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Múa Lân Productions
ANIME CLASS
- took it Fall 2000
- Dr. Susan Napier
- Asian Studies
Department
- one of first anime classes
in the nation
I feel quite privileged and fortunate to have been able to take this class. An academic approach to anime was one I had not been aware of, and I realized that anime itself could be even more meaningful than I thought. The papers in this class were a pleasure to write, but I still wish I hadn't left them all until the morning-of to write them.

The Final Exam:
- take home essay
- open ended

ESSAY: "You're at a party talking with someone when you mention that you took a class on Japanese animation in college. The other person remarks, 'How could the university offer a class on such garbage?! Besides, I hear that anime is just all sex and violence anyway.' How do you respond?"

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The World of Japanese Animation: Final Exam
Nhan Nguyen: 12/11/00

"Well, you are certainly correct ... to a certain extent. Some Japanese animation is indeed nothing more than sex and violence. You may have heard of an infamous series called Urotsuki: Legend of the Overfiend; this particular title has been widely regarded as intensely offensive and shocking Ninja Scroll in its imagery. In fact it was banned in Europe, I believe. As for violence, you might have come across bloody ninja/samurai titles, like the popular Ninja Scroll, that take animated violence beyond anything you'd see made here in the US. So based on just this, I'd wholeheartedly agree with you. If the university had offered a course structured only on these premises, I sure wouldn't take it.

'Anime is just sex and violence,' right? Believe it or not, that's exactly what I thought too. The only anime I had previously been exposed to was indeed filled with sex and violence. In Ranma ½ a way, it was kind of cool (which is what many male teenagers would think, right?), but it still isn't the kind of entertainment I'm interested in. One day, however, my younger brother rented this anime called Ranma ½. I suddenly realized that Japanese animation wasn't all just R-rated material; here was an anime (of the romantic comedy variety, which I wasn't even aware of) that was obviously for children, but was just so fun and involving that I found myself entirely engrossed by it. I guess that's when I first started liking anime.

But whenever anyone asked why I watched anime, I would say that I only watch this particular title. I didn't want to say that I was an "anime fan" because that would then bring the direct connotations with those sex and violence titles I had originally seen. There was no way I'd be associated with that trash. I still liked Ranma and had found a few other good titles, but I still wouldn't consider myself a "fan." Did you hear about that anime film that was shown in theaters Princess Mononoke awhile back? The title was Princess Mononoke. After reading on the internet how great this film was, how it was the pinnacle of anime, etc, I took all my siblings and myself to see it. Although it was a well done film, it wasn't exactly something I could even understand, much less like. And so I was content with the few titles I had come to love, and decided that it would be enough. Then when I found out that there was a class being taught at the university specifically on Japanese animation; it was a class in the Asian Studies department. I decided to register. I had taken a few other asian studies courses prior, which were all quite informative and interesting, so I figured I might be able to learn something from this one ... and I certainly did.

The most important idea I took away from the course was an increased understanding and appreciation for all types of anime. I learned that anime was an immensely large medium, that had vast cultural and artistic ties both in Japan and universally. In calling it a medium, I am suggesting that animation is simply another means by which a message is conveyed. That message can be an involving story, or perhaps a psychological plethora of emotive imagery. In other words, it is a medium in the same way that art, cinema, and music are mediums. Anime is so broad that it encompasses all different genres, with sex/violence inevitably being an element in it. But by categorizing all anime as mature-themed, we would be missing out on the vast majority of other genres. Such a generalization would be comparable to looking at adult video, and thinking that all cinema is as such. It's simply a problem of basing judgments from a limited, biased collection of data. So those people who say anime is all sex and violence aren't necessarily wrong, as there are such anime, they just aren't entirely right either.

Have you ever heard of Hayao Miyazaki? Well, he's actually one of the most influential names in animation in the world today. His animated works have been regarded on an artistic level comparable to Einstein's contribution to science; he is a genius of animation. Whether or not you Hayao Miyazaki like Disney movies or not, you can't argue with their commercial success, can you? Well, Miyazaki's films have achieved a success just as grand, if not more, than Disney. His Princess Mononoke (the one I saw in theaters with my siblings), was the highest grossing film in Japan ever ... well, second only to Titanic, but that's a different story. Anyway, in the course, we learned how Miyazaki is an auteur. That is, someone who has a defined artistic vision and is able to convey that vision through their work. We saw some of Miyazaki's works for the class, and I was able to fully understand how this man could achieve such a reputation. His films are able to construct "worlds" that captivate the viewer, enabling the free expression of strong emotions and feelings. The great thing is, all this is done through animation; colored, moving picture cels that are so beautiful that when I saw them, it was like experiencing an artistic masterpiece. In fact I saw My Neighbor Totoro Princess Mononoke again through the course, and this time around, I was able to fully appreciate the beauty and splendor of the work. I finally understood why it was regarded so highly. And as grand as Miyazaki's works are, many of them are also readily accessible by children. We saw one of his children films, My Neighbor Totoro, which presented childhood in a innocent, pure manner. Children would be able to enjoy it for its simplicity of exhibition, as would adults who would be able to see the depth and feeling of the film. At any rate, Miyazaki's films can be regarded as a "higher" level of Japanese animation.

Did you enjoy The Matrix? Did you find the sci-fi futuristic world presented in that film the least bit interesting? Well, it turns out that Matrix drew heavily from the world of The Matrix Japanese animation; in particular, the world of "cyberpunk." The term itself refers to a vision of the future through a noir (or darker) perception. In this future, many times there are cyborgs (humans with mechanical parts) and androids (machines with an anatomically human guise). These Ghost in the Shell concepts bring about some interesting discussions such as whether or not a machine that thinks for itself can have a soul. Questions arise concerning what makes a human a human, and we are able to look at our own selves in an introspective, thoughtful manner. The concept of humans versus technology is also brought to the forefront by cyberpunk. We've seen the boom of the computer and the internet in our lifetime; how will this trend continue in the future? With the commercial success of The Matrix, that was so heavily influenced by anime, I think you can imagine how those fans would also embrace anime, if only they were aware of it.

The reasoning behind all the emphasis on technology can also be tied in with Japan's post WWII economic boom. We are aware of how technology played an important role in Japanese exports Neon Genesis Evangelion after the war (don't you have a Japanese brand stereo or video player somewhere in your house?) As a result, the whole world along with Japan saw how wondrous technology could be. A genre of anime which shows of bit of the human fetishization of technology is mecha, which essentially means those big fighting robot anime, but it also encompasses the concept of battlesuits; both providing on extension and expression of power by the individual involved. Concepts of human power in regards to technology is always an underlying element in these futuristic anime. In essence, futuristic Japanese animation took science fiction to a whole new level.

Yes, there is sex in some anime. And yes, we watched some erotic anime in the course. Aika Naked Mission But the question of whether sexual-themed entertainment is right or wrong was a moot point. The way in which we approached this particular genre of anime was to realize how these particular works would actually bring in concepts beyond that of a simple physical act. In other words, there would be much more depth in a most erotic anime, than in pornographic films in the US or elsewhere. The concepts of the erotic were also an important part of historic Japanese culture. Even back in the 1100's there was a lengthy novel written called The Tale of Genji, which told of the exploits of courtesans of the time. Amorous acts such as voyeurism were regarded as socially acceptable ways in which courting was done. In the 1700's, there were also famous woodblock artists Ukiyo-e erotic woodblock print who created, among other works, erotic prints. Now while the influence of these concepts was made obvious in the course, we were always reminded that we were in fact dealing with another culture. If a culture is less inhibited about certain sexual topics, then as a student learning about that culture, we should always respect these aspects. That being said, however, erotic anime is still only fraction of what anime is overall.

The concept of the end of the world is encompassed in a particular genre of anime, which lends itself heavily to many universal themes, is apocalyptic anime. These anime usually detail an event which literally destroys the world as it originally was. The basis of these anime delves from the apocalyptic event which only the Japanese people have experienced in the history of this Atomic Bomb world: the atomic bomb. Such a concept is beyond the grasp of any other persons on this planet; can you even begin to imagine what such an event would be like? Sure, we know about the facts of the destruction, but we are never going to feel the same wrenching emotions that must have been felt, especially by those who were not instantly killed. The image of the atomic bomb has become a permanent fixture in Japanese history, and by exploring the concepts surrounding these events, the Japanese are better able to understand themselves. Apocalyptic anime provides a opportune ground for examining these concepts, as it allows for a freedom of expression which live-action cinema cannot. It also allows for in-depth exploration of religious concepts such as the final judgment of humankind by God, and all of our fears, needs and desires. One of the anime we saw in the course was one called Neon Genesis Evangelion, which was so psychologically involving, our professor commented on many occasions that an entire course could be dedicated to it.

So you see, as I did, there are so many more types of anime than just sex and violence, and that by saying anime is simply all of one particular type, we would be making a quite narrow generalization. So back to why the university would offer such a course? Well, I think you understand why now. Anime is not something that can simply by categorized in a single thought; it is vastly Rurouni Kenshin complex, and hence quite educationally valuable. You get to learn about a whole new culture, through this medium. Of course, having me tell you all this may or may not be sufficient to change your outlook. Seeing is believing, so I'd be happy to lend you various anime so you can see for yourself; I guarantee that you'll understand what I'm talking about. Anyway, let's get back to the party now ... those cheeses look great ..."
The Popularity of Rurouni Kenshin with a Female Audience (scanned in jpg format)
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