guoxind

[guoxind]

Yeah, The End Class are like forced to be abandoned in order to become the motivation for other "good students" to learn. It's bad because as we can see, students in Class E are still talented, they just don't suit the regular education system.

Assassination Classroom (S1 1, 5, 16, S2 11) Reflection

I'm not gonna lie. I'm not really in the best state of mind to be talking about anime right now when I've spent the past 13+ hours brainrotting and feeling violently ill over This One Other Thing but this is the last one... So I'll do it anyways. God this tastes terrible but I'll do it for you [sacrifices].

I can't remember if I watched the entirety of Assassination Classroom before, but I do believe I read all of the manga when I was in elementary school. The story follows Class E's journey as they try to assassinate their yellow octopus teacher, Koro sensei. They don't understand why the government would ask this of them, but they stop questioning once they hear the reward: 10 billion yen. As students accepted to be societal rejects and with no inherent value for the sole reason of not being good at school, this bounty money seems like the only chance they have at accomplishing something with their lives when no one else believes in their ability to accomplish great things in life. Unsurprisingly, hilarity and shenanigans ensue, along with some interesting notes about students who are failed by the education system and prejudice.

It's very clear to see the educational discrimination that occurs in Assassination Classroom between members of Class E and the rest of the school. They're thought to be the lowest of the low for not achieving high enough grades in school, to the point of being completely alienated by the rest of their peers. Their inability to perform as well in school is treated like a contractable disease that encourages all the other "good" students to stay away until they are inevitably sent away to the old campus on top of the mountain and effectively "abandoned" by the education system. In the eyes of the principal, Class E is a scapegoat to encourage competitive and high-achieving students in the main campus to do even better as to not fall to the same level as the "failures". In doing so, Class E was almost completely deprived of an opportunity to properly learn with teachers who cared about their educational growth. Faced with the constant repetition that their efforts will always amount to nothing, just about all of the class had given up and accepted their fate. However, they were able to find their drive to succeed and push past the prejudices with Koro sensei's help, all because he believed in their ability to persevere and learn despite all these extraordinary circumstances pushing back at them.

[guoxind]

Assassination Classroom

Last post for this class. It’s kind of sad. This course really taught me a lot of stuff which is useful. My post is late because I am really struggled with finals this week, with seriously exam every day (Monday to Wednesday). 18 credits without no easy course are nightmare. But still glad I finally decide to take this course.

Assassination Classroom! I have to say, this is a pretty good time to watch this one because it is final week, with lots of exams. There are two key points: 1. The government expects the worst students in the school to kill "Koro-sensei", a tentacled creature with superpowers that destroyed the moon. 2. the director deliberately separated the End Class from other classes to create an opposing competitive environment. Both decisions are a kind of abandonment of the End Class. The director, as an educator, gives up the education of this class to make other classes work harder, which is very extreme. Because, at least from my perspective, no matter how much education is influenced by capitalism or anything else, teachers should always treat every student equally. For this, "Koro-sensei" does well, it tries its best to help all the students, in the End, the End Class also proves themselves, they should not be given up.

The fight between Class A and Class E began to make me think about the nature of competition. Competition can be divided into benign competition and vicious competition. Because of the influence of the director, Class A falls into vicious competition. Their efforts are not for themselves, but just to vent their inner hatred. The motivation inspired by hatred cannot last long. But Class E is not, although they work hard, in order to prove themselves, but the reason they actually work hard is for themselves, for their own future.

I like that it's not an individual-centric show, or that everyone in Class E is the main character in this show.

[guoxind]

Yeah, I agree with you. Capitalism is everywhere, even the Moon for Lucy's dream (fly to the moon) is actually controlled by capitalism, and landing on the moon requires a lot of capital. Moreover, the moon is not a place to stay for long, so escape from capitalism is not really possible. Therefore, the death of David and others is reasonable, because the small efforts of individuals cannot shake the whole capitalist society.

Cyberpunk Edgerunners

Cyberpunk Edgerunners adeptly executes its story in a cyberpunk setting.

We are thrust in media res with a violent scene of a cyberpsycho. It immediately sets the tone of a dark world. Later, David’s walk to school further expands on the world: the degeneracy of society.

Night City is presented as a cruel world once everything starts to come falling down for David. It is an extreme case of money running the world. For example, if you are not a policy holder, then you will not be rescued during a life threatening situation. I cannot help but compare it to the US healthcare system. It really questions when the significance of life is reduced to the same extent in Night City. This further exemplified by David’s impersonal transaction of handling his mother’s remains.

The Arasaka Corporation is an all-encompassing presence throughout Night City. Even David’s mother wants him to climb the corporate ladder because it is supposedly the only path to survive. However, this is refuted when David literally is on top of Arasaka Tower and has no choice but to fall down to his demise with Adam Smasher. Arasaka Corporation can be likened to how capitalism is all-encompassing. There is no exteriority or alternative for capitalism: it is simply an inherent force in the system.

Except, Lucy’s dream to go the moon was a possibility for paradise, but it was nothing without David, unfortunately. The system has snatched away David forever, and by extension, Lucy’s dream.

Cyberpsychosis is an interesting concept, which is creatively depicted. It is a result of the high mental stress of cybernetic implants. This serves as a limit for those trying to make a name for themselves. In short, long-term success can only be attained as a corpo. Also, the only way to deal with cyberpsychosis is to take immunosuppressants; there is no cure, except removing the implants. And in the end, if you fall off the edge, you are targeted for disposal. This could be a critique of a scenario where people with mental disorders do not have access to proper care.

P.S. the music is fire.

[guoxind]

Cyberpunk Edgerunners (Episodes 1,2,6,10)

Love this one. I watch all 10 episodes last year. So, I just watch 1, 2, 6 and 10 this time. Final week is hard. I love cyberpunk topic, and I've seen tons of movies and novels about it. So even though I'm not a big fan of the big fight scenes, I still love this one.

Maine is like the example for David. I have to say, not only David, but most people under this absolute capitalism society don’t have their dream or lose their dream gradually. For example, in episode 6, when Maine is mostly overwhelmed by the implants, he refuses to degrade his implants, because he's come so far, he can't go backwards. But making money, improving implants and programs should never be the end goal, but he got lost. Like Maine's inner racetrack, this is just a racetrack, there is no end, no goal, no other things. David is a little bit different, because he has a goal, although the goal is from his mother and Lucy. He just doesn't have his own goal. But anyway, their efforts still couldn't get past the capital controls, so eventually they failed. As Tanaka said, whether you realize it or not, you are living under the control of capitalism.

Lucy is the only person I know who has a dream of her own. As a person who was once controlled by Arasaka when she is little, her dream is to escape the control of capitalism and "fly to the moon". However, the Moon is also only a temporary escape which actually still controlled by capitalism. It's worth emphasizing that, based on edgerunner's generous pay, I think Lucy and David would have had enough money to go to the moon a long time ago, just because they were stuck on this path, like Maine, and couldn't get out. (I'm not sure if they have enough money, but David's house in Episode 9 is really luxurious, so I think they have enough money.)

Although the ending was heartbreaking and most of the characters died, I think it was reasonable. It's not a anime which good guy (main character) finally succeeds, but it's realistic. In a high-controlled capitalist society, David's failures, and those of the other characters, are reasonable. Overall, I love the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Lucy’s character is so successful. And I have to say, Rebecca's death was so sudden.

[guoxind]

Yeah, I agree with you. There are multiple reasons to cause Mima decline. Rumi is a big part of the decline. She does not want to admit her own failure as an idol before and also Mima's failure as an idol, so she creates the “Mima’s Room” and let Mima recognized. 

Perfect Blue

word count: 387 words 04.21.23

It's a great thing I had a buddy with me whilst watching this movie. I cannot handle seeing any form of stabbing ever, and Perfect Blue had an overabundance of it. Thus, I needed to be told when it was alright to watch again. These graphic scenes to a lot to put the severity of the situation into perspective, though, so I can't be too upset. Overall, "Perfect Blue" is a complex and thought-provoking exploration of the nature of reality and the toll that the pursuit of fame and success can take on an individual's psyche.

There are several factors that contribute to Mima's decline. Firstly, her decision to leave her successful career as a pop idol and pursue acting is a significant source of stress for her. She is forced to navigate a new and unfamiliar industry, where she is subject to criticism and scrutiny from those around her. Secondly, Mima's struggle with her identity becomes increasingly complex as her reality becomes blurred with the characters she portrays on screen. She experiences vivid hallucinations and delusions, leading her to question what is real and what is not. Finally, Mima is also subjected to harassment and stalking by a fan who is obsessed with her and refuses to accept her transition to acting. This fan, who is referred to as "Me-Mania" in the film, creates a blog that documents Mima's every move and becomes increasingly violent and dangerous as the story progresses.

That second point— that particular use of unreliable narration— is key to expressing the idea of psychological horror within the film. It creates a sense of ambiguity and tension, as the audience is forced to question what is real and what is not. We see things the way she sees them, and this is absolutely intended to create sympathy on behalf of the audience. I suppose that the goal is to make the audience question the nature of Mima's experiences and the reliability of her own perceptions, in order to lead us to reflect on our own sense of self and the extent to which our identities are shaped by our subjective experiences.

Also, the stalker did a lot to generate this sense of dread whether he was present or not. I guess the point was that, even if he isn't on screen, he is.

[guoxind]

Perfect Blue

Very impressive film with lots of complex themes and the intersection of illusion and reality. So, I was a little bit confused at first. But finally, I understand. Rumi, who is Mima's manager, does not want to admit her own failure as an idol before and also Mima's failure as an idol, so she establishes the website "Mima's Room" and incites Mima's obsessive fan, Me-Mania.

There are lots of male gaze in the film. For example, after Mima agreed to involves in the rape scene, the male actor did not behave himself properly. At least at that time, I did doubt whether it was a real rape scene. The frequent appearance of the trio is what most male viewers have in mind, at least in the film. They are representatives of the audience. And the depiction of Me-Mania is too ugly in order to emphasize the audience's bad feelings towards him so that the subsequent plot can be smooth.

Mirrors are also an interesting prop in film. Mima see Idol Mima in the mirror when she gradually collapses and disbelieve herself; When Idol Mima tries to kill her, mirror turns out that Idol Mima is actually played by Rumi; she mirrors as herself when she is just Mima. And the mirror is also a hint of Mima's Room, because the principle of the mirror is reflection, reflecting the same world (or similar). The Mima's Room that Rumi imitates is just like mirror, but still have some dissonance, because this is Idol Mima's room, such as the posters that have been put away and the fish which already died before.

Moreover, at the end, from my point of view, Mima succeeds in becoming an actress, but Rumi's influence on her still exists. She still needs to confirm to herself, "No, I am real". But this can also be read as a declaration by the victor. Also I am still confused whether Mima really killed the photographer or Rumi framed her, or the clothes are just props for Double Bind. Overall, very good film, although I Really scared in the middle (from Someone afraid to watch a thriller).

[guoxind]

Yeah, I agree. Especially in the modern era, it is easier to falsify news and evidence. This requires us to carefully identify. But even if some of the news is fake, created for political or other purposes, some of the news is real. Just like Japan, it is not desirable to blindly deny their own responsibility in war.

Thoughts on Sensoron

This was undoubtedly an interesting manga to read. It was clear that the manga was some sort of propaganda for Japanese nationalism. It seems like it was very far right-wing as it often criticizes the left wing.

This manga mainly criticizes how media often invents fake quotes and re-used images out of context to dehumanize a country or to push their agenda. It gave a lot of examples of how European and US media recycled images from entirely different events related to Japan in order to paint them as the evil in the world. The manga argues that since they were no conclusive evidence that Japan was the cause of the atrocities mentioned in the manga, they shouldn't be apologetic. This argument is flawed because it could be a pure coincidence that the newspapers use the same pictures to describe similar events that have Japan's name on them. Most news outlets nowadays use similar images with different headlines based on who their audience is, so it's not far-fetched to say that news outlets are manipulative and will only release news that gets the most reaction from the public.

One of the main messages of this manga is that not everything that you read in the newspapers is true. Throughout this manga, we see how everything in the newspapers is full of bias, flaws, and misinformation. This message is relevant to today's world, where everything can be modified by artificial intelligence to make it look like it's real. We have to double or even triple-check our sources to avoid getting false information about certain events.

[guoxind]

Sensoron

Well, even though I knew it was a work of right-wing before I read it, I still felt a little uncomfortable. It's ironic from a comic point of view. But as I said about Hetalia, Sensoron should not take what is said seriously. If taken seriously, it is problematic. Therefore, it is not a work suitable for general audiences, especially children.

Sensoron advocates anti-Americanism, arguing that Japan did the right thing for the war, and that young people now repenting for the SINS laid down by Japan are being brainwashed by the West. It also claims that the Nanjing Massacre did not actually exist, but was politically instigated by China and the West by creating fake photos. Finally, it says that the allegations of wartime rape of women are not valid because the women consented for money or something else.

The whole story seems to me more like sophistry, trying to lead the audience into an inherently wrong logic, and avoiding all evidence that would affect this wrong logic, to convince the audience that Japan is innocent and a victim of war. These charges are very subjective, for example, in the case of allegations about the authenticity of photos, it focuses on a small number of photographs that are in doubt and ignores a large number of others. It may be true that Japan was not the only guilty party in the war, but it was not innocent. It is totally unreasonable to disprove Japan's innocence with a few questionable photos. It is true that photo does not necessarily depict ‘objectively reality’, but it is also true that some photos tell us truth.

Overall, as we have seen in the Barefoot Gen about the atomic bomb, no country is completely innocent in war. It is not advisable to reduce war to a duel between good guys and bad guys.

[guoxind]

I love your analysis. Yes, there are strong sexuality element in the movie. When Mitsuha become Taki, she took a lot of advantages as a boy lived in Tokyo and show her own personalities and power. Also, the dusk, sake and the red string are all interesting elements for Japanese religion.

Your Name

This movie has been on my watchlist for a while and I'm glad I was able to watch it for the class. Right after I watched the movie, I honestly looked at other reviews to see if I anyone agreed with mines. To start, this truly is a good movie, the cinematography is amazing and beautiful and the way certain scenes played out were almost perfect and left me feeling a certain way that is indescribable, but after watching the movie I felt as though it lacked in something. I don't know what to pinpoint but I feel like if the movie was tweaked a little more, it would be almost perfect, which is why I don't know if I could say this could be one of my favorites. I think people online can make better criticism on the movie than me that is well articulated without trashing the movie, because it really is a good movie, but overall I just felt like it was missing something.

I read the assigned article (mostly read some parts and skimmed through others) and I see it talks about the relation of power and sexuality. At first I had a little trouble with comparing it to the movie, but after thinking I think it could mean the power you can get from different sexualities/genders. When Mitsuha takes over Taki's body, Taki develops some advantages that helps him with his life that he couldn't get before which was creating Miki's attraction to Taki and landing him a date with her. I believe Miki, or at least another character, says that Taki has become more "feminine". When Taki takes over Mitsuha's body, he causes her to be more "strong" and stand up for herself in class as well as do well in sports, etc. This shows that both gender/sexuality expressions both have their advantages and there's truly no "correct" way of expressing your sex. Also this shows that gender/sexuality is a mental thing rather than a physical one. They both still act the same way even though they are in a different gender body; they both still retain their masculinity and femininity and express it through the different body even though its a different gender.

Also I really loved the red string element added to the movie. I won't do an in depth analysis on it but the symbolization is extremely meaningful and the way it flows is beautiful to watch as well.

[guoxind]

Your Name

Well, although it is very popular after, but for some reason I haven't been able to watch Your name. It’s nice to have the chance to watch it this time. The themes are the contrast between tradition and urbanization, and the meaning of time and traditional culture.

I love the idea of swapping souls, especially since there's a lot of flashback in the film, which brings up a lot of questions and then unravels them. I can say that I was attentive throughout the film. At the same time, the soul exchange was not without warning, Miyamizu's grandmother would have been aware of the process and Miyamizu’s dream is to become a boy live in Tokyo. This may be the Mitsuha family's ability, and both her grandmother and mother didn't get what they wanted through the process, or forgot about it altogether. But Miyamizu is different, because of her hard work and Taki's hard work, she finally saved the village and met Taki again. I was impressed that when Miyamizu and Taki met at dusk, they decided to write each other's names. But Taki wrote "I love you" to Miyamizu instead of his name.

However, there are many conflicts. One thing that sticks in my mind is what Miyamizu said about herself when she first became Taki. Japanese is really an amazing language. I can speak Chinese and English, but in both languages there is only one call "I", at least in daily uses. In Japanese, however, it is quite different. In Japanese, men and women have completely different self-claims, and they also have different self-claims at different ages and when they want to reflect their unique personalities. Another conflict is gender conflict, which I won't talk because it has been mentioned in many previous blog posts. The final conflict is with parents. Miyamizu has a deep conflict with her father, and Taki does not have a close relationship with her father. Also, their families lack mothers. Fortunately, in the end, they both learned to reconcile with their families.

[guoxind]

Agree. Hetalia is a good work if viewed only from entertainment point of view. But the irony is uncomfortable for people in most of the countries being satirized. But because it treats different countries differently, audiences in different countries have different attitudes. Especially for the description of war, war is brutal, but Hetalia describes it as camping on an island.

Hetalia: Axis Powers

word count: 396 words 04.07.23

I watched dub, if it matters. Purely for the extra everything. The show somehow did a pretty alright job at striking a form of balance between absolute nonsense and pretty reasonable commentary, though the latter you certainly have to look for. The show is, in essence, a combination of comedy, cultural commentary, and social critique.

I'd say it's comedic in nature, first and foremost. The show takes a lighthearted and satirical approach to explore historical events and cultural differences between countries. The use of humor and exaggerated national stereotypes is meant to make light of serious and complex topics, making them more approachable and entertaining for viewers. For example, Italy is depicted as a pasta-loving coward, Germany as an efficient but uptight workaholic, and America as a loud and brash jerk with a savior complex... so on and so forth.

I absolutely understand any offense anyone could take with these portrayals... but I suppose it's also hard to remain genuinely upset when the show doesn't really take itself seriously. I mean, the show often breaks the fourth wall and acknowledges its own absurdity, with characters commenting on the events and situations they find themselves in. This self-awareness really just serves to emphasize the show's lack of seriousness and its intent to entertain rather than to educate or make political statements.

It's worth noting, however, that this lack of seriousness does not mean that the show is devoid of meaning or value:

The characters struggle with their national identities and cultural traditions, highlighting the complexities of national identity and the ways in which individuals are shaped by their cultural and historical contexts.

The show critiques extreme nationalism and the ways in which it can lead to conflicts between countries.

It depicts the consequences of imperialism and the ways in which it can lead to oppression, war, and other forms of violence.

By highlighting the similarities and differences between different nations, the show encourages viewers to engage with other cultures and to seek out common ground.

While the show does use national stereotypes for comedic effect, it also critiques the harmful effects of stereotyping and encourages viewers to look beyond surface-level differences to find commonalities between people of different cultures.

While Hetalia's social commentary and criticism may not be as prominent as its comedy and satire, it does explore important issues alright. It's just not the main focus.

[guoxind]

Hetalia (Episodes 1-19)

Well, first, this is the first time I've seen Hetalia. I know it's popular. That's all I know. It's surprising, though, that after watching 1-19episodes, I realized how often it's been in my life. Indeed, it represents almost all national anthropomorphism, and a great deal of fandom has been generated from it. From a pure entertainment point of view, Heritalia is funny, as much as I can laugh. But there are always some points that make me feel uncomfortable while laughing.

First, the stereotype. All countries are concentrated to one person, which is too one-sided. The stereotypes of countries, like France with its beautiful clothes and America with its love of hamburgers, are a little too strong. I find it amusing to see other countries portrayed in such a one-sided way that they even fit into the meme I know. But when my own country is portrayed in a one-sided way, I feel sad and even a little angry. This is a feeling you can only understand if you are familiar with the history of your own country, which is ironic.

Secondly, all countries are depicted as pretty boys, which is the image the audience will give most sympathy to. Even if, perhaps, no country is innocent in war in reality. In episodes 1-19, it was hard to see women. This may be based on the consideration of audience, but it is a little too idealistic. War is always painful, no one has the right to glorify war!

Finally, Hetalia's preference for certain countries makes me a little uncomfortable. It's not obvious, it's subtle. Even though it seems to be treating every country fairly, the audience's likes and dislikes are clear. After watching, viewers are sure to feel extra affection for several of the countries.

Generally speaking, as an entertained anime, Hetalia is successful, but I do not like the deeper implications of anime.

[guoxind]

Love you make connection with Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. Also, it is kind of sad for blade. I remember in one video where a blade (Jin's side) killed another blade (Rex's partner's blade) and claimed to be setting her free. Indeed, in the case of repeated memory loss and rebirth, the blade is more like a tool, like a weapon that can be used again and again, rather than a companion.

Xenoblade Chronicles

I don’t quite understand what is going on in this Xenoblade Chronicles playlist… maybe I just need more context, but it’s like I understand, loosely, of what’s going on but the true details and makeup of this world, I don’t understand. But, what I can gather is the importance of the environment in this world because the environment holds an effect on their powers. Moreover, harmony with the environment is important to everyone, especially when it comes to human relations with the Titans. When I noticed this, I immediately thought of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind due to the importance and correlation between being cognizant and taking care of the world they call home. The Titans in Xenoblades are these giant beings who the people rely on to stay afloat in their dwindling realm, which ties into the reading about anthropocene, the age of human influence on the earth. There’s irony though, in the fact that homosapiens are regarded as exceptions to the natural laws that nature itself abides by. Yet, in the Xenoblade realm that exception, or excuse, to go against nature’s ways, ends up biting the populace’s butt as they navigate their diminishing world and must learn to survive in the consequence of taking advantage of the earth. As the reading states, every species has to adapt to its environment. I could even go as far as referring to the Charles Darwin experiment that discovered “survival of the fittest”, but I won’t because we’re aware of that. Adapting and change are words that this realm is familiar with, especially when looking back at the rebirth of the swords and crystals who are portrayed as very human-like. These swords of power and light are in a cycle of immortality and being able to die, but have no recollection of who or what they did before. I find this trope interesting because it’s almost sad but intriguing to go one for multiple lifetimes but not recall any unless circumstances force them to.

[guoxind]

Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Nintendo game! Xenoblade Chronicles 2. It's famous, even if I haven't had a chance to play it yet (splatoon3 is so fun that I spend most of my Switch time on it, strongly recommend). But if I have the time, Persona 5 and the Xenoblade Chronicles series are next on my list.

Well, it's a big worldview. I think we watched the main plot on the game? It's a little scattered, a little messy, and the main sets and concepts are coming out separately. Also, it is a standard way to make Japanese game, but not anime. So, for me, it is a little bit strange. It is a standard way to make game, but not for anime. So, for me, it is a little bit strange.

Environmental protection is a very important theme here. One of the things that's special in Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is that everyone lives in the clouds, they live by Titans. This meant that life was very challenging when more and more Titans die out. And Rex's dream is to retrieve the "world tree" that exists in the center of Alrest in a paradise called Elysium and let people live on the mainland again. In the end, the goal of reliving people on the continent was achieved, at the cost of two natural sacrifices. Human life often seems to come at the expense of nature, a bit like parasites, a bit ironic.

Also, the characters of Driver and Blade are interesting. I remember one of the battles where one blade killed another blade and declared that it was freeing her, even though they were enemies. To be honest, I don't really know the blade who was killed because the plot is a little too fast. But it's true that the awakened blades are more of slaves than companions. More seriously, slaves that can be used again and again. Because after the driver dies, the memory of blade will be emptied and changed into the original state, waiting for the arrival of the next driver.

[guoxind]

Love your connection of the Seven Days War with the reality of potential nuclear war. One of the things I really like about this film is that it is female lead and tells about the contribution of the princesses. Also, the hope never die out.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

It was nice to watch this film again as a 22 year-old because the first time I watched it was probably when I around 10 and therefore didn't remember much of it.

I have to say, I love Nausicaa. She is so strong and smart and most of all, kind to all living thngs. This tale revolves around the adventures of Nausicaa and the warring countries of Tolmekia and Pejite, as well as the Sea of Decay that produces toxic fumes and water and keeps on spreading.

It is clear of the man vs nature theme in this movie but there is also a man vs man theme. The Seven Days War can be seen as nuclear and biochemical weapons that humans have created and used, killing many. The Sea of Decay's large and unnatural insects can be seen as mutations that have occurred due to the harmful chemicals of nuclear and biochemical weapons.

Tolmekia and Pejite's fight over a Giant Warrior embryo can be seen as the stalemate of the Cold War, where instead of nuclear war it is the awakening of the embryo they are waiting for.

This movie shows that everyone loses in war, and that we will eventually not even have the time to be partaking in war once the time comes when nature will come to destroy us. It shows Nausicaa exemplifying being kind toward nature and protecting her village with her life being rewarded with being brought back to life.

In the end, we see a ray of hope shining down on a sapling that is growing in the pure space underneath the Sea of Decay. It was nice to see a movie that is hopeful for the future but does not leave out the realities of the actions of greed, violence, and search for power.

I also have to add on the I also love Joe Hisaishi, I especially liked the repeating motifs in the pieces in this movie.

[guoxind]

Swampcon

This is my first anime convention in US. It was a good experience. It reminded me of Anime Impulse in San Diego that I didn't have the opportunity to visit during spring break (because I couldn't get a meet-and-greet ticket). I hope there will be more opportunities to participate in similar activities in the future.

Then, I want to talk about my experience. I spent a whole day on Saturday and half a day on Sunday. There is too much fun. This resulted in me staying late in the library for days the whole weekdays (the price of not studying on weekends).

First, about costumes. In my dorm room, I don't have any costumes, not even wigs. So, I chose to wear just one SPYxFamily T-shirt and put a few decorations on my backpack. This also led to an awkward lunch experience, which I'll talk about later.

Volunteer

For volunteer, I participated in the volunteer activity for a total of 4 hours. Saturday was registration for the one-hour opening. It was a great experience to see many, many cosplayers. I saw a lot of beautiful props. What impressed me most was a girl's self-made chainsaw. It was very beautiful. I was on panel duty for 3 hours on Saturday, which was also very interesting.

Pokémon Trainers Unite

I'm a Nintendo fan, but I'm not a Pokémon fan, so I just have a generalized idea of Pokémon. I heard some interesting questions about Pokémon. The Pokémon themed cars are so cool.

After that, I went out to lunch, which was a little awkward because I wasn't exactly dressed up as Otaku, but I wasn't exactly normal either. I was kind of separate from these two groups and didn't belong to either. However, it is great to see so many beautiful cosplayers in Reitz. Aside from the cosplayer, the Swampcon atmosphere outside the event room is actually not a lot, hopefully next year there will be an opportunity to add more Swampcon decorations, such as a poster outside the gate.

Idol Fest (My favorite part)

I have to say, this is one of my favorite parts. I saw a lot of characters that I knew, even liked, or didn't know very well, and some of idol's personal stage. It's so nice to have a lot of people cheering together. I was actually a little bit angry at the beginning of the stage, because the second show stage. A vtuber who graduated because of a personal problem just doesn't exist anymore. Even his cosplay shouldn't exist. But he still performed on stage, which made me feel a little uncomfortable. But everything else is good. I especially liked F4TE's performance, their choreography was really cute and totally in line with the scene of the original song, which is very similar to the scene in the anime.

Then came the Artist Gallery and Vendor Hall. I didn't buy anything at Vendor Hall, but it was quite surprising to see the goods of Disney Twisted-, because this game is probably not famous in the United States. But I did a lot of shopping at the Artist Gallery and fell completely into Otaku  consumer habits. First, I buy a poster of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.

This is my favorite anime last year. But because it was based on a game, it didn't seem to catch on. It's nice to see it at an artist's stand. Other than that, I was impressed by an animal crossing sticker. Since it's a Nintendo game from a few years ago, I didn't expect to see it here. Below is all my purchases.

I also attended a panel on Sunday, with the topic of Beyond Anime and Manga: History of Japanese Literature. Due to my volunteer schedule, I failed to participate in the ensemble star activity, but my friend took a picture for me, which was also fun.

Overall, it was a fun experience and I want to donate more of my time to make it even better next year if I get the chance. One of the things that touched me most about this event was finding out how many people are swampcon participants for so many years.

[guoxind]

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

Love Miyazaki's film forever. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind focuses on the environment and discusses one potential future of human if we continue to destroy the environment. This seems to be a warning to human that the earth is capable of recovr, and when humans destroy the earth's environment too much, the earth will spontaneously begin to clean up, in whatever way humans think is a disaster. It is important to be aware of the damage humans did to the environment. Just as the toxic jungle exists to purify the environment, miasma also causes harm to humans. We need to see nature in a way that we looks up, instead of look down, as Nausicaa has done. That's why Miyazaki created the huge toxic jungle, a giant spore forest that stands in stark contrast to a tiny human.

The power dynamic in Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is also interesting, and the Valley of the Wind is undoubtedly at the bottom. The Valley of the Wind is a harmonious, simple country. Pejite is on the higher level because it is an industrialized country (even if it has been destroyed). Tolmekian is higher up because they have absolute military power as well as Giant Warrior. But at the top are Ohms, the giant insects that can live in the Toxic Jungle. Nausicaa believes that humans can live in harmony with Toxic Jungle and Ohms; Others, convinced that human beings cannot coexist with Ohms, want to burn the Toxic Jungle. The Giant Warrior represents man's unending desire and absolute force. The final demise of the Giant Warrior indicates that force cannot solve all these problems.

The other thing I love about Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is that it's the princesses, not the princes, who stand up and take the lead! Although princes also appeared, princesses, as women, had their place and made many contributions.