Contexts Essay

Presentation

Land of the Lustrous: how is

pure psyche represented in the
story
by Coyle Loughran
Animation of choice: land of
the lustrous
What is psyche?
Definition of psyche and how it relates to
Land of the Lustrous

Psyche comes from the Greek psykhe, which means “the soul, mind,
spirit, or invisible animating entity which occupies the physical body.”

Can psyche ever be 100% pure? So, is it possible to exist without

needs, thoughts, feelings, identity etc.?
Introduction to Land of the Lustrous
Land of the lustrous was written by Haruko Ichikawa and
published on 25th October 2012. It was made into an
animation and released in late 2017 by Orange Animation Haruko Ichikawa

Studio. It is also known as Houseki no Kuni, which in

Japanese means ‘Country of Jewels’.

In a world populated by jewels that take the form of people,

Phosphophyllite (Phos) (the main character) is seen as weak
and fragile (in other words has the lowest ‘hardness’ out of
all of the precious stones) and is considered ineffective by
‘her’ people.
Introduction to Land of the Lustrous
The animation takes the audience through the processes
and transformations that Phos experiences in her
Haruko Ichikawa
existence and focuses on her dislike of her ‘weak’ self and
her ‘desire’ to be strong.

It also explores the relationships and attachments that

Note use of ‘her’:
she has with other characters (especially Master Kong – Land of Lustrous
the Sensei). does not identify
with gender,
however for ease of
The main premise being: in world and existence where reading and
explanation
the inhabitants have totally pure psyche, how and to Ichikawa uses the
what extent does - and can - she have these experiences? pronouns of ‘him’
and ‘her’.
 Theorists and theories/concepts behind the
analysis of pure psyche; and the extent to which
this is explored and represented in Land of the
Lustrous
The tale of Dr Faust
Land of the Lustrous has echoes of the classic
German legend, of Faust (based on the historical
figure of Johann Georg Faust (c. 1480–1540)).
Faust becomes dissatisfied with his life, and makes a
pact with the Devil, in exchange for his soul to be
given unlimited knowledge and pleasure.

The main character Phos ‘loses herself’ in her desire

to be strong. So, does Phos sell her ‘soul’ (if she has
one) like Faust, in order to transform into a new
version of herself?
John Bowlby – Attachment Theory (1969)
Attachment is a deep and enduring emotional
bond that connects one person to another across
time and space.
Attachment does not have to be reciprocal. One
person may have an attachment to an individual
which is not shared.

Phos has an attachment with Master Kongo who is

the all-powerful master of the gems. But can
Jewels have attachment, if they do not have a
‘personality’ or only have a totally pure psyche?
John Bowlby -
psychologist
Wilhelm Wundt (1873)
Structuralism is the methodology that implies
elements of human culture must be understood by
way of their relationship to a broader, overarching
system or structure.
It works to uncover the structures that underlie all
the things that humans do, think, perceive, and
Wilhelm Wundt –
feel. psychological
theorist
Does the Land of the Lustrous have structure? Do
the gems have the ability to create structures and
frames of reference for thoughts and feelings?
Maslow’s (1943) hierarchy of needs
Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a motivational
theory in psychology comprising a five-tier model
of human needs, often depicted as hierarchical
levels within a pyramid.

From the bottom of the hierarchy upwards, the

needs are physiological, safety, love and belonging,
esteem and self-actualization. Needs lower down in
the hierarchy must be satisfied before individuals
can attend to needs higher up.
Do the gems have needs? Physiologically – no, as
they do not eat, drink, sleep etc. But, do they have
‘higher’ needs?
Freud’s id theory (1915)
According to Sigmund Freud's
psychoanalytic theory of personality, the id
is the personality component made up of
unconscious psychic energy that works to
satisfy basic urges, needs, and desires.
The id operates based on the pleasure
principle, which demands immediate
gratification of needs.
Do the gems have desires or feel pleasure?
The main characters
Character: Phosphophyllite(Phos)
• Main character
• Hardness: 3.5
• Personality of a spoiled child
wanting to be of use to her
community when given a chance
• Her only strength is great
observational skills
Character: Master Kongo
• The leader / father figure of the gems
• Not much information about him is
revealed in the animation - mysterious
• Quiet and stoic
• His composure usually only falters under
two conditions: first, when Gems put
themselves in harm's way carelessly,
second, when he is confronted by
matters from his past, such as the
subject of humans.
• This character links with Bowlby’s
Attachment Theory
Character: Antarcticite
• She is a catalytic character
(another character, not just a situation or
event, that helps to gets things started in a
movie. This character may make demands
upon a protagonist or urge them toward
some action. The catalytic character is one
who forces the protagonist toward some
objective or transformation).
• Militant
• Doesn’t really show soft side
• Judgemental and blunt
Character: Cinnabar
• Catalyst for Phos’s actions thought out of the
animations.
• Isolated from the rest of the cast
• Gloomy and hates herself for dirtying things
with her poison
Character: Diamond (Dia)
• Very friendly, kind, and gentle
• Insecure and frustrated with their
current body which, though being
the hardest, shatters easily
• Dislikes being compared to Bort
• Perceptive regarding Gems' inner
feelings and relationships
• Relationship with Bort is
complicated she admires and loves
Bort but also envy and resent her
Character: Bortz Diamond
• Obsessed with combat
• Often pointing out the flaws in the
other Gems in a blunt and
straightforward manner.
• Despite her harsh personality, Bort
does have a softer side, in rare
moments displaying a sense of
humour and a reluctance to hit cute
things. She has also shown care and
concern for her siblings, or at the
least does a good job looking out
for all of them.
Summary
My animation of choice is: Land of the Lustrous; and within this I will be
exploring how pure psyche is represented in the animation.

The main focus is on the character – Phos.

The essay will analyse the transformations, processes and relationships

of Phos, and to what extent her psyche is truly pure.