i was going to write an evangelion reference as the title then i decided that it would be too edgy and didn’t

Of the stories that I covered in class, the most interesting (and not necessarily the most impactful) one was the article concerning Netflix’s attempts to stabilize itself within the online anime distribution market. This was most interesting to me because of my past experiences with Netflix anime, and the fact that I am invested in the anime industry as a consumer (less dedicated than in the past, but nonetheless present). In my opinion, the most popular site to watch currently airing anime legally in the United States is on Crunchyroll, but as others have brought up in class, Netflix’s distribution model inherently conflicts with the episodic programming that anime fans in the United States have come to expect (if not through legal means, then from illegal streaming sites). Distribution of shows from Japan to the United States is tricky because of the time and manpower needed to translate and dub the shows. However, the on-demand attitude of American capitalism has forced Netflix and other companies to change their distribution schedules concerning anime releases. 

Japan’s domestic issues are rarely the focus of news abroad. Originally, Japan seemed like a country with few issues, but the news articles discussed in class have changed that perspective, especially considering issues stemming from Japan’s aging population. Some of these problems may appear somewhat trivial on the surface, such as the case of Japan’s elderly population causing more and more traffic accidents, but they are hardly something to be ignored as Japan’s population ages. Another issue of image to consider is Japan’s cultural focus on discipline and homogeneity, which I now think is much more strict than I had previously thought. For example, the articles on school bullying and the black school rules really illustrate how quickly certain portions of the Japanese population move to alienate or even punish those who stand out. However, these articles made it seem like Japan is moving to reverse this trend and becoming more accepting (as the new emperor would want, probably).

I certainly have not been keeping up with current United States news while in Japan, but I am certainly even more thankful that my family lives in an area that is rarely impacted by natural disasters after the wake of Typhoon Hagibis. I also view the American queer movement in a somewhat different light as an effect of both the LGBTQ+ articles discussed in this class and also the Queer Culture class. Rights and activism taken for granted in the United States means that one can easily forget that other countries do not allow queer folks the same privileges.