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    Copyright:

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    18 views52 pages

    2005 Murakamidesu

    Uploaded by

    urara98
    desu

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
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    of 52
    lakashi Murakami bey Linda Hoaghind) le Bo n i Four ta _ ee Howl and Sophie, from Mowi's Moving Castle (onamemsnrnoney oe escent sunmer ia hamataze (avine wind) Forcaue ecmcom ee eee Arata ue creams of tomecon WRERRY MORBERN renee Genin wigs, teified protile. wom earn Feira tissu ignorance wien we al ow MSABLT BKuR>THSE An istorii, a midsummer memery emp mEoBue Bheur wee A9-RRDT BOxoMAEHL? Darter focaet,provely bosming Saat Mesa, con you soar through the big summer shy? YOU ney never have a second chance Rowse ~emuee ea hope, we all prying GAEDE aAwTH TEE ever forge, by the way, wel Breve sua [Spenass 10, for better or worse SHARE WneEie [Stn trom your hands, proudly under the big sume shy ZOFLSSTHT RoXEMERN Figure 132 Fernel to arms, under the midsummer sky RaLasir ABOST fot Go fsa ina corner ofthe room that staring, who's that hiding there? the face ofa newborn ROKL23 some SoSERTHS eceMNTUZoIEM? eanecomuc Rome Rume Rome ENTE 3.04, teem tm 8 you? Wet are you? Who are you? Wet “Enola Gay 2004; ites and mse bya Teujmuray® GEORGE Of Figure 123 eoige Orel $924 (over) rosie 100 Book (ublisher Signet Cassc, 090) ‘On August 6, 1946, forthe first time in actual warfare, an atomic bomb, nicknamed “Little Boy” exploded over the city of Hiroshima (pl. 6), Theoe days later, on August 9, a second atomic bomb, nicknamed “Fat Man,” hit Nagasaki Together, the two bombs killed more than 210 thousand people; when survivors afflicted by the aftor- cffects of the bombs are included, the figure rises to ‘some 370 thousand. After the tragic explosive tive-Whiteout! of the bombs, only burned-out rubble remained: wasteland upon wasteland, utterly vacant land. After the blinding white light, @ conflagration of orange .«.and then, instantaneously, a torrent of pitch black rubble and mangled body parts actually rained ‘on the people on the ground, ‘Shortly thereafter, Japan surrendered unconditionally, bringing the fifteen-year Pacific War to an end. struc 2005, Sixty years after the war. Contemporary Japan is at peace, But everyone who lives in Japan knows—something is wrong. Still i's not worth a second thought. Young girls butchered; piles of cash donations, scattered recklessly on foreign soil; the quest for catharsis through volunteerism; a brazen media prepared to ‘swallow press restrictions in support of economic, growth. The doorways of passably comfortable ‘one-room apartments, adorned meaninglessiy with ‘amulet stickers from SECOM, a private security company. Safe and sound, hysteria. Japan may be the future of the world. And now, Japan is Supertat. From social mores to art and culture, everything is. super two-dimensional. Kawaii (cute) culture has become a living entity that pervades everything, With a population heedless of the cost of embracing immaturity, the nation isin the throes ‘of a dilemma: a preoccupation with anti-aging may conquer not only the human hear, but also the body. It is a utopian society as fully regulated as the science-fiction world George Orwell envisioned in 1964; comfortable, happy fashionable—a world nearly devoid of discriminatory impulses. A place for people unable to comprehend the moral coordinates of right and wrong as anything other than a rebus for “I feel good.” 19458F168, AME LD. RBORH SELitte Boy AUER OHO LCHBUI (pl 6). 4) T9B RM =REOR: 'Fotman dR TSNAHZIT AAEM ERBEAMSLITHALEEDNTG MIRO WR RIEMITT 17 HO RSH MERE U TRIE. FE Ra OBKOBCALY VOOR MME: Ho RGRAY CREPE eRe D ao fee BBE SERAA MAL IStICBE SRS ATIRRELT. 2005, WIRED AICOEME FAME. UPLERCRAMS FRBRINTE: EcpEDLUWE KORE TEROTE RO MLEMD MIA RRROUETOEE ROVF AP OHGVYACNEOMELT ER AROEROLUMMRME bHEE AP 4 FORMA BEI OWUNT INR AV 7a OKPICICIERNASECOME, MEMS) OREO AT yA. BRD carom BaBtRORRDS LN. EUT BE ws i2Supertate HREMBERMEXbe. TC THRR co puKtettinM Ew TS THIEL, FRORETHSMICEAORMER C7 VERA TY TOBMBORN TEC HEE ERS 5 ER TORRE. Pa 9-7 9 x Ibataeunte ste T9BAL Ok SeRBENRSBI—hETAR Gabi Wy E-TBL PNT LUTE FIORNS SEIT SUR. EROEME ThAREAO RAS WUE MME OT Lemke nmots sem, HRREROROT. 7A) DORMIY RRL TAI UTE UTORR, ZOSLOWMORTEE SAMIEE HD RYE BR TEMDDNEVTW. 20 SRC FeO BRP, BL CHBOE, ROSATHSREOMBTOLONTAY ARREODY y 9 TAN MERATOA BRCM TS. CofeROF—Vk= 2H, —TB BRR THD EA ERPRMIES SLE ADMBMLTURS.ZUTHRORED PRD —MOAME SORES HIRE SRLS TOS MADRE, 24 0NE ORBRZORR.=IAK, ABATE A Cotte maktote 1S a> HE LTO DRE, L9H, 2UTEIL EA YY IEP FEA YY 7OREO NTI Vib SAO AMOK MMB COM HIME RELOLSEROTHCOHE OnomrE. RROBAANES CRMC AMEE, \7LOMS MEE TH THE, BCHRNE TONS. SEREEEA eC. 197 RHCMRL THEE SU BRUTHS, UD LRRD AE Re SEASHAUmARE RAEN! SCNT SasHRS E87, GME ZPRTORW. ENEMA TRALEE BEROMY PAM PRTRERE, HELTUSSIST SD PRIORI, ELTHEMICRNOTREWATOR, WEeRE oat ELTA IY OM mNS ESIC EO RU RP BREESE SE LTS. MATENSOI WC MEX T17AS—L MoCo RARORGTOMREERESECE Lanieice Tk D aE eRe KitotHson, NOMAD P, BHERE > THRE MUTA ECP SINT ERE STRAERDRT Lom, 208M REROATREME NEVRLON Re $2 TOS. 2 ORB, LORERF PcmDerte mE TaS LEMEahT ‘oortnates of aye, is about to untold in the real world The superimposition of Miyazaki himeel, now a white Maned media star, onto this image allows the Aautience immediate access to hardship, opening thom 490 sympathy. In the fires of war, How loses sight of himself and becomes a monster. He can only escape by returning to the pes o find himself again. He knows how grim his ances are. How's dilemma is based on Miyazaki's (4m childhood experiences of escaping Tokyo and the avages of war for the countryside during World War Miyazaki has candidly discussed the guiltand trauma that he felt over his family's refusal, as they escaped Toho by truck, to help other families begging rides along the way for their children. In addition, he is haunted by the shattered dreams of his youth, when hiacted on his belief that ideology could change the Worl. The heroic sight of Howl, transformed into a Hamitozette flying fighter amidst a landscape remi Ascent of firebombed Tokyo, Is rendered real by the {ct that How indeed has no goal. The gradual trans- formation of gentle, charming man into a demen as he Tsdragped into battle may be construed as a powerful Blotest against the meaninglessness of war, cloaked Inthe guise ofa children's fairytale. The Seven Samurai Froigt relevance through realism to postwar Japanese; Miyazaki achieves empathy with contemporary audi- lees not by approaching realism (there are no scenes Guan death inthe fim), but by spinning a children's, Fantasy. How's Moving Castle responds to the tears ‘féeath that beset Japanese, both young and old. The fantastic, nearly religious scene in which Sophie Heverses time and space to enter How's childhood Jattle cur invitation tothe netherword beyond death; thal suggests karmic reincarnation Shty years after the war, the vestigial phantoms that Mirah failed to conquer in his youth still trap this Ainmaker goading him to portray the folly of war. And [edonces are moved by Miyazaki's parsonal dilemma, Tith which they empathize and tind resonance. This is Pemevie Japan wants now. ‘Death and Narrative Merge Abecatharss in Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball, the quin- Tpstetia! mainstream manga, is a climax that never Dragon Ball was the engine that drove Shénen 8 weekly teen manga magazine with a circula MLERREMORRNSRS.MKORE BO—Rish 39 7 TREK ND ACN CHHERE TC NMMOSETLS eR DO THA SARRLE. CORO BMEhI9 VERS TY ee a—eB OT Utama TERRE (TAN —cHOR PRDSEMU BDL. ELTBOMML AR MRORSMERAMLI LS cme OF TRL EIELE LO MERTE— Komi mama nest ec RUBY 7LTHSMGCHA DES BT ORL SORE A RRC BRILL TH DT LED TDG, FRR SNOMBOEE SORRHOMERE EMR TOFZKL TWSLORRLS, LOLAT ARRAN FRR S NR RARE BOLE ADR) SGRN YPUAAES ABET ORRT HC BOM T SR OMAK IRENE VERE T.(COMMOHTEAMOKRS — YEEMTHS) AR OSERET seORRE Se SAAMMERIL TUR. 1984S QR TO IZEMTSSZOR, RREROA SPY At ot, MAT RORTRABIRIE 2000 LR CCRIH M2600. OE2ATLE- PEAY a vic RMSE, 7 HIE - Batches Figure ta ‘kes Tonya ragon Bal vl 1 corer FeSTU-namT Bm Figure 129 AbiraToryame Goi righ ahteg an opponent, rom ‘ragon Ba (complet etn), wc 58 (nage 58) tkocya—lumemmaee> menses com) ther: Shes) Figure ta. ‘AnsoTahamentandTeteuya Chiba {Ease scene of Tomorrow’ oe 1273 (original manga pubcation) Manga; reproduced from Asha 20 J, vo 1, putlished by Kogonane Menga Bunko (20) tion of 65 milion. To put this in perspective, Yomiuri "Newspaper, Japan's largest dally, has a circulation of 10 million, Dragon Ball ran to some $20 installments over twelve years from 1984 to 1995. The mightiest popular manga of its day, it had sold over 126 million manga paperbacks by 2000. I goes without saying that Dragon Bal! spin-offs abound, including an animated TV series, movies, and games. Vast quantities of Dragon Ball characters and merchandise have boon produced. Dragon Ball began with a heartwarming story before shifting into an action sories built around the warrior tournaments of the Peerless Martial Arts ‘Association (Tenke Ichi Budokai). The protagonists fight, win, lose, and learn lessons, then return to fight, ‘again in an endless cycle. The tenets of the Shonen ‘Jump philosophy, “friendship, struggle, and victory intensity the moment battling warriors become friends. Dragon Bai then evolved into a battle inst lions intent on world domination, expanding its narrative scale, which increasingly inflates the top wartiors and their challengers. The colossal popularity of the series 90 extended Its life that acrobatic devices were continually employed to keep the narrative aliv ‘evading the pitfalls of routine characters and plots. The series eventually went so far as to have protagonist Gokd and the ot halfway through their stories by means of a miraculous device. Gokd, for example, continues his animate existence by wearing an anges halo. Dragon Bail premised on the preposterous notion that a dead, halo-sporting hero can reduce each of his persistent challengers—from nemesis and super-nemesis to hyper-nemesis—to a pulp. The never-ending cyclical narrative moves forward plausibly, seamfessly, and with warriors attain life after death creat finesse. Inthe 1990s, the manga-loving public grew dissat- isfiod with the essential manga catharsis at the heart of Tomorrow's Joe or Space Battleship Yamato, in nal death of the protagonist provides sentimental inspiration. That public demanded a fiskier, high-wire narrative to sustain its addiction to weekly manga magazines. which the In fact, as legend has it, the creator of Dragan Ball and his readers ended up playing out a game of ‘one-upmanship as extreme—and even as hazardous — ‘a5 the rigorous thousand-day ascetic practice that an Esoteric Buddhist monk mould undergo on the sacred BREF PY IA AOD ERE ant. WROD LE TEY—KbSRE Be EMAL TRE RMR ENDO BESET SIDNEY 2 TOUT, Rh-Y ORAL THREE ADRS OMA L MALL EL TRO FS.DE Tey OEP RM IDS DERE Ve SALA RE SRR ERERD EAS. SOREL Sxt U7 YLORUEBRL THA RTE TEAC RRND IL EERE UTES ARR MAO MME MSH 29 DRELICS TAD KN CUR 2 Be ICBM. RUE emcater7aIcy KEP DRE. ORE RAMEREMDE LE SOMBORH RATES SLUT ERD SHR EMA AOR TROT S.OOM 220 TESTS, 88 BEAR MEK LAT OMS, KEOWEH PHBH ST AMCMD DU ENELI BERERAC DHT ELPA FER TOT AOD SUR ABLROT a) EUEE YNDEIM EMO = YEA WRBmE NS MRSMSt MESES oT LES. bb 8 DEVMRIEED {et REEMA NTS ER REVERNURES EO THRO, BROMMOMONAT MULCUTE FHM TREBSRLORGECETD MRADMOES IEDR TITY ERE OHNE SEVTIEE FEES FDA TIS RF URMO TY I= FRY ETH 2 ESIBAE EID RMR LMT SH TORE ELT RR EUCHRE OMNI RORRE SRABW TY AOA AOMLURTE Bie. = VCE LR LommTRM<@oTLE SR. Yr SBME RET Se >—DOAA ‘ZRRIRCAKIRAY(pL 18) A I= HIER TOMMOT AREE HMAERTI= 97 ERSBOUREA Hiei, nearly sacrificing his own life to attain the meted rank of ajari (Sk: Acarya). The result was the ate entertainment of a never-ending loop that oven death itself, ether nork emblematic of manga’s heyday, Katsuhiro 's Akira (pl. 18), reflects an alternate approach to ining elements of traditional manga narrative. Glomo emerged in the mid-1970s as a pioneer of i epiction, and exerted major influence through overwhelming power of his images. Osamu Tezuka, the first menga master nal narrative conventions of postwar manga. gh inlluenced by Disney's animation techniques, nike devised his own manga grammar, mploying a ivession of film-like shot breakdowns and character RHE TOR ROME ORBLE UPD F4-ORRERON ARP THOR ROE TASARENEN KteRTES. ABARAMOV Aik, PATER b FRR RMD 5 I8y MDIEkBAh—V—owmRDr=x—y BEE" 299-O8 TBF 4 OUMERIE REN MROMMNE EA Bee ORBLE TUR, AROMMES FROLSESE UI BERMEO ROHN A SLL BMNERRE LK LU SERRE PEDEXA=PUKOOMSR REO MABEREMLULE.ZOBREK— V-Kemmantan weIRE Re AE ALOO NERC MBOLORRBE Figure tatt Osamu Teauha From Now Treasure Island feexae0 ‘847 (ritnat manga putiestion) Manga; rpreducea tory Shin ara Tezuka Osun mange seraho20t (Complote wocks of Osamu Teka, vol. 2, ‘ublshed by Kodanshe (190), pages 8-8 Figure 10.2 Kemal Fare Chocolate Panic, vl 2 cover) Frat hsy moa Book oublisher: Futabashe) 1960 poses. His approach drew many followers, creating the foundation for postwar manga. Otomo’s innovation, in turn, lay in the frozen still ness of his visual compositions, which offer stark contrast to Tezuka's dynamic images. Otomo's manga frames are stylized and exaggerated, and his mechan- {cally clipped images create a weightless atmosphere, His narratives echo this quality: there's never a final payoff They're anecdotal feints, always sidestepping ‘any denouement, Other manga artists, such as Kamui Fujiwara, the Otomo devotee behind Chocolate Panic ‘began to premise thelr work on an exaggerated failure to deliver a finale, In the world of four-frame manga, the trend toward a non-narrative structure—found in the work of Kaji Aihara, Sensha Yoshida, Sekalichi Asakura, and Mikio Igarashi—may be construed as a response to an extreme realism. Otomo, one of the pioneers of this technique, abandoned it after several METS AROMA MA LC OF SAL HEY DOES MOST De BRACEMETL ET hOMETET VARESE, WB OMATTIFO SRI-Y PSB MRER—eUe SLASRSCERARCORMEEMER BADD, EMO? YZLOMEDR. Bint bOx.2z. ASHES RUM TH MEMO SICMT SR CRROR BUELSHTHS. Ekta E— RORBMO-ATH IKK BRL ORDOHRE ST. RERLE ERD PDS. TU CRENEEEA LET UF < CB (1982 BST HAY AREEREI KL ALE EREBAL, SmP=X—9 2 CL UPLHHYIOBTE) Ti. LY ATRRU TURD YALE OME AG. SRNL TURK ferializtions, eventually adopting a filmic idiom, He Incorporated cinematic conventions of suspense in A (Giles Dream (1982), and in the short animated film The Order to Stop Construction, he took the “frozen- Stil compositions he had mastered through manga to The next level As if to coverse Tezuka's movement ‘ards Disney-siyle animation, Otomo developed a ‘aguely mechanical yet supple animation technique, Min these deliberate strategies his career evolved, Pesting towards the epic film that would define an era This film was AAia, Akira set Otomo's career as a manga creator and an Binator in stone, During the nine-year period over ‘hich he serialized the manga, he also adapted it as |B mimated feature film. In an era permeated by the Hooming end of the century, Otome, entranced by the Iolon ofthe death of narrative, set out to resurrect {hi storytelling. Pushing th mits of his visual AURORE £3 te, Seprnzalle, UoLan—aame OP RICEET I EKRBEETS I RERREAACMNTHC. ZONE RINAKIRAYES ARORERE LTO. RIP SYERELTOF PU PERO LE KIRA). 2 > HOMME EMRE. £O BRP CASORM?=%—Y a RB HERA REL ARORA KMENRMEBATAMRE SRLS AR RTBROGEA SHR THES SL TMC aAROM ROT, F—1, 9 FY a -TLOKRN OBO EVROMAAK ND OWT MRED MRT OLORMSLLET—Vie RR ROMOME CH IEF P= X— Ya PRC BUTHEDE—VEMURE Figure ta. Keteubire Otome ened and ker Gena racing ‘through Neo Toyo, trom Aka 6 (ages 82-9) "resmemrD ‘RAM ICA7 CERT ORES (482298) 1903 Book (ubicher: Koda) Fiowre tats Kataunia Otome from Asa vo 8 (pape 42) Typaee) D174 THE ERRON CRATER eawasiazem) 198 Book (ublene:Kodansi) TES hte TE Figure 1016 Katsura Otome Greater Tokyo Erpte ia” bane, irom Abia, vl 8 (page 48) Fe 5GRRD RAAT? +S OSE) 0 Bek (bah: Kogan ‘genius, Otomo rendered an exploding city in infinite CHARP=A-YaYREORALGE HERE. 2001: A Space Odyssey. FMRLUDTY AUEATBS. LVI ‘Once the animation production was winding down RIJERHEL TW ite4 39 9-BEST ‘and Otomo began writing the final manga chapter, his DMMPEIRUTIT< RICHES Be Lh theme shifted. It was this shift that made Akira, the LAROMRIRTOMAEMY. OF SDE serial manga, so revolutionary DOMERLS. F757 7—BEOUNE ‘According to prevailing wisdom, Tezuka’s manga is RV SRECHVSERTH SEL. M semiotically structured, with characters acting as MEBSSTS, EUoKMRERALRH signifiers to guide narrative. Otemo's work, in which Tit. UTEZICSS—IOER 7A ual image, rejected that Icke V7 HERE SE DA THEOL, approach. Otomo defined a method in which itis the MRORMEMU SMO ErAMRME ET. characters that cement the construction of thelr world, X5-V2HRAMEL ES EBATEORS oven as they guide the narrative. And he added (AKRADNCHOUKERTALS.8F another element, using manga to critique manga. AR LOPMAFILS, Instead of defining a closed narrative circle, he strove ASSERT SERINE Lia each frame is an indi 10 to cevise a“meta-manga, Let us consider the ending of Akira, volume 6. First, Otomo closes the narrative cycle. United Nations forces have arrived amid the vident destruction of Neo Tokyo soon after Akira's tplesion, prompting Kaneda to scream, ‘Take your guns and get the hell out of our country! We'll keep all the damned aid you've brought. But anything beyond that, and you're interfering with sovereign affairs, Aira ves on in our minds! ‘cry for freedom from a defeated Japan, its own onsittion legislated by another nation after tho war Don't touch me, let me be independent. We don't eed your UN. or any other help. The image of Kaneda and the others waving a "Greater Tokyo Empire Akira’ tea, with none ofthe conviction that accompanied bran fishments ofthe former imperial flag of Japan, seems Yomock our curent “Japanese Nation of Children,” But this s where the story ends, giving way to layouts that onoeel new possibilities for manga, A few pages before the end, Kaneda and the other Protagonists race around ruined skyscrapers on hiotorbikes, even as the skyscrapers rebuild themselves before our eye. The city, destroyed by Akira andTetsvo, Moiselessy returns to its former state, rendered in Painstaking detail with Otoma's characteristic realism, The reconstruction of Neo Tokyo's skyscrapers embod- {95a movement from dystopia to utopie. The link to Tezuka, wino, inspired by Fritz Lenge's Metropolis, Benned an eponymous manga and created Astro Boy Bound a similar theme, appears unexpectedly in these last pages. Gtome paid private homage to Tezuka, placing a etsonal message to the master next to rubble spray- Bainted with Akira's emblem, By the end of the story, the protagonists! bid for Heedom has become the contral theme, and the solt- Fesurecting buildings form a direct reference toTazuka's Postwar manga grammar, Back in the 1950s, as the Japanese continued to Fader the nation’s defeat, they nonetheless placod “hei faith inthe ultimate cutting-edge energy source cleat power. It is no wonder, then, that in Tezuka’s agnum opus, Astro Boy—whose Japanese title, ARCANE TRTVSRBMIC IS TeomE "ZO RRIT RO RNSHTI , MOREA Ho Cae EH. LOTMA SrETTE any, "ye visakmmoncea tse! MamRetsesncls nme Oanome, b5MSe0T. Anse TRL REO DURE EBREL, AMRERT ES, MEV EAT EME BORE DOT AGAWMOMEVSARLEMUEML. SOTMIREREAMT SHOES THE, CER THMMON—KoHS.LOLEZ BST AOMLUAMICER DI ATi Mes, BR ORN— TEE OTE SR BRBHC? CRME LL REED DE BALTUK FETE RMOL IN X De CRRENTD TIES bY AH OLE, € UTRBOMR LK 1 Tetsuwan Atomu, literally means “Mighty Atom"— ‘robot named Atom might have seemed appro as a defender of justice who embodied the bright future. To consider that his name is identical to the {force of the atomic bomb, and that the bomb dropped ‘on Hiroshima was nicknamed “Little Boy," is to under- stand the tortuously twisted road that led from war to recovery. Otome references this journey, critiquing the ‘Shnen Jump-style popular manga culture ofthe 19806 in a complete affirmation of his own realistic manga style, Miraculously, he's pulled it all off simultaneously Ina single work, Akiva, ‘Manga occupies a central place in the history of postwar Japanese culture, | am sure that Otomo believed this. Use manga to critique manga. Finally, Akira, the meta-manga, was finished In a sense, this coincided with the emergence of ‘Simulationism in the contemporary art ofthe late 1980s and early 19905, and Otomo's motives corresponded to the aspirations of Sherrie Levine and Jeff Koons. It was a complicated era, when the only way to create reality was to merge narrative and continually generate stories within stories, We Japanese managed to create a context in ‘which even @ corpse, alive in death like Dragon Balls halo-adorned Goki, can meet all challengers. But in this context, the majesty ofthe living, who accept death as self-evident, has been discarded The decrepit children who appear in Akira accept the futility of lit children, despite their chosen status and supernatural powers: they are exactly like the Japanese today. ind encounter their own deaths as 4, DAICON IV DAICON IV Opening Animation (pl. 2) was first shown at the opening ceremony of the 22nd Japan SF Convention held in Osaka in 1983. The group that organized the event and created the film consisted primarily of student amateurs. The five-minute 8mm film was a sequel to the group's debut work DAICON 11 Opening Animation, which premiered at the 1981 ‘conference (also in Osaka). DAICON stands for “Osaka Convention," using an alternate pronunciation (da) for the first character in “Osaki ‘Tho annual SF (science fiction) convention, inaugu- rated in 1962, remains an event by otaku for ofaku, predating the term ofaku itself, which did not enter UPYRRRY HSEREOO BR HS HRHICMMICEDNSAME ARBOKRADHTESTONTE, Vy HERI MOP TE ZS AKI CURIE, CALS PHO M16 UTE TFAKIRAD EMU. RERURSO eH SOOR MYO Shb-FXY RY Saba Abe ORME BML THD. 22 U—-L5¢— YPIx7-9~YAOBML ERRMER BL ews, ERM SEAN FOMBERD WeemeLnU TUF 1—eReaeen Teh oReP PE LU q BREARAR(E STROBE BUS RROWES > THEA TOBE! ATED MUST SRO! EAPO Liftee LNUEZ cle EOE CeELTMASAOTES 5EMEtH eSnThS, £8 O7RNER AL (AKIRACRAT BOS SUAR FRESE BEDE! ACNLARSEbROST FRORE HBAS. LORE SOBKALORE, or. q ‘4. DAICON IV ADAICON IV OPENING ANIMATIONY(pL 2) 13, 1LOBSEAME CREME Hie RZ2BASE AMSAT MEK = XB EOL RY ERMLD 4 ILL BELO HE ERRELRI VF APT FE KAS AMT INES hte 19B1EOSFAAT! = AAR{DAICON ll OPENING ANIMATION) DBMBIC IS, Meds, DAICONIEAUSED YAYY a Hj ORWTBS. f BASFAR( SRAETS BE CE! SRSHELL TORUS RMIT Wie RESEASFARERMINIC SHA. SFEBK< RR REMRICD S.8HPO Th PEXRE BR CBT SITY FAP COMBA YL) DESEO Kohut y 94 vom BOR (1959F) ERAT SENS LNT RE KARLTHSER TOME TRANE 529 TORIC ES BARRON Public discourse until the late 1960s, Science fiction is intimately linked to ofahy cultura. The ereators of such olahvfavored genres as “robot anime" and tokusatsy (Gpecial effects) fims drew heavily on science fiction; the anime classic Mobile Svit Gundam, for example, Was inspired by Robert Heinlein's 1959 novel, Starship Troopers. (In particular, the cover illustration of the powered suit” created by Studio Nue forthe Japanese ttlton of the book may be considered the direct, ancestor of Gundam's robot design.) Before the full Emergence of otaku cuture, fans of tokusatsu and anime TV series created for children could further satisty thai eppotites only by turning to science fiction, DAICON was their event The legendary DAICON animations were created By Toshio Okada, Yasuhiro Takeda, Hideaki Anno, Hiroyuki Yamage, and Takami Akai (among others) whe Were then college students in the Osaka area. After 2ncluding their activities as amateurs, the group Tate formed the anime studio Gainax, which made its fame with Neon Genesis Evangelion, the bible for con- Temporary otaku, in 1985, twelve years after DAICON IV The DAICON animations reveal two characteristics that appeal to otaku. First, they contain abundant Feferences to elements of the subculture that would [ble be called ofaku culture, including Godzilla and Spice Battleship Yamato. Second, even though these Hend-drawn, 8mm anime flms are extremely short at fie minutes each, they demonstrate an extraordinary Piste and technical level that exceeds expectations Hor independent films: not only is the quality of the Ininaion high, but the DAICON animators wore able Fointegrate the picture and the music seamlessly and Pploy such sophisticated techniques as multiple Iipoeures far more skillfully than “professionals.” Indeed the DAICON animators’ relentless pursuit of ually and sophistication prompted the evolution Giscienceiction-based subculture into fulLfledged fly cute, Sa hat exactly was DAICON IV Opening Animation? IRS worth explaining the flow ofthe film in detail, Because the nork embodies every ofaku paradigm, DAICON 1V begins with an introduction derived from IDNICOW ts forerunner. The soundtrack, performed I Kitars, who helped define the New Age sound, IS tery much ofits time. The Jet VTOL ship from Wtiamar's Science Patrol slowly descends out of the J-KA-YOMRISHAI TED. 208i DTA RKEORY Krier ORE evo TSMR Tike MBE EN dor vIMETaNTIkh thor RCOWM,7=XeMCmARBORSE BYDHSFLOMDOR LEBAeS, DAICONEEAZBBROAY KE otee EUTECT HRS NEAROZ “LI ATA eM, ER LIN FENCE UMMTOY OREN EDMHSH RCP YFa 7 ELT OR MERARES, 7I07=x-F 4581 PPRRGAINAKO RM X21 E 20D BFE OB Ona Timer = KR FUPUADEMET EM enero DAICON ivatmees he 2a S 1995 FOBTHS. BSNUNSEXRORO CAEL Wem, Be PEE Stem DHok eH LIS) SRM Th) REMMI TALE r—e Lp BMA NE DOR ROBE CHILE PPAF LES ANA SIRLTUSE £,2UC HRT fLEVRSAMOBS Y7-cLAT HIME te FEATS OGM AEMMOMER ED CRM LEMME OA UT. —RBBTES Howe cesmRNSORNT? =» 9K AWTS TNOMEERRLTHS. 707 Figure ta. Stud Nue wr [designed by Kazuten Miyatake) mone Figs to. Selener fiction autor Frederik Pol coneesiag with conentioners am Oficial After Repart nd dapan SF Convention DAICON WV (oe 8) "RIAN F ABOACON A577 Lat Pik DIRS BOPHRS LY 9 9 AER) ia} Secon Ren at Figure 12.19 blue sky toward earth, as an elementary-schoo! girl, ‘carrying her randoseru (school backpack), observes the scene {rom behind a tree, Two patrol members emerge fram the ship. They offer the girl a cup of water and ask her to deliver it to DAICON. Bowing, the ‘irl races away, but Punk Dragon blocks her path. He challenges @ “powered suit” from Starship Troopers ‘and the battle abruptly begins. The girl tosses the powered suit aside, whereupon Gomora rises from the ‘arth. Using a booster concealed in her backpack, the Gil flies up into the sky, with the powered suit in hot pursuit. They continue their battle in midair. A blow {rom the powered suit sends the girl plummeting to earth, imperiiing her precious cup of water. At the last moment, she has a vision of the Science Patrol and regains consciousness. She snatches the cup just bofore it crashes to the ground, saving the water. Resuming her battle withthe powered suit, she catches ‘one of its missiles and hurls it right back at him; a huge explosion ensues. Just then, Godzilla appears. With King Ghidorah and Gamera chasing her, the git flies through the air with her jet-propelled backpack. The Star Destroyer and an Imperial scout from Star Wars ‘cross the background. Reaching into her backpack the Girl whips out a bamboo ruler, which magically becomes alight saber. After slicing Baltan Soilin in halt, the gir faunches a massive number of micromissiles from her backpack. Hit by a micromissile, a Maser Tank from the Godzilla movies goes up in flames. The Atragon breaks In two as the Yamato, the Enterprise, an X-Wing, and Daimajin explode in total chaos.The girl pours her cup of water on a shriveled up daikon (Japanese radish), buried in the ground. As the daikon revives, itturns into the spaceship DA/CON. Bathed in light, and now wear- Ing a commander's uniform, the girl boards the ship, ‘here the film's producers, Toshio Okada and Yasuhiro “Takeda, sit atthe controls. As the landing goar retracts, DAICON departs for the far reaches of the universe, DAICON Ill the introduction, comes to a close. SEPOPSRRERBOMMERT UT BEOPAUT 1 BRENDEN ODA COTA bEMAL LTSFRINY IA Frm AMe BE BI 6 RICAORMOM ik, £6 BR3OR, “CAs DAICON IV OPENING ANIMATION EWES oRIRE ROD. THM MAMMAL KS tthe ZckBR 60 CHEER CBD S VYORMMOI1—b) EhEDY RELENAsRREDED DRORMERTS SMO TCS AD BIE AIRM. | OAEDAICONEC ATK Hae AY TEASE BOR PRET BLL TED TOE. ICE WSREMBDINY 7 Kay. FRO HicRBy 7 KA yemOLY OURO 2-7 RIMES Pk SOE STE INES, ORBIYE IMC AM St LBI-29— TENS ENS UD SIE 2-7. RI- ERY ORRERY CRT 857 AY7OKESL, LDU CRM SMROMR DORMER RTOS. ERUEU TAY TOF 7 FARM, B—KAMYENRIT- KAY ABURE OER YY FORE TRARY ET AM. KOM OD AY5BR.ELTAINAIA-Z29- AND — ERM & me) MaSS5y KEL TRUMS eee? LEED ALG DRED Y RENE SMERDIESE. 54 MYA 10S BAC —TIMBELEBE SY Kt DSVITDS TIN EAMAR X—9 BRRETTIOSY TLCS DEM SDR ROBRE Th 1 9-75-4% XO4 YA AMARERBR EAR Hic@e -chstRUR s+ ay JORERCDK. 4 DBRS MDAICONS cp aigIC ENC MEN THNICA DDO. MRE Wwith the backpack from the introduction has: ‘groun up into a Bunny Girl, Every last science- onjfantasy TV and movie character makes an nce: Astron, Jamira, Zarab Seijin, King Joe, va (rat) DAICONO7072—~¥—ORRA MRE Rt BRB CHS. 6 De BIA WaRDAICONSISFRORAN CY hO 9992 YODACON itz = THEI, m8 ‘Seabozu, TwinTail, Gesura, Dada, and Setuin. The Bunny Girl jumps into a throng of Metron Seijin. She races past Gyango, Red King, Baltan Seijin, Takkong, Pole Seijin, Z-Ton, Mephilus Seilin, and Seagoras, tossing them all aside. Without warning, she's in a light-saber duel with Darth Vader, while Storm Troopers sit in the ‘background, their legs folded under them. The Death ‘Star is enshrined in one corner. Atop acl, aliens who have seized the Discovery from 2001: A Space Odyssey kick up @ fuss. The Dynaman robot crushes the girl When a sword flies at her out of nowhere, Bunny Girl hops on it like @ surfer. Just then, Jedi-tei Ya Ida launches into @ Japaneso comedy routine with C-3PO ‘and Chewbacca in the audience. There's Nazoh from {Gekko Kamen (Moonlight Mask) and a Pira Seijin with ‘enametag reading “Tar6 the Blaster" (Bakuhatsu Tard) fon his chest. Bunny Girl is stil surfing on her sword when she runs into a formation of Ultrahawk 1's. Then the Yamato and the Arcadia appear, along with an ‘exploding Valkyrie VF from Macross. An awesome midair battle unfolds in an otaku coffee shop (no doubt the filmmakers’ favorite hangout). Bunny Girl now travels into an extra-dimensional world. We see Captain ‘America, Robin, Batman, Spiderman, Wonder Woman ~the list goes on, Flying into space are the Thunderbird, ATIE-Fighter, and the Millennium Falcon. Rider, Jumbors ‘A, the Shooting Star, nurses, the giant Ohmu from ‘Nausicad, Nausiea® herself, Lynne Minmay, Mazinger Z, Kool Selin, Cutie Honey, and others are there, Having ‘made it through olaku-land, Bunny Girl relinquishes her It splits into seven parts, which fly through the sky spewing flames in seven colors, At the foot of Mt Fuji are Mogera, the Yamato, Mothra, the Atragon, White Base, and Thunderbird 5, Al of a sudden, an atomic- ‘bomb-grade explosion hits an unpopulated city. After the blast, there's a flurry of cherey-blossom petals. Successive upheavals of the earth give birth to new worlds. As the beam launched by the DA/CON traverses the sky, lush greenery sprouts and grows, Robby the Robot, ObaQ, Doraemon, the Five Rangers, and other characters—too many to count—converge: Hakaider, Atman, Maria from Metropolis, Meteluna Mutant, the Robot Gunslinger from Westworld, Captain Dice, Robocon, Derek Wildstar (Susumu Koda), the Creature, Ming the Merciless, X-Seijin, Lum, Kanegon, Char Aznable, Cobra, Gekko Kamen, Inspector Zenigata, ‘Me. Spock, Kemur Seiji, Anne, Bendel Seljin, Superman, BODY KELOROFUNE—SIA ERRUTOS.BDEBSBSFITIT JRF LCRROS 97 9—REBCH TEMCNTEMN LBBTS.7—ZHOX eS D ISTE AY AYA LEM IRI ITIIM KO YEADRNOPEROMD Sa. ZORSF VIAL REY ZINIIEN, 9 YAYIRNBA AY DYKI AIR BA. -SSADREENED UF y— EMA THIER FARE O94 hY-RN TOF PIN BTR Ah-Ah OWN MEL TR TOS, ABEMICLPA-AI—HME.RO ETE (2001 FRONIDE< 29/0) 9H ALT YP YRBNTUTEITPT YOORHEO FEAT LOSE BRC RATS BAHT 18 DERURS.TOE SUA UMBRO weiss bcs SMICEO-3POEF 2-187 NBHRMOH I~ Dale iEC i PAI OBNE TI EI PEABODY D4 YERVEN=—. BHT SIETA 2 BOMMS SEV TRETIAT AT BMRT SINT ENA CH BEST REO H(S DERI ITA ADHD REICH SE CUSHM. RTE RAWMERT BI. TZY PRD RE IY KE AIF YF Fe FRICRURL IY IAI TE7749~. 270 AYRIAI— PRIN REDS 2 EBS OID. YHA PIYH-Z9 WBA KA-F tcf TERE < CIR Kea em mls ECR OE MYLO DBEROMS. MAUMEE: PUK ERD BREIL ESOAD FHI SB eAOe Um RORAR NMS MAORI Beno MAAOCE CRE TRL UE Rite. DAICONBORME—L EI £5 HHEURS.OL-ANO, KIRA. Ly ve— SS EMAMNRUEE DS 299 -RRE IIAP Pb PASIES a~ FYE AYIIORY FAAS. ORI BAA SR KBA. DLE PA DRAYY TAT the Space Boy, Cornelius, Invisible Man, Hell ‘Ambassador, Doruge, Fighters, Boss Borot, the Robot 9, Speed Racer (G6 Mifune), Big X, Space Act 008, Tetsujn 28, Electric Man, Metalinom, Hack, Giant Robot, Gaban, V3, Lupin Ill, Apollo Geist, arom One, King Joe. The sun rises, the camera jms out o the solar system, and The End. every last possible science-fiction (otaku-style) ter from around the world—and throughout tiine—present and accounted for, the film is obviously ‘2manimoth labor of love. By stuffing thei film with all of the beloved creatures that inspired them, the ators displayod a level of passion incommensurate with a work created as the opening event of an amateur competition, There is the tril of navigating ‘the border between parody and art. More than twenty _years after the original screening, this film deserves tenewed cespect forthe energy involved in fashioning “a work of such astounding perfection, And yet, as if ‘this chievement wore not sufficient in itself, in the last ne of DAICON IV Opening Animation, the tunda- ‘Mental metaphor for any Japanese creator, the atomic ‘bomb—our symbol of “destruction and rebirth? — “explodes in an unexpected way. Aller the sequence in which Sunny Gir! flies around “theless, everything is destroyed by (what can only be “construed as) an atomic bomb. In the ensuing whirl ‘wind, petals from Japan's national flower, the cherry “blossom, engulf everthing in a blast of pink the streets ‘become scorched earth, mountains are burnt bare, and the whole world becomes a wasteland. Amidst this evastation, Spaceship DA/CON, symbolizing otaku, ‘eats in midair emitting a powerful beam—the bear of slence-iction fans. The world revives, giant trees rise ‘na lash, and Mother Earth is once again bedecked in ‘1een, Characters from the world of s ‘palher on the restored planet to celebrate, In accordance with the rubrics of otaku taste, all ofthe characters are happy, their chests puffed up mroudly atthe light of hope. Characters who have ever occupied the same screen gradually interact with each other and assemble in the final mob Scene—a perfect encapsulation of the science. fiction conference's message. In this film, the animators discovered an affirmation ‘behind total annihitation that had nothing to do with nee fiction ARM MEME S29 —-2ry 97, WAP YESS FMBK ANI, YP A-AY PA BAM SERRE WPM AIROY hc KEE AR 2 7X, FMEA, bY h2.009, BALBERBTY ADVI“ IIT Sh Set P RR PIA VIII SH TROATAR ITY KDA EY —-VAMOR OD AMREZ-L7 RUTEY ER 2m, snMDISHSRMOSHHIER CMT D7 9-WRBL. ZUTENSEEHED RUTVSMEMRT SES EWATIER, HOPREKE DT Soe OHERLO.E FRY aYERSTURERESD ORI BSDAT TVR APA—ADAR YS, YOAMFEYT-ARY EMS LEOHETY KORE nee EBAY ray cOr AEP HOMME T DIR BIRR WRREARIET SEAN EOIS YRMES20RERE tS. US cOR Mite 3.2094 9F4— CREF SRUTERIOBEAZYT—9—25 MOMESAF—V. GMOS 77H {DAICON IV OPENING ANIMATION>2. he 20, HE EE ORME LT SeTRMENS, NS—S-WROLOFARARSERE EYP EYAOR ROME LBA BOR TINTHRMENS. LOMROH EBBROMe KoRUS MERE ED? ROAREL Som wERLE HeLa RHE. Zoe, SHRDATHRE RC ORM, FRM DACONSAS RRS new —L.> KDWSEI 7 YOU—AsiRMShS.ZL THAR LEAD BCH REL, AMEMCMDNE.SEI-WEDE PSI P—REBBELLARIERY BOER 885, BRC LNSMROFTERBABIED BY E-CRBOME MY 2 THER ST L208 MOAR CMMCE RS LeUs V2P IME RMB OS MD EPY-Y CRONE BERT. ZOE FORE LOFAAOKY e-ITEB Ko Figure ta2t Pera of Hideaki Anno onthe cover of (Quick depen wo. 1 (Ohta Publishing Ce, 198) mamr—bu + (ode Jopeny VoL 10 ASTOR Figure 1.22 Expo 70 Theme Song SesmeRar 2727 the politics of ideology of the atomic bomb. This is why they ware able to portray the end of the ward, without hesitation, as akind of revolution, and follow it with @ “blizzard” of cherry-blossom petals. Hideaki Anno, who later directed Neon Genesis Evangelion, created the explosion scene, and it is almost painful to watch his pathological obsession with it, as an atomic whirlwind destroys the city. [At first glance, this scenario for Japan's recovery from an atomic bomb seems offhand, but the creators’ compelling message is deeply felt in the urgency of the production values. Ina way, otaku sensibilities have much in common with those of American hippies in the 1870s. A lifestyle that seems to turn its back on ‘the world Is founded on a nearly groundless obsession ‘vith peace and happiness, tremendous curiosity for the internal world of the self, extreme sentimentality, and keen sensitivity, all of which contribute to futuristic ereation. “The fact that Japan's IT industry is bull on ofaku is, also significant, as it suggests a parallel between the hippie movement and olaku culture. One indication of the filmmakers’ obsession with quality and concept ‘was their use of a then-rare personal computer, which enabled them to calculate planetary orbits and thus design the solar system that appears inthe last scene. The complexity of this design process offers further ‘evidence ofthe filmmakers’ obsession with realism. Surprisingly it turns out that the ultimate dream of otaku aestheties, scrupulous yet fanatically obsessed with reality, is @ happy party, a peacetul festival Hello hello, rom theWestern countries Helio, holo from the Eastern countries Hello, hella, people from all over the world Holl, hallo, inthe land of cherry blossoms ‘Say hallo in 1970 Hell, helo las shake hands Hello hello tothe reali ofthe mocn* Hela, hllo, we fly anay from earth Hell, hello, the draams ofthe world Hell, hell, on a green hil Sty helo in 1970 Hell, hale, les shake hands CORTE SDD SREP TTA DE ERMROEC 3c. ONRED MCRRHLLOMRAENTHS.e8 TEMS BEC, ROTHOTHEDO ESKER EMRL I< TRMOIEE. OH OREM RRBERD ELD TISELM Ry EL RORICONRDT PUPAL VERS SRR. TAMENRS UTS YY NOME Rovclmar selon. BEOMARTOSMER COUT IAI R/S TOS EONS LIA UF 4 -OMIRHEL RRS 97S OMRtE x ye TEBUTE BSBU BES OBMTORROT AIT VEY E-OTHEBL SMHS MH BESRORMCRAMGHOFN SAE BP RRL, BIOMOL OBR: RELY FATS VALERIE DERABEMD LOTUS, BROITENE BH < E—ZIbORATH BME Ey h- 7A bOMNEOM ee aR SMBH bECOT {MMDIRKY—Y TIA YF RUE AYe7F APE RSD ELT AMR SHEWTPRORDIC, MMELTEBL okst-VFNAyea—7—TOBER WOWNMARDNTUS.ENEBIG Re WI MME TOA UTUTHE NY SRMECEDDERSIATIRE, Lindh Cie IR, LUM PUFA MET 2 RBM AT Vite tnid BSW ERO MED JENGF 5h Sab eRORE Ba IT) BWSR <(9sOFAKERhES 1SOR MERE UEC NETS FORORRD—DICEXPOTORBA MIG NAVGS. FTE ARORS LWA, EXPOTOTHBORAD FHS MBI URBOARI MER. ANMONMS FRAORROLOFTRNERDMLS WEN SHEA Me Leet NEXM=XLO THRE RS RARO RERMURT1FLOMSRERROTE HERE TE MRORR TOD > EMENTHREARACE 9 T RMERK OYFUAR RARER ERBEE Te WsraMmET YALU TRS THRE TEDRRES BN TW HS OBE Figure 1.23 Tare Okamoto's Toner of he Sun recreated Storm-Brewing Maretu! At Empire Stes Back OUarUnseh MERAE-LY! FheeOD 2m) 9 ZORRMCARS ERA BOCIROR), 200 Figure 1224 ‘Shinosvue from Crayon ShinchanStorm.Brewing MoreislAault Emote Stikes Back CUBVUnErA MERDE-L9! th HmO contemporary Japan In a nutshell Sieh. TL CBOSHBDEEAAE Let me explain the story. ote The Crayon Shinchan franchise originated in the long-§ (7LAYLAS PA BEPESE-LY! lived “shtick” manga serles by Yoshite Usui, which ran + K+ #ROWMDE WS RAUATEA SI in Weekly Manga Action (a magazine for young adults) < #—tAEMDED> 5 DIBA EXPOTO from 1980, moving to Monthly Manga Town in 2000, Its OE SRL. DORAL M SRA protagonist, Shinnosuke Nohara, akindergartener who DARMEREIESLAMSTHS, loves action masks and chocolate snacks, lives in Ab—U—ERNLES. Kasukabe, a suburb in Saitama Prefecture. Shinnosuke's -FIRIEIRE SHIRA A190. 02 father, Hiroshi, is a salaryman; his mother, Misae, 2 >/JRIBE-ARIRAIZ2 2 247. 20008K housemife; and with the addition of his little sister, MSiTAHIRAMS Dato TRUTH ‘Sunflower, the Noharas make up a typical Japanese 38®¥-y7M@MY 7. EAROBMLA family. Shinnosuke is a vulgar, rebellious character, dis- OF WHEBE UW 39EROY ETE tinguished by his precocious taste for attractive women. (EO. 79 7a CMe Fare nwes i ‘Aithough Crayon Shincham topped the “PTA List of TV ERIR.SSEURIA/UIDOS LIES —W. boo 26 BDSRRGRO—RREL the series. Adulé Empire Strikes Back was directed by ADTHORMTASIMNEROIL (5B Keiichi Hara, who also conceived the original story for ASAE LUD TR CRIM HEA the film, HOR PTANFRERERCBUFLE, In those films, adults revert to childhood and goto OMB LHBNTUSES wz OM DCCA SUHIRRRL 6B resemblance to Expo 70, which has sprouted mysteri- B7=%—Dar#eRic ots THE ously in Kasukabe, The theme park stages famous 7 #MOM)AM KMART) scones rom classic TV shows, in which anyone canbe 7+Xh—J—CHIFFENAEECHS. the hero or heroine while reveling in nostalgia. With the SEIB-KATe SIS WEIABICSRAOMUIRL 120 recreation of Expo ’70, Shinnosuke's parents, Hiroshi Wee > DEXPO'TOZINMS UE? Programs Little Children Shouldn't See," it became a -YYOSSAGMAREM. Ho huge success. Every year brought a new feature filmin EU play th Century Expo, a theme park with astrking § FLE7- land Misae, become captives of thelr own nostalgia and 7 THREHEcMA > THATS. completely abandon their children. Eventually, the ‘20M LGHOFLERMREDE parents give up everything else to stay at 20th Century VeWEL. asste—o-en4 Expo, and an organization called Yesterday Once More vets > THD LOWRIE, (an obvious nod to the Carpenters) kidnaps the EXPOTOARZMIHRSN. EAROLA children. The org: ted OFHORLDSLESAAEMHLAOR to abandoning real, twenty-first-contury despair and (cts >, FOMEA TED SMLTUS.® returning tothe “good old twentieth century" They plan TRA fe aL Bam L ZOE to hoatd the nostalgia ofthe Kasukabe adults until they Fo fest Woe Cte < tO. FARE ization isa secret society dedic have enough to push the Nostalgia Meterto its highest A974 VAEPLBSH(I-AYP levols ever, and then spread Nostalgia Extract through- —XO&ihinSO3IAITH SWIRL) th century. OMe SbHTLED, When Shinnosuke charges into 20th Century Expo, the OMRHROT CENT, BERENS scene is a replica of a Showa d0s-era (1955-64) strest,on bho Tite we RAZOHE ELS the eve of Expo ‘70; the scone drips with nostalgia as DHESE VERMIN. OAH the adults revel in theie forgotten dreams and hopes. BEBORAL SONU E BORIS They have escaped reality to cling toa hollow past, and EMU. HELA —ELTNMRML A ‘out Japan to force it back into the twent relinquished any hope of creating a future: Enduring 9 —)AMARMMICET KOO RECO several falls and a nosebleed, Shinnosuke races upthe ARILOI+AELDRSHRSL EL ER LAOS HES tower housing the button that controls the release of HEARELTLE5 Nostalgia Extract. His trials run live on television, and the Sight of Shinnosuke desporately living a real life shocks the adits back to their senses. The level onthe Nostalgia Meter plummets, thwarting Yesterday Once More's plot. Oiaky understand Yesterday Once More, and they find Shinnosuke's parents compelling. At this point in time, fa culture spans three generations, including the grandchildren of the frst otaku. Whether or not otaku have grandkids, they remain just as dedicated to gathering otaku information and collecting otaku Ierchandise. But it is also true that the aims of a ‘shel socety ike Yosterday Once More are empathetic 49, Fnot overtly synchronized with, the terrorist activ= ites of Aum Shinriky6, the recognized otaku cult that ‘accomplished the 1995 Sarin attacks on the Tokyo subway. faky havo alvays held excessive belief in their theams, and have continued to trust that theie fantasies oul come true. This has only heightened their bitter: ess upon the betrayal oftheir dreams. But what is the ject oftheir bitterness? Plain truth dictates that they Should drect that bittorness at themselves, afact that they probably comorehend. Although they won't plan their own revolution, they won't give up on the idea of Atopien future. if only—they desperately dream—they were allowed to express their honest feelings in the ord of anime. When they indeed find such expression, they beartly applaud it yt sigh in deep resignation, for they know it's just an empty fantasy. Pecullarly, the slores-uithi-storios structure of Adult Empire Strikes Back also allows them to see through themselves as fevers in their impossible predicament. In this, wo linpse the reality fraught with despair that awaited ofaty after DAICON 1V, Memories of the Atomic Bomb Boho gare that acnits no ray of light overcome by weacher's grat Bohol above our sheptica! laughter sword of age posed to strike er lvng creature yearns to onaw our bones, ‘906 alin n vengeance, urging us 0 suicide Gas coation rebutts our assimilation ‘The atmosphere refuses to enfold us B2OMRARA. 2 Cem EXPO'TORTIRDRHNIO##(1955-6455)0 MEORRNGY HOTORERBE EH ORAS RR eR LRU BECMSAREAET OREMORAAL S.LAOTURAMELLRUEHS OH DUEERORIINAENESELTOS 99-OMENERELTS .2ORET Lemmah. WEEM@EER SLAF HORIEAAR SIG LAIST DUX=9 ON D-W FAD HE tote BRC BWM EAT TL TVAEPE DHMEREL. LAS PLOMMICE UF UF 4B CS ROUSE CRETE OTEHROREC 77S U—eTMLT LSS RAE SAME HERD SPER CIN, TVA71FLORMIE ELODSMA THAN. FREI ROP. DYAEP ICI OOS HCE Ne PRO UY FO BIS Ui es RE cesbnstoLAMROToMERtE WARE, Fe bse Y > got SEORRS.BRKUREAAML M7 PVT -ERRCT MERU RY RA RMSHR MAES Uw L TORE LOM enMOsrSERicMronEn STHSMMANGERTSD OBER MUTOEORTREL aN CORe ER RI SPU TERM MEWS RROD KEP EMMR DU ToEU.tOTT= A-YayOUnoHEH CoEBZOMO MERU TRLUE HSM B BRAK —Y-RBFEMD. RUTH ORES E@LSERbI.LOLRRCEK OTS ERs tHsane cmMHRS a(7L3a YUASA MEMREMLY TKI BOWMOANFOMBIDACON WOE OF REORREAMR SRI, 6. mEORIE Rs—moKERMEUTLES musncelaccnnme RARURNERS AO Lk Bommnbasannet Corpeners ow & Then, inludlng “esterday Once Mere [ERI Pe 9YR EP OPIN Gorin 1073 (original LP release) £0 (cover) The gentler our nature the deoper its rage StotmemeEMeIOAe When that ragehas erased amonexsvoravss ‘every last kindness, als for nought RMB ERLE eDE Come, lt us sing now, the Ode to Joy AERMBERLIORAET (On, clouds dufting ma clear be shy mLasosemonxsuen Bird calls i forest and field 2oEDN-2OMLEEe My heart dtighled brimming with Joy ALR fms OM (ur bright smfing faces exchanging Jooks snecemhoRHONE ‘Keni Ends, “Ode to doy 1972 rcs by Keni Endo {Hast verse by Toiciro Iwasa}, music by Ludwig van hina Beethoven)” JnieR 0 WCBS piel cwaran “The boom in Japanese sclence-fictionfantasy anime ayReomeanm was engendered by two works: Space Battleship Yamato (GRMENLEI"RRORLTH-ABRT. HEE ‘and Mobile Suit Gundam (pls. 27, 0).Both warks share #8. fa-LUDING VAN BEETHOVEN a narrative genesis ina post-atomic world. And both are yz fundamental to the birth of otaku culture, In Space Battleship Yamato, enemy aliens from the sF77y9¥ RTDAT=A7-LORM Gamilon empire attack the earth.The Gamilons launch EGE th@h= wo. (FRMMTY HE a planetary bomb from a great distance, a bomb Uc(RabRtt Ai ¥L)ipls, 27, 30).20= Book pubiahar: Kogan designed to accelerate radiation contamination and fF. cD DLR TROER ‘expedite thelr colonization of the planet. The land is seibeatA#ic UCU\8, LU CEHUEMIRLT, deforested and the oceans run dry BRS LF ORES CME OTHE ‘Mobile Suit Gundam opens with a plan to dropa space @TBBS. colony on the earth. In order to alleviate overpopula- (SEMIS YY KY CiSHERLOTAER AOR tion, space colonies have been created at the Lagrange MIvi= FAPSORMER S.EDEAD fields of the earth SHR Lice eh SRMME NS IAA, and the moon are neutralized. One ofthe colonies, which Sie LRU cM RSS. calls itself the Principality of Zeon, declares its inde- sare ManinASIc SEM LOIRE pendence from the Earth Federation and declares war, —ss(im@bWt>/ 7A) OWES 2<—R Points, places where the gravita Launching a sneak attack, they take a space colony out =e RDSIMRERME TEENS AT Bf, PHEMO attack, both on the space colony and at the terrestrial swiRE ROMASMAICAN-AIN=—K =D. 94 EBA massive projectile precipitates climate change. Earth, >i 2380. 0aRRNICN LTA of itso and drop it onto the earth. Billions die inthe sat. ACRE point of impact, and the earth's collision with the emB.2020= once the mother planet, enters @ nuclear winter and em. sires S.stMNMRE LEAN becomes all but uninhabitable, AAS —ESRICRT 2 ORME E Planetary bombs, or space colanies falling toearth 5%. 10=—mREW FAO MME RA ‘and exploding in blinding white light followed by SR(BARM-CHEE SS, kfc, KEMORT brilliant ed, were all common story elements in the 318222 LAM RMIC KD ROR TR oTLRUR manga and anime of the time, So many of these bigs ne z clot narratives begin in the catastrophic aftermath of an UTIEaLALRIE atomic explosion. evoBeEr, There is a longing for some fundamental human BRNO, A<—2ID=— AHR 18H power to awaken when humanity is backed into a UTMSEL CIRO Rs Bt. CM an corner, Hayao Miyazaki’ original manga and animated Ris, SOY 7,7 =X OBELOW Nausicat of the Valey ofthe Wind, also begins in a that has sutfered a man-made apocalypse. This ‘stro of Otomo's Akira as well We eel an abiding sense of righteous indignation “Bithe use of atomic bombs to bring the Pacitic War to tose, We level cheap shots at the Japanese nent, which placed Japan in that final scenario “ind thon concealed the truth about the bombs’ “Hlects: We feel complex emotions towards the “Americans who thrust the terror of nuclear anninila ‘upon Japan. Added to this is our own cowardly “Tage for accepting media control as a necessary evil All “rithis simmered in the Japanese consciousness as “dogma without direction. When these contexts emerged, ‘the message reached its audience in the guise of etilrn’s programming; because reality was portrayed ‘through anime, Japan finally discovered genuine fespect fr its creators. In Japanese elementary schools, we do not learn that our country has been managed in an incomplete, Aesiativ fashion over since the loss of the war. Nor do ‘we seriously grapple with the issue as adults. But everyone recognizes the discomfort generated by ti ‘established as a nation unab) unnatural state of affairs. Japan is well to address ite bad ‘hed. Butat least the truth survives, alive and well, in “stores told to children, Perhaps it's fair to say that ‘the unique sympathies we label as ofaku were born the moment Japan comprehended the sincerity of ‘these storytellers T.An Endless Summer Vacation ‘Oh sunmor sunset past the view inthe slow days ‘Orange cays, orange shy inte slow days ‘holon, ong summer vacation never seems to end ‘eam of becoming someone els, withthe face of ny iledoos (On yesh, one faint memory upon another (Oh yee, thoy determine who we are (Oh sure sunset, orange cic in the sunset sky Thattoe-smcoth color, packed with erama, story told tovclten LEV TMM 2eESVOER SNEARROATZKOPOEHSOWE OmEtsEDcesH, ESTEE WEL TRL OVA MORDAOERRMMOAV TINT HEPEA—Y a HBOROFIIAYOA AHSEREOUR DS MMOS ARE PHAKRADLIND BMATICESATARSER ODS RAM. E5 EMIS LRT BRE SRR REAREAON TO. FRO BUNDBEBRICRE LRT XYDIERL TOMMEBM AT 7 PAY KO-LENT Lab 2OFAORME MO RENT LT SWIM UTORPER NOM RIND. 2NSMHEMOMUEZ LEZ THRA OPREBBN TUE. 23 LEBE NEBL Wm, FURVORMELTRERAE XY 2-H. P= XBOKYPILTBART. SPARS CL CORREALE LTO RBH LOTHT REM CEB. BROMO MALL TRE LT ARE I WeMRWCMMShTUSLUSceR I PENTA OMA SNEEL TRALEE ELTEMMEMRELEL. LIL. 20% ARSEMOMROMOMS EME THs, ROR SMBICMLTEABEEREN SH ORE LOPTEDT OREN FREED BELOPERIUTS, SHER SORE RMAF MARLINS OI CER ROUND MENRECRAES. 7. RDS RUE (Oh Summer Suneot Past The View in The Slow Days range Days, Orange Sky In 7 Daye RO RD Wha wevescRDse wate Sees BERS FRoMomETs oh Yeon Mund CRC Maen ohYean @SERDONEDTS On Summer Suneet SiR ALYUe Figure ta27 Finan ‘Something inte Ai, incluing “Slow Day Fano re Xi RROP IIS 1098 er @t Bikini Atoll on March 1 1954 Pcaaeueaienane (Oh yeah | can't get to fostng nave On yo ife's not that big a da In the everyday with nothing lest we fee ine From beyond the horizon, the same sound as always Spending these dys i Gotta give thase days a hard time, too (Fishmans, “Slow Days," 196; yries and music by Shin Satey* The first atomic bomb hit on August 6, at the height of summer The war was over, Summer is the season when the story ends and hel bogins. Peace was immediately transformed by a unique sense of time. The blinding white light of the sun and the light of the atomic bomb coalesced, delineating the beginning and end of the narrative. Postwar Japanese narrative themes jumble summer vacations together with leukemia; many tell stories of doomed love. This still holds true today, as proven by the enormous success of the 2004 movie Crying Out Love from the Center of the World, based on ‘a novel by Kyéichi Katayama that sold an incredible eats Roz2Rok mover te oh Yeoh +-4— FRM Amic oS WEE bOU RE WOMSRUBRE A7SuR>bvEOE xEROHzS, aire 7 ZAMBRE KSESESL TUS conBe zoearenous 24942 Z'SLOW OAS, freee emee 1090 RBBORE. BREA MER 3 ROL. M2 MOHD ZUT ORLONMAES SERED. TOLMER UTM SHGMMMRA CEL HORM Be OR, AMOKERMOKNAIEL amet maecom| RUBEL OP CORROENSEN, BRUT C+ HICA I C2004 CRA tive milion copies upon publication, Indeed, the story begins witha heroine who has leukemia, The protagonist, Sakutaro (named after the post Salutaro Hagiwara), is a high-school junior in a fepional city, The story opens with the death of his ‘iriend, Aki Saku and Aki'sfrlendship goes back to mide school, but they first become romantically ‘volved as sophomores. In the second semester of fisjunioe year, Saku learns that Aki has leukemia. Her parents ask Saku to take their daughter to Australia When she recovers. Saku buys tickets and sneaks Aki ‘ut ofthe hospital on her birthday; they celebrate with ‘cake onthe train to tho airport. Aki collapses at the sort and Saku cries out for help. Aki is rushed back ‘othe hospital, only to die. Several years later, the Blt Sahu returns to his hometown with his new lover. The high-schoo! campus is rife with memories af Aki Anidatucry of cherry blossoms, Saku quietly scatters Ai’ ashes from a glass bottle, which he has kept since her death, Art critic Noi Sawaragi has studied the frequent appearance of leukemia as a motif in tragic love stories, noting, It derives from the radioactive fallout in the aftermath of Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and the Narshall Islands hydrogen bomb tests Savearagi and | were both born in 1962. We were born Into the period of Japan's rapid economic growth, not time of remarkable social tumult. Our generation Caines wit the first otaku generation. (For the recor, Sawaragl is not an ofeku.) Deeply influenced by TV Inediaat the dawn of the TV age, we have been dubbed "The transition from black and ite fo color, JFK's assassination the Vietnam Wer, the ‘noon landing, and archival footage of World War I: eve beon deluged by these Images: And we've ordered why doos Japan have a military if we've aban- ned war? The reason remained in limbo, Because any Chil, sesing that archival war footage, must have asked his parents, "Why did we lose the war?” "What are the TheTV generation Sel Defense Forces?" Our parents would have cited the atomic bombs and disparities in economic power. Aniltary based on equivocation, parents stuck trying fo e*lain the contradictions between the Peace Constitution and the Self Defense Forces: everything Indepan is ambiguous. Our generation swallowed its Pound frustration atthe rift between reality and the Formation availabe in the media, and it festered inside eo hired cE RRos0OR BERD LTRERORO CRESTS, ZOF YIMENPYF «AHS. EEO Y DADAORETHNEML TIS. EAR YD CE KOSI) S858 KAORI Fe AME RORMMARD ORO TUS) MEET HRN EVSAOR AOKD SME SEARS HA THD FUTHR—EEOM. 2B DERELLT BRLMORYDETS.O7ERIONEM SEMRT STEERS oh S—WIEA-ARSUTEROTRE Der FOMRNSREN +77 +ObeE BRDU TREE Ty HEE MEDS Wehr cews CORMOTTT—F CHERNET SOR CHET. TEBE TTS, Emm S Om UREN SMT FMA MER AAI ROT ERLUBAL RM, 7 ROBIE SHU OWEOERDIS9> 97K Bowe NIGhSEMFMICANTH ST FORPEMDICRS. 55 Lie onomeTammEs Hie AWTRRM ANAS EER MAORRORIRE. 2—> riLMRatD ORMRBKRELTSAN LER: MAL MOMEDL ENE. 1962%,88) BMMOBRTETTOR< BmARICIaD SEKROH EERE ZL TRAOU te Figure 28 The hip Daigo Fukuryd Mara at algo Fukuryd Maru Exton Hal, Tokyo aameREReCRRe EASON Word Wr and World Firs (cover) ‘Bock (publisher: Bijutsu Shuppen-Sha} Us. This ereated our pathological obsession with real ity and realism, as we attempted to identify the source of our frustration, ‘Tho leukemia angle and its origins: atomic bombs and hydrogen bomb I quote the iconic encounter of the fishing boat Daigo Fukuryd Maru with a hydrogen bomb test, so familiar to the Japanese, from Noi Sawaragi's latest book, World War and World Fairs (Bijutsu Shuppan-sha, 2005) Illustrates the origins ofthe never-ending atomic ests, (On March 1, 1954, the Daigo Fukuryii Maru was exposed to radiation from a hydrogen bomb test. Hoping to compensate for poor fishing off the shores of Midway, the Daigo Fukuryl Maru sped towards the Marshall Islands. On March 1, as the ship pulled in its catch, a ball of fre something like the sun rose in the distance, followed by concussive ‘waves, Rain mised with particles like white sand fell lover the crewmembers as thoy hurried back to port Those wore the “ashes of death.” They invaded the fishermen’s bodies without mercy through the ‘mucous membranes of the eyes and nose, contami- nating them with radiation from the inside out; on September 29 of that year, the first of the crew ‘members, Aikichi Kuboyama, died. The health of the remaining twenty-three crew members (whose average age was twenty-five at the time) continued to suffer from long-term radiation side effects, and ‘many have already passed away, due to liver cancer and other afflictions, The many hyérogen bombs tested in the Marshall Islands during this era were born ofthe acceleration of the U.S.-Soviet nuclear test race. In order to ‘generate explosions significantly more powertul than those of the atomic bombs, the United States was already employing “3F Bombs.” These bombs ‘exploded ina three-phase process ot fission-fusion: fission, and bomb casings were frequently coated with depleted uranium. “Bravo” (an unforgivable name), a hydrogen bomb that shocked even its creators with its demonic destructive force, was a natural extension of F strategies. tts fitteen-megaton power remains beyond imag. ination. By some calculations the total TNT tonnage deployed by both sides over the four-year Japan-ULS, We MERCH B.S HICK so C Tide AaleF LEMIRE eRbh, KWEFLEXF4 TDS RMERH ETL CSM. —N ORL OWN b> LM RMI UCR RERAMORMRM, HS CRU SRRE, ELTA aes CODRERFERRLID, RiMELTHEOD? OMNES ATHSRE iis SURO RARME RE FRASER SABI URAT SEAT AICAIHED 7s! CH? ROR URN CER DOMAE CORR! FELTOMM, AMC HTIMREDE Bene scee cles. meDetm BOER AF OS RAEN TC SMM BREOEAE RAOUL bimthe WRU TREL TI > ei Y TUF UPVAMCHUTSRIECIEDD ERE, MAD SORMERA LES ELE, BART 7.2 ORM. MONT. AM zee NEFA MAT ROMA EMRE TM (AMAIA 2005) MSAAAKEL OR SREREA ARBRE A CY REIIBLEU.ECICRD SUE mort iAORMMRSHEHTOS, 1954538 1 BCMER. RMEROAD RIOT SRO GUT 2 RE DokeSAIRMEMA LSE UTURE EAWAORAT AMOK EKOEHG SLD GMAT Hic. RiRhS BUDO > BIFHNR LE > MO. BLAS EA CMR LORIE ORs ot WEB PRE LSE NRHS ABU CBAL, TORRE RED SMM TRL, MOAI. SE ROVE DARLBHERICES Ltt DRE AEMEAOMAZSE (MERE 25m) OMB IER CHET TS DA NIRA Mase g 2m CHERLT 5.198) ZORMCY—> + LER TRDKES MOBA (SH) OBKBRENAMT EE Pema ENTS. BM CRANE War amounted to three megatons. Imagine an ‘explosion five times that powerful unleashed in an instant upon a coral reef protected only by beauti= {ul emerald groon waters. But the terror of Bravo fay net ony in its destructive force. The mushroom loud it generated rose into the stratosphere, scat- tering its massive radioactive material into the jet stream, where it cicculated over the world. In fact, Japan's Pacific coastline experienced heavily radioactive rains in Bravo's wake. In May 1954, Japan reported a Geiger count rate of 86 thousand counts per minute per liter of rainwater. (op. 522-36) The Japanese were exposed to radiation from the atomic bomb blasts and then again through hydrogen bomb tests. A blast of pure white light, a summer stermally seared. That orange-colored cirle, leukemia, {and summer vacation. My own consolation, a still fends summer vacation. The unending pain, the Testering, seeks to break out ofthis dilemma, the World The creators of DAICON IV Opening Animation would tame to occupy a central place in the current anime World The key members of the DAICON group opened the science-fiction store General Praduets, which was Professionally incorporated as Gainax in 1984 upon Production ofthe feature-length anime The Wings of eaeanise (released in 1957). Neon Genesis Evangelion (pl. 89), written and directed by Hideaki Anno and produced by Gainax, is the landmark ofaku anime film, which marked the most brilliant moment of otaku subculture. Evangelion became an explosive hit immediately alter the twenty-six original episodes were first broadcast on television in 1095-96. Caught up in the caltike fervor surrounding the work, fans willingly ‘cepted the controversial and irregular release of the subsequent film: unable to complete it on time, Gainax tsleased an untinished version to theaters in March “8 and released the final version a few months later 856 different film. This phenomenon points to the amplicit relationship by then formed in the world of ‘trimation between the creators and the audience, which fecognized Evangelion as an instant entertainment AUTRES. eons AMR RCRD SCET XY ABTSMMLE RL TUK. Z Nis, RABUFission). RA Fusion). eA RUFission) OMI > SHWE TRIN AREA LEE BCD Sy MRD NEE NS. ZU, ZOERBLE RMONEATSEOT Ses LORRMEmEDEMA THE Di AMF OM (RN LT ERE RAMI TB >t ECDC ARITA ORMDIEX HYEWS OI MMRERL TNS. —BH SSE MPC DROBRMS CRONE T ATOINTARESHLTEEXAKY KLPRSBUENS. TORSSOMMN RUVIXIETU—OREES NE MMOS CREICL TRE ROTH SoHE. 75 k-ORMIRMHIED THEW. AOLALLAE REE AR OMMIce TRL. HERSEnKsSEO mI = y haemo ci EORL RAYE. Cone) BR cOMPONRYS. BxeMOX ERA CR LEE 95 DL SEACLRB CRAY y KiLwicD ss AB-NIY SE CRBAF BEML E ‘same NEWS (332-36R.D) RABEAGRMORTCREL.EUTES BMAP EL OMAR EMRE, BoaekORN sciCREM oNEE, FMF, ELTA BOT DRA. PRAKRD SEU. Ho smineam FAS US RROD ERIE THs. 8. ROPE TR TEMA Os (DAICON IV OPENING ANIMATION) # fe RAP 7 BRORRLTREDT= X— Ya yMROPREM > THEM. 20RD ADNMSEY a Y7OUASHTOVIY EMG. SSK loeMRCEaSER 4% 7S ROW) OSTA) EUS FREE BoaWENI Ty 7ALNS7OOF=A Ya yRinR en Lite. 208«> YD ARMOR. P= AOR LT DPA YD AOA MEERA RC Video of anime im offet ection, released in My 1987) Havin The Bra Bock (pblehor: Avon: paperback edition classic, The original TV series and the subsequent feature films attracted not only anime fans but also young culture-lovers and anime veterans who had out- ‘grown ofaku obsessions. Evangelion is an unsurpassed milestone in the history of ofaky culture. ‘The story is set in 2015, ftteen years after the Second Impact, @ deadly cataclysm of global magnitude that originated in Antarctica. The new city of Tokyo 3 is suddenly attacked by “Angels,” unidentified enemies that take various forms including gigantic creatures ‘and a computer virus. NERV, a special UN. agency charged wit all-purpose humanoid weapons piloted by three fighting the invaders, deploys Evangelions, specially chosen fourteen-year-old kids (Shinji, Rei and Aeuka). ‘A complex amalgam of science fiction and human drama in the form of robot anime, Evangelion show- ‘cased Gainax’s skillful animation, along with Anno's bold use of white-on-black subtitle graphics and speed, almost subliminal construction of action sequences. In many ways, Evangelion is a mota-otaku film, through which Anno, himself an olaku, strove to transcend the ‘otaku tradition, While dutifully paying homage to the pop- and otaku- culture landmarks that preceded it, Evangelion pushed its depiction ofthe psychological and emotional strug- ales ofthe young motherless pilots to the extreme. The Final scenes were presented in a few different forms and media, including the original TV version, the feature-flm version, and finally the DVD version, which combined the preceding two. Each was unfailingly controversial. Especially shocking were the final two episodes of the TV series, which unconventionally mix ‘anime scenes with drawings and video footage. These ‘episodes focus on Shinji, the central character among the pilots, and his paintul search for what his ite means. both as a person and as an Evangelion pilot, With the ppurposeless Shin's interior drama taking center stage, Evangelion is the endpoint of the postwar lineage of ‘otaku favorites—from Godzila to the Ula series to Yamato to Gundam—in which hero-figures increasingly question and agonize over their righteous missions to defend the earth and humanity The final sequence of the theater version, which incorporated scenes from the TV version in a some: what confusing manner, constituted the apogee of otaku anime, wer t7 2794 yp 39), FLE-')—Ait 1905 262268 FL MERDENED OREMLE te 0 OR MORNTAREL.ZOAWKICAI ce aMPreR HARING IC eR OM bY ARRORBEMBAM. er AME SRMMERIMFE TART SEU DERRE ERLE. OE DUBIN BADRAMEKES LRT 7 —FLA home mui mie? = x RTWRCEE RAL S MME BEE ROP=AKT 7 YI Ties BELA BRR ERRURRT IY ORERTS OCMRWHEME LD REESE Vem BBKORY h-7=XK AT Y 220 ALEPH BOKER, 9 DESPUES 2 ROS BD< 17 MM BEBE CCHSMBES ERDMAS EPR XIBIES MATES. RAT SYIANS PBC ANS —OtRaRCRREIAA YH EBS (dP ORR, SROWEURIIY y REO MMR OMe MEER: URET SEBS. AR—Y—DIAbY SID RERARME HAY IFN LU ie € LAINE RRRRIC DVR ASEMALRM.TNENERERSE BOMeSSRC Li. WCMME ot LEM@R= BTR. 7= xc mmR EE PAR OBEMROTT: RORY Ye PDK LAMBS MERRORYY VES SC CORH FrONA Dy h THEE LONER Pe 8 see RIERA. 3 The title ofthe final episode of the TV version is Beas that Shouted Ai atthe Heart of the Wor of fatehana, a Japanese syllabic script, for {Word a/alions the term to carry the double mean Bt homonyms “love” and “I) Both the title and [Eeneept are borrowed from Harlan Ellison's eponymous fiction novel. Ina contest pitting the audience 3), who are normally on the receiving end of inment, against the author's vision, who can {ly 9? How far can the audience both compel and the director's vision? With Evangelion, the lor Anno raised a challenge to works that refused fellow audiences any escape from the reality of helt “ban sel-consciousness, The subst the film version's final sequence also “allies to science fiction, referencing the film Charly {b2sed on Daniel Keyos's Flowers for Algernon), which “was released in Japan as Magokoro‘o kimi ni (My heart 1000) Evangelion also incorporated references and ‘ements, such as the “Spear of Longinus” and “AT (Absolute Terror) Field," that were freely adapted fiom Judeo-Christian religious mysticiem, psychology, ology, and a wide range of sources. Their juxtaposi- “tion with robots and anime provokad widespread Specultion and much deeper readings. This simula- “lion-based approach stood Japanese anime's Andamentat disregard for dramatic themes on its hoad. “Bit ultimately, by arousing sympathy in its audience, “Ileid bre atrve otaku heart. "tis the fnat scene ofthe film version. When Shinji somes o he has boon asleep, naked. Rel, also naked, Sifadéles him, her hand poised to melt and fuse ‘uth Shij's torso. The Humanity Complementation Program will ensure that all humans liquefy, use, and become one. The giant crucified on the cross deep beneath the special agency NERV is recognized as ‘it, and ail humans are destined to merge with her, Utimately fusing into one. Lillith was the biblical Adam's first wife, but the children born oftheir union, Lilin, were regarded as demons; they represent Fumanity inthe film Shinj"Am | dead?” Fels *No, everything's just becoming one, This is exectly the world you dreamed of: Shinji: “But this is diferent. This isn’t it” Rel Ifyou wish for others to exist, once again, AMERPARETSEUSEROELSE SUTRMEIS HATS En 5z5% 6x HOR MIE TY IYNS(OKG- 7-2) SUC HPO ERT, OmRREDA, EL TMBMOIR KY —iET LEME OnBeGs RIT LAMSRRLHEE RK PEAY a ORAREMRS HS. FLEES 4 NE ERORO PARMA EDs. PRIRDOOSROSE HRN 9y TVA OMA ROE: WERARD 1 NUR OCRERHA FEW EDM RUMORED 5 bi, ay ET hOSIM CSS. 9—F 4A KER aL ThemEmRe cHHOTX—JOR BILLS, BAA IED Hac IL. OUT RSS Thee MARE) ECE RRUSSENGLRRDSOMMERED HROWEERE HS, LUSTRERT, BRO I9-4 KLE SEEDIIE SoMIANS NS. 7=TIL-42OSF AMIR Ne) eee ee Le KEES 2 Bic )ORUEKCharty YETI ROMA ROM PATI ILE E, AF PAT UANRIRRE ROME PERM RM SSIRBRL. OMY b PEXOMEHMERA SERA MBO RAWOWE RRAERBL TC. Chis, axie KI TORMEDME LEED PEAWMEBF IMS RYS a L— MBFRTOBS.LOLEOBALSSR, REORBOR AIS OLOARARE, FB MEORROL—.">CLaReR TOSI ELA NSRTR EHS T B.L1OFBSY TORCH AASHEL SS ELTUS. MEHMET CHS memowne>.7y 7-93. BHECOR asserts that she finds Shinji, who Is only capable of = ‘Asuka, bis only counterpart. Dev ExY YY Kise ‘atiog Such paralysis signifies both the otaku’s apex BF SMAMSCHY. TLAMEORME and hs genesis, RHE, Inasense, the search fora place in the world, which (97) COU ITE. WABOLOROR fotoments Anno's alter-ego Shinj isthe insurmount- R&—ATMARWRBE,—AKHOIR Figure 2.35, able challenge facing Japan. Our elit at finally putting the trauma of the war behind us was brief, for we Immadiately wore confronted by our inability to devise an independent future. Japan is now enmeshed inthe search for what it means to have a self, (On the other hand, in his “journey to self-abandon- ment,” Miura Jun, the man who coined the term yuru chara, asks whether or not there is a self worth search- ing for; the more such paradoxes emerge, the more @ ‘meaningless “journey of sel-discovery,” which offers ‘no apparent or ultimate independence, becomes the theme of Japan. 9. Otaku It Is impossible to avold ofaku In any discussion of contemporary Japanese culture. Although some ofaki prize themselves as “genetic” otaku, all ae ultimately defined by their rolentiess references to a humiliated self, Though obsessed with personal taste and Individualism, otaku can cultivate friendships based (on shared interests. They excel at adicalizing ineular Information. They thoroughly reject those who stray outside Japanese society has consistently ridiculed otaku 1s a negative element, driving such personalities into 8 boundaries of shared interests the far cornets of the social fabric There is a slight but absolute gulf between “sub. culture” and otaku. If we define subculture as “coo culture from abroad," otaku is “uncool ndigenous Japanese culture"; as otaku insist, “at least it's home- grown.” Otaku are mercurial, and embrace the internal Contradiction of considering such definitions “un-otaku: Nevertheless, the incident that spurred the impulse to purge ofaku from the world exposes the stark realty of otaku anthropology for all to see. After the arrest of Tsutomu Miyazaki, a kidnapper and murderer of children, media images revealed his ofaku-esque existence in a windowless room lined with wall-to-wall stacks of videos; the ofak lifestyle was thus demonized as a symbol of evil The ofaky aspect of the cult group Aum Shinrikys triggered a media bonanza, dissem ating an impres- sion of ofaku as evil incarnate. From the amateurish technology ofits solf-produced propaganda videos and electrade-equipped helmets for followers, to the launch of its Mahapasha store selling cheap homemade ‘computers in Akihabara (Tokyo's electronics district) ERNMADKE PADERTE TR: #esemacns, FRUAT ERT WCROBRENE! AULT LARURATERM 2 OF EH RCORATADEATEB SOL, BEEK EEORBOHE COB >Re: YYENRES HORMRL OME! HBAORWCKH MM TSS, 57 SOK SOVERDMA II EB RO} ROM, TOREANTHED LVS NAIL: LOH, Hy Owe BASEL TUS RDI PEOTEE. 20H AEEORINE UW HBOE Cosme Str FORMS: Cokie Bite < LoReH5 70 KUHL THS,25 LAF AUT SHE MMH ATE TERT! RBS RL OM LEED: -vetotus. a an< SOBAKLEBSMETHR Ct LAME CRS, CEF LS BeweMDe reat OFLA Lt ee Lc EL ABEREMDET CE, ECON LDH ARCMRN MATRON, Blatt RPE Me 3, ABN MOI RUHS.R-ORRHUERNSETN SiN TMI TES. fe ERERITIE RICA F 4 7 FEL UCMS TT CHIL EON-Y UF4—BRCROMCE! tah otee YIANF Ew EBOLIEDD BUSY LOMEREIEYZALEY BD (es THBELRD e< teh C DEWBABADRt, CH! T2nORTEARRMAE L329 Shere s>.tee'idely that they no longer form a minority. They are Integrated so thoroughly into the mainstream that first Gereration ofaku have become difficult to ftom everyone else, Olah will never be outmoded and wil to proliferate because they constantly themselves. In every domain—trom the world of distinguish N continue transform games, to the Internet, to @ world of pop-idols—otaku swiftly ‘iscover the loci of exchange between int tense Eros ‘and consciousness, never tiring in their efforts to fuse With such reaims. Every ofaku category subi mates Into RGR < Me RMSOLBEN, wR PEAUEORME ROR. STROUD FORREMC LEAR PRAATAMBBO amc < LK AMARA T PRM Be aT SEN SWRERHLA. A cmtE ne femanine eo eam. ayo8 PPRBRMERALENY REP ERE RIL ToD MSEC CNRS whe VONY ayes 7eHeL.eecANT Ba Loey ay em CHD RO READEL TEDL. 8K MMPS AMD BRMICM> Ti fea e as rv h iano —7-4 54, mortem BMLDAEI—+—EM Romer ATH BPO LURC cate MeN Hee DiceMmCREmUTHRCLAARE RNR EBEE TS LR HERS wr, LiL hfemeric eR LAI eeS BU KeGMeT Be BRM URI. En BRK OB DOMEEADS1729-41U. MES Dey bLTVEHSTHSERR £3, BIC IBN STOR RENO REL TRE. SNFRONHe LoRManTtUaiok FLETEX—Y a ASFEOV TALE + Ke OMROMRL HAM RO REC BLASS. COMME YNO7 7» EA OP RAROF CGAL Are AEE >. ISSORICMNE HME SOM mSE MIE BRURIIX D1 2 cDAICOND ROSANA OLDE BAS.7—how AMT Fa ry Ome ole CfA COP = Kom Crm THE MMB 94). ZORRER. BAMRTREUR GR. EAR P7LEI—Py ICU ROMAMOE SWRLEHTOS.2U THC Ty h S-RomamBmareBuAsecD Cbemxemicus, RALREMTE CEMMOBRLUBICR SLeMIRER Cd SeTOLS EME HEAT IY—LoAMY SDN TIRED, ELTA RMMMES HY CEWBU. ZR mLsscas Tle. RH Titec STH HEDCoURCRT Spaces, inaugua isa (cove) Tenner ee Magazin (planer: Asa Figure ta. fantasy, fueled by gargantuan information stores, integrated research, and the otaku quest for Eros. As ‘ result, although their world has begun to overlap with reality and ofaku have gradually begun to merge with the mainstream, they remain unable to shed the alr of the grotesque, 10. Seven-Eleven Just one mare, ane moe call from you and we can But wo keep this up, my memories of you will be destroyed do my best | want to orow the teenytiny guts ofa defeated athlete Those days | py ti around 8 or pm, | tothe convenience store, | goto the disco and watch rental videos with girls I don know | don't know if this ie as good ast gets, but none oft In these days, ! got drunk on Kalus-mitk These can drink bourbon-sodas withthe guys, Lets get off the phone and meetin Roppong want to make up with you, one mare time, over Kahlua Girls are so fagile, which is why they need to be ld, a8 much as possible {ut ve never been able tobe that kind of man, I'm sory do my bes want to grow the teory-tiny guts of a defented athlete oe T ree sf Salas” = ie BATHD. die R—IRiCS 2 AUIL! R6woTRTHS, (8h 6 REBT. RET SPS CEE mers emer. Fob A YI-BY TAI BS AFA) ORCAS HORMBIOAL BMORMOWERT< AIUML,£UT OwREBeLTTCRIEML ERNE Me LORRRA ERB. TOA! EEC AFT! 77797 (RCLMI CHS, 2h RREOMD ROLHMTEMBICRD BRCM Te —BRCED IIb, WEE FRUSAMARERTEBSON, 10 eFy-4LIy MotHSL BTERM RAD Jakes ob paMIEME SH OME >. HLA EIERR 27 RAP ST FAAIE STS RORLLUgLOETARTS ATUOOMMERLINE Lite feu SOMOMISDAT SND MOLERS 8s BeuLnemacn aEtAnee Fone "Were both stuck in our stupid litle pride | Youtreatad eto Kablon-mitk on my birthday | hen had one the other day, it made me want to ery Lats get ot th phone and mest in Ropponds, came meet mo, now Fant tomate up with you, one more time, over ation (Yeruyol Okamura, “Kahlue-Mi,” 190; ies and this by Yasuyuki Okarnra)* the helght ofthe buble economy, from the mid- “Ws fo the early 1980s, Japan spent money. This {economic frenzy, similar to the climate surrounding “he rise of Pop Art in America, visited a Japanese “eiure gn obese from cultivation in a greenhouse. Tho vicissitudes of reality grew more compelling than tion With a manic feeling of having conquered the “par without any heed for the futua, and trusting only the upward momentum of the bubble economy, we “observed a mirage that bore us straight into the ‘ature And when that mirage vanished, we felt relict, sift say “That's right, this is what realty looks like: We realized that life was perfectly fine with just a “oticum of oy. No need to party-hearty every day of {urlife.No one was starving, no one was that bored I ‘you were hunary, you'd 90 to the convenience store. In ‘he mo0d to shop, you'd go to Don Quijote. And soon, the basis of everyday life depended on convenience ‘sores ad discount shops. The local convenience store ‘soa significant factor in apartment-hunting, Seyon-Elevon currently dominates the convenience- ‘site market The chain opened its first store in 1974 {2 Japanese incarnation of American Southland [Corporations 7-Eleven, Employing distinctly Japanese Aistrbution strategios—including completely comput- silted inventory controls, meticulous replenishment Gt perishable goods via nine deliveries per day, and thevliminetion of warchouses—Seven-Eleven currently anirols 10,88 of Japan's 37,891 convenience stores, boasting the highest gross sales in the country, an “tana total of more than 23 billion yen (nearly 222 ilion dollars), The next revolutionary retail outlet to settle into the Uuben landscape was Don Quijote. it offers a unique Ftondensed array" retail space that suggests you've dered into an Asian bazaar. 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