapphire, a young princess who claims to be a prince to protect the throne of his kingdom. She can do this well, because, at birth, she accidentally received the heart of a girl and the heart of a boy, leading her to present herself both as a man and a woman, depending on the situation. In the same way as Astro discussed the persistent effects of the war, Princess Knight is based on Japan’s current discussions on women’s equality (As the 1946 draft Constitution had added a section guaranteeing gender equality to women), many media specialists arguing that Tezuka has given Saphir two hearts to show how traditional and restrictive Japanese and restrictive Japanese gender roles were.
After that, hundreds of other creators would follow The traces of Tezuka and use the medium to approach the major subjects that have defined their eras And groups of projectors that were often overlooked in society. For example, in the 1970s, creators like Riyoko Ikeda and other members of the year 24 tried to redefine the manga shojo to have it reflected the new movement of liberation of women in Japan and the policy of the new left of Japan, leading to series like series like Japan The Rose de Versailles Who used the backdrop of the French Revolution to discuss equality, socialism and the role of gender in society. And this trend did not stop with the group of the year 24. Each generation of anime creators, before and since then, has brought its own ideas, fears, anxiety and hopes with them in the industry, and this can be seen in their work, of be-Papas attacking gender roles in 1997 UTENA revolutionary girl, to Lesean Thomas who tries to highlight black history with 2021 Yasuke.
Why anime inclusion is important for the future
The medium must continue to tell stories that reflect the modern world
However, it is easy to see how this idea of anime being “non -political” and exempt from external social influence has become anchored in the Fandom of the Western anime. When the anime began to incurs in American culture in the 1990s and 2000s, it was often presented without its surrounding cultural context. As internet access was less common and social media had not yet taken its modern global form, It was difficult for American fans to find this cultural context for themselves, because an English coverage of Japanese policy and its current social discussions was sparse. In addition, even if information on a subject was available in English, most anime fans (especially the youngest) do not know where to start their research.
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Due to this lack of information, Many anime fans did not make the themes of their favorite works. Without access to the surrounding context indices, they did not know what the creators discussed, because they did not know the state of political discussion in Japan, which made the fans develop the false notion that the anime was a space that existed outside of society and was therefore not affected by the events of the world around it.
In addition, a lot American anime distributors have deliberately played in this knowledge vacuum In order to ensure that their anime offers seem exotic and attractive for rebel adolescents, with many companies completely marketing their recordings not by discussing content inside, but by declaring that the anime was not “the cartoons of your dad” or was not “Disney caricatures for babies”. This means that the environment of modern anime, where fans can discover and discover the surrounding context and fully engage with the themes and the underlying policy of their favorite creators and series, is better because it allows fans to enjoy the anime at a deeper level and to engage more with the stories and the worlds presented.
While some may not hate him, The anime must continue to include representation and approach major subjects. Anime, like each art form, is a product of people that exist within the limits of the real world. Thus, the anime is in constant conversation with the world around it, and each choice (whether aware or unconscious on the part of the creators) reflects it. Because of this, the creators must understand and be aware of the work for work around them and do their best to be inclusive while avoiding avoiding using their work to talk about major subjects that mean something for them.
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Most series (even those with fantastic elements) aim to reflect the real world and real life in one way or another, if only to allow the spectator to refer or sympathize with the central cast. Like every country in the world, Japan is a diverse place. Based on various surveys Completed in the past five years, 2.3% of the Japanese population is made up of foreign citizens, around 4% of the population belongs to one of the recognized native minority groups (Ryukyuans, Ainu and Hāfu), and around 9.7% Identify as part of the LGBTQ + Community, with 1.15% of the population identifying themselves as transgender. The omission of these anime groups and thus denies the natural diversity of the world undermines the construction of the world of a spectacle, because viewers are instantly aware that the spectacle does not reflect the realities of life, undercoating any emotional impact that the show aims to have.
The anime is better when fans give him space to approach big subjects or be actively inclusive. The art designed by the committee which is done only to generate income or sell toys rarely resists the test of timeusually found himself forgotten when the following season begins. Worse still, rely on this type of content that is too strongly led to average stagnation, which can possibly lead to the death of a genre or a whole form of art as viewers are bored. Consequently, it is in the best interest of anime fans to accept that the anime will always be a place where creators discuss the problems of the world and highlight the struggles of minority groups, because it leads to legendary programs and films like Astro Boy, the Rose de Versailles, And Nausicaä of the Wind Valley, whose success, in turn, allows the industry to continue in the future.