There is a general conception that Japanese cities such as Tokyo in film, will face utter destruction and decimation under an existential threat or crisis. However, only to rebuild stronger after the crisis with limited difficulty and almost instantly under a superficial “self-healing process”. Several artists and directors such as Murakami Takashi reflected on the devastation of WWII through injecting his creative style and trivializing the horrors Japan experienced1. Studio Ghibli’s Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind despite being set in a post-apocalyptic future, still portrays a hopeful world portrayed through Nausicaä fighting for humanity. To contrast this criticism has emerged against mitigating war or natural disaster’s destructive effects. Films like Akira seek to demonstrate the horrors of conflict1, and western films such as Blade Runner prioritize the social dystopian effects of war conveyed through a densely populated city, and implications for migrating off Earth due to war.
– Lee Ho-june Daniel 3035823827
References:
Prakash, Gyan. 2010. Noir Urbanisms: Dystopic Images Of The Modern City.
You have made a good summary of the reading. Do you have any thoughts on the effects of the apocalyptic films?