(And man, did it ever!!)
Akira 1988
Where to start! What a film. Firstly, reflecting back on our live-tweeting, I can see that I was firstly impacted by the sheer beauty and detail of the anime!
I LOVE THE COLOURS AH!! I wish this is what cities looked like! Luv you neo-tokyo #BCM320 #Akira
— Kelsea✨ (@OkKelsea) August 9, 2018
I’m a huge anime fan, but my scope is still pretty limited in terms of having watched anime and Japanese films, so my favourites thus far include; One-Punch Man (2012), The Full Metal Alchemist (2003/4), Ponyo (2008), Spirited Away (2001), My Neighbor Totoro (1988) and Howl’s Moving Castle (2004).
Of course, the common consensus amongst the #BCM320 thread was initial and intense confusion, and looking for familiar themes/features/aesthetics –
BIG metropolis vibes!! Just trying to figure out the power structures of the characters, and the intentions behind specific frames! #bcm320 #Akira
— Kelsea✨ (@OkKelsea) August 9, 2018
I love that ‘initial befuddlement’ element when viewing anime when I watch it as an Australian. Theres always this feeling that you’ve missed something, that you should have known something before the series or movie has just started, or just a general sense of disorientation. I would LOVE to know whether this is just a feeling Westerners get whilst watching, or whether it is a common theme of the genre itself (hmmm). For now and this blog, I’m going to assume it coincides directly with my perspective.
I’m a sucker for tolerating/enjoying violence when its created and depicted as aesthetically pleasing, I would even struggle to categorise the imagery displayed as ‘gore’ because of how well it is visually portrayed.
Well that was a mood!! #BCM320 #AKIRA pic.twitter.com/YvJjLU6enX
— Kelsea✨ (@OkKelsea) August 9, 2018
Articulating my reflection on autoethnography for this text was hard, but I think the most significant thing to apply here is that researchers retrospectively and selectively write about epiphanies that are a result of being apart of a particular culture and/or possessing a particular cultural identity. So our tweets and in the moment reflections are us responding, being apart of one cultural identity, to another cultures identity. I believe that viewing these films/cultural pieces through these reflexive and biographical lenses is salient, as it not only enables us to deepen our capacity to empathise with people who are different to us, but allows us to be self-conscious in a research process. This self-consciousness or self-reflection can be rather minor and insignificant to begin with, but it’s important that we don’t overlook those initial reactions/basic responses;
“A fight has broken out between student protestors…” SAY NO MORE, can relate to this context #bcm320
— Kelsea✨ (@OkKelsea) August 9, 2018
Because once these reflections are paired with methodological tools and analysed through a wider world lens, the true value of autoethnography can be explored.
Diversity, Communication & Culture 
Reblogged this on Digital Asia.
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Great read! I love the flow of your writing and how easy it was to follow along. I did find your comment surrounding how easy you found Akira’s violence to watch. I was the complete opposite while viewing it! I cannot handle blood in any form and even though it was anime, not real life, it still made my skin crawl. And I did just assume this would be everyone’s take on the violence so really interesting to see you wouldn’t categorise it as gore!
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Hey! Kelsea, I also started to watch a bunch of anime as I was introduced to it through mostly BCM subjects funnily enough. I was accustomed to some cartoons (as a kid) but never any big budget movies such as ‘Akira’ or ‘Ghost in the Shell’ until recently. To answer your question, on whether “this is just a feeling Westerners get whilst watching, or whether it is a common theme of the genre itself (hmmm).” I think ever since seeing Bruce Lee’s overexpression in ‘Enter the Dragon’ I have never really been caught off guard but Akira the beginning especially blew me away with confusion. I think it comes down also to artistic and cinematic storytelling ability. Especially since he was regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in cinematic history.
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