Someone brought up Chihayafuru, and someone called it shounen, and... something in my brain wept like a sad trombone. I don't think most people care very much about genre markers and demographics and technicalities like that, because a good show is a good show no matter who the target market is. To some extent, I believe in that - I watch what I want and, in doing so, it becomes my own. But there's a not-so-small part of me that gets really hung up on labels, especially in cases like these where they demarcate some important differences in the target audience and highlight just how under-served some markets are in the anime fandom.

The word "shounen" is a term that literally refers to boys, teenaged and younger. Most people hear the word and associate it with certain plot elements, like lengthy tournament story arcs and characters striving to be the best at their chosen skill, but the fact that these things are common in anime and manga aimed at young boys doesn't mean that young boys get to have a monopoly on those types of stories. Though it might seem like it, "shounen" isn't its own genre but instead a target demographic and a label applied to manga that runs in anthology volumes (Shounen Jump, Shounen Sunday, etc.) that are aimed at, well, shounen. Likewise, josei manga like Chihayafuru are published in anthology magazines aimed at josei - adult women. A lot of them are focused on romance or the trials and tribulations of women navigating the workplace, but they certainly aren't limited to those types of stories.

So why put up a big stink when someone mislabels an anime? After all, I've watched and enjoyed anime aimed at all different kinds of fans, and there's literally nothing stopping me from watching anime that's not specifically targeted at my gender and age group. The answer is unfortunately much more broad-reaching than is comfortable for me to think about for too long.

In a prior column, I linked to a video of a panel from Otakon called "Sexism in Anime and Fandom." The entire panel is worth watching (it's about an hour long), but a couple of minutes in the panelists take a seasonal anime chart and divide it based on which demographics the various series are targeting. Unsurprisingly, series aimed at men outnumber those aimed at women about two-to-one, and those aimed at women are (at least judging from what I can tell) largely homogenous in their subject matter (at least three reverse-harems and a romance - Moyashimon seems to be the odd one out). In any case, there's a definite disparity in the amount of material aimed at each audience, when divided by gender. Again, this doesn't stop anyone from watching an anime that's not "for them," because we fans just like what we like. But it does say something important about perception, namely the perception that the people making the big-time production decisions have towards the viability of certain audiences.

The anime industry has sort of backed itself into a corner by targeting a certain few incredibly fervent fans at the expense of the mainstream. It stays afloat upon the backs of devoted otaku who continue to pay outrageous rental-copy prices for Blu-rays. Due to the explosive popularity of moé culture, studios and production committees have done everything possible to cash in on the craze so that they can keep on existing in their perpetual financial holding pattern. And while I don't have any hard numbers to back this up (I doubt that a study of this subject has even been done), I know from personal experience and my relationships with other women in the fandom that this incredibly narrow focus on such admittedly frustrating (dare I pull out the big guns and say "sexist"?) subject matter has been key in making some of them give up on the anime fandom as having little left for them. Personally I'm not about to throw in the towel, but I do know firsthand how increasingly annoying it is to not only be overlooked by creators that I admire, but to be directly and deeply insulted as a woman by many of their creations (even in anime series that I otherwise enjoy!). Because women like me aren't the "target audience," some take that as a free pass to use representations of our bodies as ornaments and objects and to allow their characters to indulge in behavior that would get them (deservedly) arrested in real life.

What I'm really getting at here is that adult women are a woefully under-served demographic in anime fandom for several reasons, often forgotten, misrepresented, or insulted by a medium that's seemingly caught in a perpetual cycle of courting a few fans at the expense of many others but which has the ability to tell such wonderful stories in spite of that. Which is why when something like Chihayafuru comes along, a creation that not only acknowledges women as a targetable demographic but also accepts that they often have interests that reach beyond office politics and ill-fated romance stories, one that celebrates friendships between both men and women, one that doesn't shy away from portraying genuine hardship but also isn't ashamed of showing progress and success, which is funny and artful and dramatic all at once, I want to celebrate the fact that for once I wasn't just an afterthought. Someone wrote the story, drew the manga, optioned multiple seasons of an anime production which was subsequently simulcast for me to see. Obviously the fandom for the show extends beyond just people who identify as the same gender and fall into the same age grouping as I do, but the rarity of josei anime and josei anime of quality causes me to want to make darned sure that people realize that an anime of this type was made targeting people like me.

So forgive my grabby hands, but Chihayafuru is josei, fair and square. Shounen get to pick from a veritable buffet of titles every season; let me celebrate the morsels that get thrown my way when they come.

But that's enough about me.

I've convinced my Sunday evening anime group to check this series out, and I'm glad; it's really a much better show than it might seem at first glance and I'm excited for more people to watch it.

Watch Episode 6 HERE.

Episode 6: Kanata's Day Off - Hairdressing

With her first paycheck, Kanata goes out for the day to buy gifts for her family (and perhaps also a treat for herself). She doesn't bother asking herself where a small platoon out in the middle of nowhere would get cash enough to pay her, which is just fine; as it turns out, her comrades run a bit of a side business bootlegging alcohol. They get into some hot water with a group of mobsters, but some clever play acting throws them off for the time being. In the meantime, Kanata spends some time in town, and gets involved in some drama involving a local orphan named Mishio and her guardian at the church, Yumina. Mishio's sadness is due to a lost box which belonged to her mother and her hopes of finding it at the local market. When MIshio ends up in a dangerous situation, it's Yumina's name she calls. Soon, Kanata and Yumina discover Mishio's true feelings, and both Mishio and Kanata learn about the value of found families.

Discussion: I'm a pretty big fan of the concept of a "found family" or "chosen family." It's always been my choice to refrain from having my own children, and my like-minded acquaintances and I have always sort of clumped together into a close-knit community of fans and friends. We share likes and dislikes, we go to conventions, we eat dinner with one-another and we even sometimes celebrate holidays together, in our own way. I think that's the main reason why this episode resonated with me.

I would guess that, in times of war, found families are more of a necessity rather than a choice. Waves of death and forced relocation tear some people apart and make others cling to one-another in ways that aren't bound by last names or family ties. Yet, people still long for those familiar connections. Mishio's desperate search for her mother's keepsake isn't so much about the keepsake itself, but more about having a connection to someone who she can no longer talk to in person. Kanata is in a similar situation, though her familial separation is by choice - she joined the military and struck out on her own. Yet she still thinks of her family often, and decides to use her first paycheck to buy them souvenirs as a way of staying connected. But she's beginning to think of the other girls at the fort as her new "family" - she shares an intimate moment with Rio, drying Rio's hair until she falls asleep, like one sister with another.

Also notable in this episode is the stark (though also humorous) portrait of how financially strapped the military is. The characters run a side business bootlegging alcohol, a fact which they endeavor to keep from Kanata, but it's clear to the audience that the only way they're able to pay Kanata her wages in cash is due to their illegal side business. The whole situation adds to the "final frontier" feel of the military outpost; they're connected to home base by a very thin thread, they're strapped for resources and shipments are unreliable, and they're able to get away with some shady stuff without anyone in power knowing (or caring) about it. It's at once really funny that part of their duties involve roleplaying gangsters and intimidating actual mobsters and really scary that humanity seems to have bombed itself to the edge of existence and there's still even a military that's desperately clinging to relevance. it seems almost pessimistic to suggest that humanity's last gasps would involve the continued cursing of the opposing side.

There's a small moment in this episode that has always fascinated me. It's the almost inconsequential scene during which the church priest performs a naming ceremony, providing a baby with her name using what we know to be Japanese ideograms. It's not only another hint about the blended cultures that make up this future civilization, but the priest's words that humans will survive seems especially hard-hitting in light of the continued (and perhaps petty) conflict in which they're engaged. I suppose it's possible for governments to be at war while the general populace just goes about their lives as normal, just trying to live their daily lives in peace.

I noticed watching this time around that this episode seemed to get some more attention in the animation department than some of the other episode. Most of the episodes in this series are at least competently-made, but the scene at the end of Rio flopping down in the chair was really interesting to watch.

Well, hopefully the next entry won't take nearly as long. I'm sure anyone who's still reading considers me the biggest of flakes at this point, but I suppose that's not something I can help in any way besides trying to up my output. Later, all.

This week the characters also take a trip outside their comfort zone to explore the mysterious wilderness surrounding the city. We get a closer look at the beauty and desolation of their world while also glimpsing some more clues as to the type of technology that existed prior to the time period in the series. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean "doom and gloom" as far as the show's tone is concerned - the characters also manage to have some fun in the process.

Watch Episode 5 HERE.

Episode 5: Mountain Hiking - The Ends of the Earth

One very hot day, Claus, a dispatch rider and Major in the army, brings the soldiers mail from their loved-ones. That's not all, however - he also brings them a maintenance mission that Felicia attempts to spin into a "field trip" for the younger troops. Kanata, Noel and Kureha are to travel along the border of "No Man's Land" and check on some surveillance units, while also lugging around huge backpacks. They find the first unit without problems, but after a detour during which they cool off in a river, they find their packs ransacked and have to go it without their full resources. The going gets tougher as the sun begins to set, but they eventually make their way to their destination, where they're met by Filicia, who explains the significance of the field trip and rewards them with an evening in a hot spring that's been hosting many generations of soldiers.

Discussion: This episode does a very good job, in my opinion, of revealing just how limited the world is in which these characters exist. Because much of the action takes place within the town of Seize and its surrounding areas, one might get the impression that the apparently lush, vibrant terrain is simply devoid of people due to some huge population drop. It's only when the characters make it to the literal end of the inhabited world as they know it that it become clear that Seize itself is a fluke; nothing but an oasis in a vast, desolate desert. It reminds me a lot of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, which is set in a similar sort of location. Of course, that also begs the question - are there other enclaves out there? Is some other segment of the human population out there, desperately searching for the sort of resources that Seize enjoys locally? The logic of storytelling would dictate that this is bound to become an issue at some point, and the fact that the military is still an entity suggests that there's more that we don't really know about the current political climate.

I'll admit in this case that hindsight is 20/20, but the scene in which the girls receive mail and packages from their loved ones strikes me as subtly significant, especially regarding Rio's character development. We don't get many details, but one can piece together little bits of info in Rio's conversation with Filicia to get some idea of what might be going on behind the scenes. In a comment on a previous entry, someone outlined a possible scenario of some family conflict that could be affecting Rio, and the letter that she receives (which she refuses to actually read and asks Filicia to throw away) seems to suggest that there's some sort of responsibility elsewhere that Rio is ignoring. This could be out of disagreement or some desire for the relative freedom she enjoys at the fort. Obviously this will become much clearer later on.

As I mentioned, we get some very nice scenery porn throughout this episode. The clear blue skies, lush greenery and cool running water that the characters encounter really helps to emphasize the heat of Summer. What's also interesting is that there's a good deal of imagery that suggests that Nature has begun to "take back" a lot of what Humanity has constructed there in the past. Most of the ruins that are shown are covered in leaves and vines, surrounded by verdant meadows, or populated by insects and other creatures. One might be tempted to think that the environment was making something of a comeback after human influence was diminished - in an earlier episode, one of the characters mentioned the lack of life left in the world's oceans, but here, at least, there are still fish in the streams. That assumption is tempered by the stark, absolute devastation that marks the terrain's transformation into "No Man's Land," a desert dotted by crumbled high-rise buildings that's silently screaming from its complete lack of life. There are times when I sit and wonder whether the world could recover from the wringer we're currently putting it through, digging for precious resources and chopping down swaths of forest, and in most cases I feel like, once humans are out of the picture, things might once again reach some sort of equilibrium. In this show's case, I don't know that I feel quite as optimistic, at least in the short term.

Despite the hopelessness of the backdrop, I think that this episode also serves to develop a real sense of community and affinity towards previous generations. The soldiers are presented with evidence of the female soldiers who came before them and trod the same wilderness paths. The names carved into the final surveillance unit (including Felicia's), help give the impression that, even when the survival of the world seems as if it's consistently hanging by a thread, there are still individuals who uphold the old traditions and who keep plugging away at daily life, even if the things they do might not make a significant difference in the long run. Some people might find that sort of thing foolhardy, but I find that it can be grounding.

Next week, we get a peek into what the soldiers at the fortress do to make a little bit of money on the side (and it's not entirely legal).

Anyway, I hope people are enjoying the show so far. Four episodes in and I'm recalling all the reasons why I liked the series the first time around, although I have to mention that there's at least one pretty lackluster episode coming up that I'm not looking forward to having to watch again.

Episode 4 is HERE.

Episode 4: Rainy Season Sky - Quartz Rainbow

Kanata and Noel travel together into town to buy supplies for the fort. They stop at a local shop, and Kanata admires a glass figurine of a dolphin. An encounter in town emphasizes the distance between some of the townspeople and the soldiers who represent war and conflict. As part of their errands, they travel to the glass factory outside of town. Noel needs a second lens to repair the targeting system of their tank, and the Meister at the factory is attempting to duplicate the original lens, with limited success. They discuss the nature of technology and the people who use it. Kanata learns that sometimes the most effective way to accomplish something is to let it flow naturally rather than trying to force it.

Discussion: There are a couple of more minor world-building aspects to this episode, but I kind of wanted to begin by what struck me thematically about it instead. Also, it's actually kind of past my bedtime at this point, so I wanted to make sure I talked about what I found most important before my brain started to turn to mush.

There's a very strong juxtaposition between the two seemingly opposing forces of technology and humanity in this episode. In town, Kanata and Noel are confronted by one of the realities of war - people die during times of war, and one of the consequences is that there are people left behind. The war orphan they meet in town has a hatred of soldiers, because to him they represent the forces that took away his mother and father. Obviously neither of the two main characters here has killed or has any intention of killing innocent people; they themselves aren't spokespeople for the wars that have been fought. Individual soldiers are themselves "tools" of war; as individuals they're each a living, breathing, and (usually) caring person, it's as a group under the command of some higher authority that they become faceless, frightening, and capable of great horror. Likewise, it's not the Takemikazuchi that's frightening on its own, it's the potential of harm that it could do as the tool of some malevolent purpose that's scary. Noel sees it not so much as a weapon of war, but as a machine that she's nurtured back to health. Kanata sees it as something capable of expressing beauty using the recording of "Amazing Grace" it contains.

The time period in which this series takes place features another interesting example of various potentials being exploited for vastly different ends; the glass factory in wartime was used to help facilitate the war effort, but now its primary use is that of art creation. The idea is that often times things are neutral, and it's only with specific purpose on the part of those utilizing them that they can be used for good or ill.

Carl, the head glass artisan, is both confounded by precision of the original targeting lens, but confident that, because it was originally made by human beings, it can be duplicated. I think that in many cases in real life there's a big focus on precision and following procedures in an unchanging step-by-step manner to achieve results. Having taken Japanese class in the past and been outright encouraged by my instructors to memorize things by rote, I've experienced this mindset first hand. I like that this episode attempted to convey that there's value inherent the human ability to just feel one's way through some tasks, to let go of control for a moment and just let things happen without attempting to completely micromanage and overanalyze the situation. It's how Carl gets such great results in his glass-blowing, and how Kanata is finally able to make music with her bugle.

I'm sure it's become pretty obvious at this point that, with each new episode, the show is not-so-subtly introducing us to the various other characters in the show. Last week we learned a bit more about Rio; the previous week, it was Kureha. I have to say that I'm really looking forward to Felicia's episode, since I consider it my favorite, but it'll be a couple weeks until we get to watch it.