Military experts talk about the world of anime and special effects in the book Godzilla vs. the Self-Defense Forces, “War Theory” of Anime
Published at Natalie on January 17, 2025. See the original post here.
by Yu Koizumi, Sugio Takahashi, Hiroyuki Ota, and Marai Mentlein
published by Bungeishunju
This book is about the world of anime and tokusatsu, discussed by military experts. Topics discussed include:
“How did the Metropolitan Air Defense Communication in Mobile Police Patlabor actually look to the eyes of the Self-Defense Forces?”
“In the world of Neon Genesis Evangelion, the Soviet Union has not collapsed”
“The Bakagarasu in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is operated in the same way as the Gigant developed by Nazi Germany”
“Is the operational concept of the multi-deck space carrier in Space Battleship Yamato the same as the Japanese Navy’s three-tiered aircraft carrier Akagi?”
“Do the nuclear weapons considered for use in Shin Godzilla have different names?”
Koizumi wrote about this book, “It can also be read as a collection of subculture-style current affairs commentary inspired by anime.”
Yu Koizumi’s comment:
When we talk about anime, tokusatsu, and fictional war stories, a pattern seems to arise. Something else has been projected onto them without us realizing it. The theme of “the image of postwar Japan” projected onto Godzilla is one that has been repeatedly discussed and is not limited to this book. So what about Japan in Evangelion? What about the world of Daisuke Sato? What does Japan look like from Germany’s point of view? Our conversation goes off on an endless tangent. This book can also be read as a collection of subculture-style current affairs commentary inspired by anime. Whether “Fiction” or “reality,” the essence of war remains the same.
Order the book from Amazon.co.jp here