Summary
Superheroes in Japanese comics and anime rely on government oversight for licensing and regulation. Unlike in the West, heroes in Japan work within the framework of laws and regulations set by the government. Japanese superhero storytelling emphasizes teamwork and government-controlled social harmony.
In the world of Japanese superheroes story And cartoon – from My Hero Academia to One-Punch Man, and from classics like Astro Boy and Ultraman to newer hits like Go! Go! The ranger lost! – the common element that ties these diverse titles together is the implicit but unmistakable influence of government oversight or private regulation of superhero matters.
No matter where you look in manga and anime, the government's fingerprints are all over the superhero business. Indeed, regardless of the series or story, some level of governance – civilian control – is present in all kinds of super-powered activities. In My Hero Academia, superheroes need a government-issued license to protect the public from villains. Furthermore, to have the ability to become a hero, one must undergo hero training administered by the government.
In One-Punch Man, although the Hero Association is a private entity, it still serves as the government of the nation's heroes. Furthermore, as a private business entity, it is still subject to various laws and regulations that govern such organizations. Even in Jujutsu Kaisen – where jujutsu wizards can be compared to superheroes – the practice of witchcraft is strictly tied to government licensing. This pattern is found repeatedly in Japanese superhero comics and anime.
Japanese superhero stories are haunted by government control
In anime and manga, superheroes rarely act as vigilantes or operate on the wrong side of the law.
The government surveillance element of superhero manga and anime is so common that it's become a cliché, but it stands in stark contrast to superhero stories in the West. For example, the majority of superheroes in the United States act outside of government regulation and, in many cases, against it. Furthermore, government attempts to impose its will on superheroes such as the Sokovia Accords in the Marvel Universe have either failed or been ignored.
All of this suggests that the idea of the independent vigilante that was so important in the Platonic conception of the superhero is practically non-existent in the Japanese superhero storytelling tradition. Indeed, In the Japanese tradition of superhero storytelling, the focus is not on the individual hero but rather the collective efforts of the heroes through teamwork and camaraderie. That is, Japanese superhero storytelling should be considered a complete and distinct subgenre of the superhero story.
In Japanese Manga and Anime, the Government ensures the provision of quality superhero services
Of course, there are cultural reasons why this happens. Japanese society places more emphasis on harmony and collective conformity. Individual or independent heroism, although accepted, is not usually considered the first choice. Social harmony is ensured by laws and regulations, which in turn are promulgated and enforced by government agencies or other legal frameworks. Superheroes who operate outside the norm, even when they are helping people, are seen as disrupters of the social harmony that is at the heart of Japanese society.
To be sure, while One-Punch Man started out as a vigilante, after no one recognized him as a hero – and in fact, many viewed him as a troublemaker – he quickly Quickly joining the Hero Association is sanctioned by law. Another cultural source for strict government surveillance of superheroes in manga and anime is the cultural importance that Japan places on the concept of teamworkand the idea that challenges are best overcome when addressed collaboratively. Of course, cooperation can arise organically, but at the societal level, effective cooperation and teamwork can be more easily achieved by the government or some oversight agency.
For Manga and Anime superheroes, with great power comes the duty to serve the public good
Indeed, there is little historical context for independent vigilantes in Japan. That is, the idea of one voluntarily taking risks for the good of the community is not as clearly expressed in Japan as it is in the West. Indeed, while superheroes in Japan and America both work to protect society, in anime and manga, the safety of the community rarely depends on the whims of any one hero. nearby, ready and able to respond.
Rather, Japanese heroes promote the idea that the government or some degree of official oversight ensures that any challenge will be met with an appropriate response and that society is protected by the heroes. and serve. It's a notable difference from how American superheroes operate, but it makes anime and manga stories about heroes stand out even more.