Gundam, Macross, Evangelion, Ideon, Yamato...
Understand real-world wars in international politics and the future from wars depicted in science fiction anime!
[Content Introduction]
In modern Japan, where most generations have never experienced war, "war" is something they learn about through school education and various media, and is likely perceived as something unfamiliar and unrealistic. However, with wars such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the military conflict between Israel and Hamas, as well as North Korea's missile launches and the threat of a Taiwan emergency, public awareness is likely undergoing a major shift. In a 2022 Cabinet Office opinion poll, 86.2% of respondents said that "Japan is at risk of being drawn into war." For generations unfamiliar with war, many have connected past and real-world wars in other countries to the worldviews of science fiction anime such as "Space Battleship Yamato," "Mobile Suit Gundam," and "Neon Genesis Evangelion."
This book explores the perspectives and aspects of war in numerous science fiction anime works, based on past and ongoing wars and what the future holds. It explores the setting and worldview of each work, the characteristics of the weapons featured, and the global situation at the time of its broadcast. It also touches on the message and depth of each work, providing an opportunity to reconsider the concept of "war."
[Planned Content]
Chapter 1: The Mainstreaming of Science Fiction Anime and War
Chapter 2: War in Science Fiction Anime from the Perspective of International Politics
Chapter 3: War as Depicted in Science Fiction Anime
Chapter 4: War and Weapons in Science Fiction Anime
Chapter 5: Artificial Intelligence in Science Fiction Anime
Chapter 6: Popular Science Fiction Anime
Column: "Blue Comet SPT Layzner" and "Megazone 23"
Special Conversation: Yoshiyuki Tomino and Sugio Takahashi
"Real-World Wars and the 'Despair' and 'Hope' Depicted in Works"
[Author]
Sugio Takahashi
Director of the Defense Policy Research Department at the National Institute for Defense Studies, a think tank within the Ministry of Defense. He completed a Master's degree in Political Science at Waseda University Graduate School. His specialties are international security, modern military strategy, nuclear deterrence, and Japan-US relations. He is one of Japan's leading experts in research and communication on Japanese defense policy. He is also well-versed in anime, particularly science fiction. In his private life, he is known as an avid soccer fan, and has been a supporter of the Japan national team and Kawasaki Frontale for over 20 years. He is also a big fan of sweets, making his own jam and posting photos of sweets on social media.
