Akira and Ranma 1/2: The Monsterous Adolescent

In Chapter three Akira and Ranma 1/2: The Monsterous Adolescent, of Napier's book Anime from Akira to Howl's Moving Castle Napier works to show how these two Animes, in related, but different ways illustrate the temperament of male adolescents moving into adulthood. Just as Anime has crossed over to the West, so do important observations of this tumultuous time in one's life, but while this is true it is necessary to remember that this conversation must retain its context of Japanese cultures.

First let us take a look at Napier's interpretation of Akira. Napier says the Tetsuo Akira's protagonist/antihero shows a significant side of Japan cultural representation, that of isolation, and the outcast. Tetsuo is representing general adolescent opposition to a world that doesn’t understand, and is thus meaningless. A world filled with tyrannical adults.

With Ranma 1/2, Napier says there is a similar struggle of the adolescent, now more directly applying to male/female roles in Japan, and sexuality. Ranma ½ constantly illustrates, that maturing boys have significantly more expected of them then girls.

There is a disease particularly prevalent in Japan, which afflicts adolescents called hikikomori, or literally “pulling away”. This disease is defined as: one that stays in their room for six months or more. Some cases will not leave the seclusion of their room for decades, spending all hours within. These adolescents are smart, and have a sense of self, which current Japanese culture does not have room for. They fear the Japan that works for the generation before will only fail for them. Both maturing boys, and girls are equally susceptible, it is general the male adolescents who fall victim due to increased expectations of the male gender. The Hikikomoris may become angry, and frustrated, due to feelings of inability to affect change in their own situations, and fear of social pressures.

Napier is correct in these connections to Akira, and Ranma ½, and the adolescent, specifically within Japanese culture.