Focal Point – Acting Out Anime



When tragedy strikes, most people will try to find a scapegoat; it’s human nature to point a finger and blame someone or something, rather than chalk it up to chance or luck (even saying it’s “fate” or “God’s will” is giving a reason for why misfortune occurs). But when other people with specific agendas (i.e. politicians, and sometimes a lawyer) shift the focus of blame to a particular entity YOU like or are a fan of, then problems arise.

Movies, video games, and anime have been targeted as the reasons for school shootings, the corruption of youth, and even public massacres, like the recent one in Akihabara, and when such atrocities happen, many FANS who enjoy the unjustly accused medium of entertainment rise up in its defense, crying out, “You don’t know what you’re talking about. There’s no evidence that watching something violent will make you violent! Don’t take away our entertainment, because some idiot who likes the same things we do did something stupid and tragic.”

What I have a problem with is that these FANS only care about losing their precious entertainment, instead of examining and acknowledging the individual behind the tragedy and the actions needed to be done in order to maintain a smoothly running and orderly society.

Random Musings – DEATH NOTE: R and Miscellaneous Notes

  • NTV aired a three hour special of DEATH NOTE today that covered pretty much the entire L arc with some added material. It started out with a scene of a Shinigami approaching Ryuk wanting to know about the human world because he’s gotten tired of the Shinigami world. Ryuk proceeds to tell him about a man who tried to change the world and become god, and this sets up the recap through the first arc. Most of it was stuff we’ve already seen in the original series (they even included the potato chip scene), but there were some additional scenes too, (highlight to read) including L meeting Light in a theater, everyone visiting L’s grave, Light declaring his victory over L’s grave (after everyone else leaves), and bloody shots of the deaths of members of the Yotsuba group. The episode ends with Ryuk looking at how Light’s name is written in his Death Note and commenting on how Light wasn’t a god back then.
    If you’re a big fan of the anime, you might consider watching it, but for the most part, I didn’t think this was worth it if you’ve already seen the entire series.
  • There was no episode of Yamada Tarou Monogatari aired today because of a track and field event. Episode 09 airs next Friday.
  • Several people have asked me for the Shana II commercial, so here’s the download: Mirror 1, Mirror 2, Mirror 3.