Pacific War/Afterwar Japan in anime

[Ten-Go]

The question is - why not? Although it is a huge concept, so few anime works are related to it. Ive never visited Japan, thou maybe it is still a taboo theme for such "not serious thing" like anime, but then why all these movies like For Those We Love or Otoko Tachi no Yamato are on the bluescreens?
Okay, even if the war itself is such a problem to be shown "correctly" in the anime, what about the postwar era? Could one advice me to watch sth good about 893 activities? Something shiny, animated...

I'll be grateful for any complicated versions given here - why at least one qualitative commercial TV is not created yet? Not like Zipang. Not like the Grave of fireflies.

[Kamui4356]

Originally Posted by Ten-Go

The question is - why not? Although it is a huge concept, so few anime works are related to it. Ive never visited Japan, thou maybe it is still a taboo theme for such "not serious thing" like anime, but then why all these movies like For Those We Love or Otoko Tachi no Yamato are on the bluescreens?
Okay, even if the war itself is such a problem to be shown "correctly" in the anime, what about the postwar era? Could one advice me to watch sth good about 893 activities? Something shiny, animated...

I'll be grateful for any complicated versions given here - why at least one qualitative commercial TV is not created yet? Not like Zipang. Not like the Grave of fireflies.

So you're wondering why Japan hasn't made much about a war that they started, and lost... decisively... and the ensuing occupation by US troops?

As for recommendations, there's a forum for that, where I'm sure this thread will be relocated. Try the cockpit. It's an OVA with a story of a Japanese kamikaze attack on a US carrier.

[Ten-Go]

Originally Posted by Kamui4356

So you're wondering why Japan hasn't made much about a war that they started, and lost... decisively... and the ensuing occupation by US troops?

As for recommendations, there's a forum for that, where I'm sure this thread will be relocated. Try the cockpit. It's an OVA with a story of a Japanese kamikaze attack on a US carrier.

I don't need any recommendations what to watch, lawl. Ive seen, I believe, everything related to the topic. And finally, Japan has made much about a war they started and lost, but not in the anime field =( I need someone who understand the current japanese industry background well to explain the point.

[risingstar3110]

I will say.... simply because the "otaku" and casual anime audiences do not interest about such topics.

There's manga about Pacific War through, but mostly as lighthearted comedy and probably were not interested enough by the population to be adapted into anime.

There's one which i can't remember the name, but about an all-girl naval crews who go around Pacific and Indian Ocean to sink Allies' ships. And the Allies's POW don't even try to escape, because afterall as prisoners, those guys are surrounded by a bunch of girls

[wontaek]

This is why they would find it hard to make an anime about that period.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_war_crimes

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by wontaek

This is why they would find it hard to make an anime about that period.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_war_crimes

This just hit the nail in the head.

[SeijiSensei]

Not too long ago two anime were released that were both set in the early postwar period -- Mouryou no Hako and Nijuu Mensou no Musume. Even though they come from very different genres and target rather different audiences, they both included material on human experimentation and war crimes. I guess the fact that World War II is so far removed from the contemporary anime audience has made it possible to consider Japan's actions in the War however obliquely.

Senkou no Night Raid is set in prewar Shanghai and purports to tell the story of a secret spy agency being used by the Japanese in China. Unfortunately for me the fact that the members of the spy ring all had superpowers made it much less compelling than it might have been.

[Kyuu]

Oddly enough, y'can find this kind of theme in Macross II. Yea, it's a sucky anime. But still, the reference is there.

[Ten-Go]

Originally Posted by wontaek

This is why they would find it hard to make an anime about that period.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_war_crimes

"I agree and disagree
With my elder brother
Who murmurs that Tojo is great after all"

But they have made tons of movies about the war. And after all, such contradictory thing as "war crimes", I believe, couldn't be a real reason. Also, the only nation in the world who used nuclear weapon running war crimes trials looks like a bad joke. Ah, I forgotten, there is a second country, USSR - they have used tactical bomb during maneuvers where 50.000 of their soldiers were taking part.

The point that general anime addicts/watchers are uninterested looks true, but still... these people would watch ANYTHING - space mecha battles, fantasy adventures, action/show of nearby any kind, if it is drawn/done well. So, why the industry never tried even to make a "default" anime about the war?

[wontaek]

Originally Posted by Ten-Go

"I agree and disagree
With my elder brother
Who murmurs that Tojo is great after all"

But they have made tons of movies about the war. And after all, such contradictory thing as "war crimes", I believe, couldn't be a real reason. Also, the only nation in the world who used nuclear weapon running war crimes trials looks like a bad joke. Ah, I forgotten, there is a second country, USSR - they have used tactical bomb during maneuvers where 50.000 of their soldiers were taking part.

The point that general anime addicts/watchers are uninterested looks true, but still... these people would watch ANYTHING - space mecha battles, fantasy adventures, action/show of nearby any kind, if it is drawn/done well. So, why the industry never tried even to make a "default" anime about the war?

Anime industry in Japan is heavily reliant on cheaper services from Korean and Chinese contractors. Recently they have started using SouthEastern Asian companies, but as you can see in the article, Japan's WWII history is problem for those countries as well.

Not only that, it is very hard for any anime series to be profitable without good amount of revenue generated from Korea and China. Unlike movies which is well contained within Japan, both production and consumption wise, anime just can't ignore the sentiment from China and Korea, thus they tend to tread lightly when it comes to anything that deals with first half of 20th century.

A sad example of this is Hetalia. Because the anime producers failed to inform Koreans about the entire nature of the series as well as the decision to leave Korea out of the animated series when they first announced its production, it faced enormous backlashes from political opportunists in Korea, which likely had resulted in at least 10%, if not 20% or more, decrease in total revenue.

Please check How Yomiuri Newpaper writer saw this happening.

http://ecentral.my/news/story.asp?fi...1&sec=tvnradio


I do need to add that even this 'well intentioned' article misses the prime reason behind the fury, the seeming refusal of Japan to apologize to Asian countries in manner that is similar to German apology to neighboring nations and Jews.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_..._of_war_crimes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanes...cial_apologies



In end I believe the emotions sparked by Japan's WW2 deeds and perception of Japan being uncontrite has hurt Japan, economically, as well as making them uneasy to ask their Korean subcontractors to work on anime that deals with events in 20th century.