Developing your own thoughts about Adult Subject Matter

Putting to one side the argument that cartoons are for kids and should be made for such; let’s dive into Jobless Reincarnation and it’s at times adult subject matter. Taking a step back from how such scenes may make people feel or what boundaries might have been crossed, it’s important to remember that fiction as a medium is one that provokes both thought and imagination. Without the imagination or thought provoking content fiction would only be about how we felt. 

How we feel about a certain subject matter can influence what we choose to watch. There are certain categories I enjoy more than others, and enjoyment is derived in part from how an anime might make me feel. But it’s tricky if you let feeling alone dictate what you want to watch. You would only be grasping a part of a whole. 

Fulfillment in watching anime also requires at times using imagination or thinking, with the ability to suspend disbelief. 

You have to be able to suspend disbelief in order to make fiction work. We all know how the real world works, but in entertainment the rules get bent almost always. Imagination is used sometimes to fill the gaps in the fiction to tell stories that couldn’t exist in the known universe. The two work hand in hand. 

On top of feelings and use of the imagination, another crucial element of any story is your ability to comprehend what is going on. This is the first part of thinking required, to concisely digest a situation that is presently occurring in what you are viewing. It would be difficult to enjoy something when you had no idea what was actually happening. 

And lastly the elements of feeling, imagination, and comprehension all lead to an important place, namely your thoughts about what you are viewing. 

Fiction creates a safe distance from adult subject matter.

What is nice about fiction is that no matter what you perceive or view on a screen it actually can’t hurt you. What you are seeing isn’t real, nor will it ever be. What is occurring is happening in the realm of the imagination. What you feel because of that fictional subject might make you rethink it. And that is fine, let your opinion be informed by what you are viewing. 

To be clear about what is causing a current uproar in the anime community is the adult content between Rudeus and Eris. Namely the sexual intercourse we suspect happened based on context clues and visual clues on screen. 

I always think it’s fine to have your own opinion, and it’s fine to hate that moment. If that is your choice, who is anyone to deny you your own thoughts and feelings? But by the same token or measure it’s not ok to attack others who might view things differently. If you are entitled to your thoughts, why are others not entitled to theirs? 

What I am firmly against, no matter what you might be viewing, is trashing an anime because of a difficult scene. It isn’t right to judge others because they might not have been bothered by something that you were bothered by. Others don’t have to join you in condemnation of something you didn’t enjoy. 

What is always important while viewing fiction is to understand that firstly it isn’t real. Trashing a story because you don’t like a certain part of the story can inhibit your understanding of a scene. Is the scene throwaway? Or is the scene fundamental to the story that is being told? I always encourage a deeper look at anything that is happening, or you might miss the importance of any given scene to the story. 

Comment below to share your thoughts and reactions! 

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Mushoku Tensei – Don’t be Distracted by the Horny

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation – Is Rudeus a Pedophile?