NOSTALGIA AND CRAYON SHIN-CHAN

WAI KWAN WU - Writer, 2nd Year, Molecular Cell Biology

"My life isn't boring at all! I want you to feel the joy of having a family too!"

SPOILERS FOR CRAYON SHIN-CHAN MOVIE 9

Growing up is an exciting thing. Seasons come and go, trees blossom and wither, and our lives experience new things and changes. But with change also comes many waves of uncertainty, and before we know it, our current surroundings can start looking pretty bleak. This is why as humans, we have an instinctive penchant for nostalgia, yearning for our younger days when everything felt that much more secure, and safe. What if we could just go back to those simpler times?

Crayon Shin-chan is a franchise known for its raunchy humor that even got it banned in some countries, but what has also resonated with me is the genuinity with which it looks at heartful themes through the lens of a child. "Change" is something of a recurring theme across the many films in the franchise, but the ninth entry, Adult Empire Strikes Back, stands out through its portrayal and critique of nostalgia. The productional elements on display in this film are understatedly remarkable: particularly in its depiction of an old 20th century shopping district. Inside the film, this district is artificially created, yet the warm sunset and bountiful character animation brings this bustling street to life; it's beautiful, it's nostalgic, and it's inviting.

At the same time, it's this beauty that forms the central conflict of this film, one that is unsettling. Adults across town are so nostalgic for their childhood that they all abandon their homes and their kids in favor of living in the artificial world. The kids left to fend for themselves, forming into gangs that fight over the local food supply, and Shin-chan, the main character, is forced to take care of his baby sister all on his own. Effectively, the kids are forced to grow up all too soon and play the role of adults. The actual adults are so desperate to relive their own childhood that they are essentially denying the childhood of the next generation. There is a striking scene where Shin-chan and his friends are looking over at the far distance where their parents are partying; they have been abandoned. This was truly surprising to me because many of the conflicts in Shin-chan are presented through comedy with witty humor and skits, yet peeling back the layers of comedy leaves you with something that is quite frankly terrifying.

Naturally, it is up to Shin-chan to bring the adults, and more specifically his very own parents, back to the modern day. When Shin-chan finally reaches Hiroshi, his father, we get one of the most powerful scenes in the franchise. In a single montage, Hiroshi recalls everything he's lived over the course of his life: from riding as a young boy on the back of his own father's bicycle, to experiencing his first heartbreak, to starting a new family while try to rush deadlines, to today, as the father at the helm of the bicycle for his own kids. Anyone seeing this would discern that his life is far from anything special, but to Hiroshi himself, a life that only he has lived is one that is perfectly fulfilling. He's lived a life of ups and downs, but it isn't over yet either: he has a new role to play today, but it is just as fulfilling as the life he lived as a kid. Time is an ever-running wheel, but there is always something new to be found with every rotation that it makes.

Adult Empire Strikes Back doesn't shame us for looking back at the past, nor does it attempt to tarnish our vision of the past. It sees the value in nostalgia, but at the same time, it wants us to know that today, and what's to come, isn't anything to be afraid of. Time will move on, but so will we. This can perhaps be seen as a cheesy message, but the simple and yet sincere approach that Shin-chan takes in telling us this message is what draws me back to this film time and time again. Which, considering the message of this film, is rather ironic, don't you think?