The film, Momotaro Divine Sea Warriors (1945) directed by Mitsuyo Seo, reflects the idea of a Japanese led Greater East Asian Co-prosperity, as the animation style, plot, and character choice/representation inherently project the ideals of a Japanese Empire in charge of defending the East from … Continue reading Momotaro Divine Sea Warriors (1945): Anime as Propaganda

Grave of the Fireflies is well-known for being an incredible, and painful, movie (Takahata, 1988). It’s portrayal of the slow and agonizing decline of the main characters, siblings Seita and Setsuko, to their inevitable deaths is difficult to watch, to say the least. While the … Continue reading Grave of the Fireflies: Social Catharsis and Anime

Astro Boy, otherwise known as Mighty Atom (Tetsuwan Atom) in its translated Japanese form, sparked trends of more modern anime in its television series production that was derived originally from manga as it also considers modern possibilities such as creating a robotic boy. Created by … Continue reading Tetsuwan Atomu (Astro Boy): The Trans-War Period & Anime as a Commodity