For this reading response, I will be addressing some of the arguments brought up during the tutorial for the “Oh No, There Goes Tokyo” text. One of the main points that was mentioned was the influence of Japan’s disaster related past, specifically the events such as World War II, and how it was reflected in many of the films such as Rodan and Gojira. As a recap, Rodan was a film where the plot followed giant pteranodons destroying the Japanese city of Fukuoka which parallels the disaster events of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I think these arguments bring up an interesting point of how our pasts cannot simply be forgotten. Even if unintentional, our upbringing will be reflected in much of the work we complete no matter the medium in which it is communicated. This really resonates with me on a personal level as my family were refugees from the Vietnam War. Although I am a second generation Vietnamese American and never personally experienced these events, the events that my family and my ancestors experienced have been engraved into my very being and can be reflected in myself as such. This could be observed in various aspects of my life, from the stories that resonate with me, to the values I hold dear, and even the fears and hopes I harbor for the future. Similar to how Japanese filmmakers use monsters such as Gojira to symbolize and process the trauma of war, the stories of my family’s escape and resilience from the Vietnam War have shaped my worldview and creative expression.
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