Fun Stuff: Words of the Wise III

Time for part III of Words of the Wise. For part one and two, click the links!


1. "Shu suffered, and doubted, and made mistakes, and was ashamed of his heart's own ugliness. But the reason I love him is that Shu's human. He's heartbreakingly human."- Inori from Guilty Crown

Why it rules: Guilty Crown as an anime has its share of critics, and rightfully so. It borrows heavily from the similarly themed Code Geass, but fails to inspire the fascinating character study made possible with Geass's Lelouch vi Britannia in the series' comparable hero Shu. That being said, I was intrigued that many reviews cited Shu's internal weakness as the reason he was unlikable, with one reviewer going so far as to say that many people don't have that kind of weakness and doubt inside themselves, but are rather confident and self-satisfied. As a fellow human being, I would like to call into question that reviewer's assessment of the human condition. Even when we are at our happiest and most confident, rarely a moment goes by when we aren't troubled in some form or another by our natures, moments of doubt, and regrets for mistakes made in the past. These weaknesses are what makes us who we are, and though we are able to recognize them as such and value them, that doesn't mean they aren't capable of turning us dark from time to time. There's nothing wrong with being "heartbreakingly human" as such, so don't fall in to the same trap as the Guilty Crown reviewer who has chosen to ignore the complex and multi-faceted dynamics of his own human heart.

Shu may have his share of character flaws, but honestly, don't we all?

     

2. "There's nothing I can do if I just envy another person's world. I have to change my own world with my own two hands." - Shinichi Chiaki from Nodame Cantabile
Why it rules: Nodame Cantabile's Chiaki is constantly billed as arrogant at the start of the show, which is certainly true considering that his high opinion of his talents keep him from humbling himself and slaving over making it big. At one point, he even considers giving up music, first because he's assigned one of the lower quality professors at his prestigious music schools, and then because his fear of flying will keep him from traveling from Japan and pursuing a career in Europe. Working with the haphazard and secretly brilliant Nodame quickly changes his world view, as does meeting a real life musical conductor Stresemann, which at last encourages him to confront his own arrogance. Yes, he's talented, but no, he can't have what he wants if he simply eyes greedily what successful people have. To take it for himself, he's going to start at the bottom, work his way up, and change his world little by little. And that's how you become great, people. Riding someone's coattails will take you so far, but working for what you want and creating change for yourself and others is what brings results.

   

Chiaki is alluring as a character due to his ability to work through setbacks and his own temperamental personality to reach for the heart of music 

 3. "Miracles don't exist in this world. There is only inevitability, coincidence, and what you're going to do." - Yuu Himura from ef: A Tale of Melodies
The odd thing about me including this quote is that Yuu's anti-miracle stance is effectively disproved by the presence of Yuuko in his life, especially after tragedy strikes and his life is changed forever as shown in the second season of ef. I also believe in miracles, in the sense that there are things in this world that defy explanation. However, what I love about this quote from Yuu is the last item on his list: what you're going to do. So much agony in life stems from thoughts along the lines of knowing how to proceed or cope or move on after a particular event or impending change. This is often followed by the desire to make time stop, or to somehow make things stagnant so the feared moment of choice or action never comes. It's so difficult for us to admit that there is no such thing as a frozen moment, and time comes and goes regardless of our desires and fears. In life, both bad things and good things happen, and while you can't control all of it, the one thing you can control is your own course of action. Or, as Yuu puts it, what are you going to do? 

He doesn't always choose wisely or rightly, but Yuu does his best to atone for the mistakes of his past with Yuuko

  

4. "If someone tells me having hope is a mistake, I will reject that statement every time." -Madoka Kaname from Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Why it rules: Madoka Magica did anime viewers a favor by reminding them that while the magical girl genre looks moe moe moe, its original intent is rooted in giving female characters agency and power in a world where they are born into very little. The magical girls of the series are thrust into a dangerous world where their own safety and well-being are at risk, and learn at a price how to value and protect that which is most important to them, even when the odds and chances of survival are against them. Homura in particular is time and time again thrust into a seemingly hopeless situation that seems inescapable, but the words of Madoka still ring true. Having hope is never a mistake. Is the thing you want impossible? Some things in this world are, but hoping for change is not always about the results, but the journey you take inside when you desperately wish for something good in the future. As Chiaki says in quote two, if your world isn't as you want to be, it's up to you to change your world with your own two hands. And when it comes to doing that, hope is what more often than not spurs on action.

Homura's hopes for Madoka and vice versa have far reaching consequences for the world around them

 5. "Being kind to everyone simply means there's no one special." - Hitagi Senjougahara from Bakemonogatari
Why it rules: If I have any complaint about harem series or anything with harem elements, it's this. If you have a hero or heroine willing to extend his or herself equally for everyone around them, how is that supposed to make a single person feel special? In Bakemonogatari, Senjougahara is just one of the few women Araragi goes above and beyond to help, and though she's the one he's in love with, she questions his intentions in showing equal kindness to classmate Tsubasa, who harbors feelings of love which Araragi does not return. A similar sentiment is echoed in A Certain Magical Index, when several of the people around main character Touma become "just another girl he's saved," with many of the female leads including Index and Misaka never knowing where they stand with him because he's kind to every single damsel in distress that has ever existed. There's nothing wrong with being nice to people, but if you never differentiate your kindness, the people who love and care about you are going to wonder if they matter as much to you as you do to them.

Things work out for these two, but Araragi takes moments like these to show her exactly why she's special