Comments on: War Stories – Part 1 http://zageek.wordpress.com/2008/08/10/war-stories-part-1/ Random musings on life in general and anime in particular Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:22:26 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Tony http://zageek.wordpress.com/2008/08/10/war-stories-part-1/#comment-207 Tony Sat, 27 Sep 2008 19:16:08 +0000 http://zageek.wordpress.com/?p=84#comment-207 Concerning your paragraph beginning "Perhaps the most horrific element of the story is Seita's pride," I respect your reading of the anime, but I disagree with this. I think what went wrong between the two children and their aunt's family is more complicated than this. There is certainly selfishness on Seita's part, but I do not have the sense that he would have refused to "pitch in" if he had been given a constructive way to do so. And the aunt, preoccupied with taking care of the needs of those closest to her, fails in several ways to respond to Seita and Setsuko's needs. You also left out the fact that Seita's unrealistic choices were fueled in part by Setsuko's refusal to adjust to the situation, and his love for her, no matter how misguided those choices were. I think part of the amazing power of the anime is the element of classical tragedy in it: It is exactly because of the strong characters of the two children, put in a situation of having to adapt to a situation no one should have to adapt to, which brings about their destruction. People ask me why I like such a "depressing" story so much, and this is one of the answers I give them. (My other main answer is that there is great lyrical beauty and some nostalgia for a now vanished world in many moments of the anime.) I think that the anime would not be the powerful condemnation of war that it is without this tragic element. It is far more powerful than simply showing that horrible things can happen. Concerning your paragraph beginning “Perhaps the most horrific element of the story is Seita’s pride,” I respect your reading of the anime, but I disagree with this. I think what went wrong between the two children and their aunt’s family is more complicated than this. There is certainly selfishness on Seita’s part, but I do not have the sense that he would have refused to “pitch in” if he had been given a constructive way to do so. And the aunt, preoccupied with taking care of the needs of those closest to her, fails in several ways to respond to Seita and Setsuko’s needs. You also left out the fact that Seita’s unrealistic choices were fueled in part by Setsuko’s refusal to adjust to the situation, and his love for her, no matter how misguided those choices were.

I think part of the amazing power of the anime is the element of classical tragedy in it: It is exactly because of the strong characters of the two children, put in a situation of having to adapt to a situation no one should have to adapt to, which brings about their destruction. People ask me why I like such a “depressing” story so much, and this is one of the answers I give them. (My other main answer is that there is great lyrical beauty and some nostalgia for a now vanished world in many moments of the anime.) I think that the anime would not be the powerful condemnation of war that it is without this tragic element. It is far more powerful than simply showing that horrible things can happen.

]]> By: blue_eyes_sappire http://zageek.wordpress.com/2008/08/10/war-stories-part-1/#comment-197 blue_eyes_sappire Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:12:14 +0000 http://zageek.wordpress.com/?p=84#comment-197 Indeed war is art of destruction. Many civilian has died in war even until. they have suffer great damage in physically and mentally. We have know it yet we don't do anything about that (>_<). Lets hope that with a lot animated movie or anime can remind people and young generation about the evil of wars so in the future there will be less wars or at least civilian not being in caught in battle field or being a target. Indeed war is art of destruction. Many civilian has died in war even until. they have suffer great damage in physically and mentally. We have know it yet we don’t do anything about that (>_<).

Lets hope that with a lot animated movie or anime can remind people and young generation about the evil of wars so in the future there will be less wars or at least civilian not being in caught in battle field or being a target.

]]>