Autism in Media: Midori Asakusa (Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! Analysis)

[@DarthLenaPlant]

I think there IS an overlap of ADHD AND Autism in Asakusa, and experts are starting to think these two aren't as different as initially thought

[@suttongriffin8154]

Oh that’s cool I guess. I have ADHD and have has a friend ask if I was ASD but I said not, but I guess I never considered the fact that I could have some form of it

[@rampantbuckler818]

if only they paired well together instead of amplifying the affects of one another

[@HimynameisJermHicks]

Your most likely right ADHD is a common comorbidy of Autism.

[@rampantbuckler818]

@@friendofmaglor as someone who's autistic and adhd, I really need to watch this.

[@BB2_462]

I have ADHD and I definitely saw Asakusa as ADHD coded

[@GabrielDalposso]

I wouldn’t say her sole interest is anime... from the beginning of the anime she shows that she likes to create worlds and finds at the beginning of the episode that animation is a good way to do it

[@leonardo9259]

Yeah, the one who is REALLY deep into anime and animation is the other girl Fuck i always forget Japanese names

[@nesukuikku512]

@@leonardo9259 misuzaki tsubame

[@_synthicyde]

She has many interests. Exploring, nature, animation, and more. She's very well round like that which is so unique in anime

[@ezersriah1539]

Not sure if you missed this out, but I noticed that Asakusa is often distracted by her surroundings and gets too focused on expanding a certain character or scene into their animation projects this might be another characteristic of adhd whether it's true or not. And thanks to Kanamori's goal oriented mindset she was able to push the club forward, one of the things she does was put Asakusa out of her comfort zone, making sure she's her ideas are heard. I can compare this kind of situation to a person holding a floating balloon. Whererin Asakusa may tend to float away but is kept in place by her friend Kanamori. This is my first time posting a comment with this sort of analysis lol XD

[@PenaltyKillah]

Good first-time analysis! Totally relatable... I get distracted by every other irrelevant detail as well haha

[@_Phoenyx_]

I'm actually ecstatic that someone made a video about this. As someone diagnosed with high-functioning Asperger Syndrome, I can honestly say that I have never empathized with any character in Western or Eastern media as much as I do with Asakusa. Being able to compare her thought process to my own made me happy in a way that no anime or show ever has before. This video is excellent. It deserves way more views, and you deserve way more subscribers.

[@justkyoky9165]

same here, honestly there where some escenes that made cry a river, they where like watching my old self once again, the 9 years ol me just watching my first gibli movies and falling in love with animation and manga

[@jazzy2718]

Same 😅

[@breakmoon4193]

just letting you know, asperger is no longer a valid diagnosis! it's just asd ^^

[@TheTruePopeFrancis]

Yes!

[@playdoh658]

aspeger doesnt exist anymore it’s just asd now. Also “high-functioning” also does not exist because while sime symptoms might not affect you a lot others do. just letting you know

[@DeathAlchemist]

As someone on the spectrum, this was a very well informed video. Asakusa is one of the reasons I love this show so much.

[@taquito865]

Last night I finished Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken, as I was watching I also thought that Asakusa exhibited many autistic traits and wondered if anybody had noticed them too. The fandom doesn't seem to be that big, but I'm glad someone out there also noticed. Great analysis and video!!

[@10MoNiOl]

I absolutely love the neurodivergent traits given to Asakusa! I think all three of the protagonists are likely on the spectrum. They all think and act in such distinct and different ways! Kanamori cracks her fingers when she's annoyed or thinking hard, and Mizusaki has almost no verbal filter. I'm still watching through the anime, but every time I see a trait I recognize in my friends and family who are on the spectrum, I get super happy! I'd love to see videos analyzing Kanamori and Mizusaki's neurodivergent traits!

[@kyreden]

As someone whos got ADHD, and friends with Autism, it's really cool seeing a series touch upon these subject matters(since ADHD can be experienced alongside for certain individuals so) and just. Seeing that it isn't just me and some friends who see these characters is kinda. reaffirming? To be seen, even if only adjacently i mean. But. Yeah. Thanks.

[@jungwheeinseyelash9167]

I didn't even think of her being autistic or having adhd the entire show like specifically, but on episode 11 when she said she's never been on a train before because she's scared of people, I just felt something i've never felt before in any type of media. The way the show doesn't market or amplify the fact that these characters are most likely neuro-divergent like a lot of american tv shows do for "visibility" and "diversity" makes me happy. It doesn't have to be pushed to our faces they are just humans and the fact that Asakusa just naturally states the fact that shes scared of people or how her friends don't make fun of her traits like her bunny or her rambles and outbursts. also we all like to get diagnosed and to be put in a box bc its comforting but we have to remember its a spectrum. you can have autism, adhd, both, some other stuff mixed in, etc. not everyone who is diagnosed with the same name can have the same issues as well. I love how its so natural in this show unlike some shows who portray characters in most stereotypical ways. Asakusa and Kanamori's dynamic almost reminds me of how my best friend treats me (im neuro-divergent) like he knows how to filter out my rambles when its not important and is blunt but knows when its important yk. grateful for my Kanamori and grateful for this series. also i carry around this bear everywhere but its bigger than her bunny so like its hard sometimes kinda wish my guy was smaller then at the same time i love him the way he is and he gives best snuggles. he doesn't have a real gender but saying him idk just feels natural. i'm not autistic tho i think but i always take him everywhere everytime i go on trips too i took him even now since i was a kid the only place he didn't go to was peru i think or did he go..... he went to korea and the Caribbeans for sure hes also in my aunt's wedding photos as well as a lot of photos. my little brother also use to carry around his animals too idk if he has a special one like me he use to have a monkey and a lion

[@canti7951]

I find myself going back to this show after watching Bocchi the Rock. I'm pretty sure most would disagree but I found the depiction of Bocchi's social anxiety to be too stereotypical and too hyperreal in a sense that it's distorted to give off a cutesy and quirky vibe more in line with "anime". I still think it's a fun anime, but shows like Eizouken imo are what really nails relatability and authenticity in terms of character writing.

[@dopaminecloud]

@@canti7951 Bocchi's anxiety is portrayed more than fine. The show just sits in the perspective of her head and you get to witness the warped thoughts. Eizouken sits further away from its characters. You have to understand that Bocchi isn't just shy or scared. She developed an actual condition. There's no stereotype to it, it IS that bad. You may just be unfamiliar.

[@canti7951]

@@dopaminecloud On paper, you could say she stutters and fumbles her words. I don't think that's the stereotypical part. I found how they depicted it to be too decorated and typically "anime". It's not bad per se, but imo, it's like looking at real situations with rose tinted glasses, when reality feels much rougher and less appealing. I think when a show is that way, it undermines the reality of what the situation really feel like, which is ironic for a show that supposedly gets into people's heads. Though I get that it's fun and makes the show what it is. Add to this, I think her character is a bit one dimensional. Most times, it's like social anxiety is the only part of her personality the show depicts. Outside of that, she's pretty flat imo. Also, her parents doesn't seem to be concerned at all abt how severe her condition is and think she's just the way she is. It's one of those things that seems innocent on the surface but gets more sus the more you think abt it. I could list all the bits I relate to abt Bocchi (her tendency to avoid social situations, she never speaks unless spoken to, she assumes strangers to be much more sinister, cant get out of bed, overly polite n insecure but actually conceited, auditioning for cool shit she wants to do but backs down the last second, withdrawal from the outside world etc.) but it doesn't really matter. I do relate on paper but the way the show depicts them alienates me even more.

[@dopaminecloud]

@@canti7951 That disconnect you're feeling is elsewhere. Not in the depiction of her issues. The world of bocchi the rock itself is what's warm. It's this warmth that's foreign to the reality of these experiences. However, this is no different from eizouken. The reality of neurodivergence is very cold compared to Eizouken's peace, freedom and ability to achieve. It seems to me you just have an aesthetic preference against extreme visual gags which bocchi derives its comedy from. In eizouken the focus isn't at all on the characters quirks, so the visual gags are related to the process of creation. It's a different viewpoint entirely and I don't think the core of that lies in authenticity or relatability. What you're looking for is shows with characters that are different, without just being about the characters. Alternatively, not comedic or not warm. Something that may fit for you is Welcome to the NHK! or Ping Pong the Animation.

[@canti7951]

@@dopaminecloud I think what makes Eizouken different for me is how that warmth mainly comes from bigger things, things that are universally human such as dreams and passion. It also doesn't oversell on her being "different" from most other kids, it's just naturally a part of her character rather than a "quirky" or cute thing, but beyond that is what really the show is about. I'm also a fan of extreme visual gags like in Tatami Galaxy. Maybe I'm not being too clear but I mean "depiction" more like the writing and acting of the dialogue, and overall characterization. The absurd moments in BtR honestly carries the show for me. And you're right! NHK and Ping Pong are actually some of my all time faves. I also found NHK to be (painfully) comedic. I don't really know. I liked BtR and all for being cute and silly but in terms of empathy, feeling the characters and all that stuff, it just didn't hit for me. Satou and Smile are almost like real people I've met while Bocchi is like social anxiety personified and anime'd. I mean whatever, might just be my preference.

[@louiedale7347]

I loved this anime!! I related to Asakusa a lot (I'm pretty sure I have ADHD). While they're developing their second short film, there's a scene where Kanamori talks about how Asakusa's interest 'switches' on, and once that happens it's almost impossible to stop her. I related to this a lot as someone who has the ADHD trait of hyperfocusing; when I get fixated on something it really grips all of my attention, I don't even feel the time pass. I had never seen this specific trait talked about in media before. It was really refreshing and reassuring, because autism is usually represented by how other people see autistic people. But Kanamori has a sincere interest in understanding how Asakusa's mind works. Thank you for making this video!

[@TerminalConcret]

One day, I was in a discord call and one of my friends played this weird song. It was in Japanese and kept saying "Easy Breezy". I liked it despite the kind of strangeness of it. We kept playing it in VC every now and then, kind of as a joke. Later, I looked it up and found this anime. I watched a couple of episodes, kinda forgot about it. Just recently, I remembered "Eezy Breezy" and decided to listen to it again. I've been kinda stressed recently and just remembering hanging out and laughing with my friends over a silly song calmed me down. I think that was the happiest I've been in weeks... also after watching this video I'm probably going to try to watch the anime again. :)

[@thesnagglewolf]

I love her she's such a goofy little bundle of energy. Interesting video.

[@roseystudio10]

As an autistic, she's a complete mood. Keeping and holding onto comfort items, having hyper fixations to the point where it's all I can think and do, act childish, hyper, socially awkward, and many others. People get annoyed when I talk about the same thing, but get frustrated when I barely talk about anything else! If you want to talk, let me talk about what interests me!

[@huntergalbraith2771]

I really appreciate you making this video and I hope you continue this series. I love Eizouken and I think it's great to have representation in a character like Asakusa. I had a lot of difficulty with communication and socializing as a kid, and that led me to develop attachments to characters that had what you might call autistic coding. One big example for me as a kid was Starfire in Teen Titans, and although it's not likely that she was specifically designed to be autistic, a lot of her mannerisms and insecurities spoke to me. I imagine you're not hurting for other characters to talk about, but some other characters that jump to mind is Constanze from Little Witch Academia, Lain from Serial Experiments Lain, Sheska from Fullmetal Alchemist, Mai from Nichijou, and Cole from Dragon Age. Don't know if any of them are on your list, but regardless, I'm looking forward to what you cover in the future.

[@philiard]

Actually, none of those characters are on my list, so I definitely appreciate the suggestions. If you don't mind me asking, this video has been receiving an awful lot of attention lately for a three-month-old video from an obscure channel. Is there any reason for that or are y'all just feeling generous?

[@huntergalbraith2771]

@@philiard it was posted in a Discord server that I'm in. It's probably a few hundred people, but I don't know how active everyone is, or how many actually clicked on the video. But Eizouken is pretty popular there.

[@JustAutistic]

Excuse the late response to this comment, but after reading this comment and the replies, I think it’s also due to the anime (and assumingly the manga as well) gaining popularity recently.

[@drafruuu]

as someone who is neurodivergent i could relate to Asakusa alot :’) i absolutely love her character!! thank you for making this video, it’s very well written :]

[@turkeybeard2010]

People like Midori make the world work they can see and do things most loses focus on.

[@cd6572]

I really love this video. I’m an illustration major and a friend of mine actually recommended Hands of Eizouken bc I reminded him a lot of Asakusa. I watched the show and really related to her since I’ve loved anime and manga since middle school, I’m really bad with social interaction (currently working on it tho!), and I do a lotta art. I never thought of her showing signs of neurodivergency, so this really opened my eyes! Keep up the good work :D

[@RabbitDogHOMOSHREXUAL]

I actually think they’re all autistic in some kind of form cause they all latch onto different things and has traits in autistic behavior Like Kanomori is very monotone and latch onto business stuff like money and isn’t very emotional and hard to read expressions from Tsubame is was very secluded from things like dance and socializing with other people as a child and she often latches onto things like art and anime like Midori but she got very good at masking it when she got older You already explained Midori perfectly but i just wanted to show my headcanon stuff

[@wellspokenrambler]

Hard agree, came into the comments to say this but you've phrased it so succinctly already!

[@chocolatepopsicle5834]

in fact, i think everyone have autism!!!!!

[@sparkodile]

Nicely done. Narration sounds good.

[@mothrastewart1163]

I have ADHD + Autism and highly relate to Asakusa even though we dont completely overlap in our symptoms. Thank you for making a video tying all these examples together!! I remember watching the series back in 2020 when it was airing and forming a strong attachment to Asakusa and felt so seen by her constantly keeping her plush rabbit on her and holding it in times of distress. I do the exact same thing and it was so cool to see a character stim the way I do!!

[@GoblinLord]

It's nice to see that she was made by someone with both ADHD and Autism because I have both too and it's cool to see how other people experience the combination!!!!!

[@saintjuste6130]

GREAT VIDEO!!!!!

[@funfactsandfactsthatarefun5007]

This is a very good video please continue your series if you get the chance

[@Bruh-ig1wo]

this was a cool concept for a series, sad to see that this account was most likely abandoned

[@Armag90n]

I’m autistic also, and I noticed quite a lot of the traits you pointed out, but you picked up on a lot more than I did such as her stimming. A great video essay, butt. I’ve subscribed and I’m looking forward to you similar future content!

[@PushoverMediaCritic]

As an autistic person, I agree with this video 100%. She's not exactly like me since autism is a spectrum, but I found her extremely relatable when I was watching the show. IMO, she's Best Girl; Kanamori's great and all, but Asakusa is the heart and soul of the production team.

[@martythemartian99]

Thank you for giving me new insight to one of my favorite anime. :)

[@athy8763]

man this explains why i liked eizouken so much. there was a ton of shit that just clicked with me and i felt like a piece of media finally portrayed how i feel and how i view the world.

[@blackwashing7151]

As someone who’s on the autism spectrum, I never realized how much I related to Asakusa! Even if she wasn’t meant to be autistic, i feel like it’s really cool that I can relate to her

[@BeefStrugglenoff]

KNEW I WASNT THE ONLY ONE WHO THOUGHT THIS :-) i relate 2 her sooo much

[@Misshowzat]

So glad that there's another good quality representation to watch. This looks great

[@SquirrelyDude1]

Didn't know about the author's history. Neat video!

[@kaylemathewcomendador6964]

As someone who’s apparently part of the autism spectrum (Aspergers, according to my parents and doctor) I related with Asakusa for a hefty amount of the anime. That’s probably why she’s my favorite of the main trio. I get the hype with Kanamori and all, but nothing beats that little kappa/gremlin girl for me. Nicely done video overall.

[@veralunafritzlevit4462]

I feel like Mizusaki might be autistic-coded too seeing that she also has a very hiperer specific interest and constantly experiences the world around her through it. She also has a very different personality around her friends than her fans and that might be due to masking. I just feel like she shares a lot of traits with Asakusa, plus the masking part of her personality that comes through when she has to act for her fans.

[@kaito1397]

Awesome video! If you’re interested, I’d love to see you do a video on Tsukimi Kurashita from Princess Jellyfish as well. She becomes super focused when she’s concentrating, she knows a lot about Jellyfish, and she is socially awkward. I even thought the manga author had ASD as well, when they mentioned that they would spend so much time drawing Jellyfish. At one point, her interest shifted to a male celebrity and she would draw a lot of HIM too.

[@Filbi]

Very good and informative video, thanks for making. I've never been diagnosed but I suspect that I'm on the autism spectrum, and I can definitely say I relate to this character in many ways - though I've ended up more of a dabbler without great skill in any one particular area, sadly. Minor nitpick: the "ei" in Eizouken is pronounced like the English long A sound, or "ay" (as in hay, may, day, etc.).

[@beansforsalewahoo]

Don't worry! I've been diagnosed with Autism and I don't have a lot of skill in any of my special interests myself (it's been bothering me a little these past few days tbh.) Just try to get assessed to know for sure.

[@saltysquid223]

I’m autistic and I noticed traits in Asakusa that I have too, I’m glad other people noticed that too!

[@Cutie_Nepgear]

I'm autistic and I can relate to Midori.

[@sadred1121]

Same

[@purpleraindrip1674]

I don't have autism but I got ADHD and I definitely relate to Asakusa in her distractedness and whatnot. And the relationship between Kanemori and Asukusa is one that definitely feels familiar

[@waalker1206]

Great video essay

[@DenRxInferno]

Asakusa is the face of passion. She knows her stuff and created has the art appreciated by others, but her vision is something more than that.

[@Osoweeb]

I knew I wasn’t the only person who felt like this

[@jellypenguini1413]

This is excellent! Hope it gets way more views in the future

[@thequietgirl5255]

As an autistic person myself I can really relate to her, I like her love cartoons and always wanted to make one, I always get distracted from my imagination that block me from reality, either way I really like the representation from her :)

[@Shabaal]

as a reader I had the same thoughts of this video's topic when watching the show

[@dissonanceparadiddle]

I want a season 2 of this anime so badly. I didn't realize it was a manga first. time to go track that down.

[@hizurumegumi5727]

I have autsim myself and i like Midori she is a cool character and thank you for making this video

[@intelligenceparadigm4931]

I was watching this show and relating really heavily with Asakusa and somehow didn't recognize *why* until stumbling upon this video. It makes so much sense.

[@t1g049]

I thought Midori Asakusa was kind of weird, but still very loveable! But I frickin loved Sayaka because she threw out the whole series was keeping it REAL. I sometimes make projects and have way too high expectations of myself and the end result. I wish Sayaka could keep it real for me too :D

[@HimynameisJermHicks]

I was looking up how many Yatsuba & ! Series they have now because I read the majority of them years ago and really wanted to read the rest. Well on the bottom of the Amazon page I also got a large list of other mangas I might like and I found this. This is exactly the kind of manga I love since it's not stale, over done or just a recycled version of a bunch of other mangas thrown in one. But now that I know that one of the main characters is on the Spectrum is awesome since I myself am on the Spectrum and it's about time we had at least some actually good representations of what Autism actually looks like.

[@Rave49]

Now that I've watched this video I need to watch the anime because as a guy diagnosed with autism myself I can mostly relate to this character.

[@Syphrilyn]

Does anyone else just talk to themselves or just pace around the room or need to run and pose around a room when your having imaginations. As a person with autisim it is very common for me. I also pretend about people who will talk to me in the future as I imagine a conversation making jokes and everything to air. I surprisingly make great company to myself. Or argue to air to let out my frustrations as I talk to myself.

[@shinobu6983]

Being autistic when I was a kid I like tiny action figures and baby dolls. I also like gaming and music too and when I’m doing one or the other I tend to get so focused on that I don’t realize how much time has passed and I tend to fantasize being in the worlds of games that I find cool or music that I like. But I had learning disabilities and a bad speech impediment growing up but as I have gotten older it hasn’t been as bad. I tend to like to keep to myself and I’m very socially awkward. I have my small group of friends that I’ve known since we were little and I’m ok with that.

[@chocolatepopsicle5834]

bro DID NOT call my girl an autist 😭

[@unseenphantomamvsytp2186]

I really wish this show got a Season 2...

[@xXAlexOrWhateverXx]

I relate so much to midori. I'm autistic and I draw comics. I also love it when shows sneak in real drawing materials. But I've never heard of this hallucination imagination world thing. I day dream a lot. Sometimes In a way that re contextualizes my current activity (Similar to maladaptive daydreaming.), but it's never to the point of a hallucination. perhaps the show is just using visuals to represent her imagination, rather than what she is actually seeing. I dunno. apologies for spewing thoughts.

[@cinnamon-skateboarding5987]

Oh fuck, I think I might be in the spectrum. That would make sense, a lot of sense, actually way too much sense at least for me, I’m just finding too many similarities for it to be a coincidence.

[@ViridianAubergine]

This show... so good ;~; I love the gremlin trio

[@orhankocak9279]

I hope to see more of your videos

[@Hedgehogninja789]

Never noticed it while watching it, but looking back, I can understand how she could be autistic

[@DarkfoxTamamo_21]

As someone with Autism I can relate to Asakusa.

[@lexapearl1603]

Found this video and love it. Please keep making more content

[@annataylor5130]

This show is fun to watch

[@Garfunkels_Funky_Uncle]

Or she has an overactive imagination that gets her into trouble...

[@piashatiel5842]

You said at 5:50 that the author has stated that Asakusa was partially based on his own experience growing up with autism and adhd. Could you link to that statement?

[@philiard]

Autism: twitter.com/dennou319/status/1110565948153430016 ADHD: twitter.com/dennou319/status/1240489281308594177 Influence on Eizouken: news.livedoor.com/article/detail/17783435/ Obviously, these are all in Japanese. The jist is that the author grew up with developmental disorders, which he later clarified to be both autism and ADHD. Asakusa's character was based on how he similarly retreated into drawing to cope with his inability to fit in.

[@piashatiel5842]

Thank you very much :)

[@haroldi.6450]

Youre awwsome bro

[@Lee-ry2bi]

nice video keep it up

[@yinztigators5552]

Just because someone is skilled and has an interest and is overly fascinated by something doesn’t make them autistic. I’m watching this now almost done with it. I never even thought of her being autistic until this video.

[@philiard]

You're free to disagree with my video. Regardless, if I planted the idea in your head that Asakusa might be even a little autistic, then I've accomplished my goal.

[@tt_taniel]

Interesting vid

[@advancetotabletop5328]

Nice -- My favorite show about (whatever) is one that doesn't keep making a deal about it.

[@barney10240]

Isn't the original manga author also have ADHD? And he said Midori is his mirror character ?

[@MabLab_]

i think asakusa is just an overlap of adhd, not autism at all

[@streled5361]

Kinda unrelated, but is that me or the anime she's watching looks like a Studio Ghibli animation?

[@devilsMasquerade]

She just like me fr

[@wawawaaaaaaaaaa-j8v]

oh she js like me fr

[@rampantbuckler818]

FINALLY SOMETHING EXPLAINS HOW I FEEL ABOUT PEOPLE I've been called xenophobic so much over it people just don't make sense

[@chocolatepopsicle5834]

HUH

[@rampantbuckler818]

@@chocolatepopsicle5834 I don't even remember, it was two years ago

[@DanDaFreakinMan]

Shit I'm autistic

[@chandlerdoeswhatifs9399]

Get diagnosed dont assume

[@DanDaFreakinMan]

@@chandlerdoeswhatifs9399 it's one of those thing where I show all the possible signs but no one bother to get me checked. Oh well. Autistic in disguise I guess

[@VerySaltySquid]

Oh shit, I might have autism

[@olivercharles2930]

what is bro yapping about?

[@timothyt.82]

Asakusa is Neuro-Atypical

[@philiard]

You right.

[@lolstuffenjoy9880]

Shes also a cute and fun character

[@philiard]

@@lolstuffenjoy9880 Cheers, bro, I'll drink to that.

[@memelord685]

Haha I kin midori

[@lolstuffenjoy9880]

Rad

[@thesmilyguyguy9799]

:)