Japanese animation is in many ways a men’s club. It’s not just the people who create these shows and movies, mostly men. The male audience reportedly appeals to many of the most successful internationally anime is reportedly skewed, and so are the characters.
Children around the world have been weaned by Ash and Pikachu’s nipples. Pokémonthen grew up watching misogyny spiral out of thinly control on shows like Boom! And Katekyo Hitman is reborn! Mainstream TV anime, in particular, is often developed for young men. This polished A subgenre devoted to so-called male-centric stories is responsible for the emergence of international hits such as: My Hero Academy, Dragon Ball ZAnd Attack on Titan. And even when women star in these popular TV series, they are often given far fewer roles than their male counterparts or objectified by everyone around them.
Basically, being a woman who rarely appears in anime is rarely a fun time – and there are so many heavy lifting series like this. sailor of the month And Violet Evergardenor recent movies with female leads Beautiful And Miss Hokusai, can do it by itself. Even in these cases, female-oriented shojo like anime subgenre polishedher younger sister, who was forced to fend for herself at her brother’s fraternity party. Although the representation is there, it has been swept under the moving carpet or left entirely. We all know that the best heroines are just as present, relatable, and aspirational as the heroines.
Fortunately, director Makoto Shinkai (2016’s) Your name) has delivered a new female protagonist who is itching her quest for effective representation with her newest movie now in theaters. Enter Suzume, a 17-year-old high school student who is suddenly faced with the possible end of the world after opening a misplaced door. In the movie of the same name (another green flag), Suzume meets a brash stranger named Sōta, who explains that her job is to tour the country to close these gates – or “gates” – to a mysterious coexisting world. that our heroes believe is a paradise.
Suzume quickly learns that her curiosity has unleashed an evil spirit known as the “daijin”, locking her and Sōta in a race against time to save Japan from a mythical beast. yokai A giant worm that supposedly produces earthquakes, known as Namazu.
Even outside of her animated heroine, Suzume It’s a movie that ticks so many boxes. It’s a movie that’s both entertaining and can draw on a multitude of moral dilemmas, such as family dynamics, childhood trauma, and what still platonic co-workers do-don’t-do-nots. Suzume He never explains himself too much, but he doesn’t have to explain himself. Each scene has a clear purpose that guides the narrative (and Suzume) towards bigger and better things.
The fact that Suzume is such a standout hero is surprising considering some of Shinkai’s previous female characters. Your nameWhile Mitushua, for example, hides in the shadow of the film’s powerful narrative, Don’t Divide With YouHina is subjected to obscene jokes. But in SuzumeShinkai successfully balances intimate character development with themes he likes to work with, such as the effects of natural disasters in Japan and perhaps lesser-known myths in the Western world. In doing so, the director lays the foundation for what makes Suzume himself so remarkable. Shinkai’s vision is now tried and tested and brilliant.
Although Suzume stands out as a unique and versatile female lead in a medium where few people act, she is far from being the only woman. In fact, with all her strengths, she reminds us of other anime women who came before her. Looking back at the Japanese animation canon, some of the best-received films in its history hold the key to how to craft a well-rounded female character. These are the women who walk so Suzume can run.
The first instance of a strong heroine probably came in 1984. That’s when two extremely talented guys decided to do a post-apocalyptic drama with an incredible ’80s feel: Wind Valley Nausicaä. Directed and produced by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, nausicaa They adapt Miyazaki’s manga with a fantastic, empowering feature. A thousand years after the civilization-destroying apocalyptic war, the remaining humans are at odds with infuriated giant insect creatures called Ohms. Trying to protect his people after an invasion from a rival community, Nausicaä must bridge the gap between human life and the Ohm’s reclamation of the land.
HE nausicaa premiered two years before Miyazaki and Takahata went to co-founder Studio Ghibli, and it worked in his favor. The film was not yet part of an established “brand” and therefore had no prospects working for or against it; instead, the film developed a style of its own. The result is one of the first examples of an effortlessly complex, dynamic young woman in anime history. Kind-hearted by nature, Nausicaä is a princess to her people. She always chooses to take on the best of those she meets, and her calm optimism is what ultimately resolves conflict; The villagers of the Wind Valley depend on her every word.
Similar to Suzume, Nausicaä never shows doubt in her own decisions. No maneuver can be second guessed, and his enemy’s acts of betrayal and narcissism never become a real obstacle in Nausicaä’s journey. Maybe because he’s on her side, or maybe it’s an example of Miyazaki proving that if you want something done well, get a woman to do it. Nausicaä continued to define the style of Studio Ghibli heroines after Kiki (Kiki’s Delivery Service) To you (Princess Mononoke). The animation studio continues to be loved by audiences and other creators for its plan for female protagonists with Nausicaä.
But in the late 90s, after (rightly) sailor of the month In mania, a different aspect of the anime emerged: darker shows and movies featuring female characters getting new textures. These characters have appeared in popular genres for older audiences. ghost in the shell, Cowboy Bebop, And Neon Genesis Evangelion. But one of the best examples is in stark contrast to Studio Ghibli’s fantastic, colorful back catalogue: Satoshi Kon’s directorial debut. Perfect Blue.
Perfect Blue A dark depressing anime aimed at very adults. At its center is Mima, a young woman who is conflicted between staying in the moderately successful girl group or setting out on her own to become an actress. As she grapples with the decision, Mima learns that an anonymous blogger is posting her whereabouts every day pretending to be her, without revealing her true identity.
Mima is a modern girl with modern issues that sometimes come in time that she doesn’t understand. Whether it’s her inability to understand the importance of the World Wide Web or her implicit trust in people hired to look after it, Mima’s greatest strength is her willingness to embrace her vulnerability. Suzume shares this trait as she often addresses the pain of losing her mother and her regularly strained relationship with her aunt. Knowing your limits has power, and Kon used subtle female characters to remind their audience of that. She continued to prioritize complex women in her following features, especially in the highly acclaimed 2006s. Red pepperIt is his last film he completed before his untimely death in 2010.
One last noteworthy connection with Suzume brings us back to Studio Ghibli: Chihiro, Miyazaki’s 2001 Academy Award-winning lead Spirited Away. A 10-year-old girl, alone in a world between monsters and spirits, is naturally scared and sad – and she lets us see that. In keeping with her feelings, Chihiro’s struggle to remember her own name is what allows her to fight to the dismay of (totally terrifying) bathhouse owner Yubaba to win back her family. While Suzume is also nicely in touch with her emotional health, her age means she can balance puberty arrogance with childlike naivete. 17-year-old Suzume meets Chihiro on her own level of emotional awareness and then transcends it.
Featuring well-known female leads alongside numerous other women like Nausicaä, Mima, and Chihiro, Suzume has taken the stick as a strong female lead for a new generation of anime fans. She’s the woman of a young woman – the kind of person who will come across you in the bathroom when you’re on a bad date and tell you you’re beautiful and worth more than you think. Thrown into a life-defying reality beyond normal grasp, she deftly overcomes the challenges she faces, relying on her instincts to help Sōta save Japan.
The only thing Suzume fears is a world without loved ones or where there are no conflicts or troubles to overcome. Instead, Suzume uses her ever-changing emotions to shape her rather than break her. It’s refreshing in the face of the more masculine or generic anime that dominates the mainstream today.
In retrospect, Suzume (the character) feels like a love letter to the anime women who came before her, just like her. Suzume (film) is an ode to everything that makes anime so fascinating. He knows where he came from and exactly where he’s going – and what better lesson to leave to us and the rest of the anime watching audience?