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Feb 14, 2016 9:01 AM
#1

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What do you guys personally think about this anime? Do you guys think this anime promotes right wing nationalism and patriotism or do you think it criticizes the current Japanese government?

What do you guys think?

Feb 14, 2016 9:21 AM
#2
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trabeus1 said:
What do you guys personally think about this anime? Do you guys think this anime promotes right wing nationalism and patriotism or do you think it criticizes the current Japanese government?

What do you guys think?


I think you could have gone to an existing post on this subject rather than troll by creating a new one.

And no, it isn't nationalistic nor right wing. If anything it is left wing and internationalistic. The JSDF could have conquered the Empire easily, but did not in the hope of creating a diplomatic solution where they deal equally with opposing entities.
Feb 14, 2016 9:30 AM
#3

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it does portray japan as the "good guys" and other nations as evil though, but you gotta keep in mind that the japanese are quite patriotic as it is and Gate was written by an ex-JSDF officer
Feb 14, 2016 9:38 AM
#4

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It's does try to make it look black and white with JP being the good guys and everyone else are evil, but I really don't think you should be taking it seriously. Though if what PukingMachines said is true, then it would make sense that the anime is likely promoting nationalism/patrioism.
Feb 14, 2016 10:55 AM
#5

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Snappynator said:
It's does try to make it look black and white with JP being the good guys and everyone else are evil, but I really don't think you should be taking it seriously. Though if what PukingMachines said is true, then it would make sense that the anime is likely promoting nationalism/patrioism.


Well if I was taking it seriously I wouldn't even be watching the anime :P I just wanted to know how everyone else thinks about this series. In my personal opinion I think this series is promoting nationalism and is creating a good image of JSDF as Japan changed its Military legislation last fall, which allows Japanese military to operate oversees. I believe there is more to the story, but oh well.

Feb 14, 2016 12:04 PM
#6
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trabeus1 said:
I believe there is more to the story, but oh well.


Believe or want? Why must there be "more to the story". Do you have any evidence? When an American movie shows a positive view of the US Military, is that also nationalistic? Or is it just a simple plot device for a fun and entertaining fantasy show? In that the Empire attacked Japan without warning of provocation, how else should the Japanese have responded?

The writer started writing in 2006, the original novels were published in 2010, the Manga started in 2011, both before Abe's return to power in 2012 and the re-interpretation of Article 9 in 2014. So how can it be about it when it preceded it?

The Gate is in the middle of Tokyo, which means that the land beyond the Gate can be considered inside Japan, this means that the JSDF's deployment was legal even under Article 9. This is why even the leftist politicians aren't arguing about the JSDF being sent, because the JSDF, as the name implies, has always been about "defending" Japan. So this series has nothing to do with the Article 9 debate.

So again, what is behind this "belief" of yours?

And yes, this does matter. People who have to interject politics into entertainment are bad people. While of course you are not such a person, people who do that are the same people who want to ban or have classical works rewritten to suit their hair-"triggered" sensibilities. They are evil and should be denounced.
Feb 14, 2016 12:07 PM
#7

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Snappynator said:
It's does try to make it look black and white with JP being the good guys and everyone else are evil, but I really don't think you should be taking it seriously. Though if what PukingMachines said is true, then it would make sense that the anime is likely promoting nationalism/patrioism.


http://gate-thus-the-jsdf-fought-there.wikia.com/wiki/Takumi_Yanai
Feb 14, 2016 12:12 PM
#8

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PukingMachines said:
it does portray japan as the "good guys" and other nations as evil though, but you gotta keep in mind that the japanese are quite patriotic as it is and Gate was written by an ex-JSDF officer


No. Other nations ( meaning the leaders ) are shown as scheming, but not as evil.
You're a louse, Roger Smith. - R. Dorothy Wayneright
This is my fight! No Senpai, this is our fight! - Kojou Akatsuki & Yukina Himeragi
Feb 14, 2016 1:05 PM
#9

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TheBigGuy said:
PukingMachines said:
it does portray japan as the "good guys" and other nations as evil though, but you gotta keep in mind that the japanese are quite patriotic as it is and Gate was written by an ex-JSDF officer


No. Other nations ( meaning the leaders ) are shown as scheming, but not as evil.


dunno, they showed the other nations trying to kidnap itami's party and the US trying to black mail their PM, bad thing in my book
Feb 14, 2016 1:20 PM

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PukingMachines said:

dunno, they showed the other nations trying to kidnap itami's party and the US trying to black mail their PM, bad thing in my book

All things that would happen in real life.
I'm surprised there wasn't an all out war against Japan for control of the gate.
Feb 14, 2016 1:32 PM

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I think it's just an anime and we shouldn't take it as serious political propaganda lol
Feb 14, 2016 1:41 PM

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ichii_1 said:
All things that would happen in real life.
I'm surprised there wasn't an all out war against Japan for control of the gate.


just because they happen IRL doesnt mean they arent bad.
but really i couldnt care less about japan and what they think of the rest of the world , so i pay no mind to these types of things

Protaku said:
I think it's just an anime and we shouldn't take it as serious political propaganda lol

pretty much
PukingMachinesFeb 14, 2016 1:59 PM
Feb 14, 2016 1:51 PM

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PukingMachines said:
TheBigGuy said:


No. Other nations ( meaning the leaders ) are shown as scheming, but not as evil.


dunno, they showed the other nations trying to kidnap itami's party and the US trying to black mail their PM, bad thing in my book


True. But that they do bad things, doesn't mean that they are evil.
You're a louse, Roger Smith. - R. Dorothy Wayneright
This is my fight! No Senpai, this is our fight! - Kojou Akatsuki & Yukina Himeragi
Feb 14, 2016 2:00 PM

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hmm, if you look at it that way, i'll agree
Feb 14, 2016 2:44 PM

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Japan, it's time to be great again,
#CHEXIT
Feb 15, 2016 1:18 PM
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I guess it depends.
I don't know about myself now, but I was filled with hatred and rage against these kinds of series before actually.

The thing is with the news like how Japan reports UN about evidence of WW2 Sexual Slavery:
http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=1478856

And there are some rally going on somewhere in Japan:
http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=1482389

Things aren't really going well with how some people in Japan acceptance in other races and their views of history.

But this is not what Japan is all about is it.
There are also good parts that I don't know of.

I'll only post the some parts of quotes of what Pina said to the senators in Empire.
Manga chapter 36 English translations:

Pina: Slavery doesn't exist in Japan. There's no ransom either. Instead of a Ransom, they want a concession in the peace deal. I have thought about why they were so enraged, perhaps it was this... The emperor has seen their love for the people, and before their eyes, one of their people was tormented... and like a winged lion whose child was snatched away, they were enraged. And this is the result.

Anime Episode 14 English Subs(same scene):

Pina: Th-the Japanese treasures the lives of their citizens above all else. No, not only their own people. They don't even kill or enslave their prisoners. They love their own people... And they even treat their prisoners well. They won't even sell their enemies for money. That's who the Japanese are. The result of them seeing their people enslaved was... this.

So yes, there are many kinds of opinions of Japan right now.
Even the quote in the series is fictional, it is actually possible in real life.

Now that I think about it, I'm really skeptical if this is really right-wing nationalism or not, I don't know if that is important anymore.
rladls717Feb 15, 2016 1:28 PM
Feb 15, 2016 1:28 PM

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Not that much, really, because the editors toned it down to make it suitable for general release. All that's left are things that could be viewed that way, but is sufficiently open to interpretation that it could almost as easily go the other way. At the very least, it doesn't look so much like propaganda that it would hurt sales.

It can be super-right wing ultra-nationalist schlock, if you want it to be.
Feb 16, 2016 12:42 PM
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rladls717 said:
Things aren't really going well with how some people in Japan acceptance in other races and their views of history.


Things are going fine, the "Nationalist" protests are nowhere near as bad as they were in the 70's, 80's and 90's (a famous example, the Mayor of Nagasaki was killed by a Nationalist for saying that Showa was to blame for WWII). The Zaitokukai are extremely noisy, but they have no real support in Japan. Their membership is probably around 1-2,000 people (though they claim 9-10,000). This in a country of over 100,000,000.

As for the history books, I would say Japanese history books are far more honest than Korean (who just had their own revision debate) or Chinese (which will never even have a debate) history books. While there are a few "rightest" textbooks, the vast majority of the high schools in Japan are run by leftists, so that isn't going to change anything. The real problem in Japan (like most of the world) is that people are forgetting all history, not just selected parts of it.

Though Japanese bookstores are still far more through and diverse than any American, Korean, or other country bookstore I have ever been in. Even small regional stores have history books that covers nearly every conceivable angle.

As for Pina, don't read too much into it. Remember she is from a world where slavery is legal, where the elites had the right to kill any commoner. Compared to that, then yes Japan does look like heaven when it comes to Human Rights (and honestly speaking, right now, with the restrictions that are taking place in Europe and the United States, Japan's real ranking should becoming higher (though the trouble with such rankings is that they are done by the same people that are restricting rights in the West).
Feb 19, 2016 12:54 AM

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Takuan_Soho said:
rladls717 said:
Things aren't really going well with how some people in Japan acceptance in other races and their views of history.


Things are going fine, the "Nationalist" protests are nowhere near as bad as they were in the 70's, 80's and 90's (a famous example, the Mayor of Nagasaki was killed by a Nationalist for saying that Showa was to blame for WWII). The Zaitokukai are extremely noisy, but they have no real support in Japan. Their membership is probably around 1-2,000 people (though they claim 9-10,000). This in a country of over 100,000,000.

As for the history books, I would say Japanese history books are far more honest than Korean (who just had their own revision debate) or Chinese (which will never even have a debate) history books. While there are a few "rightest" textbooks, the vast majority of the high schools in Japan are run by leftists, so that isn't going to change anything. The real problem in Japan (like most of the world) is that people are forgetting all history, not just selected parts of it.

Though Japanese bookstores are still far more through and diverse than any American, Korean, or other country bookstore I have ever been in. Even small regional stores have history books that covers nearly every conceivable angle.

As for Pina, don't read too much into it. Remember she is from a world where slavery is legal, where the elites had the right to kill any commoner. Compared to that, then yes Japan does look like heaven when it comes to Human Rights (and honestly speaking, right now, with the restrictions that are taking place in Europe and the United States, Japan's real ranking should becoming higher (though the trouble with such rankings is that they are done by the same people that are restricting rights in the West).
Takuan_Soho said:
rladls717 said:
Things aren't really going well with how some people in Japan acceptance in other races and their views of history.


Things are going fine, the "Nationalist" protests are nowhere near as bad as they were in the 70's, 80's and 90's (a famous example, the Mayor of Nagasaki was killed by a Nationalist for saying that Showa was to blame for WWII). The Zaitokukai are extremely noisy, but they have no real support in Japan. Their membership is probably around 1-2,000 people (though they claim 9-10,000). This in a country of over 100,000,000.

As for the history books, I would say Japanese history books are far more honest than Korean (who just had their own revision debate) or Chinese (which will never even have a debate) history books. While there are a few "rightest" textbooks, the vast majority of the high schools in Japan are run by leftists, so that isn't going to change anything. The real problem in Japan (like most of the world) is that people are forgetting all history, not just selected parts of it.

Though Japanese bookstores are still far more through and diverse than any American, Korean, or other country bookstore I have ever been in. Even small regional stores have history books that covers nearly every conceivable angle.

As for Pina, don't read too much into it. Remember she is from a world where slavery is legal, where the elites had the right to kill any commoner. Compared to that, then yes Japan does look like heaven when it comes to Human Rights (and honestly speaking, right now, with the restrictions that are taking place in Europe and the United States, Japan's real ranking should becoming higher (though the trouble with such rankings is that they are done by the same people that are restricting rights in the West).



HA Japanese textbooks are more honest? what a joke. With what evidence do you consider the textbooks to be more honest? Japanese textbooks are famous for leaving out their war crimes during world war 2. How would you call this honest if they are hiding their mistakes from the past to the younger generations? (http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-21226068) Have you been to book stores in Korea and China to make those claims? Its funny that you try to talk about only positive things about Japan without even supporting it with a single evidence.

Feb 19, 2016 7:01 PM
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trabeus1 said:
HA Japanese textbooks are more honest?


Seriously? Did you read your own link? The article mentioned that the textbook mentioned the Nanking massacre, the Marco Polo bridge incident, about Korean miners and comfort women. The argument was that it wasn't covered enough, not that it wasn't covered. She complained about it starting in the Pleistocene epoch instead of going directly to WWII, as if there is no such thing as history outside of WWII (or that one can understand anything without knowing history).

Humorously, your article actually supported my argument more than yours. As I said, the problem in Japan is a lack of history, not selective history. But this is a trend throughout the world, as math, sciences, and language gets more focus.

Now let's talk about Chinese history books. Do you think Mao, an even larger disaster for China and its culture than the Japanese, is covered honestly? Do you think they talk about China's invasion of Tibet or the ongoing destruction of Tibetan culture. Do you think that those even get a mention? Those are far more recent than WWII, and equally if not more barbaric.

As for bookstores, I have not had the opportunity to go to mainland China, but I have been to Seoul recently and the two main bookstores there: Kyobo Book Center and Bandi and Lundi are second tier. They compare unfavorably with most bookstores in Japan. But let me assure you that I am not singling out Asian bookstores, US bookstores have declined enormously over the past 20 years, so that only a few specialty stores are worth visiting. Japan, probably will follow the rest of the world, but right now they are still a highlight of my global bookstore visits.

As for Korean history, while I sympathize with Korea and understand the point they are at in building their national identity, their own history books are pretty bad. They engage in myth, they downplay the role their own government had in their 20th century woes, and they glorify and romanticize their past. The best recent scholarship on Korea is done in America (by US and Korean professors), not Korea.
Feb 19, 2016 7:48 PM
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I'm personally OK with it, overall. It glorifies "ordinary" JSDF soldiers and makes sure that they're the heroes of every arc. That aspect is about on the same level as the shounen trope where the "tough foreigners" come from overseas and Hero Guy has to beat them and show Japan's real strength.

More troubling is that it glorifies colonial interventionism. The show contains frequent, spur-of-the-moment plans to storm in and save the day which matter-of-factly have the side consequence of garnering support and allies for the JSDF. This isn't the natural way for such narratives to play out in real life. A colder, edgier take would have the "good guys" constantly dealing with soldiers who let power go to their heads and take advantage of the locals, missions going catastrophically wrong, equipment "going missing" and showing up in the hands of guerrillas, etc. But as it is, we have a clear good-guys and bad-guys plot, where everyone on Japan's side ultimately gets things right, and it all makes empire-building sound like a good idea and a positive thing.

I find that it's easier to accept this when it comes from another country because nationalism on that level is such a fantasy - it's the way we'd like the world to work, and it's fun to treat it as something coming from another place or time where it's actually possible, especially so when it's dressed up as a facet of a Tolkeinesque high fantasy world. But if we actually believe that our own people do that, right now, we'd be putting on blinders. It's very common to look poorly on the final results of US intervention in Iraq now, for example, but in its early years, you could find many news stories pushing a similar kind of "US as do-gooder" line.

With respect to the "forgetting history" thread, history has always been a field subject to political convenience, and there is a big difference between textbooks given to students, which push the prevailing national agenda, and academic historians who compile their own views. It can be simultaneously true that Japan has a lot of good history books with a variety of historiography, and also biased, agenda-driven textbooks.
Feb 19, 2016 7:52 PM
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triplefox said:
More troubling is that it glorifies colonial interventionism.


So, you are okay with slavery, foot binding, and forcing women to throw themselves on their husband's funeral pyres?

Also, you are okay with constant tribal warfare, female castration, and sexual slavery.

Wow, I disagree, but I admire you for your stance!
Feb 20, 2016 2:54 AM
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Seriously its an anime made in Japan and the target audience are the Japanese so its not surprising it will be biased i mean pretty much a lot of people wouldn't want to watch any anime or shows depicting their own country as bad guys you know and any media will obviously hurt their sales if they did that..
Feb 20, 2016 8:23 AM

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triplefox said:
More troubling is that it glorifies colonial interventionism.


No, it doesn't. In the entire time they were there, they only intervened 4 times iirc and they never did it to take control or to colonize. The only occasion where they imposed their rules was after the battle of Italica, regarding the treatment of the prisoners. And that was for the better. And in the spur of the moment? Not really. Okay, the first time was a coincidence and a rather hasty decision, but should they have left the villagers to their fate? The other times they were asked for help and they embraced the opportunity. Plus making allies ≠ colonization.
You're a louse, Roger Smith. - R. Dorothy Wayneright
This is my fight! No Senpai, this is our fight! - Kojou Akatsuki & Yukina Himeragi
Feb 20, 2016 9:09 AM

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trabeus1 said:
What do you guys personally think about this anime? Do you guys think this anime promotes right wing nationalism and patriotism or do you think it criticizes the current Japanese government?

What do you guys think?

Both and it's being used a propaganda machine to get otaku's in the jsdf.
Feb 20, 2016 9:50 AM

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ichii_1 said:

Both and it's being used a propaganda machine to get otaku's in the jsdf.


Why most of you talk about it as if it was a bad thing?

Modern world becoming more and more unstable with each year. Do japanese people still believe that US will 100% be able to protect you in case of chinese/russian/north korean invasion? To Japan, with it's rapidly aging population and mental 'nuclear bombardment' trauma, such "propaganda" is clearly a boon.

There is nothing wrong with being moderate nationalist and serve in the military - it is natural for any human being, despite liberal propaganda tells you otherwise.
Feb 20, 2016 6:23 PM

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I will say this though, the one thing that reeks of propaganda is the way the JSDF personnel are basically depicted as faultless. There are no bad apples, no incompetents, no power or glory hungry officers, no psychotic axemurderers, nothing. There is basically no real misconduct of any type, intentional or accidental; I mean, they're somehow able to wage war, however limited, without any civillian casualties. And just to make the contrast even more stark, the empire is the complete exact opposite, but with equal levels of gratuitousness.

Soldiers and militaries don't function like that; Even when UN Peacekeepers get deployed, everywhere they go suddenly there's a bunch of rapes and other such crimes. Or, if you've seen Generation Kill, you can see that even an "elite" combat unit goes into combat with all kinds of deficiencies. Even under the best of circumstances, with well-meaning and professional soldiers, people get killed for no reason; not enemy combatants, but friendly fire and civillian casualties.

The JSDF as depicted in this show is just way too perfect to the point where it legitimately feels like propaganda even though I'm pretty sure it's not even state sponsored. Its not too heavy on right wing or nationalist sentiment, but this element at least still rubs me the wrong way.
Feb 20, 2016 8:17 PM

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rladls717 said:
I guess it depends.
I don't know about myself now, but I was filled with hatred and rage against these kinds of series before actually.

The thing is with the news like how Japan reports UN about evidence of WW2 Sexual Slavery:
http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=1478856

And there are some rally going on somewhere in Japan:
http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=1482389

Things aren't really going well with how some people in Japan acceptance in other races and their views of history.

But this is not what Japan is all about is it.
There are also good parts that I don't know of.

I'll only post the some parts of quotes of what Pina said to the senators in Empire.
Manga chapter 36 English translations:

Pina: Slavery doesn't exist in Japan. There's no ransom either. Instead of a Ransom, they want a concession in the peace deal. I have thought about why they were so enraged, perhaps it was this... The emperor has seen their love for the people, and before their eyes, one of their people was tormented... and like a winged lion whose child was snatched away, they were enraged. And this is the result.

Anime Episode 14 English Subs(same scene):

Pina: Th-the Japanese treasures the lives of their citizens above all else. No, not only their own people. They don't even kill or enslave their prisoners. They love their own people... And they even treat their prisoners well. They won't even sell their enemies for money. That's who the Japanese are. The result of them seeing their people enslaved was... this.

So yes, there are many kinds of opinions of Japan right now.
Even the quote in the series is fictional, it is actually possible in real life.

Now that I think about it, I'm really skeptical if this is really right-wing nationalism or not, I don't know if that is important anymore.


Japanese right winger might as well start saying US never drop atomic bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
What even worse is that if you address the japanese right wing on their history revisionism and lies, they will ask the police to arrest you like what happen to this German man.Thank goodness UNESCO register Nanjing Massacre. Still got hope for humanity.



Gate claim that slavery don't exist in Japan is total bullshit consider the comfort women issues. When the two Japanese hostages taken by ISIS and Japan photoshop making fun of it, does that count as Japanese treasure their citizen?

Having said that, Gate is still entertaining and enjoyable to watch though.
ZapredonFeb 21, 2016 12:09 AM
But it's important to remember that a movie review is subjective;it only gives you one person's opinion.

http://www.classzone.com/books/lnetwork_gr08/page_build.cfm?content=analyz_media&ch=30

It doesn't matter if you like LoGH,Monster etc.If you are a jobless or college/school dropout living in your mom basement, you are still an unintelligent loser. Taste in anime does not make you a better person.If elitist don't exist, casual pleb and shit taste also don't exist.
Feb 27, 2016 1:37 PM

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fst said:
I will say this though, the one thing that reeks of propaganda is the way the JSDF personnel are basically depicted as faultless. There are no bad apples, no incompetents, no power or glory hungry officers, no psychotic axemurderers, nothing. There is basically no real misconduct of any type, intentional or accidental; I mean, they're somehow able to wage war, however limited, without any civillian casualties. And just to make the contrast even more stark, the empire is the complete exact opposite, but with equal levels of gratuitousness.

Soldiers and militaries don't function like that; Even when UN Peacekeepers get deployed, everywhere they go suddenly there's a bunch of rapes and other such crimes. Or, if you've seen Generation Kill, you can see that even an "elite" combat unit goes into combat with all kinds of deficiencies. Even under the best of circumstances, with well-meaning and professional soldiers, people get killed for no reason; not enemy combatants, but friendly fire and civillian casualties.

The JSDF as depicted in this show is just way too perfect to the point where it legitimately feels like propaganda even though I'm pretty sure it's not even state sponsored. Its not too heavy on right wing or nationalist sentiment, but this element at least still rubs me the wrong way.


Maybe the JSDF is a bit to perfect, but I think they chose the personnel for this mission carefully. And they don't really wage war, they basically defended themselves, so there wasn't really a chance for civillian casualties to begin with. Do you have proof for what you said about UN Peacekeepers? They get deployed because there are crimes against people, like rape, these aren't suddenly there.
You're a louse, Roger Smith. - R. Dorothy Wayneright
This is my fight! No Senpai, this is our fight! - Kojou Akatsuki & Yukina Himeragi
Feb 27, 2016 1:55 PM

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Zapredon said:
rladls717 said:
I guess it depends.
I don't know about myself now, but I was filled with hatred and rage against these kinds of series before actually.

The thing is with the news like how Japan reports UN about evidence of WW2 Sexual Slavery:
http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=1478856

And there are some rally going on somewhere in Japan:
http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=1482389

Things aren't really going well with how some people in Japan acceptance in other races and their views of history.

But this is not what Japan is all about is it.
There are also good parts that I don't know of.

I'll only post the some parts of quotes of what Pina said to the senators in Empire.
Manga chapter 36 English translations:

Pina: Slavery doesn't exist in Japan. There's no ransom either. Instead of a Ransom, they want a concession in the peace deal. I have thought about why they were so enraged, perhaps it was this... The emperor has seen their love for the people, and before their eyes, one of their people was tormented... and like a winged lion whose child was snatched away, they were enraged. And this is the result.

Anime Episode 14 English Subs(same scene):

Pina: Th-the Japanese treasures the lives of their citizens above all else. No, not only their own people. They don't even kill or enslave their prisoners. They love their own people... And they even treat their prisoners well. They won't even sell their enemies for money. That's who the Japanese are. The result of them seeing their people enslaved was... this.

So yes, there are many kinds of opinions of Japan right now.
Even the quote in the series is fictional, it is actually possible in real life.

Now that I think about it, I'm really skeptical if this is really right-wing nationalism or not, I don't know if that is important anymore.


Japanese right winger might as well start saying US never drop atomic bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
What even worse is that if you address the japanese right wing on their history revisionism and lies, they will ask the police to arrest you like what happen to this German man.Thank goodness UNESCO register Nanjing Massacre. Still got hope for humanity.



Gate claim that slavery don't exist in Japan is total bullshit consider the comfort women issues. When the two Japanese hostages taken by ISIS and Japan photoshop making fun of it, does that count as Japanese treasure their citizen?

Having said that, Gate is still entertaining and enjoyable to watch though.


They said slavery is not existing in the present. They never said slavery never existed.
You're a louse, Roger Smith. - R. Dorothy Wayneright
This is my fight! No Senpai, this is our fight! - Kojou Akatsuki & Yukina Himeragi
Feb 27, 2016 2:16 PM

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Zapredon said:
When the two Japanese hostages taken by ISIS and Japan photoshop making fun of it, does that count as Japanese treasure their citizen?

And what do you want them to do? go to war? they can't because america's hypocrisy is limiting their forces.

And believing everything america reports as the truth? kek.
ichii_1Mar 2, 2016 8:22 AM
Feb 28, 2016 4:59 AM

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trabeus1 said:
What do you guys personally think about this anime? Do you guys think this anime promotes right wing nationalism and patriotism or do you think it criticizes the current Japanese government?

What do you guys think?

i don't care
-----------------------------------
Feb 28, 2016 5:24 AM

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Always knew this anime was propganda, but at least it's not a crazy nazi blaring preaches into your ears.
Feb 29, 2016 3:17 PM

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TheBigGuy said:
Maybe the JSDF is a bit to perfect, but I think they chose the personnel for this mission carefully.
Not really sure what you mean by that

TheBigGuy said:
And they don't really wage war, they basically defended themselves, so there wasn't really a chance for civillian casualties to begin with.


They've fought multiple engagements. The first one, yes, there was basically 0 chance for civilian or friendly fire casualties. But they've fought other battles in close proximity to civillians without incident, the most egregious is that time they dropped a dumb bomb on the senate and somehow leveled the building without killing anybody.

The fog of war basically does not exist in this show. People think that because everybody has radios and night vision and recon drones and all that fun shit that friendly fire doesn't happen that they can take out a military target without collateral damage but that simply isn't true.

TheBigGuy said:
Do you have proof for what you said about UN Peacekeepers? They get deployed because there are crimes against people, like rape, these aren't suddenly there.


It is a well documented phenomenon. Look how many fucking citations there are at the end of the first paragraph in the second link.
Feb 29, 2016 3:50 PM

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TheBigGuy said:
Zapredon said:


Japanese right winger might as well start saying US never drop atomic bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
What even worse is that if you address the japanese right wing on their history revisionism and lies, they will ask the police to arrest you like what happen to this German man.Thank goodness UNESCO register Nanjing Massacre. Still got hope for humanity.



Gate claim that slavery don't exist in Japan is total bullshit consider the comfort women issues. When the two Japanese hostages taken by ISIS and Japan photoshop making fun of it, does that count as Japanese treasure their citizen?

Having said that, Gate is still entertaining and enjoyable to watch though.


They said slavery is not existing in the present. They never said slavery never existed.


That's injustice, cruel and unusual punishment, improper enforcement of the law, and tyranny. The police may not be perfect in the US but you don't get arrested just for criticizing extremism.


Mar 1, 2016 7:55 AM

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fst said:
TheBigGuy said:
Maybe the JSDF is a bit to perfect, but I think they chose the personnel for this mission carefully.
Not really sure what you mean by that


I meant, they ensured that they don't choose incompetents, power hungry officers or psychotic axemurderers for the mission.
You're a louse, Roger Smith. - R. Dorothy Wayneright
This is my fight! No Senpai, this is our fight! - Kojou Akatsuki & Yukina Himeragi
Mar 1, 2016 8:01 PM

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TheBigGuy said:
fst said:
Not really sure what you mean by that


I meant, they ensured that they don't choose incompetents, power hungry officers or psychotic axemurderers for the mission.


The knife but is somewhat suspect

But aside from her, the fact that such characters basically don't exist in the show's jsdf whilst being present in spades within every non-jsdf faction is kinda what I was getting at.
Mar 2, 2016 1:37 AM

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fst said:
TheBigGuy said:


I meant, they ensured that they don't choose incompetents, power hungry officers or psychotic axemurderers for the mission.


The knife but is somewhat suspect

But aside from her, the fact that such characters basically don't exist in the show's jsdf whilst being present in spades within every non-jsdf faction is kinda what I was getting at.


Knife? Do you mean Kuribayashi? Now that I think about it, she enjoys killing and violence maybe a bit to much. I unterstand what you mean and I agree. But sometimes it's that simple: they are the good guys and do apparently no wrong. Even if it's unrealistic.
You're a louse, Roger Smith. - R. Dorothy Wayneright
This is my fight! No Senpai, this is our fight! - Kojou Akatsuki & Yukina Himeragi
Mar 2, 2016 1:39 AM

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Not in particular. The amount of self-interest demonstrated by the Japanese government in Gate was extremely low, compared to say, Outbreak Company, which was even more ridiculous and less realistic.
Be thankful for the wisdom granted to you.
Mar 4, 2016 6:25 PM
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Takuan_Soho said:
trabeus1 said:
HA Japanese textbooks are more honest?


Seriously? Did you read your own link? The article mentioned that the textbook mentioned the Nanking massacre, the Marco Polo bridge incident, about Korean miners and comfort women. The argument was that it wasn't covered enough, not that it wasn't covered. She complained about it starting in the Pleistocene epoch instead of going directly to WWII, as if there is no such thing as history outside of WWII (or that one can understand anything without knowing history).

Humorously, your article actually supported my argument more than yours. As I said, the problem in Japan is a lack of history, not selective history. But this is a trend throughout the world, as math, sciences, and language gets more focus.

Now let's talk about Chinese history books. Do you think Mao, an even larger disaster for China and its culture than the Japanese, is covered honestly? Do you think they talk about China's invasion of Tibet or the ongoing destruction of Tibetan culture. Do you think that those even get a mention? Those are far more recent than WWII, and equally if not more barbaric.

As for bookstores, I have not had the opportunity to go to mainland China, but I have been to Seoul recently and the two main bookstores there: Kyobo Book Center and Bandi and Lundi are second tier. They compare unfavorably with most bookstores in Japan. But let me assure you that I am not singling out Asian bookstores, US bookstores have declined enormously over the past 20 years, so that only a few specialty stores are worth visiting. Japan, probably will follow the rest of the world, but right now they are still a highlight of my global bookstore visits.

As for Korean history, while I sympathize with Korea and understand the point they are at in building their national identity, their own history books are pretty bad. They engage in myth, they downplay the role their own government had in their 20th century woes, and they glorify and romanticize their past. The best recent scholarship on Korea is done in America (by US and Korean professors), not Korea.


What is your problem? Immediately you are condescending telling the person asking the question to stop being a troll and look up previous threads. Previous threads can devolve into things that are barely related kind of like how you turned this entire thread into your own rant on politics in media, but at the same time you decided that your opinion on politics was the correct one and therefore anything matching your world view was legitimate and all others evil. Pretty hypocritical no matter how you try to spin it.

And for you to sit there and again condemn somebody and shout and scream and rage over the fact that they "believe there might be more to it". It is a simple curiosity to say that there might be more to it, a simple skepticism that is healthy to all investigation and intelligent thinking. For you to denounce somebody for simply reaching out for expanding an idea is the same reason it is important for people to inject their messages into there art- because people like you want to ban all messages that do not match their own. Who is to say you are correct and we should all listen to you? Maybe we should all listen to Trump and let him silence journalism? You are ridiculous.

And just because Gate was originally created before the military changed its regulations, does not mean that there was no political gain to be had in airing the anime right around the time of reformation of the Japanese military strategy. A message can be re-used at a specific time to push forward an agenda that originally had nothing to do with it in some cases. The original creator could have just had a hope of the Self-Defense force to be a moral and hopeful entity, one that was only beholden to moral values and not bureocracy. But just because he may have had a different message, does not mean that same message can be manipulated based on context.

I didn't go thru your dozens of replies in this thread, just the first 3 and that was all I needed to see. All you were doing was attacking people who had no intention of starting a political media justice war and simply was curious about the content and looking for open and insightful conversation. You gave hateful rhetoric, opinionated stances with context of being correct, and subliminal threats by saying "People that do that are evil, of course you are not one of them, but all of them should be denounced." I have seen many people like you, and most of the time the only way they cement their arguments is by causing disdain towards someone or something, completely irrelevant to the need of having reasonable, factual and objective information. Your personal opinion may not be wrong on politics in media, but for you to suggest anyone who shares their opinion is evil-- especially in creative works-- paints you as the crazy one.

And don't bother writing a response to this because I simply and never going to read it, I don't come back and look at threads I have no interest in, especially when people like you contaminate the talking point.
Mar 9, 2016 4:57 PM

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Wow you mean the japanese are portaying themselves as the good folks in their media? How dare they! >:(
Mar 9, 2016 7:02 PM
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Aqua_Mars said:
Wow you mean the japanese are portaying themselves as the good folks in their media? How dare they! >:(

Yes, US and UK never do things like that :p
Have faith in the Lord Fifth, gain eternal life! When the Lord Fifth appears, who dares to cause strife!
-- Lord fifth
May 26, 2021 12:55 PM
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There is also a sense of disapproval for the media and the diet member asking questions.
I felt that the message the anime was conveying was (not that it was made to convey those message but it did because of the writing) that the media and opposition are bad people who only ask questions and interrupt the people who are in charge of things or who are in power. Imo, the writer believes so personally and thus ends up caricaturing the journalist and diet member.

Especially the journalist thing. I live in India and I have witnessed what news being a business means. Most of the major broadcast channels have become govt. propaganda channels with one being exceptionally so (you can get the name of this exceptional channel by reading any article about the plight of media in India).
Even with the govt.'s mismanagement during the second wave of covid-19, they did not attack or ask real questions to the government. Instead they were adamant about showing positive news (opposite of what the journalist character said in anime) when they admitted the dire state of the nation.
Also the anime is pro military from the obvious fact that they show all the personnel in the JDF as saint-like who kill only when necessary, are all open minded, never abuse power, go out of their way to save citizens of the enemy state and so on. I mean there can be some who are like that but not all.
Jul 22, 2021 7:54 PM

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Yes, it is promoting Japanese nationalism. It’s literally Japanese military propaganda. But whether it’s right wing or not is left to interpretation of the viewer. THAT SAID, the Japanese government deals with nations in a similar way to what was shown in the anime, if exaggerated, and the politics of the majority of Japanese people skews to the right so take that as you will.

However, if that bothers anyone, most true-blue nationalists today in the world are left wing, not right wing, even and especially in the Asian world, and anyone who says the show is left wing or right wing because they’re dealing with another nation on equal terms doesn’t know what they’re talking about.
DiscipleOfKreiaJul 22, 2021 8:05 PM
Oct 3, 2021 12:07 AM

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A lot of seething lefty losers in here. Hilarious.
Mar 1, 2022 2:12 AM
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Considering its a Japanese work. Its only natural for it to have Nationalistic messages.
And rather then just showing the US as the aggressor, the author decided the top 2 superpowers and a growing super power as aggressors.

Though we can see that US is the main aggressor in season 1.
The other is the Anti SDF media. I also like the fact they state Media is a business, we are not responsible for what people assume is the truth. Which is basically what Mainstream media is nowadays, just punchy headlines and made up facts and edited photos and videos.

SDF originally created to defend Japan, though in last 4 decades, we have seen them being deployed overseas as part of UN Peacekeeping forces.

Their has also been a push by US to get the Japanese to take active part in Oversea operations, I hope that Japan Keeps the SDF as a defence force and stays in Japan.

The message that is sold is a strong one, but that is what the SDF is meant to do, protect Japanese citizens. Army's tend to teach and condition soldiers to have a sense of brotherhood and duty to one another. Which is no different than most other forces.

At the end its no different than you usual US film where there is always an american flag in one scene or another.

If anything films and tv makers have learn to adopt that approach to instill their own national pride in their works.

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It’s time to ditch the text file.
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