wow, this was a really timely analysis. when you told me you'd be discussing themes in these stories, for some reason i didn't think you'd be getting into how we relate to media as we age. the conflicts in "rituals" are relatable in a way that makes you realize just how old you are when compared to the conflicts in a shonen series. i would be curious to know how arc-v has gone past the typical sort of thematic character stugfles though when thinking about how that puzzle piece fits into your favorite media menagerie.
part of me wonders if much of the dysfunction the characters experience in "rituals" is because of that removal from the artificiality. they cling to old memories and do not leave the comfort of discussing medical drama until forced from their comfort zone via the shared trauma of having to escape their...stalker? (killer doesn't feel like the right word to use here).
what happens to shonen characters once they're removed from the familiar confines of their genre? or once they graduate high school? where do they go after that? (i guess NGE is one answer, but i want to see something a little more realistic via aging). your idea for a future fanfic is interesting, and ive seen bits and pieces of post-canon stuff with the adult ygos, but never something where they're all brought back together and actually old.
trauma is something that brings people closer together than most would like to admit. i wonder if part of the reason why it's more difficult to make/keep friends as an adult is because many of the traumas you experience in adulthood are solitary. sure, there might be shared trauma as a society, but that only goes so far. for the most part, you have shared trauma with those who you live with and perhaps at work, but it doesn't bring the same sense of closeness as being forced to struggle together in an artificial environment.
now im the one rambling now... thank you for sharing this article. i wonder what thoughts you will have upon your 20th rewatch ;)
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wow, this was a really timely analysis. when you told me you'd be discussing themes in these stories, for some reason i didn't think you'd be getting into how we relate to media as we age. the conflicts in "rituals" are relatable in a way that makes you realize just how old you are when compared to the conflicts in a shonen series. i would be curious to know how arc-v has gone past the typical sort of thematic character stugfles though when thinking about how that puzzle piece fits into your favorite media menagerie.
part of me wonders if much of the dysfunction the characters experience in "rituals" is because of that removal from the artificiality. they cling to old memories and do not leave the comfort of discussing medical drama until forced from their comfort zone via the shared trauma of having to escape their...stalker? (killer doesn't feel like the right word to use here).
what happens to shonen characters once they're removed from the familiar confines of their genre? or once they graduate high school? where do they go after that? (i guess NGE is one answer, but i want to see something a little more realistic via aging). your idea for a future fanfic is interesting, and ive seen bits and pieces of post-canon stuff with the adult ygos, but never something where they're all brought back together and actually old.
trauma is something that brings people closer together than most would like to admit. i wonder if part of the reason why it's more difficult to make/keep friends as an adult is because many of the traumas you experience in adulthood are solitary. sure, there might be shared trauma as a society, but that only goes so far. for the most part, you have shared trauma with those who you live with and perhaps at work, but it doesn't bring the same sense of closeness as being forced to struggle together in an artificial environment.
now im the one rambling now... thank you for sharing this article. i wonder what thoughts you will have upon your 20th rewatch ;)