Dealing in Death: Gundam AGE, Sword Art Online, and Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse

As one of those universal human experiences, death occupies a rather key position as a narrative device or event in, well, basically all media. Despite being so dynamic of an element, however, depictions often take on the same nature. These become simultaneously an anchor of comfort in trained response and a point for exasperation. Those that defy our normal experience may be balked at or celebrated. Audience reaction to a particular death can be some of the most mixed responses received when it comes to fiction. It can make skeptics champion a show or move fans to drop one out of disgust.

Confession: I work up a robust amount of tears whenever I watch this scene

Unfortunately (for me) a pretty awesome catalogue of how deaths often function already exists. It mainly deals with mecha but the archetypes it specifies are general enough that you could say I was beaten to the punch. So bear with me as we charge much more into the recent and the technical. Spoilers for Mobile Suit Gundam AGE 38 and Muv-Luv Alternative TE 02. Mild spoilers for Sword Art Online 01-02. Any other possible spoilers discussed are beyond old (but probably younger than me) and mindfully telegraphed.

[APRIL FOOLS] Vigorously and Speedily Eradicate Bizarre Bourgeois Anime Critique

Posted on behalf of the Revolutionary Workers of the Anime Blogging Trade in Vancouver

Celebrate the revolution and its place in the World community!

Holding High the great red banner of Mao Zedong Thought and displaying vigorous revolutionary spirit, young revolutionary fighters in Vancouver have been busy putting up revolutionary big-character posters in the streets to attack the old ideas, culture, customs, and habits of all exploiting classes, in a determined effort to build Vancouver into a city extraordinarily proletarian and extraordinarily revolutionary in character.

Genki Leads: Part One: Empty Minds and Moral Action

As Last Exile -Ginkyoku no Fam- winds up for its last chunk of episodes, climax and everything, I’ve noticed that Fam has gotten more and more on people‘s patience. That’s nothing I can blame them for, as the tension between her and the show can be often intense, so I won’t attempt a defense of her.

But, isn’t it fascinating? Fam is hardly the first character who is reckless or acts without thinking. Examples of these upbeat, stubborn, reckless, can’t-shut-up heroes litter the landscape of Japanese media. You could even say they’re everywhere in East Asian stories.