How Anime Deals With History (My Hero Academia, Attack on Titan, Gundam Wing) - Wisecrack Edition

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Have you ever wondered why so many animes focus on children being trained to fight wars? Just to name a few: My Hero Academia, Attack on Titan, Black Clover, Gundam Wing, Sailor Moon, Naruto, Beelzebub, Cromartie, Angel Densetsu, Girls Und Panzer, Mahouka Koukou no Rettouse, Kill La Kill... the list goes on. In this Wisecrack Edition, we'll dive in to Japanese History to discover how the country's imperial past still influences anime.
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Citations:
Japanese Students at Morning Assembly: www.voanews.com/east-asia-pac...
License: creativecommons.org/licenses/...
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Research by: Chris Rinthalukay
Written by: Thomas Ambrosini
Directed by: Michael Luxemburg
Hosted by: Jared Bauer
Edited by: Andrew Nishimura
Motion Graphics by: Drew Levin
Produced by: Evan Yee and Emily Dunbar
© 2019 Wisecrack

[@pixelbomb97]

I think it's a big missed opportunity to talk about the the biggest deconstruction of this formula in anime, that being fullmetal alchamist. It openly critisizes the corruption of the state run military. Also the teenager protagonist set out for his own specific reasons and only uses a military position to further his own goal and not the state.

[@tonuahmed4227]

I agree with you bro

[@LaurentIpsum]

Fucking hell. I never even considered that. Man, there's some smart people here!

[@she5139]

Your mind

[@libeltoure7970]

This is the same as attack on titan

[@evansageser6943]

I'd say there are a number of shows that deconstruct that aspect of anime. Neon Genesis Evangelion has as its core conceit that putting children into combat situations is a recipe for psychological trauma.

[@jamyangpelsang3099]

I'd argue that not only has Attack on Titan attempted to deconstruct this shonen anime trope of good government vs evil, but so has Naruto. The entire backstory behind the Uchiha clan is based on how The Hidden Leaf Village secretly staged a mass genocide of an entire clan simply to eliminate the possibility of an insurrection. Suddenly the main protagonist's own hometown and its ruling shonobi authority doesn't seem all that good anymore....

[@Topherzillaful]

Full metal alchemist were kids fighting the government at alot of points in the story

[@sea_triscuit7980]

Exactly, making moral decisions which many times ended up with them butting heads with the military. Even though they were "State Alchemists" they were able to make their own decisions that was for the betterment of them and the people.

[@vidlink]

Full Metal Alchemists broke so many Anime tropes or turned them on their head and wasn't afraid to be different or make a person think. There's a reason why it has the status of masterpiece.

[@Kekkai_]

​@@kurtislee555 lmao did you really have to say the same thing under every comment?

[@MrCashkill]

@@kurtislee555 how come?

[@bowmanc.7439]

Yeah but ultimately, all these shows criticise this mentality.

[@Gbeat-]

Can we get another philosophy video on Attack on Titan that talks about the whole Eldian and Marley situation?

[@ZaNeCuDdEr]

Thats gonna be hard because that enters manga spoilers...maybe in 2020

[@candlewick8363]

@@ZaNeCuDdEr like for reading the manga

[@weebstuffs4785]

They'd need to wait for the next season

[@datzfatz2368]

@@kurtislee555 we have understood your standpoint, you can stop spamming it now. Especially since he didnt even mention MHA in his comment. Also, shame on you, the Speedwagon Foundation would never act in such a rude and idiotic manner, you are a fraud and an imposter! BEGONE!

[@Nardilicious]

Prolly after the end of the final season..

[@jeremy29tunage]

Probably should be retitled "Common themes in Shonen Anime"

[@borjaslamic]

But would you click that? I agree it's a stretch, but this is how youtube works and this isn't even close to outrageous clickbait.

[@jeremy29tunage]

@@borjaslamic well Wisecrack generally doesn't try and mislead in it's titles. Its by no means a big deal, was just a genuine comment saying the title should be more accurate. I would have liked a video about the Origins of anime. Showing influence that the military/government had on the culture was also interesting

[@jerbjerbjerb5912]

most people dont know the word shounen and wisecrack isnt even an anime channel

[@jeremy29tunage]

And it's renamed. I guess this title is a little better

[@joyboy_3165]

Which also in itself isn't accurate if you think about it

[@dylanhunter321]

Many Japanese anime and manga creators are more than aware of their country's nationalistic past, and they've been criticizing it for decades. 1973's Barefoot Gen, 1979's Mobile Suit Gundam, and 1988's Legend of the Galactic Heros are just a few works that come to mind. To suggest anime creators are just now deconstructing these tropes is a huge disservice to generations of artists.

[@sph9564]

Tomino absolutely *hated* the nationalistic and imperialistic ideals that Japan held, Zeon represented every bad move that Japan/Axis took (even the Axis colony was made after that)

[@collecter343]

@@sph9564 So many other Gundam shows make it a point that no one is truly "right"

[@sph9564]

@@collecter343 yup. The feddies represent an oppressive government that gives rise to a new rebellious movement, but that movement is also evil

[@574882]

Other repetitive themes i see in anime: hierarchies, elitism, ranking of characters, genetic/bloodline superiority.

[@kevindelgado2372]

those arent solely associated with anime, american media explores all this themes but the tropes anime uses that vastly differ with american media can be attributed to its history which makes part of its culture.

[@billiecruz4399]

Speedwagon Foundation are you okay?

[@johnstuartmill7254]

craig brown no wonder I see those WW2 openings all the time.

[@KookiesNolly]

@craig brown Guess which side Japan was on? lol. Those themes speak directly to the crimes against humanity that the Japanese army committed throughout Eastern Asia before getting nuked. Although those values have existed in their culture for a long time, it's during their fascist phase that they really pushed them to their logical conclusions, and committed atrocities that would make the Big H himself jealous. Not saying they are still fascist today, but you can see how those values that made a fertile ground for fascism are still very alive in their culture.

[@574882]

Eli N.S I think you’re spot on. One interesting anime that has a protagonists that defies that line of thinking is One Piece. Although the show still carries many of the same tropes Luffy seems to despise them. Luffy is anti-order, anti-hierarchy, anti-elitism etc

[@Krauerking]

"one to many tournament arc" I think Gigguk would have some words with you.

[@JamoboBorg]

The answer is no, i haven't seen too many tournament arcs

[@wophful]

Speedwagon Foundation it’s good but ok

[@Gundam_90]

@@kurtislee555 we get it. You have trash taste. Now stop trolling every comment on this video.

[@legomeaker101potato]

@@Gundam_90 just report him as spam (which is what he is doing) and move on

[@candlewick8363]

@@kurtislee555 I liked the comment only because of your name, now go read some GOOD manga

[@whathell6t]

Jacob Borg Start with Saint Seiya’s the Galaxian War Tournament Arc.

[@leandropeixoto9043]

You lost me on the duality of good and evil. In fact is the exact opposite. It's a pretty common thing in anime: heroes to be flawed and villains to have qualities. So much that they offen find common ground. Even become friends. Way more then western media.

[@raawesome3851]

That is true. Also, they say this is about Anime, but really, it's about shonen anime, and even then, mainstream shonen anime. It's kind of misleading.

[@leandropeixoto9043]

@@raawesome3851 And about the part where they mention that only children are protagonists, I believe it is more about the adventure and possibilities of youth, as stability and responsibility are expected from the adult Japanese. A salary man who contributes to society. You can only be adventurous at school.

[@joshuagalang5179]

I guess that's the difference between the west and the east. The west chose sides. The east looks at both

[@TheMento98]

@@leandropeixoto9043 Not only that but it's also about coming to age. Teens, arguably the top of the bell curve as far as anime viewers go, aren't interested in learning what it means to grow up from an adult that tries to lecture them. They want to learn it from someone they can view as a peer.

[@EveryGamerLife]

One of my favorite tropes is when you beat your enemy they become your friend.

[@chazjohannsen]

Damn, and they say America is one big military industrial complex. Now make a video about JoJo, you cowards.

[@sea_triscuit7980]

You can't simply "make a video about JoJo"... It's take a whole series haja

[@Antspray1]

@@TheyCallMeContra One of the largest navies in the world is a "small defense force"? They have a military in everything but name the Kaga class will soon be able to launch its own F-35s.

[@Condor2481]

@@TheyCallMeContra Japan has a huge ass army, USA just refuse to let them call it like that.

[@saitojharry]

Yeah, i wouldn't call Wisecrack legit till they make a JoJo video. I *need* a philosophy of hamon, stand powers, country race with Jesus parts and of course the philosophy of waking up with four balls. Make it happen Wisecrack.

[@Scottacus96]

Nah, they’d butcher it like they did this one

[@j10f20mh]

Would you say that One Piece is the counter to this trope? The main cast are outlaws and the main villain is literally "the world government". The main character's main goal is freedom, and it has a very grey moral ambiguity.

[@frks_evans]

16:04 Actually Zordon was created for the American Power Rangers adaptation of the Japanese show Super Sentai Zyuranger, not existing in the original japanese show

[@dillonchaddick695]

Not to mention that the vast majority of Sentai seasons have adults taking up the fight. Few have anyone under 18 being on the team.

[@josephhoward9631]

Yeah, I forget which season it is, but in the one about the zoomans, the main characters find out the zooland government has been covering up their past about killing humans that have stumbled into their world. I don't know the ending of the season, so maybe that changes, but not exactly "rah rah fight for the gov!"

[@doubled00]

This should be called "The origin of Shounen" and not Anime...

[@eiecheverri2]

Well, sailor moon is not exactly shonen.

[@franciscodias9884]

fucking fact

[@nigunnigs6253]

Damn right

[@nigunnigs6253]

And the reason why most shonen have these aspects is because they are labled towards teenage boys

[@davidgonzalezramirez3920]

The origin is kinnikuman

[@hudwa]

This analysis ignores Japan's historical past prior to the establishment of the IRE, and significant developments in Japanese society since the end of WW2. The IRE was not an entirely alien/unique/new idea that was dropped on Japan out of nowhere. It was influenced by foreign ideas, but was developed entirely by Japanese policymakers. The importance of this fact is that concepts like the prominence of the team/group over the individual, the beginning of martial training from early pubescence, or the (essential) deification of political leaders have existed for long before the IRE was implemented. It is a mistake to attribute these features of anime stories only to the IRE. Further, Japan, in particular the education system, has gone through drastic changes since the end of the war. You can't act like the massive teacher's protest/riots of the 1960s didn't happen when describing the historical roots of anime's depiction of adolescent education. Further, the analysis zeroes in on the MHA sports day game where the team hold up one member into "battle" as a direct example of how IRE-led militarism. This reveals a lack of basic knowledge of the actual circumstances and activities of Japanese schools today; this game is played all around Japan and is about grabbing the hat or flag from the "mounted" teammate. The imagery is based on a person riding a horse, harkening back to mounted samurai, rather than Meiji and Showa era soldiers. The importance of the imagery is that Imperial Japanese education focused on training common people for infantry, not cavalry, roles. The samurai were a privileged class for whom horseback martial training was universal. So in that analysis, you ignore both historical and contemporary Japan. Attack on Titan is the only title mentioned that can really be seen as being heavily influenced by Meiji-era Japanese military-focused education, seeing as Japan took many ideas (like the concepts of the IRE) from pre-WWI Germany, and Attack on Titan's world and soceity is also heavily influenced by Germany of this era. However, a better understanding of contemporary Japan and a broader perspective on historical Japan would help focus this analysis more. In particular, it would show that the IRE is not as central to anime's depiction of education and martial training as is presented here.

[@FreakazoidRobots]

Very informative. Please separate into smaller paragraphs next time for easier reading.

[@nook201]

MHA definitely seemed like a stretch in the video. It's not really a war the heroes in training are fighting. It's more super powered law enforcement. Which is generally under state control anyways. Thank you for the insight into the cavalry style battles.

[@theonlycatonice]

*slams table THANK YOU!

[@MakiPcr]

AoT is literally about imperialism, and there are actual Nazis

[@ThewouldbePrince]

I think it’s a stretch to label your video as the origin of anime but child soldiers are a clear theme in a lot of anime.

[@griztorc]

Just like it is in western media. Teen Titans, Steven Universe, Adventure Time, Avatar, Korra, etc. By their definition, if you're an action hero under 18, you're a military fascist propaganda puppet.

[@wophful]

At the very least it’s the origins of shounen.

[@Eariosa]

I agree with every thing said here

[@wophful]

You should watch Get In The Robot’s video on the history of Shounen anime. They come to a very very similar conclusion. They don’t talk about the IRE but they do reference Norakuro’s gigantic influence on the genre just like Wisecrack does.

[@candlewick8363]

Not only is barely half of anime about teens in fighting or ''military'' school, in Hero Academy kids are told not to fight and are punished for disobeying just like in real schools

[@s0l0poly71]

Watching this from Japan. This is a really interesting take on anime which would not come from here. A couple things I want to add. 1. The main reason the protagonists are teenagers is simply because it’s their main audience. 2. Collectivism is deeply engraved in our culture, so usually it’s about outcasts being the key to the team’s win. However, these points are based on our school system, and although slowly changing, the school system is a remnant of the militaristic times. We have to wear uniforms, we have strict rules like how long our hair can be, the color of the hair etc, or even some schools even ban dating. Additionally, the schools events like sports festivals or school teams also reflect pre-modern Japan. We march in uniformity. We fight for the team, and with the in-school sports festival, we are seldom awarded for our personal achievement but how it contributed to the winnings team. In team sports, if one fails the whole team takes the blame. Even if we play well, we could be scolded because we weren’t yelling loud enough. Anyways, anime features teenagers since that’s the main audience, but sadly they still go through a school system where the system is embed in a militaristic mindset which ended over 70 years ago.

[@thejungwookim]

Loving the comment section flaming Wisecrack for their lack of knowledge on Anime sub-genres. I am aware of what Shounen is as well and can agree that it really should be a representation of shounen shows, not just all anime. I don't blame the team. It's just what happens when stuff from one culture comes into the mainstream.

[@ManubibiWalsh]

It’s not even a representation of all shounen anime tbh. Just a fraction of it. It’s like making assumption on America because American movies are about fighting the Vietnam war... when war movies are just a small subsection of American movies, and war movies aren’t devoid of massive amounts of propaganda either.

[@lampad4549]

@@ManubibiWalsh it's pretty much a representation of all shounen anime themes some may handle it differently but the themes are is still present.

[@graywellstudioskeie9966]

I guess I would agree expect the entire AOT plot is about overthrowing governments and finding out the truth lmao

[@supidowagon6174]

Except*

[@roxasora713]

It also has very clear inspiration from Germany and is more about the importance of the individual and criticizing the government in the walls.

[@Hotshot2k4]

I guess I would agree, but I watched the video to the end and they talked about exactly that lmao

[@theonlycatonice]

@@roxasora713 *The Government In The Walls* - that is a fucking cool title for a book about security states!

[@OdinMMA]

For Americans thinking our films and media don't do this - you should know the US military funds the creation of videogames like Call of Duty and movies about war knowing full well they further the myth of US exceptionalism - of being the "good" guys - and that they will improve the recruitment of poor and vulnerable young men and women into the war machine.

[@yakiimox]

Trying to not spoil Attack on Titan here, but the whole concept of those IRE-motives - shown in the first part of the show - is highly brought into question by the viewer / reader in the later parts. Edit: Should have watched til the end, but AOT even goes beyond that what was mentioned then.

[@kevindelgado1459]

The concept or IRE motives dies with season 3 which is the point they dont view their own country or government as infallible like the early parts what later parts deal is once the people are free will they turn overly nationalistic in the fear of destruction which is how extremism is breed. That is a whole different discussion

[@TheRealHiccup]

To be honest I think that growing up in that IRE culture was probably what led the authors of AoT to think about the culture and try and deconstruct it.

[@thechaostornado6600]

@@kurtislee555 are you just here to shit on my hero AND make the jojo community look bad? sneaky bastard...

[@user-sm3fn8zk9b]

@@kevindelgado1459 The government was questionable from the very beginning. Armin's grandfather being sent in the mission to recapture the wall, showing interest in the outside world being considered a taboo, the most skilled recruits being selected for the military police, etc.

[@alexhunter840]

Wow that is a very broad brush your painting with wisecrack.

[@vin1687]

Is this, mostly about Shounen anime, Maybe, the Origins of Mainstream anime aka Shounen? Where are my Texhnolyze, Ashita no Joe, Kara No Kyokai, Monogatari, Angel’s Egg?

[@syntext]

Texhnolyze 😍 Yeah, I think this video in general is speaking to Shounen Jump style Shounen fighting anime and not other genres like sports, thriller, detective, etc.

[@legomeaker101potato]

@@supidowagon6174 attack on titan is shonen with seinen themes

[@fortis992]

berserk, Darker than black, hellsing... seinen series usually doesn't feature a teenager as protag, as they aren't the target audience or why other gender like cooking, sport use the same structure as action shounen ? does that mean they are all IRE legacy ? this video is just generalizing a gender as the whole anime industry.

[@AdamRoss1]

Neeeeeeeeerrrrrrrd!

[@GabrielHenrique-yb6mz]

I don't think ashita no joe fits in

[@androyus]

*Mobile Suit Gundam* already portrayed the so-called "grey area of war" since 1979. Where have you been all this time?

[@Dethklokroady]

Thats what I was going to say. Universal Century timeline basically shows how Zeon and the Federation are both highly questionable, if not outright bad. This is especially clear from Zeta onwards.

[@falnica]

What we must not forget here, is that in all these examples, children choose to join this organization, Eren and his friends choose to join the army, and are given many chances to turn back, Deku and his friends choose to become heroes, even in Gundam the heroes usually choose this path

[@paulwilliams8278]

well, generally Heroes in Gundam arent chosen are all. They are civilians that through tragedy or war end up aligning with the group that has the gundam. Wing and 00 are the only ones I know if were its a Chosen Person or Group, to pilot. But frankly the Gundams series is mostly and war drama that shows the horrors of war. Most of the series are strongly anti war series.

[@JohnDoe-jw7cj]

I chose to buy alcohol at age 14, but I was refused because I was a minor.

[@marceledel8619]

What about the opposite where the teen hero enters a war through happenstance? I.e. Most of the Gundam series, Evangelion, and Code Geass?

[@marceledel8619]

Um, I didn't mention My Hero Academia.

[@sharilshahed6106]

@@marceledel8619 report the guy for spamming.

[@garbibaba]

There are a some Anime shows that do just the opposite, have a group of heroes fight the government that has become corrupt and unworthy to rule. Shows like One Piece FMA. Furthermore I think you are mistaken in the binary nature of the way anime "baddies" are portrayed in general Animes. One of the more endearing features in my opinion is that the evil villain has a backstory that makes you think he has a point so much so that they stop feeling like Villains. I'm thinking of characters like Knives (Trigun), Sephiroth(FF7) , Lady Eboki (Princess Mononoke), The Ant King (HunterXHunter) to name a few...

[@bbrbbr-on2gd]

You forgot Teen Titans Young Justice X-Men Animorphs Power Rangers* *based off of Super Sentai, but still Okay you mention it

[@patrickmorris71]

+bbr64 bbr64, yes but unlike the shows listed in the video those aren't state sponsored groups but could be seen as local militia operating outside the control of the state to enforce their own ideal of justice. Not to mention such groups as the X-Men and Animorphs are in some ways resistance cells fighting against occupation of hostile forces.

[@bbrbbr-on2gd]

Patrick Morris I was also going to put Captain Planet lol. I get the point now, I guess it's America's deeply help belief of an individuals own agency.

[@LaurentIpsum]

The nationalism angle is something that I seriously never considered before. This was surprisingly insightful.

[@skyacaniadev2229]

South Park noticed that probably a decade ago.

[@whathell6t]

Ciel King-Williams Wait till you read Nobuhiro Watsuki’s Rurouni Kenshin, one of the most popular Shonen Jump series. Surprisingly, it’s anti-nationalistic due to the reality of a changing world. Hell! It clashes with the national policy of conservatives vs national policy of industrialization, even showed the mixture of both in the Kyoto Arc with its villain Makoto Shisho. It also deconstructs the Jidal Genki genre despite the sheer awesomeness of the samurai and ninja battles.

[@squirrel9544]

MHA and AoT are anything but nationalistic.

[@kevindelgado2372]

@TheSovietSquirrel is not so much nationalistic but an cultural explanation to many tropes in anime

[@SerjEpic]

@@squirrel9544 Tell that to Polygon

[@nivik6513]

Assassination classroom would have been the best example

[@ManubibiWalsh]

I feel like AssClass was mostly turning the concept on its head a bit, because in the end it was always Koro-sensei having control of the situation and protecting the kids. Until season 2 happened, but we don’t talk about it.

[@nivik6513]

@@ManubibiWalsh They were made to fight a threat to the country (the world of course) by the government and were put in danger a few time to do it

[@theonlycatonice]

@@ManubibiWalsh I read the whole of AssClass and I can't remember what season 2 would have covered?

[@TheDrewisawesome]

You all mentioned Gundam wing once with a 5 second clip, why is it in the description of the video?

[@paulwilliams8278]

what I said man. Why even talk about it, if all your going to saw is its name.

[@Matthiass721]

I’ve been scrolling comments looking for you two. I knew I wasn’t the only one wondering why the fuck fundamental wing was even mentioned if they weren’t going to use it. Makes me think the fundamentals wing stuff was shot but edited out for the final cut and title not updated to match.

[@Amquacktador]

Felt the same way about Naruto. And AoT got left until the end.

[@rileynicholson2322]

One of the reasons the child soldier trope is much more common in anime than in western media is probably that it’s anime-ated. It’s a lot easier to stomach violence and even death when the kids doing it are drawings, and look like adults most of the time anyways. People were seriously concerned when hunger games came out because it’s was portraying child violence, but it’s live action. The cultural difference in the importance of individualism does seem like a pretty interesting contrast though.

[@Thelder]

So, it's interesting quoting Kill la Kill since it's plot is actually a criticism on the I.R.E.. Probably they'll never do a episode focused on Kill la Kill, but if the Wisecrack staff done one on that probably it would be great.

[@luismgoncalves]

Let me fix this title for you Wisecrack: How Shounen Deals With History (My Hero Academia, Attack on Titan, Gundam Wing) - Wisecrack Edition

[@ElvinGonzalez]

No need for that clickbaity title, guys. I know that "the origins of some tropes of the most popular figthing shounen animes out there" is not a really good title, but this one isn't either, like by far.

[@raawesome3851]

Yeah, but it also isn't going to get to everyone if they did that. And considering these guys literally live off of KZbin, any viewers would help.

[@nicholasmaniccia1005]

How is this title clickbait? The list the shows they are going to use as examples. It's not like they were trying to trick anyone?

[@ElvinGonzalez]

@@nicholasmaniccia1005 They already changed the title. The new is still somehow ambiguous, but way better than just "The origins of anime".

[@paulwilliams8278]

I am confused one by why even have Gundam in the title it is generally an anti war series. And 2, if you put it in the title, why did you mention the series like once and never discuss its themes. Should have just cut the sentence saying gundam wing, out of the video and not had it in the title.

[@ripghotihook]

Cromartie High School. That's a name I haven't heard in a long time.

[@Gundam_90]

I guess I'll call him.... Freddie. * 80s rock opera tune *

[@Gundam_90]

@@kurtislee555 we get it. You have trash taste. Now stop trolling every comment on this video.

[@Gundam_90]

@Please Complete All Fields technically it still had students aspiring to be the biggest delinquents.

[@Psychopathicviewer]

I don't think they researched enough about Cromartie, doesn't fit the point of the list they were trying to make at all...

[@djorycharles272]

I have to disagree that this is a Japanese-specific theme of younger adolescents being trained for war. Most stories geared towards the consumption of a young, male audience features a young, male as the main character. A good story relies on good character development. Because of this, most of the young protagonists end up going through a coming-of-age character arc. You'll see similar characters in many media in the west, the popular ones being Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Eragon, the Pevensie children in the works of C.S. Lewis, and Ender in Ender's Game.

[@maxhydekyle2425]

It's confusing that America doesn't have the same obsession since we have the Pledge of Allegiance and saying it every morning certainly felt like indoctrination.

[@AngelicOblivion90]

it's because the vietnam war happened and it made people cynical.

[@maxhydekyle2425]

@@AngelicOblivion90 Definitely didn't help. It's really interesting to analyze animation because it shows what American society is feeling at the time. Same for Batman movies haha. Batman movies are a perfect representation of their era.

[@willrich7209]

We do they implement it in sports

[@maxhydekyle2425]

@@willrich7209 I played football all through school and we never played hard for our country.

[@evansageser6943]

@@AngelicOblivion90 I think this is the big one. Seeing real war dampens loyalty to the ones who caused it, especially when it's broadcast honestly. After all, WWII also had a draft, but it could be framed in exclusively heroic terms. (Clear villains, and information disseminated through propaganda.) Vietnam by contrast had reporters on the ground showing everything in its proper bloody context. Vietnam was lost because Americans realized how ugly war was. Japan just hasn't really had the opportunity to fight such a war where they have to see true violence rather than righteous conflict as framed by the state. Now I'm not saying that Americans are so much more peace-loving or anything, but we sure as hell distrust government. It's possibly one of the most notable contrasts between American and Japanese media. In America, whenever the government gets involved it's usually for the worst, and they're usually involved in some men in blackesque conspiracy. In Japan, typically the government is the one trying to address the problem for the greater good of all. Iron Man is the villain in Civil War for trying to put Superheroes under government control, while the Hero Schools in MHA does it framed in a benevolent context.

[@kunoichirose2210]

I can't help but feel that this analysis is 1: mostly about Shounen battle anime, and 2: missing a big part of many of these kinds of shows: that there is an underlying flaw in this kind of thinking. BTW this will be long and spoilery for MHA, but it is the one I can use best as an example, as it is the one I know best from what they talked about. Ok, so first things first, in the very first chapter of MHA, you already start to see a flaw in this state driven concept: how those without quirks aka those who aren't as useful weapons, are treated as sub-human. This is kind of a smart way to clue the audience into the idea that this world we're looking at, despite how cool the quirks are, is not as amazing as it seems on the surface. Where even if you have genuinely good intentions, like Midoriya, if you're born wrong, you are nothing to everyone. Another crack that gets explored is the idea that a "flashy" quirk is the best for heroism. Bakugo gets away with what he did before U.A. because of his, Kirishima says that even though he has a useful quirk, he won't be as good as someone with a "flashy" power, and let's not forget the very test to get into the hero course: breaking large robots, which is great for physical quirks that show up better on camera and are more marketable then mental or passive quirks, like brain washing or quirk eraser. Oh yeah, that's another thing: you can also be treated like a villain for having a certain kind of quirk (both Shinso's and Toga's backstories show this). The Hero Killer Stain Arc is more important to this idea then you guys give credit, because while yes, his ideology is flawed, that's NOT the most important takeaway here. Because where it goes wrong is his idea that people can't change, so they must die instead. But people can still see the use and truth in his ideas, even people who are in a hero course. And us in the audience can see other heroes who care more about power and fame (Endeavor and Mt. Lady come to mind). But the greatest cracks are shown by the greatest triumph and simultaneously the greatest flaw of hero society - All Might, the Symbol of Peace. I agree with the video that he is this world's "all benevolent emperor", but I'd like to take this one step further: that All Might shows how having such a central figure can be great in the short term, but in the long term can cause a lot of problems. All Might is the pillar that holds up society, but once he can't be that anymore, people start realizing that they have no one else who can fill that void, who can inspire people the same way, and even though the have a new #1 hero, he is no Symbol of Peace. But even before All Might retired, I think there is kind of a clever criticism of the "benevolent emperor" idea: All Might's injury and alternate form. Here's what I mean by that: the description Wiscrack gives is that " Your emperor isn't just your emperor - he's chosen by the heavens. He is your god, and he is good." It implies that they are perfect, that they can't be wrong or brought down like the rest of us. And isn't that how All Might tries to present himself? That All Might is born "perfect hero" even though he was actually born as quirkless as Midoriya was? And, circling back, no one knows that All Might is hurt, that his time is ticking down. It makes people feel safe, but it also means no one prepared for when the clock hit zero. All Might tried to keep it a secret from everyone, as he is supposed to be all powerful, literally all the might, he smiles and acts the way he does to reassure everyone, and he does quite well at it. But here's the thing: All Might is the perfect hero, but All Might is also Toshinori Yagi, and Toshinori Yagi is still a normal human with a normal human body. And he is not invulnerable. Toshinori can make mistakes and he can get hurt. And when you put all the pressure and expectations of the Symbol of Peace on human shoulders, it will inevitably come crashing down. So what is the TL;DR version of my small novel? That I think that many of these stories might at first seem like the support the IRE, but I think that many of these shows explore the fact that the ideas behind the IRE are flawed and that the next generation must find new and better ways to build society. And by many of these shows have our protagonist as part of a group that's slighted by society or by being a bit outside the norm, they are in the best position to see the good and bad sides of it. What do you think? If you read all of my rambling, do you think I'm right or crazy? Thanks for reading this if you find this comment! Oh yeah, also want to mention that people in Japan tend to see high school as the highlight of their lives, which is why SO MANY anime have a high school setting. Or it that too much of an Occam's Razor? 😂

[@ManubibiWalsh]

No, you’re absolutely right. I didn’t think about this argument when I wrote my own reply, but it’s a great point.

[@kunoichirose2210]

@@ManubibiWalsh Thanks! Glad you like it.

[@bioshogushin606]

The analysis is mainly about the anime trope of having middle and high schoolers fight battles that generally should be done by adults. While the video isn't for or against the I.R.E, it's just pointing out how it might have inspired anime. Also each show mentioned has it's own themes and philosophy but at the end of the day the one thing they all have in common is a bunch of school kids fighting battles that realistically should be done by adults.

[@lampad4549]

@@bioshogushin606 why realistically ? There are plenty of child soldiers that fought in wars and your combat ability isn't something limited to your age it's about talent and ability, and as far as the internal logic goes it makes sense for most shounen series to feature a young protagonists and they way they are incoperated into the stories as well. Like the kids aren't the only one fighting in my hero academia and it's against the rules to engage in combat without adult supervision. Attack on titan features a crueler world where the kids are recruited at a very young age and thrown into combat. Fullmetal alchemist has only three kids getting involved in the main combat the rest are adults

[@bioshogushin606]

@@lampad4549 *having child soldiers in most if not all countries are illigal, government recommend soldiers are no younger than 18. *Yes I do know that Shounen target audience are young males hence why most of their lead protags are teens. *Did you miss the part where I said each shows has it's own themes? *Yes MHA, and AOT are some of the few shows that explains why the kids and teens are active combatants, most other shows do not don't give a valid reason why only kids are able to combat dangers that threaten humanity while all the worlds adult military personnel are useless. Point is the video was talking about a specific trope and what might have influenced said trope.

[@fortis992]

you are cherry picking action shounen series that follow the successed of DBZ. Look at seinen series like berserk, Darker than black,... they aren't follow a team of teenager. a shounen series surely more likely to feature a teenager as they are the gender aimed at.

[@ElectronicCalifornia]

To be more specific, they are featuring a teenager working for the state in a military-like team combat against foreign enemies. He's not saying all anime are like this, or that they do it on purpose, but highlighting the historical events that echo in the anime entertainment industry today. Every country has them, even America (Mass consumerism, Cold War).

[@fortis992]

@@ElectronicCalifornia most shounen sport, cooking anime follow this structure, too. Just change "battle" to "match" "competition"

[@fortis992]

@@ElectronicCalifornia and the video is named "origin of anime" , not "shounen anime"

[@FranciT98]

Rather than DBZ, I'd say more Naruto. In DBZ, there is no greater "state" that anyone fights for. Hell, even Goku half the time doesn't fight for the earth, so much as for the competitive sake of the fight.

[@fortis992]

@@FranciT98 NGE and gundam is even before Naruto. What I mean is that he is picking recent shows that follow the same theme of teamwork, friendship power

[@gentatsu9]

Really thought you were gonna get into some deep Gundam politics, but alas. Maybe an entire video? One day?

[@paulwilliams8278]

I agree, I dont get why it was in the title. Nothing on the series was discussed. I was hoping for some topic breakdowns on the UC or something. but nope.

[@slayersrequiem]

Ehh, seems a stretch, sorry Wisecrack! You could draw the same parallels with Western super heroes, which are often young adults upholding the ideals of the nation. I think it's interesting that Western heroes usually focus on the individual more than the eastern ideology of focusing on the group though.

[@magnem1043]

There exist no common group in western countries like America, which is why they have to fabricate a story and individual perspective from its recent inception, Japan has existed as a pretty homogenious group work for and fighting external enemies for longer, which is why in Japan leaving your phone on a bench, no one will take it, while in USA the law is helpless when 80 people of the same racial group raid a Gucci store, because enforcing law and justice would mean they would tear their own fabric and stability of the country, where racial peace becomes an issue

[@JustinY.]

This is great and all, but what about even *MORE TOURNAMENT ARCS?*

[@rezachoudhury823]

The battle royale genre is just gaming's tournament arc.

[@vaughnjohnson8767]

Yo. Justin Y without a million replies or likes? HERESY.

[@vaughnjohnson8767]

Legit tho. WE NEED MORE TOURNAMENT ARCS, AND DONE BETTER

[@135288]

Wisecrack: Attack on Titan does the best job of deconstructing the hero villan dichotomy Hunter X Hunter: Am I a joke to you?

[@rishirocks1239]

well both are

[@FasterthanLight11]

The metaphor where All Might is the emperor kinda fall apart when he is literally based on the ideal American Comic Book hero. And his position as a symbol of peace is repeatedly shown to be just that... as symbol and that its up to each generation to maintain.

[@Megamean09]

You should do a dive into Hero Academia's philosophy, into the way their world has commercialized heroism to the point that heroes, villains, and viewers all thought Stain had a point for killing fake heroes. The way it's held down by red tape and legislation, and how vigilante actions, the very thing the superhero genre's built on, is seen as villainy.

[@kevindelgado1459]

MHA has some terrible wolrdbuilding all these things you have mentioned arent really explored more that just backdrops to heroes fighting villains. Now Tiger and Bunny is a series that explore the concepts in MHA for grown ups the heroes are walking advertising for companies and there is real complexity there.

[@Megamean09]

@@kevindelgado1459 But aren't the companies in Tiger and Bunny real actual companies in our world? If the product placement they're making a point about is actual product placement aimed at the viewers, I think the point is lost.

[@froggylegs1499]

Yeah but those same themes have been explored in COUNTLESS other superhero stories. Each one better explored than in my hero. When you think about it, My hero is not really doing anything new but I blame the overstuffed Superhero media and Shonen demographic for that. There are so many of those stories MhA can't really cover new ground.

[@kevindelgado1459]

@@Megamean09 in the US version the companies are censored so you can always watch that without the sting of been actually advertised to, but the actual series is very smart and well realized.

[@DarkAngel3247]

By this title, I thought this video would be about how anime deals with character histories and flashbacks; not military influence on anime. Disappointed

[@zaregoto6022]

Ah yes AoT and MHA, my two favorite old anime?

[@TheApoke]

On My Hero Academia Shigaraki wants to kill All Might, because no one came to save him as a child. He believes that heroes make people lazy, and wait around for heroes to save them instead of helping themselves.

[@sifatshams1113]

You have the perfect voice for voice-over work. Good luck!

[@enkn]

The title of this should be "How Shonen Deals With History"

[@woodchuck003]

Wisecrack remember to stretch after all that reaching I don't want you to hurt yourself. The US has a long history of shows such as superhero shows and GI Joe what's by your logic is pro-military and pro-war as well. Also you mentioned some shows such as Gundam as examples of proving your conclusion correct when in reality to society in post-war Japan, they have nothing to do with pre-war other than the fact that basing your story in a war is an easy narrative.

[@TheMento98]

Wisecrack was very clear when they said shows with YOUTH protagonists. When was the last time you saw children running amok saving the day in G.I. Joe or as you put it, superhero shows, with few exceptions being Teen Titans and Young Justice? While I also don't agree with Wisecrack's video here, I at least paid attention, and if you actually want to make a counter argument against them you should try doing so too. Otherwise you're only making yourself seem foolish.

[@BloodyDIMISIS55]

@@TheMento98 you know why kids are in a military school? Is it Malitary recruitment? Hell no! its about action being cool and your demographic that is kids being in it. Its that simple

[@TheMento98]

@@BloodyDIMISIS55 So much of what you said is just incorrect that I don't even want to engage that. kids in military school are there because they needed something that engaged them better academically that public school or other forms of private schooling couldn't provide. Despite there being military training none of it is about "action being cool" it's about self discipline, because at a military school they're training you to be strategic like soldiers which gives kids confidence in themselves and their life choices, they're NOT training you to be a human warrior. and kids being in the demographic of military school kids is not the same as those in the public school demographic otherwise they would be in public school. Hell they don't even get enough down time in military school to even watch tv let alone fucking anime.

[@ravenwhiteduck3158]

@@TheMento98 I don't think that was what the guy was saying, the point was the cool factor, the selling point

[@dude7266]

4:36, Ben 10 Alien Force, Symbionic Titan, X-Men Evolution, Literally any DC show that includes Robin

[@AntediluvianRomance]

Does Kim Possible count? Or Powerpuff girls?

[@pedroscoponi4905]

I think the concept, even if not always challenged, has been evolving very nicely. More often than not, the enemy in modern anime is not an outsider seeking to do harm, but members of a corrupt system of the present or past trying to gain power. Ryuuko prizes her individual freedoms and stands up against Satsuki's military-like school system; All for One wants to return to the days when the only thing seemingly keeping the peace was his command over all super-powered humans; so on and so forth.

[@Gundam_90]

Hey Wisecrack, how about an analysis of Universal Century Gundam. You know the OG Gundam timeline.

[@Gundam_90]

@@kurtislee555 I get it. You have trash taste. Now stop trolling every comment on this video.

[@nedmaster1000]

Universal Century is the second greatest work of Science Fiction right behind Legend of the Galactic Heroes

[@nedmaster1000]

@@kurtislee555 what does my hero sucking have anything to do with Mobile Suit Gundam's Universal Century? Please explain I'm honestly confused. I do not see the connection with a 40 year long robot series that criticises war, the military, us vs them mentality, deals with Human Evolution and the pursuit of technology, and so much more, and a 5 year old shounen about super heroes going to school to fight villains.

[@justin8865]

Very interesting take! Attack on Titan and my hero, actually resonates with me alot and Ima former Marine infantryman. Go figure. it's weird, I understand the military is built through propaganda but all in all I had a great time and actually very greatfull for the chance to serve. Anyways check out Tribe by Sebastian Junger it kind of goes a bit deeper on individual vs community. Man, this is something I think about alot. I have a deep love of my country and loyalty to people but I also understand the atrocities that the US has committed and I'm very skeptical of the government's intentions and value individualism. Wish there was a way I could talk about it to someone. Those weird contradictory thoughts.

[@DustinHern]

I was an intel analyst with the Navy (although I mostly worked with the NSA). Although there is a ton of "need to know" restriction on which information you get to be privy to, any intel position does offer a peek behind the curtain if you know how to connect the dots, which you conveniently get trained to do as an analyst. You get to see first-hand how the whole thing is pretty much one giant shit show. Those of us who aren't too brainwashed to notice end up leaving at our first opportunity. The rest don't know, or even think to ask, why we're doing what we're doing. We're just spoonfed the same bullshit over and over about how we're protecting freedom and democracy and blah blah blah all while we can clearly see that our actions continue to have the opposite effect all over the world. The only thing we can be certain is happening is that a few private interests are continuing to make obnoxious amounts of money while boatloads of innocent people who have nothing to do with anything continue to die for no reason whatsoever. You find out that the government, which outwardly claims to work for the people, in fact inwardly believes the opposite. I've seen politicians react with genuine confusion when told that we, the people, don't actually work for them. They hold no paradigm in their brain of the government being by, of, and for the people - that idea is like an alien language to them. You find out that it is special interests that hold all the power. You find out that you're working for the same people who are actively taking measures to undermine the liberty of people just like you. You think you are serving your country but you are not. You are serving a handful of obscenely wealthy greedy fat fucks. You think your vote counts but it does not. The system is so compromised at this point that it is actually a joke. Most politicians are straight up liars and they spend roughly 70% of their time attempting to secure funding for their next campaign and about 30% of their time on vacation. The message that we're told is that we're the "greatest nation on the planet" but the data shows that the only ways in which we're measurably number one are in military spending, mass incarceration, income inequality, and recidivism. The truth is that we're all being exploited and promoting nationalism through propaganda is a vital part of the exploitation machine. The American ideal is a noble one for sure, but at this point it is just about the polar opposite of reality. Nationalism is a disease involving willful ignorance of all the major problems that need our immediate attention. The saddest thing about it is that we are a great nation that is fully capable of solving all of these problems, but as long as we buy into this asinine rhetoric of national exceptionalism, we continue to pretend these very obvious problems don't exist in the first place.

[@justin8865]

@@DustinHern Navy guy and conspiracy theories name a more iconic duo. Just messing man.

[@DustinHern]

@@justin8865 nInE eLeVeN wAs An InSiDe JoB

[@kagenoshinobimono]

Watch Bakuman. It will give you an idea of how Shonen manga works, and how they become anime. In Japan, everyweek, the episode is pitted against all other comics in that magazine to allow popular manga to continue and unpopular ones to end.

[@Jarory1]

I'm really surprised an episode about militarism doesn't include a reference to code Geass which is not only a story about an empire, but really hits the nail on the head for all of these themes.

[@Scaleoj2]

7:21 East Europe in the West and West Europe in the East. Quality Maps

[@willhiggins9563]

Scaleoj2 Japanese centric mapping.

[@Amquacktador]

All maps are political, in that, made by ideas and power. The fact that you noticed that map as a 'not-quality' map says something about us westerns, isn't it? Not blaming you, though.

[@Sealedaway]

It’s worth noting that ”west” and ”east” are completely arbitrary; it depends on what you consider to be the center, which could be literally anywhere since the world is round. If you want to make a standard rectangular map of the landmasses, there are really only two good ways to do it: cutting through the Pacific or the Atlantic. For a Japanese story it makes sense to use the latter, as the Pacific ocean is likely more relevant. Or you could be America, who are so desperate to be the center of attention that their maps literally cut Asia in half. Edit: I'm a moron and I somehow blocked out the word "Europe" in the original comment. I thought it basically just said "West in the east, east in the west". So the first thing I said is kinda irrelevant. Oops.

[@TheNavandal]

Feels weird FullMetal Alchemist wasn’t mentioned? Could have been used to further your argument in almost all points

[@thesomalistrawhat]

I think the fact that Ed is the only child in the Amestris military discounts that. There's no Amestris state sponsored child soldier program and his introduction into the military is based on a tragedy where a LACK of any authority figures are absent and his attempt to revive his mother was an extremely high order crime. However, yeah Amestris is an empire based off of autocratic rule who is mistakenly seen as benovelence and he carelessly sacrifices his citizens and in war... Even the war was... You know what I take everything back. FMA should have been on here

[@Amquacktador]

Exactly! FMA is essentially all that this video was pointing out. You got a war, a "benevolent" government, children fighting the war and its aftermath (Ed, Al, Winry... Even Nina), and the gray that science, governments and war (power, overall) portrays.

[@boltmix7294]

With FMA portraying all of those things as negatives and it being a story of redmption and fighting a corrupt goverment i can't see any way in which it would help their case. FMA is straight up against those things, anyone who thinks otherwise should rewatch the series

[@wesleypatterson2989]

When I was in 3rd grade, our LA teacher had us pick a TV show we liked, write a persuasive essay on why other people should watch it, and then read it to our class. I picked pokemon, and I remember one of my points was that it "teaches teamwork." Crazy to think that it was basically teaching me to fight in wars.

[@shreekharr3940]

This video adds so much context to the later arcs in My Hero Academia manga.

[@cjthibeau4843]

I can totally understand where you guys are coming from, Jared. However, the series you seemed to focus on, while many cover different subgenres, are all shonens. Action oriented animes. I wouldn;t say ALL anime is like this.

[@kaneaquino8295]

Next: The Origins Of Hentai

[@JorgeFabrizio]

I think you should recheck the details on how some of these shows started.

[@OlyDrumBum]

You barely touched on it but I would love to see a philosophy of Gundam Wing. The ideals of the main characters aren't necessarily relevant to the theme of this video but there's a lot of interesting subject matter in this series or any of the Gundam series for that matter.

[@Amquacktador]

Fullmetal Alchemist should've been included im this analysis. Even the time the story is developed is in the actual Imperial Japan. Fullmetal Alchemist holds all the elementary aspects you mentioned and how they got twisted along the way. You got a war, an initially "benevolent" government, children fighting the war and its aftermaths (Ed, Al, Winry... Even Nina), and the gray that science, governments and war (power, overall) portrays to the world and people.

[@jenova313]

The thesis of this video seems pretty half-baked. Yes you can see the traces of some wartime mentalities in some anime, but I think it's foolish to address that without A) acknowledging similar issues in Western media, B) acknowledging that these trends are not univesal by citing counter-examples of which there are many, and C) pointing out the other reasons behind these trends. The weirdest part of this video is by far the use of MHA, a series in which there really isn't a "war" (heroes have a lot more in common with police than an army), and the series author has been extremely transparent about the series being inspired almost entirely by WESTERN comics. You really gonna tell me that All-Might is "all good" and characters like Captain America or Superman aren't? Also, a lot of other people have already pointed this out, but for every "pro-imperial" or "imperial inspired" anime, there's one which swings the complete opposite way. For every MHA, there's an FMA. For every Wing, there's a Zeta. For every Irregular at Magic High-School (why use this as an example?), there's an Attack on Titan, which is overall a lot more anti-military, anti-imperial than I think you give it credit for.

[@Darrell9000]

That music in the background was rockin'.

[@KrazyKaiser]

This is looking at a really specific subset of anime (albeit the most popular subset of anime) and asking "will all anime always be like this?" It's already not all like that, just the most popular stuff. Try taking a close look at things like Kino's Journey, Mushi-shi, Land of the Lustrous, or movies like Redline or Summer Wars. I don't think all anime, or even most anime, is influence by IRE.

[@TheNutzak]

Are you ever gonna do an episode on Hunter x Hunter 2011? Please? Pretty please :) I'm sure you can find something to talk about.

[@saprissa30]

Gohan save the world at 12. And goku at 12 too.

[@historia2009]

" Eren seems to hint at his discomfort at fighting the rest of humankind for his freedom " nor for long LOL

[@B4rb0ssa]

What an awesome video, nice job

[@tue-moi772]

Know I'm repeating alot of people here but could you consider changing the title to "Origin of Shounen"

[@vidividivicious]

Children joining military or fighting? Most of Orson Scott Card books

[@jeanpaulbadjo]

Yo... There was a human dog in a suit scolding some kids in a hospital... We just gunna ignore this? Aight...

[@joshwi4193]

Really insightful take on shounen shows. I think it's also very important to consider the strong criticism of the state, and war in general in many of these shows. Obviously a lot of anime glamourises or fetishizes violence, but many show the value of personal moral codes that may conflict with the state's idea of what's good. As others have pointed out, shows like Full Metal Alchemist, Psychopass, and even Naruto to an extent are very clear in their depictions of individuals resisting state ideals for the sake of their convictions. Thanks for another great video Wisecrack. A lot of shounen anime are also heavily influenced by post-war anxiety and nuclear bombing, so I'm curious as to how those elements interact with kokutai.

[@sinofsanity6593]

some of the older ones sure, they could have some basis in the IRE but not all, I see it as a bit of a stretch. couldn't be the lazier explanation of picking up popular tropes and seemingly less creative artists and writers, could it? again, it's a stretch for some series as it lacks a real military or a real education system that links closely with the military themes, the two don't fit together, and quite a few now do have both, but create the twist that the military power/government or the series equivalent (The State) is the enemy all along, taking away freedom from the people and hiding important things about the world, The State's sovereignty and it's commitment to the people's interests is becoming less of a relevant trope as time goes by Attack On Titan is actually a good example of both, season 3 has the characters seeing that their own government is the problem, but the survey corp work on the idea of the IRE all the time, they have a low mortality rate, all doing it for the cause. Isayama is quite the patriot himself, he bases many characters off of real - world military personnel - Pixis, apart from his drinking habit, is almost always shown in a positive light, and his look is based off a controversial Japanese general

[@kakikakaka4764]

I think the same go for so many american media in any contry it media will have a bit or nationalism

[@boltmix7294]

@OhThatGuy "not really" Litterely has more nationalistic shows and movies then Japan and Europe combined

[@endormorre6567]

Hay Wisecrack! Look into My Hero Academia more. I'm sure your initial take on it fallowing this good bad binary was because of the slow state the story is exploring its core themes, such as what makes a hero, what makes a just society, but it does a lot to explore the ideas such as: questioning the government; finding the flaws of a system and the impact on the people who dont fit in with society, the contrast between American and Japanese society; finding the good and bad in both and trying to make something better from the two, as well as what it truly means to be a hero or villain, and if thier is really a distinction. It sets the stage for a really interesting exploration of what society is. The start is meant to make you think the world is this black and white, villain and hero, but it is all a setup to show the flaws with this system as well as this surprising enforcement of specific American ideas, such as personal goals and risks, with Japanese core beliefs you bring up in the video. Please look into it I'm sure you'll find something fascinating just as I have!

[@plinioamaral6736]

Great vid!!! You guys should do a Philosophy of Mortal Kombat.

[@augutusiroh3836]

Attack on Titan is bit different from rest of the bunch in season 3 the common people overthrow the fascist government that was using the citizens for its own ends and in season 4 we will explore how people on top just perpetuate war on both side .The core theme of Attack on Titan is not enslavement to government but, freedom .To push forward for freedom (shingeki no kiyojin)

[@libeltoure7970]

This ☝️

[@roxasora713]

Definitely, they very Cleary misinterpreted it. I mean my hero is also about a bunch of individuals wanting to succeed for themselves and not the government but they cherry picked the few situations that individuals had to work together. It's baffling how much they actually over looked on this one

[@augutusiroh3836]

James Fisk yes my hero explores what it means to be a hero while Attack on Titan explores the cost and consequence for pursuing freedom

[@AsianTaeHyun]

WiseCrack talking about Gundam Wing? COUNT ME IN!

[@Gundam_90]

Now I want wisecrack to talk about the UC Gundam series.

[@ttd0000]

The number of Western series involving teens being trained for and/or fighting in a war goes up sharply if you focus on YA novels, to say nothing of superhero sidekicks.

[@jaidarling8855]

oof, I remember watching that moment as a kid, when Gohan unlocks his true saiyan potential with the memory of his Father Goku by his side as he channels the powerful kamehameha and finally destroys Cell. I'll never forget it........

[@ishanbajpai6940]

Who fighting wars in My hero academia ? In attack on Titan, they have to do it to survive because of the giant Titans standing at their Gates. 5:21 wisecrack seems to be getting thin on Ideas.

[@datzfatz2368]

well "War" is a relative term, i think the point is that children/teens are fighting in live threatening situations. But in the Case of Attack on Titan its 100% accurate, being a deconstruction of the whole ide/system since it turns out that it was an actual War all along and the soldiers where being fed Lies and propagande as to what they were really fighting for and why.

[@ishanbajpai6940]

@@datzfatz2368 but by that logic every life threatening situation must be considered as war. In BNHA the students are training to fight against the evils of society and not a foreign nation or ethnicity. In attack on Titan, it's revealed that their own government was a fake All this time and instead of bowing to the king. They are specifically asked to strip the coward long of his power.

[@datzfatz2368]

@@ishanbajpai6940 yeah as i was saying, it depends on what you define as a war. MHA is not a war as far as i am concerned i was just saying i thought thats how wisecrack meant it, even tho what they said didnt really make sense. But Attack on Titan is most definetly a war in every aspect, firt its a war of survival, then its a civil war/revolutionary war, and then finally its a war between two sovering nations. I dont think you can argue against that right?^^

[@ceratugo]

This video made me appreciate one piece a whole lot more

[@thadzdingo]

the mention of angel densetsu and cromartie cannot be overstated

[@CynicalHistorian]

To give a further sense of depth, one could look at the Prussian influence on Japanese culture, saying back to their Iwakura Mission in 1873. In fact most of the world's primary schools are based on what's called the "Prussian System," and the militaristic intent of our regimented schedules has not been lost on its discontents. From the Boy Scouts to actual military academies, this influence is commonplace. I'd argue why it affects Japan more is that they have not rejected this past like Western nations in the wake of WWII. Prussian influence is rather obvious to discern in anime, even on a purely aesthetic level. So one shouldn't blame the IRE itself, but the global militarism of the turn-of-the-century that built it. With that in view, you're looking more at divergence after WWII, rather than before or during. With a deeper look, this appears to be a more recent, yet somehow more understandable phenomenon

[@gsentertainment8604]

Honest question: Do you recommend 'Death Note'?

[@rasaecnai]

yes but ive only seen the first half. it is verk dark and heavy on the mind so beware

[@syntext]

Yes! They made a whole video on it.

[@krissmapp106]

Yes. Watch it!

[@soulzero22]

Read the manga

[@captainzebulin3148]

@bacon froyo I agree about the ending, but simplifying the plot of the show and insulting the characters with out evidence like that seems a like bit cheap of an argument. Wether or not the show is good or bad tho, it's very unique in the medium and I would consider a worthwhile watch.

[@johnsinth8261]

Anime lets you indulge in what is known as "Epicness"

[@TheStarsphere]

Other American shows in which teenagers have to fight: The Gifted, Big Hero 6: The Series (or we could argue that Disney also makes Japanese-themed anime)

[@MysticMylesZ]

15:45 my oh my that's quite a... not necessarily a prediction but they did go with that and critiqued it

[@Blastertronus]

You thought that this was going to be a comment about anime being Military propaganda, But it was ME, DIO!!!

[@frankjaeger2565]

Boys fighting wars was a metaphor for growing up and facing the difficulties in life, most notably since the original Gundam.

[@whathell6t]

Frank Jaeger Nope! It’s way earlier than that with Osama Tezuka, the godfather of manga.

[@frankjaeger2565]

@@whathell6t I was talking about anime

[@whathell6t]

Frank Jaeger Which is important since most of the anime tropes comes from Osama Tezuka and Go Nagai, a mangaka who later became an anime director.

[@frankjaeger2565]

@@whathell6t I never denied that, I just wanted to point out that the first important animated work with that trope was Gundam.

[@SerifSansSerif]

A friend of mine back in college pointed this out with Voltron and even Power rangers. The emphasis on teamwork and and the formulaic nature...etc... A lot of these things are built into the society, so a story in the culture will, of course, represent those values, even in less obious way. These values also go back much further, and hell, even the highly structured aspects might even be able to be traced back to confucianism.. Japan's also been a fairly militarized country, with many conflicts with the mainland. It was the US and europe's breaking of Japan's isolationism prior to the meiji era that really suckerpunched the country, revealing how far behind they fell, and thus, started off a series of events that lead to WWII and the REAL hypermilitarism (and the US military occupying Japan after the war, also was an interesting influence)

[@MysticMylesZ]

A lot of things are based on the long histoy ay... The structure with the leaders in the past also seem to stick in businesses to a certain degree, not just with the whole senpai kohai thing but also someone having to confirm with their boss, who confurms with their boss, who confirms with their boss.

[@soulvz]

Can you make a video over hunter x hunter? I feel like you guys could take a lot of deep stuff out of it lol