Konshuu Volume 57, Issue 4

Art By Angel Mendez

THIS ISSUE’S FEATURED SERIES!

ANIME RECOMMENDATION

BY RAHM JETHANI

外に出て草に触れる

(Go Outside and Touch Grass)

Facing perilous odds and confronting personal fears, Go Outside and Touch Grass dares to explore uncomfortable topics such as socializing, hygiene, and yes, going outside and touching grass. Set to air sometime in the next ten years, although it wouldn’t surprise me if it gets delayed again.

Sometime in the next ten years

Directed by Michael Bay 20 minutes (OVA) 2022

By Nicholas Wonosaputra

7

pages

MANGA RECOMMENDATION

BY TONY T.

(Harold & Kumar Go to White Base)

Effortlessly merging the worlds of Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle and Mobile Suit Gundam, this selection from the fourth issue of Konshuu’s fifty-fifth volume is a groundbreaking piece of writing that will surely entertain for years to come.

VIUAMUS MEA LESBIA/ATQUE AMEMUS

Writer

ALEXANDRE HAÏOUN-PERDRIX

3rd Year, Philosophy

Rumoresque senum seueriorum/Omnes unius aestimemus assis.

Quelle langue parle-t-on dans le monde de la iapanimation? La queſtion peut ſembler triuiale – le iaponais, bien ſûr! (Et ie ſais fort bien que uous uous appreſtiez à répliquer qu’on y pouuait auſſi conuerſer en coréen ou chinois, mais notez comme i’ai traîtreuſement parlé de iapanimation plutoſt que d’animés.) Toutefois, et ce comme dans tout domaine culturel, les artiſtes qui produiſent celle-ci ſe font parfois un plaiſir de l’agrémenter d’éléments tirés de langues étrangères, quand icelles ne iouent pas carrément un roſle important ſinon dans l’intrigue, du moins dans la conſtruction du monde au ſein duquel cette dernière prend place.

Par pure meſquinerie de Français aigri, je ne traiterai meſme pas ici la queſtion de l’uſage de l’anglais. Il eſt du reſte plus qu’improbable que quiconque en prenne ombrage, puiſque cela ſuppoſerait avoir pris la peine de me lire iuſques ici, ce dont plus encore que mon habituel ſtyle archaïſant, mon emploi d’une orthographe aujourd’hui tout à fait obſolète uous a déjà ſans doute diſſuadé. En effet, Google Tranſlate ne peut que peu pour uous face à ce texte dans lequel les s non finaux conſervent leur forme dite de “s longs”, ces adorables “ſ” que je uous inflige depuis un petit moment maintenant, ce texte où également les accents circonflexes ſont remplacés comme en les plus anciennes ères par des s, et ni le “i” (comme dans “iaponais”) ni le “u” (comme dans “uraiment”) n’exiſtent, et ſe voient donc ſubſtituer leurs formes originelles – “i” et “u” (comme dans “que c’eſt irritant, ces longueurs !”).

C’eſt en reuanche peut-eſre plus ſouuent encore l’arrière-plan hiſtorique et culturel de ces langues qui explique uoire légitime leur emploi. Il en eſt ainſi de l’allemand dans les diuerſes ſéries de la franchiſe Fate (qui eſt la principale langue dans laquelle ſont produits les ſorts de la famille de Tosaka Rin, et plus ouuertement encore celle à partir de laquelle ſont créés les noms de certains perſonnages, la famille von Einzbern tout particulièrement, qui ioue un roſle-clef dans Fate/Zero et Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Bladeworks, mais ſurtout dans le génial et ſous-coſté Fate Kaleid). L’Allemagne par ſa proximité au Iapon, hiſtoriquement plus forte que l’eſſentiel des autres pays occidentaux, s’offre une place de choix pour ce qui eſt de ſeruir de référence dans le cadre de la iapanimation, ſouuent meſme plus mobiliſée que les Etats-Vnis ou le Royaume-Vni.

Reuenons-en à nos moutons. Je ne traiterai nullement de l’emploi de l’anglais donc, parce qu’il eſt trop éuident et quaſi-ſyſtématique (ſans compter tous ces mots anglais qui ſont au fond pleinement deuenus des mots iaponais). Ce n’eſt heureuſement pour nos affaires pas le ſeul langage auquel les créateurs nippons aient été amenés à s’intéreſſer. Deux d’entre eux brillent également particulièrement par leur préſence, qui eſt loin de n’eſtre qu’occaſionnelle (bien que, hélas, de plus en plus) : l’allemand et le français. Il en eſt bien ſûr d’autres, mais leur uſage eſt bien plus anecdotique – l’italien par exemple ſert de fond à How a realist hero rebuilt the kingdom, ce qui eſt parfaitement naturel au uu de la centralité octroyée par les ſcénariſtes à certains ſegments du Prince de Machiavel dans cette ſérie

Ces ieux auec les langues françaiſe et germanique ont plus d’une raiſon d’eſtre. Ils ſont tantoſt motiués par le poids international et culturel de celle-ci, en tant donc qu’objets linguiſtiques à proprement parler, comme c’eſt le cas dans Kaguya-sama pour le français. Il s’agit généralement d’occaſions de iouer auec les clichés qui y ſont attachés, afin de créer des atmoſphères ſpécifiques – par exemple, ici, la diſtinction attachée à la langue de Paris et à l’idée-meſme d’échanges ſcolaires entre uniuerſités preſtigieuſes imbibe toutes les ſcènes créées autour de cet élément. Ce genre d’emploi de ces langues eſt particulièrement efficace lorſqu’il s’agit de créer un effet comique (et donc tout à fait bien uenu dans un animé tel que Kaguya-sama), en tant que cliché mais auſſi par le décalage accru que permet ce niueau d’extrémiſation de l’atmoſphère.

Le français n’eſt pas en reſte ſur ce plan, qui fait parfois de très brèues apparitions graſce à l’”image de marque” ſuſmentionnée qu’il a ſu ſe forger (ainſi du générique de la ſaiſon 2 de My next life as a villainess où les mots “un, deux trois” jailliſſent à l’occaſion de l’habillage en grande pompe de la protagoniſte – ſans que la ſcène dudit animé dont uous pouuez ici admirer l’image ait par elle-meſme quelque lien que ce ſoit auec le français ou l’allemand, mais ie l’aimais bien, auſſi ai-ie décidé de m’en ſeruir comme illuſtration). (Et comme c’était déjà n’importe quoi, ie ne me suis pas priué de la mettre bien auant ce paragraphe, là où il n’y auait aucune raison qu’elle ſoit.) Mais c’eſt dans la plupart des cas à ſon hiſtoire que la France doit de uoir ſa langue employée, directement ou par référence – et pour l’eſſentiel à deux épiſodes de celle-ci, la Guerre de Cent Ans et le perſonnage complètement iconique de Jeanne d’Arc, mais ſurtout la Réuolution. Cette dernière a pu ſeruir de cadre à des animés entiers, parfois dans le ſens le plus ſtrict du terme (à la manière de Lady Oscar), parfois en tant que fond cryptique, métaphore permanente – auec l’exemple par excellence, abſolu et ſi magnifique, de Utena la princesse réuolutionnaire (qui comprend dans ſa verſion nippone, en manga comme en animé, tant de références au français – et meſme un ſous-titre en cette langue, après le titre naturellement en iaponais).

Oh, et ſi uous uous demandiez à quoi correſpondait le titre et la ſection “ſhort fact/ thought”, il ſ’agit des premières lignes d’un magnifique poème de Catulle, le cinquième ou le ſixième ſi point ne me trompe. Rien à uoir donc avec le ‘ſuiet” de cet “article”, mais en uoici tout de meſme, à titre gracieux et en guiſe de concluſion, les trois vers ſuiuants: “Soles occidere et redire possunt/Nobis cum semel occidit breuis lux/Nox est perpetua una dormienda”.

WHO IS THE BETTER BOCCHI?

Everyone knows anime girls are cool. But who knows what they’re thinking? Time passes by, years turn old, anime seasons come and go. The endless and cyclical debate of seasonal BEST GIRL goes on and on as it is in the primitive nature of the anime man to pick and poke at the season’s offerings in search of the one where “She’s just like me FR!!!”. Does the BEST GIRL title belong to she who dominates the echelons of longevity in the anime man’s mindspace, or does it fall into the hands of she who holds the attention of the fickle spotlight? Perchance.

It was Kant who said “Experience without theory is blind, but theory without excellence is mere intellectual play.” The anime man exhibits experience by watching anime all day,  but he exhibits theory by stating “She’s just like me FR!!!”. Today I have selected two characters to best examine this phenomenon. Hitori Gotoh (後藤 ひと り Gotō Hitori), also known as Bocchi-chan (ぼっちちゃん), is one of the main characters in the manga and anime series, Bocchi the Rock! (source: Bocchi the Rock! wiki). Hitori Bocchi (一里ぼっち, Hitori Bocchi) is one of the main characters of the Hitoribocchi no OO Seikatsu series (source: Hitoribocchi no OO Seikatsu Wiki). They’re just like me FR!!! But which one is better? Do we want to find out? Keep it up, baby!

The tenets for analysis are as follows: best sound (because how is the best girl to be perceived but through the cute anime noises she makes?), best design (iykyk), and best name (because what else do we remember them by? Other than BEST GIRL of course). However we are not looking at the writing of these characters because writing is for nerds.

to keep you up at night, if mental depression is not enough already. My high school English teacher told me that CONTEXT is important for any examples that we use, hence 後藤 ひとり gets extra points because this was in reaction to the thought of being told to touch grass, which anyone can point to and go “She is just like me FR!!!” However, 一里ぼっち will have to get the win here, because her demonic laughter haunts me in my dreams (if I am not being kept up at night by 後藤 ひとり, that is) and I am sure 一里ぼっち would come out of the screen and do something awful to me if I did not give 一里 ぼっち the win here. Plus, isn’t she just the cutest?

Best Design: If you asked a Film major (those exist?) on how to judge character designs, they might point you towards something like “Seven Principles of Character Design” or “Ten Other Principles of Character Design.” However, as we all know, anime production consists of and only of SAKUGA and MAPPA GOAT so instead we will only talk about the meme factor of designs here. 一里ぼっち breaks boundaries by being the first anime character to bridge the gap between human and crustacean by becoming a literal BOCCHI CRAB. However, 後藤 ひとり breaks literal dimensions by being the first anime character to literally becoming a Rubix Cube. This is truly a tough battle between 一里ぼっち and 後藤 ひとり, but 後藤 ひとり will have to win out here. Plus, isn’t she just the cutest.

Best Sound: a fierce battle between 後藤 ひとり’s electronic death screech and 一里ぼっち’s shilling cult-inspiring laughter. 後藤 ひと り has everything going for her here, with her piercing cry that sure

Best Name: Finally, something that can properly be researched for true objectivity, as there is only one objectively correct opinion about anime and that is mine. What does 後藤 ひとり mean? According to familyeducation.com, “‘later wisteria’, indicating descendants of the Fujiwara clan through various branches. This name occurs chiefly along the southeastern seaboard of Japan and in the Ryūkyū Islands.” What about 一里ぼっち? According to japanese-names.info, “里 means “village, hometown, birthplace.” Under this deep and careful research, we can conclude that the names of these characters are expertly crafted under careful considerations, with meanings that far transcend how they appear on the screen and define the very essence of who they are. Yet, despite this, one character edges out. Is it 後藤 ひとり? Or is it  一里ぼっち? The answer is…

Writer

WAI KWAN WU

2nd Year, Molecular Cell Biology

*electronic screech* "Wa-ha-ha!"

Bocchi. The winner of Best Bocchi is Bocchi. All hail BEST GIRL!

ARTICLE #95

Editor-In-Chief

& Writer

TONY T. & JOSÉ CUEVAS

3rd Year, Economics and Data Science

6th Year, Nuclear Engineering and Philosophy

insert snippet explaining point that has little to do with the message of the article but has to do with my thoughts on the subject.

In the last twenty years, Japanese animation has been declining drastically. For some reason, it seems as though post-1999, anime just simply hasn’t been the same. There is but one clear answer as to why: I don’t like it and therefore it is bad in a manner that cannot be quantified objectively but I subjectively consider a blight on the industry as a whole.

[insert further explanation tying my views to a some greater analytical point]

[insert examples for this observation, spread between well known and more obscure media]

[insert explanation of thesis statement here]

[insert some more background details here]

[insert explanation of my logic deeply rooted in my own idiosyncratic view of media]

[insert backtracking statement to make sure audience isn’t offended too much]

[insert conclusion that sums up full analysis and ends on an optimistic or dour note]

And thus, that’s why Japanese animation is definitively atrocious and you should feel bad for liking it.

YOU NEED TO WATCH LAIN: A SERIES OF ANIME-RELATED HAIKUS

Writer

Rahm Jethani

1st Year, Japanese

This is something new / A short series of haikus / I’m not very good at this

Serial Experiments Lain: You need to watch Lain Texhnolyze is much better But you should watch Lain

Studio Ghibli Movies: These are really great Childhood distilled in art Still, too much screaming

Pokémon: A cool idea So many badass moments I really miss Ash

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Part 2 is the best Other parts are alright too JOJOLands looks sick

Pandora Hearts: Plot roller coaster I still don’t know anything It was amazing

Digimon: Very high highs, but Extremely low lows as well Tri wasn’t that bad

The Day I Became A God: It was too hyped up But it was really just fine Don’t bully Maeda ;-;

Code Geass: Akito the Exiled: A true hidden gem I’m mad that no one else cares CGI was peak

Into the Forest of Fireflies’ Light: 44 minutes

Proves that length doesn’t matter To make an impact

Seraph of the End: I love the premise

Erik would hate calumny So I’ll say it’s good

Banana Fish: The last episode

Makes me so terribly sad (There’s an epilogue)

07-Ghost: The vibe of the show Comfy yet terrifying Severely slept on

Dragon Ball Super: A whole entire Episode dedicated To a single fight

Blue Exorcist: SEASON 3 OUT SOON I AM REALLY EXCITED This could be special

Berserk: It is packed with style And it features a big sword So therefore… S tier

Death Note: A novel concept Featuring some filler, but It earns its large fame

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood: If it brings back Mom, Then let’s go find and kill God (Mustang is the best)

Yu-Gi-Oh: There is enjoyment

In repeated tellings of What Pot of Greed does

Samurai Champloo: “Hip-hop samurai” Is one hell of a sales pitch That I’m so glad worked

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children: I guess that this counts I actually liked it Despite its small flaws

Fate/Zero: The best Fate entry Full of high stakes and deep loss And fantastic songs

One Piece: The One Piece is real And it will be found soon, just… In about 2 years

Perfect Blue: Tense and insightful Psychological thriller About an idol

Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl: This movie ended At least 3 or 4 times, yet The last one was nice

Psycho-Pass: Opposite sides with Engaging philosophies …not America

Guilty Crown: Overly hated Beautiful music and art And it has passion

Z.O.E. Dolores, I: Has a big IP And has space violence, yet It’s about a dad

Terror in Resonance: How could they think that Sad Icelandic music worked? And how were they right?

TRANSITION: The focus will shift From anime to some games Inspired by it

Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch: Ghibli RPG With wholesome themes, and moments Where I want to cry

Valkyria Chronicles Series: Watercolor art In a war-filled world of tanks And super soldiers

Suikoden II: A war-torn country Where you become a leader And where you grow up

Tales of Arise: Super insane plot, Great character chemistry, Tad underwhelming

Xeno Series: I am too small-brained But the worlds tell their own tales That will destroy hearts

Final Fantasy XV: I’ll die on this hill 15 was a masterpiece Just very damaged

Nier: Automata: The best way to be A wise existentialist And a pervert too

Persona Series: You get to bond with Like, 20 characters, yet Only one is right

Chrono Series: You will never feel Such magic from other works And I am grateful

Kingdom Hearts Series: Favorites may change But people will not deny The feels are strong here

Heaven Burns Red: I know… gacha game… But it still hits so damn hard Global version when?

Team ICO Games: There are many words That describe these thoughtful games I choose “intimate”

Serial Experiments Lain (again): This isn’t a game But you should really watch Lain It will leave you changed

The One Piece Is Real

Peak Piece

Art By Mitchell Madayag

Fisheye Lineup No.

Bungo Stray Dogs

1 (Iconic)

Art By Catherine Chen

DOGGY POOEXISTENTIAL MASTERPIECE

Max R.

4th Year, Japanese Writing shit about shit.

Staff Picks: FAVORITE

ANIME

THE 2007-2009 FINANCIAL CRISIS

PILLOWPETS

With its twists and turns, numerous heroes and villains, this anime is surely a classic for the ages.

XENOGEARS

It’s just Evangelion but better in every way so… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

DISNEY'S FASTPASS: A COMPLICATED HISTORY

CATHERINE C.

At first glance this slice of life comedy seems to be full of fluff, but is that truly it? Watch it open itself before you for the dark truth…

AMONG US

How much do you know about lines? A line, or a queue, is an organized group of people or, in this case dots, waiting their turn for some… thing. The amount of time it takes to get from the start of the queue to the end of the queue is the wait time. In its simplest form, the wait time is affected by two factors,

Who needs Astra Lost in Space when you have the original… and it's more sus.

THE 1929 FINANCIAL CRISIS

ALEXANDRE HAIOUN-PERDRIX

Be clever, do not choose the aforementioned reboot. Its sequel wherein the mustached hero of Season 1 plays and fights with and against two other mustached guys is a must.

RAHM JETHANI

ANGEL MENDEZ

TONY T.

NICK W.

Weekly

Zhao

Rahm Jethani

Madayag

Park

Chen Artist/Graphic Designer

Zhang

Xue

Cas Geiger

Ellya Kim Artist

Rha

Heaven Jones

Mio Kurosaka

Li

Otaka

Haioun-Perdrix

Morrison

L.

Jose Cuevas

Max Rothman

Wai Kwan Wu