American's military supremacy ignored in War animes

[varica]

Originally Posted by asaqe

I dont get it why they dont acknowledge america's military power in war animes like gundam I though america was damn powerful and that everone acknowledged its strengh so why not in anime as well?

Because anime are mostly written from a Japanese perspective, not American, so they will want to glorify their own army as opposed to another country's. Its not that difficult to work out.

[varica]

Let me guess, You're American! Baka.

[Gundam Master]

Originally Posted by AvatarADV

It's not always ignored, either. Gasaraki was -fantastic- in the way it played up the tensions in the US-Japan relationship, as well as the remnant elements of Japanese nationalism. (Okay, I'm a polisci major, I like that stuff!) Even Eva made it clear that the "UN" forces were primarily American.

At the same time, if you're making an SF anime, you're probably -not- going to deal with American military supremacy, for plot reasons if nothing else. You want your main characters to have something "special", and also to be young (so your viewers can sympathize with them) and Japanese or at least mostly Japanese (ditto). This implies any SF anime stories are probably going to involve young Japanese with some kind of special technology that makes their efforts in a conflict decisive.

Some anime gets around this by having the US go into a mysterious decline (not really examined, because it's tough to come up with something plausible, but if nobody squints at it, it works) or just outright destroyed (alien invasions are excellent for this). A lot of anime gets around it by having the characters be part of a super-elite group with uniquely powerful technology - i.e. even with the Americans as powerful as they are, the heroes are still way better. And yes, a lot of anime series dodge the issue by having a "world government" of one type or another so they don't have to think too hard about it.

Japan doesn't worry too terribly about security issues because, by and large, the US takes care of it for them. It's very much in the US interest to keep Japan safe, secure, and happy, and we certainly get benefits for doing so (extensive basing rights, international cooperation, a swift kick in the butt for lazy industries... ^_^) And, though it isn't said too often, a lot of people in the US have memories of WWII, and Japanese militarism is -scary-. US knowledge of Japanese history is pretty good, and under a militarist government, all of the things that makes Japan slightly exotic and interesting combine to make it a fearsome and amoral opponent. Having spent a lot of blood on both sides to put out that fire, we're understandably hesitant to light it again, and the average Japanese seems both generally happy to be peace-inclined yet not too worried about what we're up to ourselves...

...of course, that means that on OUR side, a militant Japan would be a powerful ally, so if we ever needed Japan, it's always an option. Unlikely given current military trends (i.e. US way ahead and pulling further away), but you never know.

You make a good point. You want the veiwers to understand how the the characters feel, that way they can relate and form a fan base. I was wondering if there ever was an anime that had US in the lead role, sort of like how Japan was the main country in EVA. Also notice how in America cartoons it always takes place in the US. Such as Batman, Superman, Justice League, and Spider Man. All of these cartoons take place in the US and say nothing about other countries, most of the time. But then again the cartoons produced in the US are aimmed at a younger target audience. While in Japan the anime they produce is aimmed at many different audiences. Some anime for boys, some for girls, some for 14+ some for 3+ and some for 18+.


varica don't double post, maybe you're the BAKA!
And do you have a problem with Americans?

[asaqe]

I am just saying that in the military animes America should have a bigger shine since Japan is forbidden to fight these day in terms of a offensive war thus improving military technology is pointless.

And oh about america's disappearance if that happened that the whole economy or world to collaspe since we are the last superpower left on earth.

[zalas]

Originally Posted by asaqe

I am just saying that in the military animes America should have a bigger shine since Japan is forbidden to fight these day in terms of a offensive war thus improving military technology is pointless.

And oh about america's disappearance if that happened that the whole economy or world to collaspe since we are the last superpower left on earth.

How Americentric can you get? o_O;;
A lot of anime will try to be realistic in the fictional world they create. They have no obligation to be realistic in the real world. And do you really think America can collapse if it was still a superpower (it might catastrophically)? In order for something like that to collapse it would have to be weakened first. Think about it, would the Soviet Union have collapsed during the 1970s? I'm sure once the "sole world power" is on the verge of collapsing, there would be tons of aspiring nations waiting for the role. When the British empire lost its supremacy, the world didn't go into chaos did it? =P

[Yamano667]

America has too many debts to be called superpower the only thing that saves america are the corporations generous financial help that gives the government on hard times

you give me something..and I will give you something later

[asaqe]

Ok maybe the space alliance vs the whole earth may make U.S supremacy less important but at least the U.S should be the leaders of the Earth Alliance. I am not provoking anyone I hate bush myself but America is ignored one too many times in military supremacy.

[dreamless]

well, I won't be surprised if a couple hundred years in the future there's no more US and the world goes on as normal. a couple hundred years ago Great Britain was the most powerful country in the world, another few hundred years in the past China was the most powerful country in the world. Today they are no more as powerful as they were in the past, but I do see any economy or world collapse. If America collapses, maybe Russia or China will step in to fill in the void. Just remember nothing is eternal, not the Roman Empire, and not America.

[Kyuven]

there is anime that represents America as a world power...

Spoiler:

the "enemy" in SaiKano, we find out, was the UN forces, essentially making the "war" SaiKano portrayed as WWIII, that's 3, not 2. When the girl (forget her name) confronted the downed pilot in the mountains, what language was he speaking?

also in Nadesico, the scene when the Nadesico was escaping from earth and Yurika was asking the UN to take down the "Big Barrier", what language was the whole assembly speaking (hearing Yurika speak english was the height of hilarity for me, it almost sounded better than the english dub of her voice ^_^)

[dreamless]

Originally Posted by Kyuven

there is anime that represents America as a world power...

Spoiler:

the "enemy" in SaiKano, we find out, was the UN forces, essentially making the "war" SaiKano portrayed as WWIII, that's 3, not 2. When the girl (forget her name) confronted the downed pilot in the mountains, what language was he speaking?

also in Nadesico, the scene when the Nadesico was escaping from earth and Yurika was asking the UN to take down the "Big Barrier", what language was the whole assembly speaking (hearing Yurika speak english was the height of hilarity for me, it almost sounded better than the english dub of her voice ^_^)

Spoiler:

well, maybe the enemy is not UN, but America itself. Anyway yup in Saikano that guy sounds like he's speaking American english...

[Kyuven]

Originally Posted by dreamless

Spoiler:

well, maybe the enemy is not UN, but America itself. Anyway yup in Saikano that guy sounds like he's speaking American english...

the way complex politics work is if one country gets into a war, at least 3 others will be involved (what war in the last 100 years only had representation from the 2 countries fighting each other? even the american revolution had the french involved)

[Gundam Master]

Originally Posted by asaqe

Ok maybe the space alliance vs the whole earth may make U.S supremacy less important but at least the U.S should be the leaders of the Earth Alliance. I am not provoking anyone I hate bush myself but America is ignored one too many times in military supremacy.

Hey the point of the EA is that it is one GIANT NATION. There is no US or Russia. Notice how in Gundam Seed on part of the EA is the EuroRussian Republic
That means there are no present day nations
And in Gundam Seed they even created the nation ORBcus it was so far in the future.

[Mr_Paper]

Originally Posted by asaqe

Ok maybe the space alliance vs the whole earth may make U.S supremacy less important but at least the U.S should be the leaders of the Earth Alliance. I am not provoking anyone I hate bush myself but America is ignored one too many times in military supremacy.

You know, in today's day and age military supremecy means next to nothing. In today's world, economic power is supreme and there are many countries better off than America.

Do you even uderstand the concept of an alliance? In an alliance all members are of equal importance, actions are decided democratically with no one nation in charge of all others. What you're saying is America should rule above all others, an empire not an alliance.

[robin]

Originally Posted by asaqe

...I though america was damn powerful and that everone acknowledged its strengh so why not in anime as well?

That's so arrogant. American military? Powerful? Millions of dollars spent on advanced technology and thousands of men and women sacrificed - and they are getting their asses kicked in Iraq by people that don't even have an "armed forces".

Oh, and remember VIETNAM!!

Powerful? ...yeah only in the world of diluted fools who are ignorant of the truth and history.

[Kyuven]

Originally Posted by robin

That's so arrogant. American military? Powerful? Millions of dollars spent on advanced technology and thousands of men and women sacrificed - and they are getting their asses kicked in Iraq by people that don't even have an "armed forces".

Oh, and remember VIETNAM!!

Powerful? ...yeah only in the world of diluted fools who are ignorant of the truth and history.

the "sleeping giant" analogy (used by the Japanese emperor during WWII of all people) befits the US
except, we're more like the "awake giant" now. A giant is clumsy, it doesn't handle "small" things well (Vietnam, Somalia, Iraq, etc.) but when it uses its club (nuclear capabilities), things get smooshed.
America IS a powerful country, all the news sites are reporting "failures" in Iraq to: 1) raise anti-U.S. sentiment or 2) Raise anti-Iraq or pro-war sentiment (sort of like "THEY DID THIS TO US, SEE?! SO NOW WE SHOULD SMOOSH EM!")
if all the failures of every war were reported like the ones today are, history would look a lot different. Back in the day, the government would "surpress" information about their army losing battles, nowadays they use it to garner public support to send more troops -_-

[Za Paper]

In the movie Memories, the second ep "Stink Bomb", only the American military was able to contain the threat with their advanced space suits. The Americans were protrayed as cocky sons of bitches, but even the Japanese military respected them at the end.

Originally Posted by Mr_Paper

You know, in today's day and age military supremecy means next to nothing. In today's world, economic power is supreme and there are many countries better off than America.

There are no countries better than America in economic terms. The American economy is still the largest in the world. China is number two and they are still way behind in terms of per capita GDP.

[srb]

Originally Posted by Gundam Master

Hey the point of the EA is that it is one GIANT NATION. There is no US or Russia. Notice how in Gundam Seed on part of the EA is the EuroRussian Republic
That means there are no present day nations
And in Gundam Seed they even created the nation ORBcus it was so far in the future.

An international coalition formed by the PLANT sponsor nations and their terrestrial allies to battle the forces of ZAFT. The Earth Alliance is not a single political entity, but rather a collaboration between several individual nations, which regard each other as potential adversaries even though they are currently united against a common foe. The dominant powers within the Earth Alliance are the Atlantic Federation, the Eurasian Federation, and the Republic of East Asia, all three of which invested heavily in the construction of the PLANTs. The South African Union and the United States of South America are junior partners in the Alliance, with the latter having been forcibly annexed by the Atlantic Federation at the start of the war.

The Earth Alliance was formally established on February 7, C.E. 70, two days after final negotiations between the PLANTs and the sponsor nations were disrupted by a terror bombing at the lunar city of Copernicus. The Alliance was created as a successor to the former United Nations, whose leadership was wiped out in the Copernicus attack, and like its predecessor it's nominally an international organization headed by a moderate secretary-general. However, in practice it's little more than a military alliance dominated by the Atlantic Federation and its fellow PLANT sponsor nations.

The Alliance is headquartered at the JOSH-A base in Alaska. At the beginning of C.E. 71 its other major strongholds include the Kaohsiung spaceport in Taiwan, the Panama spaceport in Central America, the Victoria spaceport in eastern Africa, and the Ptolemaeus lunar base.


http://www.gundamofficial.com/worlds...nizations.html

For more background on different organizations in Gundam SEED, go there.

Since the Atlantic Federation is mainly the US and they were behind the construction of the Archangel and the GAT-X-series of mobile suits (with the help of Orb), I believe that the original poster is incorrect in his assumption that the US military supremacy is ignored in Gundam.

In UC Gundam however, we're in the 2200's (UC0001 = 2082) when the One Year War breaks out, and the Earth Federation is a single entity. There can be no US military supremacy since there is no US. You're either an earthnoid, lunaroid or spacenoid.

[Fronzel]

Today's lesson is that most people, in general, are very ethnocentric.

[kujoe]

Originally Posted by Gundam Master

Also notice how in America cartoons it always takes place in the US. Such as Batman, Superman, Justice League, and Spider Man. All of these cartoons take place in the US and say nothing about other countries, most of the time.

Yeah, like the Streetfighter cartoon and G.I. Joe?

Some anime have indeed displayed the military might of the US--in one way or another--but only if it serves the story. A few examples are Gate Keepers, Arjuna and maybe even Read or Die. At the same time, they have also criticized and satirized the people behind this so-called military might for their own reasons. (Not that I'm complaining of course.)

Originally Posted by Za Paper

There are no countries better than America in economic terms. The American economy is still the largest in the world. China is number two and they are still way behind in terms of per capita GDP.

By the numbers on paper, this is true. However, based on actual living conditions and personal preferences, some people would rather live somewhere else. For instance, there are alternatives to migrating to the US. Many people would rather aim for Europe or Canada.

[h3lldiver]

actually i used to look at the federation in gundam series as US led Coalition, in gundam seed, they seem to try to drag others into war, no offence.