Sekai-kei and Genjitsu-touhi: Long Shadow of the Lost Decade
Abstract
When the reality is undesirable, one dimension to which the public can respond depends on whether the reality can be changed. When such change is possible, one tends to be more active, extroverted, and rebellious. When otherwise, one tends to be more passive, introverted, and fearsome. Countercultures that took form from such reactions to reality would inherit such quality, evident in how queer culture tends to possess the quality of the former. In contrast, the otaku culture has the latter. As a culture of indulgence and fear of reality, a phenomenon of genjitsu-touhi is evident in the works of related industries after this period, which is a vicious cycle involving lucid reflection and blinded indulgence that points toward death. Sekai-kei anime follow the same step as genjitsu-touhi, as they provide an exaggerated and unrealistic commendation of otaku’s personal matter by tying it to affect the life and death of the entire world – an externalization of narcissism. Some of these works, however, strive for a therapeutic purpose in addition by demonstrating the change, challenge, and growth of equally defective main characters that were previously used to provide narcissistic indulgence, though the efficacy of such therapy is hard to evaluate.
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