by Are the traumas experienced by these boys and girls too realistic?
Among the many anime movies released yearly, some leave viewers traumatized by grotesque scenes or “depressing developments.” Even works said to be world-famous masterpieces may contain scenes that make you want to look away when you watch them.
“AKIRA” is Based on the manga of the same name by Katsuhiro Otomo. It is set in Neo-Tokyo after the outbreak of World War III and tells the story of “Akira,” an entity that greatly influences the world.
Directed by Otomo himself, it took three years to produce, with a total production cost of 1 billion yen and was released as a theatrical anime in 1988. In a unique world where futuristic buildings and Showa-era Japanese scenery are mixed, the action unfolds with biker gangs, psychics, and the military, centering on the main characters “Shotaro Kaneda” and “Tetsuo Shima.” There were many painful scenes even in the motorcycle chase at the beginning, and as the story progressed, there were many painful scenes, such as Tetsuo’s psychic power awakening, going out of control, and his internal organs being exposed.
The particularly traumatic scene is when Tetsuo cannot control his power, and it grows, dragging those around him into it. Tetsuo’s girlfriend Kaori is crushed, and Tetsuo screams, “Kaori is dying! Kaori’s pain is entering me!” It was a scene that was painful to watch. Viewers said, “My heart starts pounding when the Kaori scene comes up,” “It’s a great masterpiece, but I can’t show it to children because of the trauma I experienced in my childhood,” and “The animation is so amazing that the traumatic scenes stick even more in my mind.”
“Kagami no Kojyo” is a film adaptation of Tsujimura Mizuki’s best-selling novel. It is a story about the loneliness and friendship of seven middle school students, two boys and two girls, who are gathered in an isolated castle in another world through a mirror. A girl wearing a wolf mask, “Wolf Lady,” tells them to search for a key that “will grant any wish if they find it.”
They spend time together in the castle and connect. Each character, including the protagonist “Kokoro,” who was isolated at school, has problems. In a scene from the past that Kokoro reveals, a group of classmates storm into her house and yell abuse at her through the window, which is shocking. Viewers have commented, “It was terrifying,” and “It was the most shocking scene I’ve seen recently.”
At the climax, the traumas of the characters are revealed all at once, and realistic social issues such as bullying, conflicts with parents, and child sexual abuse are depicted, leaving a heavy aftertaste. The work’s detailed psychological depiction and merciless malice will move the viewer’s heart.
“Paprika” Based on Yasutaka Tsutsui’s novel of the same name, “Paprika” depicts a world where reality and dreams are mixed after the “DC Mini,” a device that allows people to share their dreams with others, is stolen.
Atsuko Chiba, a therapist who treats patients at the DC Mini, is busy finding the culprit to prevent the system from being misused. The series has many shocking scenes, such as characters going crazy and jumping off buildings or strange figures falling from the sky.
In particular, the dream parade in which dolls, home appliances, and religious statues come to life has been described by viewers as an “exquisite nightmare,” and the eerie images are traumatic. Many people are frightened by the unique worldview, which even feels somewhat insane, including parts they cannot understand, with some saying, “I was traumatized when I watched it as a child,” and “This may be the scariest image in the world.”
