Answerman

Why is Anime from the '80s so Nihilistic?

guyzer9x asks:

“Having watched a ton of '80s to early 90's OVAs and movies over the decades, I've come to an interesting conclusion: many of them were quite nihilistic in nature. I wonder what was the particular reason for this? I know some examples (Angel Cop, Urotsukidoji, Hades Project Zeorymer) were because the infamous Shō Aikawa wrote them, but others (AKIRA, Bio Booster Armor Guyver) weren't. It's an aspect I find fascinating since this was also during the “bubble era” in Japan, and I wonder if certain people there were reading the tea leaves as they were and knowing Japan's prosperity wouldn't last.”

There is a lot to unpack here, and it's going to be worth it because it allows us to discuss what I consider to be one of the golden periods of anime, particularly the period between the mid-1980s and the mid-1990s, which is sometimes referred to as the “OVA Era.” A time when the VCR (“Video Cassette Recorder”), originally an American invention, was adopted and popularized by the Japanese electronics company JVC. They were able to leverage the VHS's lower cost of manufacturing and its relative ease of use for movie studios and consumers alike. Its main commercial rival was Betamax, a Sony* electronics invention, which was technically superior in almost every measurable way. Still, it was no match for VHS's versatility and low-cost margins.

At its peak, more than 47% of Japanese homes owned a VCR, and there were over 3,500 video rental stores across Japan. It was big business, and it wasn't uncommon to find some of the largest Japanese video rental chains listed as production committee members during this time. They needed content, and they needed it fast, which led to some of the most daring and prodigious anime filmmaking of the past forty years.

OVA stands for “original video animation.” It was the prevalent form of anime during the peak demand phase of home video rental in Japan. OVAs were anime specials and movies that were produced specifically to be released directly to VHS and which were not generally designed for domestic theatrical release or television broadcast. We often celebrate Netflix for revolutionizing the scripted television format runtime, but long before they were even an itch in an ambitious venture capitalist's undergarments, OVAs led the way with variable run times of anything from 30 minutes to 60 minutes and longer (You can cram 120 minutes onto a single VHS tape).

The OVA era birthed some of the most influential anime creators and studios of the 20th and early 21st century, including Production I.G and MADHOUSE. Some of the most significant OVA works include Gunbuster (1988), Patlabor (1988), and Tenchi Muyo! (1992), all of which started out as OVAs and then became very popular franchises in their own right. I love the OVA era because it was a golden period for original anime screenwriting and production. Original ideas were rewarded by the audience, who, at the time, couldn't seem to get enough of them. In many cases, a writer and director's name on the cover was enough to generate a large audience and commercial success.

During this time of “peak OVA” and anime filmmaking, a significant number of works emerged that were perceived by many viewers and critics as possessing a distinctly nihilistic nature. Perhaps I should quickly explain what nihilism means, especially in the Japanese context, because, in my opinion, anime and nihilism go together like peas and carrots.

Nihilism, at its core, is a philosophical viewpoint characterized by the rejection of commonly held beliefs in objective truth, knowledge, morality, values, or inherent meaning. In its various forms, nihilism can manifest as the belief that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value (existential nihilism); the rejection of moral principles as binding or valid (moral nihilism); or the skepticism towards the possibility of knowledge (epistemological nihilism). Understanding these different facets is crucial when analyzing the presence of nihilistic themes in pop-cultural narrative forms like anime.

For instance, an anime might explore existential nihilism by depicting characters grappling with the apparent meaninglessness of their existence in a vast and indifferent universe. Hello Neon Genesis Evangelion! Meanwhile! Moral nihilism could be portrayed through characters who operate without any discernible ethical code or in a world where traditional morality has collapsed. I see you at the back, Golgo 13. When it comes to nihilism's place in Japanese thought and literature during the 20th century, there is no louder voice in the room than that of Osamu Dazai and his 1948 magnum opus, “No Longer Human” (人間失格 Ningen Shikkaku). It is one of the best-selling novels in Japanese publishing history and is deeply influential. The Japanese title translates to “Disqualified as a human being” or “A failed human,” and the novel explores themes of social isolation, alienation, and self-destruction. I first learned about this work when working on the international marketing for the 2019 Polygon Pictures and Slow Curve anime movie, Human Lost**.

No Longer Human is a semi-autobiographical work by Dazai, a singular voice in literature, a victim of the time he was born into, and someone who battled with his demons of alcoholism and depression throughout his short life. It's not surprising that Dazai was a “complicated man.” He lived through very complicated times. Post-war Tokyo was not an easy place to be. Living through the Pacific War, the relentless fire-bombing of Tokyo by Allied Forces, and witnessing mass starvation and constant hunger. That was a normal part of daily life for Japanese people proceding the war. Add on top of this, there was the long-lasting emotional and psychological toll it took on those who survived the worst of it all. Today, we might consider that Dazai was suffering from PTSD. Irrespective of my amateur psychoanalysis of a Japanese national treasure, it's clear to see that the war and its aftermath scarred an entire generation and left a lifelong legacy on the survivors' children.

If Dazai is the grandaddy of nihilism in Japanese literature, then Shō Aikawa is one of the leading proponents of nihilism in anime. Shō Aikawa stands out as a significant screenwriter who was actively involved in anime productions during the late 1980s and early 1990s. His credits include Angel Cop (1989-1994), for which he wrote the first three episodes, and Hades Project Zeorymer (1988-1990), where he is credited as the writer for the OVA series. While Dazai's life and work reflected the immediate post-war period in Japan, Shō Aikawa, who was born in 1965 is shaped first by the “Izenagi Economy,” which lasted from his year of birth until 1970, and then by the baburu keiki (“bubble”) economic period covering the mid-80s to mid-90s. This new age of rapid economic growth and decline for the country contributes to a body of work that reflects a growing disenchantment and suspicion of established orthodoxy around economics and politics. Something rotten lies at the heart of the shiny new Utopia. He is a man born in the right time and the right place to be a screenwriting heavyweight and nihilist.

In the late 1980s, Japan experienced rapid economic growth, with the Nikkei stock average soaring from 11,542 in 1985 to 38,975 in 1989. The Bank of Japan implemented a loose monetary policy, which drove down interest rates to stimulate economic activity. It resulted in soaring real estate and stock prices and a speculative frenzy, which led to inflated stock values. The bubble ultimately burst spectacularly in 1991, causing a significant economic downturn and a period of stagnation known as the “Lost Decade,” which some argue became three lost decades, only ending recently. You need to know this stuff to understand where Aikawa's head was at during this time.

The perceived nihilistic nature of many anime OVAs and movies from the late 1980s to the early 1990s can be attributed to a complex interplay of factors, most notably the socio-economic context of Japan's "bubble era." The rapid economic boom of the bubble era, followed by its dramatic and prolonged collapse, created a unique environment characterized by both unprecedented optimism and deep-seated anxieties about the future. This period of significant societal upheaval and economic uncertainty likely fostered a questioning of traditional values and a sense of disillusionment that found expression in the cultural landscape, including anime.

Aikawa's writing in Angel Cop engages with various political and societal anxieties prevalent during the late bubble era and the tail end of the Cold War. The series features themes of cybercrime, political intrigue involving left-wing terrorists***, and a powerful, brutal police force with a license to kill, and anxieties surrounding Japan's burgeoning economic power. There's a critical undercurrent in the portrayal of authority and the methods employed by law enforcement, blurring the lines between justice and brutality.

Later in his career, Aikawa demonstrated a willingness to radically alter scripts from their source material and to explore complex and often contrasting themes, as evidenced by the stark difference between the antisemitic content in Angel Cop and the strong anti-fascist message in his later work, Fullmetal Alchemist: The Movie - Conqueror of Shamballa, which is a wholly original story scripted by him. This suggests a creative approach that was not afraid to engage with controversial and potentially dark subject matter. His later oeuvre in particular suggests an interest in creating alternate versions of Japan and exploring how extraordinary individuals might interact with real historical events. This inclination towards engaging with societal and political realities, even in fantastical settings, might have informed his earlier work and contributed to the critical and sometimes bleak perspectives found in anime like Angel Cop.

What can I say about Katsuhiro Ōtomo's masterpiece, AKIRA, that hasn't already been said? Modern, post-war Japan literally is a post-apocalyptic society following the nuclear attacks carried out by the United States Air Force and military on the cities of Hiroshima on August 6th and Nagasaki on August 9th, 1945. While not nuclear, the persistent fire-bombing of Tokyo was as devastating, more or less ensuring the “absolute destruction” of the nation's capital. If you haven't already watched Godzilla: Minus One yet, please do because, amongst other things, its depiction of post-war Tokyo provides an excellent window into this time.

Otomo was born in 1954. He, like many celebrated mangaka and anime creators of the OVA era, is the child of survivors of the Second World War. He grew up in the shadow of the atomic war and the post-war reconstruction period. Is it any surprise that AKIRA opens with a silent atomic explosion in the heart of Tokyo and closes on the construction site of the “2020 Neo-Tokyo Olympics”?

Young Otomo was a university student in Tokyo during the 1970s. No doubt he was familiar with the stories of the 1968-69 student protests that forced the closure of campuses around the country. Known as daigaku funsō (大学紛争 “university troubles”) or daigaku tōsō (大学闘争, 'university struggles'), they were part of the global campus protest movement of 1968 that was triggered by the “counter-culture” of the time and the reaction against America's war of aggression in Vietnam. Memories and imagery from this time permeate the first act of AKIRA. The stunning motorcycle chase scene and gang violence on the highways of Neo-Tokyo. Kaneda and his delinquent comrades' were released from custody minutes before a terrorist detonated an explosive inside police headquarters. The riot scene that follows shortly afterward is a microcosm of the larger societal issues in Neo-Tokyo, such as corruption, government oppression, and the consequences of technological advancement. The film uses these themes to explore the potential dangers of unchecked power and the human cost of societal decay.

This year marks the 80th anniversary since the official end of the Second World War and the surrender of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. Watching many contemporary anime today, I long for the OVA era when so much more was being said in the medium, and it wasn't just a vehicle for narcissistic wish fulfillment and escapism. And then I check myself, because I am old and a little bit out of touch. Anime still has a lot to say, and it continues to amaze me that stories crafted and told from such a singular place and culture can resonate so deeply with a global audience. Anime is truly one of the most remarkable and versatile creative mediums of the modern age.

*Irony alert! VHS was responsible for bringing more anime than ever before into American homes during the mid-80s to late-90s, as well as for making fan-subbing a thing, which of course led to peer-to-peer file-sharing in the early 2000s, then the advent of compressed video files a few years later, and then streaming technology, which ultimately birthed Crunchyroll, the world's most popular anime piracy site at the time. That brand's rehabilitation from a shabby “for fans by fans” internet piracy site into a bona-fide legit anime distribution platform thanks to Silicon Valley venture capital, and its eventual acquisition by Sony in 2021 is a tale for the ages. It is ironic that Crunchyroll today is more or less one of the only games left in town when it comes to global anime distribution, with its availability in over 200 countries, 17M paid subscribers, and a content pipeline consisting of anywhere between 35-50 new anime seasons every quarter. It's funny how things come full circle, isn't it?

**Pop fact! Human Lost is the first anime project that global reggaeton megastore, and Solo Levelling Seaon 2 voice cast member, J.Balvin ever collaborated on. Reggaeton, Anime and Nihilism, in three degrees of separation. How about that?

***Shō Aikawa's “left-wing terrorists” as featured in Angel Cop may have been inspired by the Japanese Red Army. “日本赤軍, Nihon Sekigun, abbr. JRA) was a militant communist organization active from 1971 to 2001. It was designated a terrorist organization by Japan and the United States.”

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