Question 7: In what ways might Akira, Nausicaā and Mononoke be considered prescient?
Prescient can be described as insightfulness, prophecy or being able to have knowledge of the future. Akira, Nausicaā and Mononoke can in some ways be seen as the creator’s psychic vision of themes that may come to pass or they could be complete fantasy? According to Mountford, P (2020) Hayao Miyazaki’s works of Nausicaā and Mononoke take on a tortured relationship between humans and nature. He suggests that the strong themes around ecology also raise existential themes of sustainability of the human race. So in this sense there could be a prescient view of global warming and the earth fighting back against humans?
Morgan, G (2015) discusses Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki choices of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic world to set his stories. She states, “Nausicaä is living in a post-apocalyptic world, unable to breathe without a respirator because of the large amount of toxic spores. Her world is portrayed as forever toxic, resulting from the God Warriors a millennium prior. Comparing her world with that of ours and the toxic chemicals that have been dumped into our atmosphere and environment, we can begin to see that there is a tipping point where we are slowly annihilating ourselves.”
Furthermore Morgan, G (2015) describes Princess Mononoke as a battle between humans and nature. She suggests we “begin to see our failings and fears in how we approach environmental problems. Just as Miyazaki shows the characters’ misunderstanding of the complete cycle of nature, we can begin to see our incomplete picture regarding climate change. Just as warring tribes in Nausicaä tackle the encroaching Toxic Jungle by different means, we can compare that with politicians and scientists squabbling over data findings about the existence of climate change and how we should take action to combat it.” Morgan, G. (2015)
The works of “Hayao Miyazaki emphasize ecology – both in the films’ representations of the nature and engagement in environmental discourse as well as their interest in the interaction of part and whole, self and society, humanity and the world.” Thevenin, B.(2013)
Akira is described by Chu, H. (2018) as a “frenetic cyberpunk anime”, showing that cartoons, across cultures can take on bigger social issues. He says the narrative is part allegory telling the story of the fallout from nuclear bombs being dropped in Japan during WWII. He suggests that “Akira represents the bomb and Tetsuo is the dreaded next calamity.”
Schley, M. (2018) regards the world in which Akira (1988) is set in Otomo’s Neo-Tokyo. It was filled with “hyper technology, urban sprawl, disaffection and unrest.” Schely (2018) says “the director was prescient not just about the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but the danger of religious cults.” This is in reference to the sarin gas attack on Tokyo’s subway.
Chan, M. (2015) suggests “the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear reactor accident which occurred in Fukushima, Japan in March 2011 had wide reaching impact in terms of environmental pollution” and is indicative of Hayao Miyazaki’s eco-fable warnings.
References:
Cavallaro, D. (2006). Introduction. In The Anime Art of Hayao Miyazaki (pp.5-13). London: McFarland & Company.
Cavallaro, D. (2006). Frame of Reference. In The Anime Art of Hayao Miyazaki (pp.15-28). London: McFarland & Company.
Chan, MA (2015) Environmentalism and The Animated Landscape in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) and Princess Mononoke (1997). In: Animated Landscapes: History, Form and Function. Bloomsbury, New York, pp. 93-108.
Chu, H. (2018)Why the pioneering Japanese anime ’Akira’ is still relevant 30 years later. Retrieved November 19, 2020, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/why-the-pioneering-japanese-anime-akira-remains-relevant-30-years-later/2018/07/12/b7577c74-813f-11e8-b851-5319c08f7cee_story.html
Otomo , Katsuhiro (1988) Akira [Film]
Miyazaki, Hayao (1984) Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind [Film]
Miyazaki, Hayao (1997) Princess Mononoke [Film]
Morgan, G. (2015) Creatures in Crisis: Apocalyptic Environmental Visions in Miyazaki’s Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Princess Mononoke. Resilience: A Journal of the Environmental Humanities, Volume 2, Number 3, Fall 2015, pp. 172-183. University of Nebraska Press
Mountfort, P (2020) [Video] Week 5 Anime lecture; https://blackboard.aut.ac.nz/bbcswebdav/pid-5326019-dt-content-rid-12630385_4/institution/Papers/ENGL602/Publish/PopGenres_Week%205_Anime%20%232_Part%202.mp4
Schley, M. (2018) Akira: Looking back at the future | Deep reads from The Japan Times. Retrieved November 19, 2020, from https://features.japantimes.co.jp/akira-new/
Thevenin, B. (2013) Princess Mononoke and beyond: New nature narratives for children. Interactions: Studies in Communication & Culture. 2013, Vol. 4 Issue 2, p147-170. 24p.
Usher, T. (2016) How ’Akira’ Has Influenced All Your Favourite TV, Film and Music. Retrieved November 19, 2020, from https://www.vice.com/en/article/kwk55w/how-akira-has-influenced-modern-culture
Wright, L., Clode, J.(2005) The Animated Worlds of Hayao Miyazaki. Metro. 2005, Issue 143, p46-51. 6p.
Pop Genres 2020 