Inspirational Animation

Writing fiction, I've found some of my strongest inspiration has come from cartoons - particularly anime.  Keep in mind, I'm not writing this as an expert on anime as a genre - or even as a die-hard fan (I'm pretty sure 'true' anime fandom requires a raft of knowledge I don't have) - just as a fan of some shows that I particularly liked and that left some kind of lasting impression on me.

While a lot of the anime I watched in the early days was aimed at kids - shows like Dragonball Z, Yu-gi-oh, Bey Blades and Pokemon, there were a lot of themes in there that I loved and related to.  Especially the idea of self-sacrifice, and the lonely hero who lives on the outside looking in.  This is a character type that comes through in a lot of the fiction I write.

So what does anime have that other types of fiction don't?  More adult anime often explore seemingly hopeless situations.  In Wolf's Rain, the last remaining wolves in Japan are searching for 'Paradise' - a place where they'll be safe and will finally be free of persecution from humans.  The journey is soul destroying - there are so few of them and they face incredible odds.  Most of them aren't even sure if Paradise exists.  It's an idea that their leader, Kiba, can't let go, because if he gives up on this dream, he feels he'll have nothing to hope for.

In Attack on Titan, the last of humanity hunkers down behind a giant wall as seemingly mindless giants roam the earth, eating any humans they find.  Only one boy dares dream of one day living in the world outside those walls again, a beautiful world that in his lifetime, only exists in stories.

In Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric seeks to find a way to return his brother, whose soul is trapped in a suit of armour, to a human body.  Again, his search is based on a vague legend and he's driven forward by a pure sense of duty.

The odds are astounding.  Death is everywhere.  But they keep going.  Anime is fantastic for putting impossible obstacles in the way of its heroes, constantly forcing them to try, fail and learn.  They get knocked back, they make tragic mistakes, they have their faith and friendships tested, and when they win, it's not that obnoxious 'Independence Day' kind of victory.  There's always a subdued acknowledgement of everything they've sacrificed for their end goal.

It's that quiet determination, the self doubt, the exploration of the dark place that a true sense of duty comes from that I love and hope to capture in my own writing.

If you're a big anime fan, tell me about your favourite characters in the comments below!

- Kaia.