UlasanAnime.com – The author of this article expresses a sense of guilt over various mundane and relatable experiences while consuming popular media, particularly late-night anime. These include multitasking during viewing, getting sidetracked by personal interests, and holding subjective opinions about anime quality.
The list of “guilty” pleasures also touches on specific anime titles, such as feeling Chihayafuru is more titillating than other shows, or being confused by characters like Fam in Last Exile. The author also admits to making fun of Fractale.
The article then pivots to a deeper discussion about the anime Ben-to and the concept of glorifying essential needs, specifically focusing on the idea of discounted bento boxes found in Japanese supermarkets and convenience stores.
The author believes that Ben-to is an intense anime that uses humor effectively, drawing parallels to Air Master for its energetic animation and sometimes nonsensical jokes. This intensity, they argue, is amplified when a story can establish a visceral connection with the viewer.
Initial D is cited as an example of an anime that successfully creates this connection through its focus on autocross and high school romance. Ben-to, while also intense, plays its competitive fighting aspect in a manner likened to professional wrestling, with the advantage that anime allows for easier suspension of disbelief.
A key message highlighted from Ben-to is the importance of gratitude for sustenance. The author connects this to a universal sentiment of giving thanks for food, water, and oxygen, regardless of religious background. This theme serves as the central “joke” of Ben-to, almost acting as a self-hypnotic suggestion to enhance the appreciation of food.
The article then broadens this idea to the realm of popular entertainment. The author suggests that creating enjoyable media that glorifies how we meet our needs can be a powerful tool. This is compared to the challenge of getting people to appreciate essential but often overlooked roles in society, like janitors or dishwashers.
These roles, the author posits, are harder to “sell” to the public than more emotionally charged issues like starving children, often due to political baggage. However, they are no less important if we adhere to the principle that all individuals are created equal.
The author concludes by noting that it’s possible to extract semi-social or political messages from shows like Ben-to, and that exploring these underlying currents within popular culture can be an interesting endeavor.
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