The Little Things in Anime

“Trivial� according to the dictionary, it means something commonplace, ordinary, or of very little importance. It is a term that most anime reviewers often use to describe the amount of fanservice found in anime like Ichigo 100% or Green Green. Yet, the use of something apparently “trivial� in anime doesn’t necessarily have to be treated with negativity.



Anime/Manga generally have good well-written stories and we, the fans, no matter what genre we prefer, are more or less in agreement on this point. Thus, we applaud the greatness of the plot of (insert favorite anime title here) and scorn those few “weak� or “trivial� moments when the protagonist stopped in his tracks to stare at the sky while the camera does a pan-up in order to transition into the next screen (Haruhi reference anyone?)



If we could all just delve a little deeper, I believe that some of these “trivial� events might not really be so insignificant.



Time for a few examples; let’s take Full Moon Wo Sagashite, a story about a 12-year old girl with throat cancer who is destined to die at the hands of two shinigami (who definitely don’t look the part.) when the appointed time comes. Of course, the story is predictably about Mitsuki’s struggle to live her life to the fullest before she dies and most of us will watch this show precisely because of that familiar predictability. Then what about the little things such as Mitsuki’s little music box, which was given to her by her parents? That familiar room that she share for less than a year with her shinigami friends, Takuto and Meroko? Eichi’s pendant? The friends that Mitsuki made at school thanks to Takuto and Meroko? Dr. Wakaouji’s fatherly support for Mitsuki? In the grand scheme of things, these tiny elements of the story are often overlooked and considered unimportant; however, it is precisely the “little things� that makes this anime so appealing and in my opinion, raises the story from “good� to “beautiful.�



How about the rather mainstream anime, The Prince of Tennis? What’s it all about? Well… it’s about tennis. More specifically, it’s about the extremely talented 12-year old, Ryoma Echizen and his team in Seishun Gakuen on their road to Japan’s Jr. High National Tennis Tournament. Let’s face it, the story isn’t that good. This anime is all about the characters, the bishounen, and tennis. Yet, there are also “little things� in teni-puri. Take the tennis ball that Sakuno uses with a caricature of Echizen on it. The grip tape that Fuji received from a rival team’s captain. (without the yaoi implications) and that irreplaceable scene where Kaidoh sheds a tear upon hearing that Echizen is leaving the team. In the long-run, these little things, both tangible and intangible, may not add much to the story, but they do exist, and they do make this anime just a little bit more entertaining.



For our last example, we have one of my favorite anime. The unique, aesthetically appealing, and arguably slow-paced, AIR. Although it’s a cult-hit among those who played the Japanese-only bishoujo game and a select few fans; most people would probably ignore this anime if not for the stunning animation quality. Yet, AIR is more than just the animation, it is the tragic drama of a surrogate mother, a daughter fated to dream the saddest dreams and die, a curse spanning 1000 years, and the young man who wishes to help the cursed girl.

Many believe that AIR is filled with symbolisms and I’m inclined to agree. However, even without racking my brains to come up with some sensible interpretation of these symbolisms, I can appreciate them at face value because they make up the “little things� in AIR. For example, do you really need an interpretation for Misuzu’s stuffed toy dinosaur? Or Yukito’s puppet? Or Misuzu’s cute “gao?� These are all ordinary elements of everyday life that we often take for granted. So isn’t it nice to see these little things being given importance in anime?

Perhaps I’m just looking too much into these shows – giving them credit for something that they are obviously not. Maybe I’m just a sentimentalist relying on artistic interpretation to make a story that is vague seem much better than it actually is. I have nothing to say in my defense, but I ask you to try watching anime from my perspective. The next-time you’re watching a semi-serious show; by all means, pay attention to the music, the characterization, the animation quality, but also, take some time to notice the “little things.�

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Posted on 17 Apr 2009 by lordcloudx

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