Desire in Kokoro Connect

The sudden body swapping in Kokoro Connect presented the central cast with numerous curious problems, along with raising issues about trust and identity. It became clear early on that while this group of students were in the same club and had a certain amount of contact outside of school hours they were not true friends. It was a shallow friendship in places, with numerous problems being kept secret from everyone else, although the reasons for this differed depending on the character. The body swapping remained a jarring experience for those involved, demonstrating that regardless of how long these characters have known each other, they were still strangers. The shock that Yui, Inaba, Iori, Aoki and Taichi get when they come to the realisation that they really don’t know each other is tangible, and akin to a whole opening up beneath their feet.

Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon and random talking birds

The Testament Union is the major power within Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon, it is the group that binds everything together, with a significant military force and the power of multiple Deadly Sins Armaments. However, there are clear questions about how and why they have so much power, along with why the Testament can control the minds of so many people. As is explained on several occasions, the Testament is effectively a history book, detailing all of the events that took place up until the initial destruction of the world. Every country and city-state religiously follows the Testament in their re-enactment of history, fearing that if they do not some dreadful calamity may befall them. And yet, there appears to be no real evidence that backs up this idea that if you do not faithfully re-enact history the world will end. Furthermore, Horizon’s position in all this, along with the perception that as soon as history, or rather the history in the Testament runs out another great calamity will befall humanity.

Reality and Dreams in Sword Art Online

Sword Art Online started with a bang, introducing a world that was full of danger and death, a game that had suddenly become the reality of those who were stuck there. Kirito as the central character appears to have accepted this new reality, and has moved on, learning to cope with the idea that a simple slip up could mean death in the real world. However, he has gone out on his own, wishing to have as few problems to deal with as possible. As a character he is afraid of responsibility, and more importantly he is afraid of having to deal with the responsibility of another players life. During the first episodes when they cleared the first floor dungeon we see an important character (at least to the gathered players) die due to ignorance and what could be argued as stupidity. He believed utterly in the data gathered by all those who had been beta tests (he was among them), and thought that with such knowledge they would be able to clear the dungeon with ease. He therefore discounted the possibility that Kayaba may have changed things in this game in very subtle ways, thus invalidating such information.

Natsuyuki Rendezvous – It’s Complicated

Natsuyuki Rendezvous as the title may suggest is complicated, or rather the relationships between our main cast are complicated, strange and occasionally surreal. While the obvious culprit for the complicated nature of this series may at first appear to be Shimao, it is arguably a combination of him, Ryuusuke and Rokka that produce such a surreal but beautiful romance. Although having said that the major problems and misunderstandings that crop up in Natsuyuki Rendezvous are largely related to Shimao’s constant and consistent attempts to thwart Ryuusuke’s advances towards Rokka. As a series Natusyuki Rendezvous manages to maintain a wonderfully mature story about loss and acceptance, while also adding in elements of fantasy and fairy-tale.

Grappling with notions of past, present and future in Kokurikozaka Kara

While Kokurikozaka Kara (From Up On Poppy Hill) is a coming-of-age drama about a girl learning to accept her past and move on to her future, there is far more to this film than just this. At the centre of Kokurikozaka Kara we have a story about the importance of recognising and understanding your past in order to live in the present and push forwards to a future. It deals with themes that are central to Japanese society, but are often ignored, or invoked in very specific contexts. The film is set in 1963 a year before the Tokyo Olympics in 1964, only two years after the dramatic student riots that have left an indelible mark on Japanese society and laws. It is a period of activism all around the world as well, with numerous people’s movements coming out in opposition to what they see as destructive or oppressive governments and leaders. That Kokurikozaka Kara is set during this period seems significant due to the reasons and nature of the student protests, along with the context within which our characters live.

Dreams and Expectations in Tari Tari

High school is a highly romanticised place within Japanese popular culture and in particular manga and anime, with the number of series set in high school innumerable. It is a space that sits between childhood and the world of adults, with students entering as innocent children but leaving as adults ready to join society. Much like the western in America, high school is a timeless space in Japanese popular culture, and regardless of the time the activities and attitudes within high school remain the same. In many high school anime the characters are first or second years, those who are just starting their high school life and the narrative appears to suggest that they have an eternity to live out their high school dreams. Certain anime portray high school as an innocent time where teenagers of both sexes learn about sex, sexuality and other elements of the adult world, all the while maintain an almost child-like view of what goes on in society. There are of course exceptions, with series such as Great Teacher Onizuka demonstrating that schools differ depending on where they are, although in this case the school is an extreme and at times, comic example.

Gods and Monsters in Campione

Campione is a series with two distinct elements, exploring the nature of gods and monsters as a destructive and intangible force, while also demonstrating that it is those humans who have gained the power of the gods who are the most dangerous. The gods in Campione are shown as fickle beings, they bring destruction and in some cases death, but they are not evil, instead these ethereal beings and following their desires. Godou has to navigate the maze of mythology and meaning that has been presented to him, discovering what it means to be a Campione, along with finding out how the world views these god-slayers. It is ultimately the humans in the series, and specifically those who wish to gain the powers of a god who bring about the most destruction and cause the most harm. It is hardly surprising then that the Campione are also described as being demon-lords, they are humans with the powers of a god, but with the feelings, emotions and thirst for power that many humans posses.

Hyouka – As a Group and as Individuals

The group dynamics within Hyouka are one of its strongest elements, showing how people who are clearly incredibly different can work together to solve mysteries and work as a club. What is particularly fascinating about The Classics Club is how all these characters are essentially there as an afterthought, with other activities and elements of their high school life take precedent at times. This is most obvious during the latest school festival arc, where the group splits up, with Satoshi and Ibara in particular going back to their normal club lives and doing other activities. What we see in this arc is how the characters, without the help and support of everyone in the Classics Club slowly begin to slip back into well worn patterns almost as if the Classics Club didn’t exist in the first place.

Changing Perspectives in Kokoro Connect

One of the most fascinating elements of Kokoro Connect is how the antagonist (for want of a better word) Heartseed is not entirely bad, but is instead interfering with the central casts’ lives for their benefit. By forcefully switching their personalities around we have seen these characters begin to question how they live, along with focussing on each other and the little details that they never knew about. We see their lives thrown open for the group to see, and with their souls laid bare, they must learn to live with each other and helps those that worry through the tough times in their lives.

Inequality and the two-tiered education system in Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate

Instead of focusing on the ever-growing harem of the main protagonist Yuuki, Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate looks at the wider problems within a school system that allows for autonomy and control without and restrictions. The series began like a murder mystery, with an unknown girl capturing two important members of the schools governing body-exchanging money. The story immediately shifted to the political wrangling of Private Takafuji Academy’s student council, and the constant attempt by certain members to hide their misdemeanours and manipulate the system into giving them more power. While at the centre of this whirlwind of political intrigue is a distinct element of social inequality, and the consequences of ignoring it. At first the student council elections appear to be a simple affair, and while numerous candidates are involved, there are only a select few who seem to have any real chance of winning. But, there is more to it than that, and as this series progresses, we are beginning to understand the importance that many have placed on this election, and that there are those who would be happy to see certain candidates fail in their bid to be president.