Mob Psycho 100 is a series from the creators of One Punch Man. Focusing on the title character of Shigeo "Mob" Kageyama. Mob is a esper, he learns as a child that his powers are link to his emotional state. As a result he is emotionally muted and appears with a blank expression. He has no friends (in the beginning) and is social awkward. In contrast, the character of Reigen is the opposite of Mob.
Reigen is the boss and master of Mob. He is a con man, whom, uses the power of his words to manipulate his clients into believing he is helping them with their problems. A common theme that is brought up in the series is the idea that Mob's psychic powers are one aspect of him and he is no better than other's. Reigen believes that his powers are really no different from someone who can sing, dance or play a sport. Basically, everyone has something special about them.
Explore the theme from the series, that we all are special in different ways. Question what the difference between being ordinary and extraordinary is. Explore how the various characters, specifically, Mob and Reigen display the theme.
Yes, so much yes. The idea of "being the protagonist of your own story" is a great theme to delve into, as well as the emotional lessons of the story. I would also touch on additional characters and how they negotiate having powers, i.e. being special, with their level of emotional maturity. Ristu, Serizawa, Sho, Hanazawa, and Toichiro all cope with being "special" in healthy and unhealthy ways. I'd be very excited to read a piece about this. – Eden5 years ago
Religion is an important orienting concept for societies so it is not surprising that anime has often dealt with it in many different forms. An article examining religion in Attack n Titan, Fullmetal Alchemist and D Gray Man would help provide for exciting reading. One could look at either the depiction of the organisation or religious themes within them.
That would be an interesting article. Especially in how Christianity is portrayed (or referenced). – OkaNaimo08195 years ago
You might add Avatar: The Last Airbender to that list. Hindu and Buddhist concepts are all over that, not to mention the usage of the elements (I'm not sure what religion that's tied to exactly, but I have seen it in a lot of fantasy/anime-type literature and movies). – Stephanie M.4 years ago
Examine the religious politics of Hellsing Ultimate and how the conflict between the Protestants (The Hellsing Organization) and the Catholics (The Iscariot Organization) impacts the narrative and echoes past and current real life tensions. Possible real life issues to explore are the differences between Protestant and Catholic doctrines and the cultural influence of the Protestant Reformation, especially in England, given that the main setting of Hellsing is London.
This looks like it would be a great topic and help promote Japanese anime for those of us who are not familiar with it but would love to learn. – Munjeera9 years ago
Demons are quite common in anime, whether it's the sexy Sebastian Michaelis from Black Butler or the lovable Inuyasha from the anime of the same name. In fact, demons are more common in mainstream anime than angels. And when they do interact, it's usually the demons that come out as the good guy. Why is that the case? What appeal do demons have? What are some other portrayals of demons?
Note: You can focus on just humanoid demons, like Sebastian and Rin Okumura from Blue Exorcist, or you can expand it to include Inuyasha and creatures like Kurama from the Naruto series. For an additional challenge, you can also include interactions between angels and demons, like Sebastian and Ash/Angela, and compare the characters.
I was also curious where the story of "the demon lord" came from? Is this a folklore thing? – Busyotaku5 years ago
What do Western audiences (Canada and Europe as well as America) find so appealing in anime? Analyze and compare the more popular/recent series and see what conclusions you make with them. An additional challenge would be to compare the anime are more popular in the West with the anime that are more popular in Japan. Or, if that is too difficult, then compare the genres that are more popular/well-known in the East and West. e.g. Is My Hero Academia as big in Japan as it is in America? What about Death Note? You can also research less mainstream anime that is big in either Japan or the West.
I generally agree with the comments made by M.L.Flood, but please be a little less ameri-centric. The 'West' consists of more countries than just America and Canada. – Amyus5 years ago
I like the topic so much and I think that approaching why certain anime are more popular in the West and why others are more popular in Japan would be interesting as well. There may be cultural and social reasons for it. Other than that, great topic! – MC075 years ago
Vinland Saga began it's first animated season this summer. The series focuses on Thorfinn Thorsson, as he embarks on a quest of revenge. His father, Thors is killed by Askeladd. Thorfinn joins Askeladd's band of Vikings, waiting for the day that he's strong enough to kill Askeladd in a duel. Revenge is a common theme in anime. Analyse how revenge is depicted, what are the effects on the main character and secondary ones.
Consider comparing and contrasting how the theme is presented in anime. You could focus on popular series like Vinland Saga, Attack on Titan, Kill La Kill, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and Goblin Slayer. Some of these series are more violent than others. How does this effect the depiction of revenge? What happened that warrants revenge? Are the characters justified? Do they attempt revenge in different ways? Do they succeed? Are they all sympathetic figures? Finally, how does the pursuit of vengeance change them.
When it comes to the topic of revenge in anime, it often leads to characters going through radical changes in their demeanor and motivation (take Sasuke from Naruto or Eren Jaeger in Attack on Titan). When analyzing this topic, it's important to compare and contrast the differences these characters have when they perform an action that was based on their vengeful behavior. – CAngeloCruz5 years ago
A classic revenge story with hands down the most cultural impact is Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo. There's an an anime adaption of it called Gankutsuou and it does a wonderful job of reinterpreting Edmund Dantes' story of retribution amidst a futuristic setting where it's planet Earth vs. an encroaching alien empire. It definitely contributes a different perspective to how revenge is portrayed in anime and I think it shouldn't be ignored in an analysis of said topic. – darthzia5 years ago
Goku, Sailor Moon, Vash the Stampede, the examples are countless. In anime, being an idiot is a shorthand way to show that a character is all-around good or at least innocent. It's prevalent enough to have its own trope: Lawful Stupid. It's not limited to anime but it is most prevalent there. Why is this? Is there a cultural or literary tradition? Is it just a fun trope to play with? The dea is definitely worth examining more in-depth.
I think most of the time it exists to add a bit of comic relief, and also allows the characters to get into more silly situations because if the character were at a genius level, they wouldn't fall for traps and stuff that could put them in unique situations. – xFezziwig8 years ago
I agree that it is essential to the comic relief of the stories, but I think it also makes an important point. Our culture places a great deal of value on intelligence, but these animes propose that intelligence is not the most important part of being a hero. You don't have to be particularly clever to triumph over difficulties. Your values (hard work, friendship, etc.) are more important. I think this is an important message. – C8lin8 years ago
I think stupidity is also a good way to show how characters are human. At some point, we all make dumb mistakes so it's natural for anime characters to show these same traits as well. – seouljustice8 years ago
I've wondered this as well. For example in Naruto, the hero is incredibly powerful and has a good heart yet he is clearly depicted as not being the brightest bulb in the room. His struggle to be accepted and to overcome his learning disabilities portray him in an underdog light. Showing us that hard work and goodness reign the day. – lion8 years ago
I think the scarier question to ask is "do a majority of viewers relate to a protagonist's lack of intelligence?" There is a clear distinction between viewers who watch anime for immersion and those who watch it for escapism. If an author or screenwriter can place a viewer/reader in a fantastical world yet fill it with characters who are just as equally clumsy or stupid or athletic or lazy then the reader can not only flee from whatever reality they want to escape from but they can also feel accepted or at least socially safe in this new world where these character exhibit the same traits as they do or a lack of. – Pushingaterd6 years ago
I'm wondering you if you could take a look at what the hisyorical hero archetype was in Japan and contrast that against anime. You could also look at what Japan values in heroes as a culture since the Western hero is meant to only possess superlatives, and also doesn't Japanese culture highly value intelligence? Perhaps not as rigidly as other Asian cultures (please correct me if I'm wrong) but this could be a reason as to why they want a break from the status quo? Again using Naruto as an example, the story is actually heavily based on traditional Japanese legends and creation myths (e.g. Kaguya as the Moon Goddess) so I'm wondering if Naruto as a character also filed under some traditional elements – Pamela Maria6 years ago
I also agree that it is more of a comic relief. It works and seems to have been working for a long time now but I think as our idea of a hero develops, the idea becomes repetitive and a bit of a turnoff. As for tradition, I'm not sure but it sounds very interesting to dive into. – Melissa6 years ago
While it also serves as comic relief, I think most protagonists who are portrayed as stupid are done so to highlight how pure of heart they are. The narrative is always emphasizing their stupidity as something good because it separates them from being conniving, a trait often depicted in anime as villainous. – brightasgold3 years ago
Dr. Stone opens onto a world where all human beings have turned into stone and the planet has reclaimed itself. Those who have had the good fortune of breaking out of their "mortal coil" set out to restore human civilization. Nature looms as an overpowering presence while characters duke out their personal beliefs and philosophies. Does Dr. Stone set a tone for conservation especially in our real world threatened by global warming? What does it inform us about society building, the importance of civilization, and the ultimate costs?
I have yet to watch Dr. Stone the anime, but was immensely interested upon seeing the trailer for the series, and read a little bit into the manga. Following in the footsteps of several other manga classics that have set the tone for environmental conservation, Dr. Stone I believe intends to achieve the same. Nature is certainly an overpowering presence in reality, but I personally feel that we speak about the looming threat of global warming from the perspective that it is us against nature when in reality global warming is anthropogenic. In that sense, I think Dr. Stone leans toward emphasizing the importance of a symbiotic course of living where we respect nature, and see ourselves as a "mortal coil" intrinsically entwined in nature rather than one separated from it. – ajaymanuel5 years ago
Dr. who? Just kidding. Interesting topic. I'd be interested to see a discussion of environmental conservation vs. "saving the planet," and what lines differentiate the two (some say there is no difference, but others I've met are pretty eager to separate conservation from preservation). – Stephanie M.5 years ago
