Showing posts with label manga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label manga. Show all posts

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Cross Cultural Confusion


Yesterday, I watched Bleach (Disc 2, Season 1) and it brought a couple of interesting questions to mind. First was "Why do the Japanese insist on making these characters 15, so I feel creeping for wanting Ichigo?" which requires further study, and another day.

Sitting and watching Bleach made me feel relaxed and more centered somehow. I thought how strange it was that I felt more like myself for watching a cartoon. I really love the cartoon. It has a cool story, I love the animation, it has great characters. But I have nothing to do with it. Why do I have an attachment to a story that isn’t remotely similar to my own?

I've formed a bond with a mode of expression that belongs to another culture. I'm not Japanese, apparently older than the target audience (see above, underage hotness), and I don’t fight evil spirits walking on earth.

So why does it feel so right to watch a teenager with spiky orange hair wield a humongous sword and slay skeletal demons? I think I can see the appeal of the huge sword now that I think about it, but skeletal demons, not so much. I guess that's why we liberal arts majors spend so much time studying, talking, and thinking about universal themes. And getting degrees that don't lead to paying jobs.