1

Chapter I

INTRODUCTION

People enjoy a good story. The more unlikely for it to

happen in reality, the more it entertains. Ever since the

dawn of humanity, stories have been one of the basic

alleviations from boredom. Humans need to be removed from

boredom. Boredom is “the yawning abyss of being” 1. People

feel a piece of nothingness when they are bored. One could

even say that being bored is the basic human manifestation

of nihilism. However, this is merely a speculative analogy.

One does not go far as to regard reality as meaningless just

because one cannot find proper amusement. Still, the topic

may be open for discussion.

Going back to the topic of boredom and its alleviation,

a story is one of which that entertains thus it is quite

arguably one of those that removes boredom and in the

process removes the feeling of nothingness.

Safrinski,
1
Rüdiger. Nietzsche: A Philosophical
Biography. Trans. by Shelley Frisch (W.W. Norton & Co.,
2000), p. 24
 2

Throughout history, the manifestations of a story have

changed. A story can be a rumor, a form of literature, a

passed on tradition or even just a simple side joke. The

basic purpose of it stays the same but has evolved to

contain other uses. Its evolution made stories be used for

portraying different meanings and messages. Many have used

it for propaganda, economics, even courtship. One thing

never deviates from the purpose of a story is the knowledge

learned or quite simply the retrospect a listener or reader

does when he pays close attention to it.

As eras come and go, the way a story is told changes.

Ancients used to gather around a group were an elder or high

priest would give profound chronicles of nature, the

heavens, heroism, and other such mythologies. In pre-print

eras, stories travel and evolve through song and poetry. One

of the most common would be that of the epic. Bards,

minstrels, poets, and even philosophers would tell of

different narratives. One thing is quite apparent, those

stories often carried with them the history and culture of

the people that tell them. In other words, stories are what

kept civilizations alive in one aspect. Their traditions are

carried down through their literature. If we have some deep

insight on this, we would notice that human beings chose

that which alleviates them from boredom the very beacon to

 3

which they entrusted the conveyance of their knowledge and

culture in. That is perhaps people needed to create good

stories, because a pathetic one would not be worth carrying

the burden of a culture with it.

There is a famous saying that goes art can save the world.

If a story portrayed within an art-form carries within it

the culture and history of an era then perhaps the saying

does apply.

At present, the way a certain story is told differs

from the culture it bears. However, not only is culture

carried by such stories but philosophies as well. To the

well-versed academic, works by renowned writers such as

Henry David Thoreau, Oscar Wilde, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, or

Umberto Ecco all contain such deep and reactive

philosophies. Books are the most common medium of expression

for literary works.

Because of the onset of fast global interaction, there

became a necessity for newer forms of media. The story is no

longer constricted to word-of-mouth or within books.

Innovations in technology and the desire for the new have

brought about the emergence of a culture of driven by

expression and self-recognition. Whether it be the

television, the internet, magazines, and even graphic art,

the new media have become the forerunners of the task of

 4

portraying the philosophies and ideologies of the world and

its generation.

Animé is part of the new generation of expression. It

is part of the new genre of story-telling that brings with

it new dimensions of perspectives. Despite being almost

always purely fictional, the ideas and emotions dealt within

a given storyline is quite human and real, albeit being just

animation. Since it is animation, animé is clearly meant to

entertain. However, other than the purpose of amusement,

animé also contains themes of profound philosophical and

psychological importance. One could clearly perceive that

most of its themes deals with highly spiritual and

transcendent values. One would easily notice philosophical

undertones and subliminal messages of surrealism in works

such as the ever popular Neon Genesis Evangelion or the

critically acclaimed Spirited Away. Clear depiction of

death, reality, the human psyche, will, freedom, war,

friendship, survival, are seen in most of less un-mature

content of animé.

One of the most widely recognized genre is the more

modern form of literature known as the “literature of

change”2 by Arthur Clarke, a renowned writer himself. This

Hull, Elizabeth Ann and Mark Siegel, “Science
2

Fiction”, Handbook of Japanese Popular Culture, Edited by

 5

literature is known as the science fiction genre. Animé,

especially the science fiction genre, has become widespread

internationally, and has been recognized as a whole new

culture by both its followers and critics.

A) Statement of the Problem

It is this paper’s purpose to provide a philosophical

critique and reflective analysis of the popular culture

genre of Animé science fiction, more specifically the Mecha

genre. To narrow it down even more, the series Mobile Suit

Gundam SEED and its spin-off Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny

will be used as the main paradigms for analysis. Moreover,

it is this papers task of uncovering and discussing the

philosophical undertones of the said animés as both as an

art-form and a narrative in the popular culture. There are

different ideologies surrounding the world narrated in the

animé. There are those that contain concepts and principles

concerning life and death, honor and indignation, fate and

freedom, and other like materials. It will be revealed that

one of the most prominent undertones in the animé series and

even popular culture of today as a whole is quite

Nietzschean. Nietzschean is an adjective that refers to the

philosophy and thematic of the German philosopher Friedrich

Richard Gid Powers and Hidetoshi Kato, (Greenwood Press:
Connecticut, London) p.244
 6

Nietzsche. To articulate on the manner at hand, this paper

would attempt to answer as sufficiently as it could the

following questions:

-----------------------------

Why does the present day society’s popular culture have such

an ambiguous view on values and morals?

What are the different philosophical undertones of animé as

an art-form and a narrative?

What are the different philosophical undertones of the animé

franchise of Gundam SEED?

How could these relate to the real world?

-----------------------------

Also, the purpose of revelation and introduction as a

philosophical medium of the animé narrative to the academic

scene will also be part of the function of this paper.

B) Research Methodology:

Basically, the content would roughly be this: First, a

brief discussion on the unpopularity and popularity of pop-

culture. Second would be the history and evolutions of animé

both as an art-form and as a culture. Third is a brief

discussion of different other animés and its philosophies

and traditions as to give examples that animé in general,

not just the science fiction genre nor the Gundam universe,
 7

has philosophical and spiritual significance. Then, the next

discussions are a very brief introduction to the science

fiction scene as modern literature. After that is the

discussion of the science fiction genre as it appears in

animé. Of course included here is a slight discussion of its

aesthetic values and its philosophies. There also needs to

be a brief and clear discussion of the philosophy that

Gundam SEED contains. This would be placed so that it would

be explained as to why the said philosophy is even in the

animé and in that manner even in the popular media scene.

Also, the discussion would be used as a brief background of

the philosophy itself for those unfamiliar to it. Then we

move on to the topic proper. The next few chapters

succeeding these would now be the discussion of the animé.

Included here are its history, plot, details for the

characters, detailed summary and discussion of the world of

Gundam SEED and its timelines, and other needed background

information so that the readers who are not quite familiar,

be it to be more interested in the animé or otherwise, have

a clear picture of what is being discussed. Following this

would of course be the philosophy and reflective analysis of

the animé.

The discussion of the philosophy of Nietzsche and the

whole story of the animé meta-series will not be fully

 8

discussed in detail. It would be just be an expository work

coupled by a philosophical reflective analysis.

For further insight, one may wish to watch the animé

itself, with its 100 episodes. One may never really

appreciate a works once you have fully participated in it.

C) Scope and Limitations

This paper will explicitly be a reflective analysis and

critique on the said animé series, the popular culture that

created it, and its philosophical significance. As said

earlier, the main philosophical undertone of the animé is

Nietzschean. Although it seems that there many themes that

this paper will be discussing concerning the said

philosophy, it will not, however, delve any deeper than what

is outlined. It is no longer concerned with the life of the

philosopher nor is it mainly about his works. It only took

several ideologies that would suffice for the main purpose

of the paper and that is to show an emergence of themes that

are Nietzschean in the said popular media. The realm that

which Nietzsche took might have been different from the

realm which this paper is undertaking but the ideas have

similarities. The Nietzschean philosophy was a search for a

new world, supremacy, the decadence of the modern thought,

rebellious ideologies towards structuralism and the like,

 9

and other such descriptions, to say the least, and was

perhaps quite anti-social. To reconcile these two concerns

would much of an ordeal. However, this paper will only use

certain themes as a viewpoint for the popular media.

Although some may misconceive that his philosophy paved the

way for the Nazi regime or that his affinity to tragedy may

be somewhat macabre and dreary or even his misconceived

statement “God is dead” to be rebellious, atheistic, and for

some satanic, this paper has no concern for such

trivialities.

As said earlier, the main discussion of this paper is

the animé and the mushrooming of Nietzschean themes in them,

themes that have independent dimensions. To remove

misunderstanding, this paper would attempt to remove

separate the philosophy from the philosopher and assimilate

it in a new medium. However, the strength in doing so would

mean that the there would not come a time when the

discussion that would be henceforth laid out would be

challenged due to its insufficiency in discussing and

critiquing the philosopher himself. Ideas are incorruptible.

A way to make them so is to abstract and remove them from

the person who made them. The reason is quite simple; ideas

will not flow and evolve once it does not depart from its

creator. Ideas become closed and stagnant if they stay only

 10

as the thought made by someone and not removed from his or

her identity. It should be noted, however, that the

philosophers who thought of the ideas should still be given

credit since it is them that thought of them in the first

place. In an essay entitled “The Death of the Author” by

Roland Barthes, he says:

Classic criticism has never paid any attention to

the reader; for it, the writer is the only person
in literature. We are now beginning to let
ourselves be fooled no longer by the arrogant
antiphrastical recriminations of good society in
favor of the very thing it sets aside, ignores,
smothers, or destroys; we know that to give
writing its future, it is necessary to overthrow
the myth: the birth of the reader must be at the
cost of the death of the Author.3

Although this speaks of the reader and a work of literature,

it also goes with how one views an idea from its

philosopher. What this means is quite simply, the idea is

different from the thinker. Many have been sceptical of a

given work due to the prejudice with its precursor. People

agree or otherwise to a work just because they have an

affinity to its creator. If we remove this prejudice, then

the idea is left to stretched to whatever limits and it

would be quite objective of a thought. That is why the

purpose of simply discussing the affinity of the animé to

3
Barthes, Roland, The Death of the Author, http://evans-
experientialism.freewebspace.com/barthes06.htm. February 4,
2009
 11

the philosophical ideas would be better so as to have a less

broad scope of thought.

To reiterate, the discussion is about the animé Mobile

Suit Gundam SEED, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny and its

form of genre. It is a discussion of mainly its philosophy

and significance. It is not and extensive analysis and

discussion on the works of the philosopher Nietzsche nor is

it the discussion on the assimilation of the whole animé

culture as being Nietzschean. Finally, the lack of

information on what Nietzsche thought and wrote is not

because of the ineptitude of the work. The reason is that

the paper is not centralized on Nietzsche but on the

philosophy of the animé. It just so happens that the work

found itself surrounded with different ideologies that is

noticeably Nietzschean especially to those with the affinity

to the philosopher and engrossed with the culture of animé.

D) Significance of the Study

The world is ever changing. It is quite apparent that

humans have come with the reconciliation with the values of

the new. As the world of modern media becomes ever-more

globally intermeshed, it's important for media literate

individuals to have some familiarity with international

media. Animé and Manga are no different than any other

 12

literary masterpieces. It contains and explores different

subjects and ideas. The only difference is that animé and

manga are portrayed as illustrated forms, while as the

conventional form of literature are more traditional because

they are placed within books and other like paraphernalia.

This sort of media was used due to the analysis gained

through the observation of our present generation. The

traditional conveyance of knowledge concerning philosophies,

which are books and discourses, are at its limits. What

becomes of this transmission is now given to the role of the

so-called Pop-Culture. It is not through Animé and Manga in

particular that the transference of information is placed

upon, but these types of media are apparently part of the

new forms of expression for literature within this

generation. It has become eminent with our generation

especially in our country. We are easily influenced by what

we see and watch on the television and computers that it has

become one of our main sources of information. This does not

entirely deviate away from the value of traditional

academics; far from it. One should not throw away proper

education found in scholarly institutions just because

information dissemination has become easily accessible with

just a click of a button. Discourse and study is quite

important. This work is apparently follows that path as

 13

well. The purpose is to show that the new media has some

valuable significance in our life style of learning. Since

people are more influenced by the new media, then why not

put active discourse in it so as to remove ideological

stagnation between discourse and popular media?

This media has grown towards into something more than

just entertainment. It became more than just a medium for

expression but a whole culture in itself. This developed out

of the attitudes of those that no longer desire to be mere

herd-like entities that follow given principles thrown to

them obey.

People enjoy the sense of the unreal world. The

narrative is no different. It tells a story of both masked

in color and unraveled by thought. The sense of morality no

longer exists for the intriguing nature of the work

prevails. The fact is, humans enjoy characters and their

persona even for an hour or half for this is their chance to

be above them simply because they are unreal, they are less

than us who watch them. In those moments we assert our

humanity, our sense of being real4

Popular media gives the same assertion as those of a

novel or short-story. The beauty of a narrative is that it

is a fantasy. It takes you to another dimension, into more

Vandenberg,Liz,http://www.theinterim.com/2002/june/22nietzs
4

he.html, September 9, 2008

 14

possibilities. Although it does take one into a new realm of

fantasy, it does not destroy the character that is the

person perceiving the realm; far from it, the character is

drawn within the masterful display of color and intensity

but retains control by being able to critique the narrative.

A lot of people have been reactive and affected by the

media they observe and read from. Their whole lifestyles may

even be changed because of this. It is this paper’s purpose

to show the depth of the media, especially Animé and Manga;

to show why people get so affected by it and whether or not

it be worthwhile to explore it even further in the future.

Perhaps [quite ambitiously] this work would be added to

other works just like it that analyzes and critiques forms

of popular media as also a significant reference for future

study of this like nature.

 15

CHAPTER II

Of Popular Culture: The New Medium of Philosophy

A) The Rise of the Popular Culture

Basically, popular culture means is “the culture —

patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that

give such activities significance and importance — which are

popular, well-liked or common.”5 The mass media is the one

5
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Popular Culture,
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popular_culture, February 12, 2009
 16

that often determines it. Within a given social context,

what is deemed to be popular is popular culture. Usually,

the manifestation of this culture is through its art. The

emergence of the term is rather present-day, however, even

in ancient times there also exists what many could call as

popular culture. Oddly enough, the present-day description

is different from what could have been considered as popular

in those times. Because of the onset of different post-isms,

the definition of the term popular culture has become more

paradoxical than what the words would imply. 6 In those days,

when one means popular, it actually means the largely

accepted or conventional. This generation has defined that

differently. Popular culture has become what is contrary to

the conventional culture. Traditionally, popular culture is

usually dictated by a central figure of governance. It could

be by politics, religion, tradition, etc. One example could

be that of the primeval belief of the world being flat or

that it was the center of the universe. These central

beliefs remained uncontested due to the fear of being

ostracized from the public eye. It even went so far as

deliberating against those central beliefs means being

branded with heresy. As eras changed and circulated, so did

what was the popular beliefs. Only due to the changes

Ortega y Gasset, Jose, The Dehumanization of Art and
6

other writings on art and culture, Double & Company, inc.,4

 17

brought on by revolution were the previous central ideas

nullified. In art, there was no exception. The changes of

different periods of art were the evidence to that. From the

classical to the gothic, from the baroque to the romantic,

from impressionism to expressionism, and realism to

surrealism, it was quite apparent that each era had its own

brand of what was popular.7 The funny thing is that what a

current epoch disapproved would likely become the next big

thing for the succeeding epoch.

The beginnings of the current popular culture are

dramatic. The modern art we have now come to appreciate was

what was considered previously as unpopular. All Pop-art8 is

considered to be unpopular. It is not so due to arbitrary

reasons or by accident, but by essence of what it stands

for.9 What is unpopular, however, does not necessarily mean

not popular. The new style of expression is neither popular

nor unpopular.10 The reason is that it takes a while in

winning the hearts of its eventual audience. In other words,

it is an underground movement. It is not unpopular since it

7
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Artistic
Revolution, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artistic_Revolution,March
9, 2009
8
The term is more sufficient than modern art since it
is used as a more contemporary vernacular since it is widely
accepted as the art-form that pioneered the emergence of
different genres much like it.
9
Ortega y Gasset, Jose, The Dehumanization of Art and
other writings on art and culture,4
10
Ibid.
 18

begins from a social context as well. There is a split in

the description. The reason is simply because of preference.

People are different, and their opinions and beliefs are

just as different from one another. It is not due to

principle but just a basic human factor. Basically, the

determinant of popularity depends if people like it or not.

We should be reminded that artistic or aesthetic judgment

attacks due to disposition, passion, and even by

environmental factors. However, it should be noted that in

the specific case of the new art, the dividing line is

determined by not just taste but of a deeper rationale. 11

The split between preferences also signifies the division of

generation. The old is in non-coherence with the new.

Technically, Pop-art is the art of the new and younger

culture. The reason is that “it is not that the majority of

does not like the art of the young and the minority likes

it, but that the majority, the masses do not understand

it.”12 The result of this is that those who do not

understand it tend to vilify it not because one finds

mediocrity in it but because of indignation. One who

dislikes it due to ineptitude in understanding feels less of

oneself and becomes depraved from this incapacity. According

to Ortega y Gasset,
11
Ibid., 5.
12
Ibid.
 19

When a man dislikes a work of art, but understands

it; there is no reason for indignation. But when
his dislike is due to his failure to understand,
he feels vaguely humiliated and his rankling sense
of inferiority must be counterbalanced by
indignant self-assertion.13

Understanding a work means there is mediocrity in its

production, but when it is apparent that there is no

understanding in the part of the one perceiving it then the

dislike is subjective and more striking to the ego.

The new culture emerging from the new art is what we

now know as Popular Culture. This new art manifests itself

through different varieties. Basically, these varieties

spawned out of the primary types of art, which are:

painting, sculpture, literature, architecture, and music.

The varieties that arise throughout recent centuries are

conglomerates of the five. Theatre, for example, is a

combination of the principles concerning music and

literature. Photography and film are a mixture of the

principles governing all five. The new form of media and the

new form of genres involved other innovations since if it

only used the same principles of the previous ones then

there would not be any distinction. Just to make it clear,

they did not remove the previous norms of the basic art,

13
Ibid., 6.
 20

they merely added and refurbished them to suit the new ever-

changing society.

The innovations that made the new art and the new

culture involved the philosophies of the people that made

them. Popular culture as the underground scene was a result

of the rebellion of thoughts by the new generation from the

constant strangling of the elitist view. When mass media

comes into mind, it usually involves refutation of the

previous conventions. There are numerous descriptions to

what popular culture is. It could be seen as the commercial

culture. This is culture that arose out of capitalist

revolutions. Another view is that essentially, pop-culture

is the left-over once what is the high-culture is

identified. It has a more political perception much like the

literature that arose because of the onset of the Industrial

Revolution. In any case, popular culture is what one would

say as the culture of the people. However, it would seem

quite ambiguous what or who these people are. The only

identified description of the people is the society of the

young and against mental slavery. This description would

suffice for now since the common goal of what this society

is to abandon constricting ideology and live with free

expressionism of life and thinking.

 21

B) Nietzsche and Nihilism in Popular Culture

The philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche has been always

seen as a rebel philosophy. He is known as the “great

attacker” by many who study in his field of specialization.

This perhaps was a major factor why his philosophy

manifested quite popularly within the popular culture scene

of today.

Nietzsche's powerful polemics against religion,

morality, and philosophy deploy a mixture of
Enlightenment-inspired criticism and romantic
vitalism to attack the life-negating aspects of
modern culture. In addition, Nietzsche criticizes
many of the institutions and values of modern
societies as oppressing bodily energies and
creativity, while blocking the generation of
stronger individuals and a more vigorous society
and culture. In his appraisals of the modern age,
Nietzsche developed one of the first sustained
critiques of mass culture and society, the state,
and bureaucratic discipline and regimentation,
producing perspectives that deeply influenced
later discourses of modernity.14

His philosophy made its way through the annals of

popular culture. The recent trend of the new culture is to

have a certain affinity with what is dark, foreboding, and

charmingly cynical. This would be the result of what we

philosophers have come to know as the age of post-modernity.

In other ways of saying, this is the generation that

worships the enlivening modern ethos of critique, and denies

Kellner,Douglas,
14
Nietzsche on Mass Culture,
http://www.uta.edu/huma/illuminations/kell22.htm, September
3, 2008.
 22

[with much spirit] the perennial and contemporary idols of

the mind which are obstacles to free thinking and living.15

Ironically, the idealism of nihilism has found its ways

through the annals of popular culture as well. Perhaps this

would be because of the basic idea of a needed paradox.

Oddly enough, when most people who has heard of the name

Nietzsche, they would immediately think of nihilism. Most

would misunderstand his philosophy to be nihilistic. This is

apparently incorrect. His philosophy denies it. It is

evident through his works, i.e. the Gay Science, Thus Spoke

Zarathustra that his philosophy’s main directive is to

overcome such notions of a useless reality claimed by

nihilism. In other words, he affirms of such mentality but

rather appeals to society that we must overcome these

feelings of self-destruction.

The philosophy of overcoming and the notions of

nihilism clash within the halls of the popular media. Whose

idea was it to put such notions together especially within

the context of popular media? Should we blame the writers

and producers or should we look past that and see that these

notions manifested because of our own doing and desire? We,

the audience desire for a fantastical state of being to

alleviate ourselves from the horrific and tiresome reality.

15
Ibid.
 23

Media from these sources, meaning through television, films,

graphic novels, and the like, have the essential activity of

entertainment. We seek to alleviate boredom. Boredom is the

manifestation of nihilism. When we find ourselves emptily

staring at space, we become beset by nothingness. Boredom

arises from repetition, from routine work and activities.

The feeling of numbness overcomes us when boredom sets in.

It is a pain worst than pain itself. The task of art is to

provide self-stimulation. Art steps in when a nihilistic

ennui begins to succumb.16 “The Formula of art is the

‘flight from boredom’”17 He concurred to the basic reality

that life is tragic, but thought that this should not forbid

acceptance of the tragic with blissful affirmation, the full

realization of what art is. Art, through its essence

confronts the terrors of the universe, hence is reserved

only for those with strong will. Art can transmute any

experience into something pleasing and beautiful. Hence, by

doing so, it transmogrifies the terrors of the world in such

a way that it can be seen and dealt with bliss and alleviate

from reality’s sorrows18

Safrinski, Rüdiger, Nietzsche: A Philosophical

16

Biography, 23-24.
17
Ibid., 24
18
Nietzsche, Friedrich, The Birth of Tragedy, trans.
Fadiman, Clifton F., Dover Publications Inc.
 24

In the manner of popular media and culture we receive

through their manifestations, it is apparent that a release

from the empty activities of our routine lives is what we

desire. Basically, this desire is the simplistic human value

of happiness. Many might critique in this desire. Many claim

that we do not simply gain happiness by just watching the

television or playing a computer game. Many see it through

the desire to success and progress. One might say, “Why

waste time and energy in slouching on a living room sofa and

watching a TV series or films that show fantasy, science

fiction, suspense, slapstick humor, or mindless game shows?”

or “why can’t you use that time spent in entertaining

yourself through media by working on a successful career?”

These question throb us as we linger on with the desire for

entertainment. The answer to these questions is quite simply

because the world is simple, as long as one overcomplicates

it the more one frustrates in life.

In pop-culture and media, the philosophy of Nietzsche

manifests because of nihilistic notions. Simply, part of the

philosophy of Nietzsche that manifests itself in pop-culture

and media primarily deals with the desire to be free from

the feeling of nothingness and indignation. It is not always

shown explicitly that all media and pop-culture is about

that part of his philosophy that deals with overcoming

 25

nihilism. But the argument here is that as a whole, media

and popular culture’s purpose is to be that which remove

boredom and in effect removes the feeling of nihilism. The

reason is that media and popular culture, especially those

that do not destroy one’s individuality as seen through

commercialism and information technology dependence, is the

new art that pleases the apprehension and enlivens the

values of beauty and free thinking.

How is this manifestation shown within the context of

the audience? How is it that a simple show, game, or film,

could remove indignation and promote self-assertion? It

shows itself through the personas depicted within them. We

are glad, even for just an hour or a few minutes that we are

the real people of this world not those that we see in the

media. The fictional characters that we see in these shows,

films, or games are always less than us. Even though the

characters depicted may possess capabilities that we do not

have, i.e. supernatural powers, a developed lifestyle, a

fruitful love-life, we still see them as fiction and that

makes us happy, that makes us self-assertive. Although we

may never have the encounters or capabilities that these

fictional characters possess, we always have the upper hand

in that we are real and they are not.

 26

C) Popular Culture and the Ambiguity of Values and Morals

As a society, especially our present one, we enjoy the

negative energy of the world. Oddly enough, although we do

not want to suffer, we have the general affinity in enjoying

an envisioned dark and bleak world. We enjoy reading

negative criticism and we are entertained by scandals not

involving ourselves. We enjoy rumors and gossip. We find

bliss in dark comedy and disgust in childish innocence. In a

manner of speaking, one might even go as far in saying that

we celebrate evil. “We watch evil, absorb evil, accept it,

and it is lessened in our minds, despite being [ostensibly]

funny at times.”19 Perhaps the reason behind it is that we

have come to terms of its existence. Another reason might be

because our morality have become so complex and obtuse that

it has become too ambiguous for us to even identify that

there is such things as the values of good and evil. The

values that claim us have become defunct because of too much

of it. We are undergoing a process due to our values being

vague and obscured by society’s gods. The result being that

“the belief in morality, every kind of morality wavers”20

Vandenberg,Liz,http://www.theinterim.com/2002/june/22n
19

ietzshe.html, September 9, 2008

20
Kellner,Douglas, Nietzsche on Mass Culture,
http://www.uta.edu/huma/illuminations/kell22.htm, September
3, 2008.
 27

This generation’s culture manifests that situation of

obscured morality. We used to have an original notion that

the world can be seen in black and white. But because of

different circumstances, it has become ambiguous to us. The

need to reevaluate our values arises.

People have taken the value of these ‘values’ as

given, factual, as beyond all questioning; up till
now, nobody has had the remotest doubt or
hesitation in placing higher value on ‘the good
man’ than on the ‘the evil’, higher value in the
sense that advancement, benefit and prosperity for
man in general (and this includes man’s future).
What if the opposite were true? What if a
regressive trait lurked in ‘the good man’,
likewise a danger, an enticement, a poison, a
narcotic, so that the present lived at the
expense of the future? Perhaps in more comfort and
less danger, but also in a smaller-minded, meaner
manner?...So that morality itself were to blame if
man, as species, never reached his higher
potential power and splendor?21

The need of reevaluation arises when man tries to identify

purpose and being. We realize this only at the most

inappropriate of times and usually from the most unexpected

of sources. We ask ourselves the questions of our purpose

and goals not during a contemplative state but at times of

extreme boredom. Contemplation usually just follows after

that. Another circumstance is when we identify with the

fictional character and his or her life in question. Within

the context of the fictional world we enjoy so much in

21
Nietzsche, Friedrich, On the Genealogy of Morality,
trans. Diethe, Carol, ed. Ansell-Pearson, Kieth, Cambridge
University Press, 8
 28

viewing or reading, we see the characters playing a role or

having an ultimate end or mission as dictated by the script

or the plot of the story. As an audience, we ask ourselves,

“What is my role?” Then we begin our questioning of values

and start with our contemplation. In a media that shows

ambiguous morality, we ask the same question of what if.

What if the world does not concrete values? What if the

world is just what it is, a chunk of rock floating in space

and we are left alone in a wasteland of matter? These could

be examples of those what if questions that we ask as we

contemplate in our mind.

In the world of fiction, there are no concrete moral

values or rather, the morality that it displays solely

depends on the plot of the story and how it would end.

Another contemplation we see because of this is that our

identification with the characters of fiction makes us think

that whether or not the dependence of values rests upon a

grand scheme and we have nothing to do but to be characters

as well. But as we have said earlier, the audience asserts

him or herself. Crying silently, we are real and unlike the

characters of fiction. Hence, we know that we are the ones

that create our future and not by some great scheme.

1) Science Fiction as the Genre of Popular Culture

 29

The genre seen in science fiction creates a dimension

for reflection. The human capacity of willing change and

desiring out of curiosity is what enables us to react and

plan for the future. There is an innate attitude in human

beings to explain the inexplicable and to depict them

through exaggerated form of real human experiences as a

precognitive action. Science fiction is the material

manifestations of those precognitive desires and planning.

Science fiction is seen as an unpopular genre that analysis

certain cultural and social changes and how progress affects

the human experience. The universe presented within science

fiction is more magnified as metaphorical criticisms of

actual reality. The world, however, depicted within a given

work is somehow related to the actual world. This relation

is seen through the use of actual human emotions and ideas.

This world causes the audience to wonder and ponder to their

own experiences, experiences that seem to identify to their

own.

The philosophical themes are pervasive within a given

selection. The audience becomes challenged to reflect upon

present experience and to plan ahead for the future. Even

the simplest of dialogues could have a myriad of

interpretations and implications that a reader could derive

a reflection from. The characters though fictional and more

 30

often than not have some special skill or ability not

humanly possible, possess real human attributes such as

emotions and affinities. Another interesting point seen is

the life given to each character by these attributes. As any

other literary work, though non-living and apparently

directed by the already determined storyline, the characters

are given life not by actually by the author but by the

reader who is engrossed within the realm of the given work

due to his or her identification or dislike of the

character.

Science fiction, both as a popular genre

reflective of broadly felt social and cultural
forces and as a specialized field of interest
concerned with the nature of social and cultural
change, can be an important basis for cultural
analysis.22

The definition of the genre depended upon historical

significance as cultural phenomenon. There were different

approaches in how to define the subject. Usually this fell

into two groups of description, the first being a

speculative nature of fiction. Commonly this dealt with

stories of fantasies and utopias especially those that

absolutely cannot exist within our realm. The basic

characteristics of such are those that transcend the

Hull, Elizabeth Ann and Mark Siegel, “Science
22

Fiction”, Handbook of Japanese Popular Culture, Richard Gid

Powers and Hidetoshi Kato, 243.
 31

physical laws or the very course of our history. Writers

such as Ursula K. Le Guin and scholars like Darko Suvin and

Robert Scholes, focus on the science fiction that is seen as

metaphor of what they call as cognitive estrangement or

cognitive dissonance. What is seen in these works are a

presentation of our world through metaphor and

representation.23 The elements here depict values that

criticize real social concepts. In a way, the purpose of

these works is to teach us of thing that we have and things

that we could be or regrettably things we could have been

for the betterment of the society.

The other approach is of a more precognitive style.

This usually discusses about history and takes us into

realms of the past or the distant future. The main goal is

to have foresight into what we can expect in the future so

as to better prepare ourselves or to reminisce on the past

so as to improve our present states by not repeating

previous mistakes.24

Science fiction allows us to reach a greater

appreciation of the past and present through
symbolic fictions, fictions that exaggerate or
emphasize by displacement of some element of human
life; they help us better plan for the future
through hypothetically testing alternative courses
of action.25

23
Ibid., 243
24
Ibid., 243-244
25
Ibid., 244
 32

Science fiction describes human beings in a way unlike

what they are; the index of concerns, fears, and ideologies

are relevant in understanding our exploration of social and

philosophical situations.

This genre is basically the result in the interest in

science and its effect with our moral, sociological,

psychological, and spiritual aspects. James Gunn, a renowned

science fiction writer describes the genre “that deals with

the effects of change on people in the real world as it can

be projected into the past, the future, or to distant

places.”26 This description is particularly interesting in

that exactly what are the changes that need be given

examination? This usually concerns what context or culture a

specific work originates from. In any case, we can learn a

great deal from the genre, especially from the culture that

it arose from.

D) Animé as Cultural Phenomenon and Philosophical Medium

Despite its humble beginnings, Japanese animation, or

Animé, has evolved into a cultural phenomenon, affecting and

spreading to countries around the world. It has put many of

its viewers into direct contact with the culture and

traditions of the Japanese people, and has in turn caused

26
Ibid., 244.
 33

them to realize their own cultural identities. Its complex

plots, deep character development, and unique style of

animation set it apart from the works of western studios

such as Disney, and fascinate foreign viewers. The often

mature themes and situations in anime, ranging from angst

ridden teenagers finding a form of rebirth in a post-

apocalyptic Tokyo to a Shinto priestess facing her destiny

as an exorcist, serve as a snapshot of Japan’s identity.27

Animé came to life at the start of the 20 th century

when Japanese filmmakers experimented with animation

techniques used in Europe and the United States. It became

form of storytelling, especially because it was cheaper to

produce than live-action movies. Over the years, animé has

been raised to high art-form, and is now recognized as a

genre in its own right. Some scholars trace animé’s

distinctive look to Japanese colored prints produced in the

1860’s called ukiyo-e28 or wood block paintings.

Animé began its evolution from the Japanese comic book

literary scene known as Manga. Manga first surfaced at the

Edo era as colorful brush paintings and woodcuts. First

http://www.unc.edu/~opatha/anime.html, Retrieved
27

February 17, 2009.

28
Levi, Antonia, Samurai from Outer Space:
Understanding Japanese Animation, USA: Open Court
Publishing Co., 1996.
Literary means “pictures of the floating world”
 34

alliterated in 1814 by the artist Katsushika Hokusai, manga is “loosely translatable as

cartoon or caricature, or literally, involuntary pictures,”29 although since the eighteenth

century, manga has transformed into the popular comic books being circulated today.

Formally, animé started during the 1950’s with Osamu Tezuka pioneering it. He

is also known as having been the father of animé. Drawing on artistic styles

from both Japanese history and western animation studios

such as Disney, and on various Japanese storytelling

techniques, he created his two most famous works Tetsuwan

Atom30 and Jungle Emperor Leo31. The works quickly gained

popularity among the populous especially during the post-

World War II recovery phase of Japan. His big-eyed and

simplistic character designs, serial storytelling style, and

simpler approach to animation can still be seen in much of

modern anime. However, the style and

The first thing a western viewer of anime might notice

is its artistic style. The most obvious aspects of this

style are the character models. They are often stylized

versions of the human form, with oversized and expressive

eyes used to portray a wide variety of emotions 32. Animators

Sinclair,Iain,http://www.shizuka.net/otaking/faqs/
29

faq12.ram.faq, Retrieved December 17, 2008.

30
The more popular version of this title is known as
Astroboy.
31
The more popular version of this title is known as
Kimba the White Lion.
32
Levi, Antonia, Samurai from Outer Space:
Understanding Japanese Animation, 13.
 35

are not concerned with creating lifelike characters, and

instead opt to shape their characters in a way so as to

maximize the expression of their emotions. The size of a

character’s eyes is indicative of their personality, with

big eyes showing sensitivity or innocence due to the amount

of expression they can show, and small eyes portraying a

character as cold and distant33. Why the emphasis on emotion

rather than realism? Because the artistic view point should

always display the aesthetic ideology. Beauty and sublimity

are apprehended firstly by sensation and most importantly by

our emotion. In this sense, the emotions of the characters

are more vibrant and vivid. Realism is merely second to the

depiction of emotion in this artistic art-form.

For animé to be recognized as a philosophical medium of

expression and interpretation, one must understand the

artistic styles first. Looking back on how it began,

woodblock paintings usually were not overcomplicated detail

works of art as evident in European baroque or expressionist

styles of painting. Japanese are known for their simplicity,

discipline, and spirituality. Almost every activity they

participate in, their philosophy is always infused with it.

Their art are a testament to that. Ukiyo-e paintings usually

omitted certain details because it would cover or spoil the

33
Ibid., 13-14
 36

main essence of the work. For example, a painting may depict

children playing with their kites on a summer day. The kites

would simply just be lines and the children mere

silhouettes. The details and lines of the clouds would be

replaced by the hues and shades of the clouds and the sky.

Bridges are depicted as unknown paths and oceans as a single

wave crashing to the shore. It is up to the viewer to

imagine the picture as a whole. Active participation and

even intellectual discourse occurs even with just the viewer

silently observing a painting. In their theatre, the same

philosophy applies. In the Noh and Kabuki theatre, masks

signify the world of illusions. The Hannya34 masks worn

usually in noh signify every emotion and that means not a

single one. It is through the audience’s idea of the

illusory world that the face would have movement. The

emotion it depicted depends to whom that perceives it. This

means, whatever the feelings of the viewer are, so too are

those of the mask.

Animé always had a central philosophy governing its

story. Usually, these themes were rather simple and

disregarded as deep contemplative philosophy by the elitist

community. These themes involved idealisms ranging from the

This is a mask representing the face of a jealous

34

female demon. It often had two sharp bullhorns, glaring

eyes, and leering smile that reach from ear-to-ear.
 37

values of friendship, family, and self to the ambiguous

dichotomy of good and evil.35

2) The Metaphor of the World: Examples of Animé and its

Philosophical Discourse

To represent how animé as a medium of philosophy,

perhaps it be best to cite examples on animé works that

clearly display such claim.

The common trend with regards to animé that have strong

philosophical thematic is to depict stories that involve

“changing the world…because this world is full of suffering…

the fight for the future.”36

a) Full Metal Alchemist

The story is about, as the title implies, alchemy.

However, alchemy in this story is not just the futile

attempt to change base metals into gold. It involves life

and death. The basic principle that recurs throughout the

series is that “Humankind cannot gain anything without first

giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal

value must be lost. This is the first law of equal exchange

35
Levi, Antonia, Samurai from Outer Space:
Understanding Japanese Animation.
36
Sinclair,Iain, http://www.shizuka.net/otaking/faqs/
faq12.ram.faq, Retrieved December 17, 2008.
 38

in alchemy”37 Essentially, the basic principle of equal

exchange applies. Physical matter is changed to another by

three steps. First is understanding. An alchemist’s first

task is to understand the basic components of an object,

down to its basic molecular structure. Second is

destruction. Once an alchemist identifies the components, it

is broken down into its most basic forms. The third is

reconstruction or technically transmutation itself. Once

broken up, the alchemist transmutes the different base

materials into a new material form. There is nothing lost

and nothing gained. What is given then what is received. The

story occurs in an alternate universe set in a Victorian

timeline. The animé tells of two brothers named Edward (the

elder) and Alphonse (the younger) Elric who played with life

and death by performing the most dreaded of alchemic

process, human transmutation. They tried to restore to life

their dead mother, the result being a misshapen oddity

without a soul. The dire price they paid were Edward’s leg

and Alphonse’s whole body. To restore his brother, Edward

attached Al’s soul into a suit of armor with his left arm as

payment. The story involves their journey to restore their

bodies back and in order to do so they must journey on to

search for the mythical Philosopher’s Stone. Their

This line is usually said during the opening sequence
37

of the first season by Alphonse Elric.

 39

adventures take them around the country, enlisting in the

military as alchemic agents, and even involving gaining and

losing friends along the way. They battle creatures known as

Homunculi, incomplete soulless humans that resulted from

human transmutation.

In this anime, the philosophy discussed is about how

the world works. It is evident that the principle of equal

exchange does not only apply to alchemy but to the whole

order in things. One does not gain anything without giving

enough effort to suffice as payment. However, it was clear

that success and happiness is not only paid with lives and

hardships. This is shown through the end of the series where

Edward does not die when he restored his brother’s body. The

journey they made was already enough payment to it.

Similarly, an analogy was made with examinations as an

example. We may find it unfair that even though we study

hard we still get outshined by those who have pure talent or

strategy. But this is explained that payment usually is not

what we expect them to be, especially in circumstances

involving how we live and our interaction with the world.

Life and death work mysteriously. Our life may be precious

to us, but in the grand picture, we are just insignificant

parts of the whole life-stream or the circle of life. But we

also must cherish our life for another point is that we are
 40

all in a whole. If a life is corrupted then the whole

becomes corrupted.

b) Ghost in the Shell

The popular animé of Ghost in the Shell deals with

reality and existence. The franchise is popular through a

movie, and two series. Basically, a covert non-existent to

the public division of the government known as Section 9 is

tasked with investigation of different cases involving the

cybernetic world. This style of work fits into the

description of the cyberpunk38 genre in scf-fi. Set in a

futuristic timeline, humans have assimilated themselves with

the world of cybernetics and technology. Humans have

achieved to develop the technology to directly communicate

with the internet. This is done by replacing certain parts

of the body and the brain with cybernetic synthetic

components. However, not all humans have turned themselves

into cybernetic organisms. The theme here involves the

blurred line between man and machine. The question is clear

when machines were developed to the extent that they are

more human-like. There is even an interval with the basic

notions that divide man and machine. Machines, known for

their stoicism, high rational logic, and quantum

A portmanteau of the words cybernetic and punk.
38

Characterized by its bleak environment and high-technology.

 41

calculations have developed feelings. Man on the other hand

was reversed; denial of their more humanly quality of

emotion were practiced by many of the converted humans.

The quest for the meaning of humanity within this

seemingly bleak existence is the main theme, though not

purely exercised by the main protagonist. The question

always remains as a lingering reflection for the audience,

what is reality and what is not?

c) Toward the Terra

Set in the distant future where humans no longer live

on earth. Humanity is governed by a super intelligent A.I.

known as Mother. During the onset of humanity’s

deterioration and loss of free-will, a group of psionically

powerful individuals emerge as the final hope of humanity.

The irony is that they are the once more human than humanity

itself. Humans have lost their sense of individuality and

freedom. They have become herd-like beings following an

inhuman entity. The group of super beings must face the

impossible and restore man to their original seat in the

world. During the final episodes of the animé, the super

beings known as Mu, are revealed to be humans who have

evolved into a whole new species. The dilemma now exists of

which of the two deserves to exist. Are the Mu or their

 42

predecessors, the humans, the new hope for the world? It

became apparent that there is no need for the destruction of

the other in order to attain a better future. The two only

needs to coexist since they are, in essence, both humanity.

d) Wolf’s Rain

Another animé with the popular theme of a post-

apocalyptic existence is Wolf’s Rain. It revolves about the

journey of self-realization of wolves that assumed the form

of human beings and their search for the ultimate utopia.

Humanity is portrayed in a very cynical perspective;

selfish, destructive individuals who are only concerned with

their lust for power and the obsession of immortality.

Because of this, the resulting world is seen. It is up to

the wolves to find the world of peace and a future of

happiness both for them and humans alike.

Again, the concept of a better future and changing the

world is shown. This has always been the trend when the

timeline and setting appears very bleak. Human values are

tested to the extreme even if the characters that have to

show it are not even humans. The device like this is very

common among animé science fiction. Appropriately, humans

cannot judge their fellow man because he is no different

from them. To solve this, an entity other that what is human

 43

but have the understanding of what it means to be human is

used as an arbiter.

e) Spirited Away

This critically acclaimed anime film developed in

Studio Ghibli by the award-winning director Hayao Miyazaki

narrates of the travel of a girl to the spiritual realm in

her quest to retrieve her parents from a cursed life of

reverting back to their animalistic forms of being pigs, the

physical manifestation of gluttony. In the world of the

spirits, she becomes exposed into a realm of transcendence

but still keeping her humanity. Although, she is the human

being in that realm, the deities display characteristics of

humans as well. Her experience their taught her the value of

friendship and trust, of compromise and avarice, and life

and death.

The story is loosely based on the adventures of Alice

in Wonderland. Possibly, this signifies the eclectic

characteristic of the Japanese culture. Another clear

quality is the style of color and aesthetics of the

production of the film. The close connection with

spirituality is illustrated in the film and the bonds

between nature and man are established. Other than its

spirituality, it has strong environmental undertones.

 44

Deities that reside within nature and the things around us

become malevolent as a result of pollution and corruption of

humanity. It is shown that this was not due to anger and

retribution but as a physical manifestation of what humans

has done to the world, whether they treasure it or corrupt

it.

f) Death Note

This highly enigmatic and intellectual animé, manga and

live-action film series has been a rave throughout not only

the audience of the popular culture scene in Japan but also

throughout the international pop-culture of animé fans. Set

in present day Japan, numerous killings of unknown cause

have been instigated throughout the country. Later, it is

revealed that a character named Kira39 is instigating these

killings. The identity and location of the murderer is yet

to be known.

The story begins in the realm of the underworld, the

place where the Shinigami reside. They are the death-gods of

the world. One of them, Ryuk, is bored with his eternal

existence in this realm and decides that the human world is

more exciting and interesting. He later drops a black note

book near a school campus. It is found by a brilliant but

This is a Japanese play on the translation of the
39

English word Killer.

 45

extremely bored student named Light Yagami. He discovers

that this is a Death Note. Within it are written

instructions on how to use it. Any name written on the Death

Note will die. The manner of death would rely on how

detailed it is written. If no detailed plans of how a person

dies, the default cause of death is cardiac arrest after a

few minutes. The limitation of the Death Note is that the

user must know the real name and see the face of the person

to be killed. He then begins experimenting with his killings

starting off with a mugger seen on the news. Once he was

convinced, he began on a killing spree to rid the world of

its evil and he will create a new world wherein he assumes

the position of god in this new world. His killing arouses

the attention of the police and a genius-level detective

known only as L. Here now begins a story of suspense and

intrigue as the two brilliant minds clash both as

individuals and principles.

It is revealed that death is mere nothingness, and Ryuk

explains that the realm of the gods is not much different.

Without too much preemption, the Light Yagami and L die at

the end, and Ryuk becomes the victor by having his fun.

The story offers us different feelings and philosophies

about the order of the world and human nature. Again, the

nihilistic idealism is very much prevalent throughout the

 46

whole animé. The solution to this problem was split into two

philosophies represented by the two main characters. One is

to destroy the present world by purging it of its filth; the

other is to simply fix the distortion of the world without

necessarily deleting the previous one.

Death is explored even further by illustrating two

philosophical descriptions. A choice is given for

contemplation, what we would rather choose a death much like

a dream, left alone in eternal boredom or a death where life

simply ends into nothingness. But at the end of the day,

even if we have chosen, the fact still is clear. We will

die.

E) Chapter Summary

In the preceding chapter, popular culture as evolving

was discussed. It was necessary as to show the evolution of

culture to what we see it now because of the onset of post-

modernity. Popular culture is the general branch that animé

exists in. It was discussed that art as a culture evolved to

what it is today because of the changing epochs. As the

epochs change, so does its art.

It was also necessary to discuss the prevalent

philosophy that surrounds this culture and its purposes and

effects on humanity, especially of this generation. This

philosophy was identified as the undertones of both the

 47

notions of nihilism and the self-assertive philosophy of

Nietzsche. Although it was not as detailed as it would have

been, it was only a slight reflection and analysis of the

two notions. Also, because of the clashing of self-

indignation and self-assertion within the popular culture

scene it resulted in the ambiguity of the values we humans

appreciate and the morals that spawn from them.

Finally, a brief history and description of the topic

of animé and its philosophies was given. For an elaboration,

articulation, and justification of animé as philosophical

medium examples of various animé works were given with a

brief synopsis for each. Each had a discussion of what

prevalent philosophies existed within the realm of their

stories.
 48

Chapter III

The World of Gundam SEED: a in-depth look on its

philosophies

A) Synopsis of the Background Story

The story is set in the Cosmic Era calendar. It begins

many years before the actual start of the series. The

previous calendar was the real world A.D. timeframe until it

was replaced by the present Cosmic Era calendar. This is due

 49

to the result of the aftermath of an event known as the

Reconstruction War. This was fired up due to the constant

conflicts of the major powers of the earth. The conflict

began because of the worldwide economic collapse, due to

different world market and investment failures plus the

depletion of the main source of energy, petroleum. World

nations form economic blockades and divide the world to the

major powers. Religious and ethnic frictions ignite the

third Great War. Add to the crisis of the war was the

outbreak of a new virus strain known as the Type S

Influenza. The casualties count to near millions because of

both the war and the virus attacks.

Near the end of the war a man is born on April 16 of

the new Cosmic Era year 1. His name is George Glenn, and his

existence will change the world in its entirety. Eight years

after his birth, the Reconstruction War has finally reached

it end. Later on in his life, Glenn departed for Jupiter

aboard the Tsiolkovsky with a mission of space exploration

and research. During his time there, he releases a message

revealing his true origins. He reveals himself to be not

born through natural means but by cutting edge genetic

engineering.

After this, he disseminates the information of his

birth and how to recreate the process through the known

 50

world. When Glenn returned to earth, he brought with him the

famous Evidence 01. An extra-terrestrial fossil of a winged

whale proving the existence of life outside our planet

resulted in the weakening of earth’s chief religious

authorities. Coordinator acceptance became widespread and

the first coordinator boom begins. Construction of new space

colonies began with the guidance of George Glenn. Secretly,

the first generation coordinators bred and resulted in the

second generation purebred coordinators. The construction of

the plants began after the spread of the coordinator race,

especially when it reached the population of ten million. In

the Mendel Colony, the research for the development of the

new Ultimate Coordinator was being developed by Dr. Ulen

Hibiki. This research bore fruit in the form of the main

protagonist of the story, Kira Yamato. Thanks to the

completion of the the PLANTs colony, the Zodiac Alliance was

formed. This would later be known as the Zodiac Alliance of

Freedom Treaty, the main military force of the PLANTs.

Because of the terror group of fanatical Naturals, friction

and distrust spread throughout the society of and later

result in the assassination of George Glenn by an envious

Natural. Later on, the Type S virus strain mutated into a

new virus Type S2 that had no vaccine. Anti-coordinator

factions spread rumors that the new strain was created by

 51

the Coordinators as retaliation for the death of George

Glenn. Religious authorizes started to gain favor again from

the Naturals due to propaganda spread by Blue Cosmos. They

argued that the virus was a wrath of God because humans

played with life and created the new species. ZAFT on the

other hand, secretly developed their first mobile suit

development known as the GINNs. As the tensions arise even

stronger, Blue Cosmos spread their spear of influence

throughout the world. Discrimination intensifies, so the

Coordinators were forced to emigrate to the PLANTs. Later, a

terrorist bombing wipes out the United Nation conducting

meetings on the lunar base in Copernicus crater. The Earth

Alliance is then established by the Atlantic Federation.

Afterwards, they declare war on the PLANTs. Junius Seven is

attacked as a strategy to cut-off food production. They

attacked with nuclear warhead at Junius. More than 200,000

Coordinators were decimated by a single attack. The infamous

event would later be known as the Bloody Valentine since it

happened on February 14. The First Bloody Valentine War

ensues.

B) Significant Incident During the Bloody Valentine War

1) First Bloody Valentine

 52

After the first Battle at the space station Yggdrasil, the

event that followed marks the first sign of retaliation from

the Coordinators after the Bloody Valentine. On April 1st,

Operation uroboros was initiated. As response to the Nuclear

attack to Junius Seven, ZAFT develops and deploys Neutron

Jammers and scatters them throughout the surface of the

earth. These N-Jammers, as many call them, stop the nuclear

reactions and disrupts fission. The result was a global

energy crisis that provoked mass starvation and anarchy,

since the Earth had a heavy reliance on nuclear energy. This

Event was known as the April Fool’s Crisis. The second phase

of the operation is to attack and seize control of the five

main mass drivers, was able to capture was the base at

Carpenteria. In space, the first battle at Jachin Due, an

asteroid primarily used as a resource satellite. After this

battle, Jachin Due was converted into a highly defensive

fortress. After that a battle at the moon ensues. This

happens at the Endymion Crater. In a desperate move by the

Earth Forces, they activated the CYCLOPS system, or a large

microwave emitting facility, under the base itself.

Everything from a 10 mile radius was completely destroyed.

After the Battle of Casablanca, ZAFT made construction for

their second main base in Gibraltar. The next few battle

were at Suez, Nova, and Kaohsiung.

 53

During the events of the series the first battle shown

is the raid at Heliopolis. This was a deliberate attack even

on a neutral colony for they were manufacturing weaponry.

The main protagonist of the franchise, Kira pilots his first

Mobile Suit. After the children join the military, they had

many battles along the way. One significant battle is the

final stand of most of the Earth Forces against an attack at

the main base of the Atlantic Federation. In Alaska, in the

JOSH-A base, while the battle ensues more desperately the

higher-ups decide to use the CYCLOPS system again to destroy

the most part of the ZAFT forces even if many of the Earth

Forces are still present. This is where the crew of the

Archangel had their doubts with them in the entirety of the

Earth Forces. The next battles are at Porta Panama, where

the EMP weapon Gungnir was used. After that comes the battle

at ORB. The Earth Forces are forcing ORB to join the

federation or else they would invade their shores. The main

interest of the Atlantic Federation, now lead by Blue

Cosmos, is the use of ORB’s mass driver. After the

destruction of ORB’s Mass driver, they head to space. The

Kira meet Rau for the first time at the Battle at Mendel.

Here it was reveal of Rau le Creuset’s origin. After the

Mendel incident, Blue Cosmos launch a full scale nuclear

attack on the military asteroid base of Boaz. A few days

 54

later, the second Battle of Jachin Due ensues. This would be

the last battle that would determine the course of humanity.

It is not just about two sides killing each other but also

these are battles of principles. At the destruction of

Jachin Due, the first war concluded. Treaties were signed at

the memorial on Junius Seven.

2) Second Bloody Valentine War

The war was retriggered because of a terrorist group

that changed the orbit of the Junius asteroid remains. It

was headed for earth. This was known as the Break the World.

After this event, war was inevitable. First, the attack on

Aprilius One by the nuclear weapons was already planned out.

Meaning they were expecting war. Then there’s Operation

Spear of Twilight made to strengthen the forces on the

Gibraltar base and the Carpenteria Base.

The first major battle seen in the series was the

Battle at Gulnahan in order to liberate many towns being

opposed by the Earth Forces. ZAFT with its new machine the

Impulse, attacked the gates protected by a massive positron

beam cannon. Next there were the Battles on Dadanelles,

Crete, Berlin. Before the revelation by the Supreme Council

Chair Gilbert Durandal half of these places were destroyed

by the war. Logos members were exposed to the public. Many

were assassinated by civilians. After this, the main forces

 55

of the Earth Forces gathered at Heaven’s Base for their

final stand. They are defeated and Djibril escapes.

Later on, it was evident who the major power was now.

ZAFT then attacked ORB with the pretense of that they were

hiding the person of Lord Djibril from Logos. Djibril later

escapes to outerspace, to Daedelus Lunar base where can plan

his ultimate move. Meanwhile, at ORB, they managed to fend

off the attacks of ZAFT. After the battle, the chairman uses

propaganda to swathe the people against ORB. While they were

continuing with their game of propaganda, Lord Djibril fires

the ultimate super weapon known as Requiem. The target was

Aprilius, but it hit Januarius 1 through 4 instead and

collapsing into December 7 and 8. The deceased with that

single attack has been estimated as millions. ZAFT later

destroys the base and takes over the weapon and fixes it.

After this, the Chairman has initiated the Destiny Plan. It

would humanities last line of defense. All purposes in life

will be determined by genetics. So whatever one may learn or

gain skills in through hard work, has become irrelevant. The

return of the Three-ship alliance has aroused the attention

of ZAFT. In final storm, they attack the Requiem and attack

the base of the Destiny Plan. In this, what is shown that we

humans should determine our future for ourselves. Whatever

 56

path may take, the impost thing is that we are the ones that

decide to take that path.

C) Character Synopsis

1) Main Protagonists

a) Kira Yamato – a coordinator who is living in a

neutral space colony known as Heliopolis. He is

actually an Ultimate, the only one created

successfully from the artificial womb. His

personality can be described as kind-hearted, shy,

and always take great lengths to protect his

friends. He does not believe in the ideals of the

war but when Heliopolis was attacked by a covert

ops team from ZAFT to steal the latest G-weapons

manufacture by a company called Morgenroete in the

colony, he takes it upon himself to pilot the GAT-

X105 Strike. His skills as an Ultimate is shown as

he single-handedly overwrote and created a new OS

for the software of the suit. His combat skills

are exemplary even if he has no formal piloting

training. During certain circumstances of great

peril, he undergoes a heightened state of spatial

awareness that improves his skills sevenfold.

After his suit’s defeat, he was given a new model,

the legendary ZGMF-X10A Freedom.

 57

b) Athrun Zala – He is the son of the former ZAFT

Defense Committee Chairman Patrick Zala40 and an

old childhood friend of Kira. Ranked as an elite

ZAFT Red, he was part of the team that stormed and

attacked Heliopolis. His character is very strong,

principled, loyal, caring, decisive, and is quite

skilled as a Mobile Suit pilot, even almost

killing Kira during a grudge match against the two

when he too entered a heightened state of

awareness. He uses the Aegis Gundam which he stole

from Morgenroete during the raid. After he saw the

malevolent actions of his military force, he later

came into contemplation on what humans really need

to be fighting for. He later defected from ZAFT

and joined his friend Kira to fight for a future

they believe in. His new model was the ZGMF-X09A

Justice.

c) Lacus Clyne – she is the daughter of the former

PLANT Supreme Council Chairman Siegel Clyne. She

is a pop-sensation and a diplomat for the PLANTs.

She was had and arranged engagement with Athrun,

but the events of the nullified that, especially

with her encounter with Kira. She is kind, exudes

40
Patrick Zala was later elected as the new PLANT Supreme
Council Chair.
 58

charm, friendly, attractive, and a very strong

person. After the distortion within ZAFT’s beliefs

as Coordinators, she and her father formed the

Clyne faction with the objectives of bringing

peace between the two warring groups. She alter

leads the famous Three-ship Alliance in order to

bring a swift end to the war and organize peace

treaties.

d) Cagalli Yula Attha – a girl Kira met in

Heliopolis. She later resurfaced alongside freedom

fighters in the Middle East to stop the oppression

from the Coordinators that occupied there lead by

Andrew Waltfeldt. She later reveals her true

identity as the daughter of the Chief

Representative of the neutral nation of ORB.

Another revelation is her being the biological

twin of Kira despite her being a Natural. She

pilots the MS Strike Rouge.

e) Mu la Flaga – a commander and ace pilot of the

Earth Forces. He is known as the Hawk of endymion

for being the sole survivor of the destruction of

the Earth Forces base in Endymion Crater. He has

the new-type ability. A sense of high spatial

awareness. He is known also as the man who can

 59

make the impossible possible. He previously pilots

a fighter plane then later pilots the Strike after

Kira’s diasappearance. He seemingly died while

stopping a direct hit form a positron beam. He

later returns with amnesia fighting alongside the

Phantom Pain fleet of the Earth Forces during the

second war. He later regains his memories and

again fights alongside the Archangel

f) Murrue Ramius – a former tech lieutenant for the

developments in Morgenroete, she was promoted to

be the captain of the new warship class Archangel.

She has strong principles and show this by

defecting from the corrupt Earth Forces along with

her crew.

g) Andrew Waldfeldt – Known as the Desert Tiger, he

was the chief commander in the Middle East ZAFT

base. He is a friendly and cunning man. He is an

excellent tactician. He called Kira a berserker in

battle when he saw how kind-hearted Kira was in

person. He was defeated in a battle with Kira and

returns as the captain of the main ship of the

Clyne faction, the Eternal.

h) Dearka Elsman – he is a former classmate of Athrun

in the ZAFT military academy and he was also part

 60

of the raid on Heliopolis. He pilots the stolen

Buster Gundam. He is cynical, arrogant, but also

shows concern for his comrades. When he was

captured by the Archangel, he later joins them

after seeing the atrocities of both the ZAFT and

Earth Forces.

i) Yzak Joule – another ZAFT Red like Athrun and

Dearka. He pilots the stolen Duel Gundam. He is

arrogant and self-absorbed. He has a one-sided

rivalry with Athrun and has a strong grudge for

the pilot of the Strike. The scar on his face is

evidence of that. He later has distaste for the

war because of the useless killings he saw by his

fellow ZAFT soldiers. He did not defect from ZAFT

but helped during the final battle in ending the

war for a peaceful future.

j) Shinn Asuka – he is the main character of the

spin-off Gundam SEED Destiny. He is a

disillusioned young soldier from ZAFT. The reason

why he is like this is because of the gruesome

death of his family in front of his eyes. He has a

grudge against ORB who believed in ideals and

blames the nation for the death of his family.

Only until the end of the second season did he

 61

realize the true value of the world and fighting

for a future that will bring true peace to the

world.

2) Main Antagonists

a) Rau le Creuset - he is the main villain of the

animé. Even if he died during the first series,

his spirit and principles extends towards the SEED

Destiny spin-off.41

b) Patrick Zala – He was the former Defense Committee

Chair of ZAFT and later elected as the new PLANT

Supreme Council Chair during the final episodes of

the first series. He believed that the

Coordinators were a new species of evolution and

determined to annihilate the entire race of

Naturals by firing the devastating weapon GENESIS,

a weapon that could wipe out 75% of the population

of the world because of the gamma ray emissions.

He was shot by one of his subordinates when he

revealed his true plan of annihilation during the

final battle.

c) Muruta Azreal – He is the leader of the Natural

fanatical group Blue Cosmos. His organization

funds and develops different research on the

41
This paper will have a separate section solely for
discussing his character.
 62

Artificial Coordinator program utilizing children.

His hatred against the Coordinators is deep. He

was the main instigator of the nuclear attacks on

the PLANTs. He died when the Archangel counter-

attacked his ship with its positron cannon.

d) Lord Djibril – He replaced Azrael and he leads the

war-mongering corporation of LOGOS. An

organization intent on the prolonging of the war

for the purpose of selling weapons. His most

devastating act of retaliation was using the

weapon Requiem. This is a particle beam cannon

that can be fired from the far side of the moon

and has the capability of bending. His first shot

decimated Janurius 1 through 5 and severely

damaged the December colony. He was killed by the

ZAFT pilots while he was trying to escape the base

from the moon.

e) Gilbert Durandal – he seems like a kind just man

intent on bringing peace to the world. As the

Supreme Council Chairman in the SEED Destiny arc,

he paved the way for many diplomatic acts for

peace. However, he was a manipulative figure that

weeds out those that oppose his plan for an

ultimate future that resembles the envisioned

 63

society of Plato’s Republic. He was not actually

an evil figure. In fact, his main goal was to

protect humanity. The only problem is that his

plan eliminated the chance for man to be

individuals that explore their potentials.

D) The Nihilist known as Rau

Rau le Creuset was a man with ambiguous moral

standings. His history is clouded like the face he hides

behind his white mask. He was a very influential ZAFT White

Uniform commander. At first he seems normal enough except

for his hidden face. He trusts the capabilities of his

subordinates and treats them with high regard. But it is

revealed that he is a manipulative sociopath bent on the

annihilation of humanity itself.

His personal history revealed that he was a clone made

for the purpose of funding the Ultimate Coordinator

research. He was the defective clone of Mu la Flaga’s

ambitious father, Al da Flaga. da Flaga was a man who

thought that he could thwart death itself by creating copies

of himself. Rau was the first result of his arrogance. Rau

was defective in that he has short telomeres meaning he had

 64

rapid internal aging. His skills inherited from Al da Flaga

quickly enabled him to sneak his way and climb within the

higher echelons of the ZAFT military. He was awarded the

Order of the Nebula, the highest order in the military, for

single-handedly defeating a whole battalion of battleships

and mobile armors using his GINN. He was quickly promoted as

a ZAFT chief commander. Using his position and cunning

manipulations, he set his plan of destruction into motion.

He believed that the world is full of evil men and the only

way to cleanse the world is to remove evil, every last human

being. He believed that he was the only one worthy of

judging humanity because he was the result of human hubris.

He made sure that GENESIS would fire. He had a long-standing

rivalry and hatred for Mu since he was a clone of the

latter’s father. His situation and the pain he suffered

twisted his views on humanity.

Because of his experiences, he believes that humanity

sole’s reason for existence is to be the best. To achieve

this, humanity hates, envies, and destroys anything that

hinders him from being better. Every human being are

miserable, selfish, and shameless creatures who will do

anything to be on top. His justification for this is the

reason why he existed. He was the result of the desire of

 65

human beings to fulfill their desires of being better with

the goal of progress in mind.

His condition shortens his life rapidly this made him

impatient to see the end of it all. He believes life should

perish along with him, and that is the reason why he

immediately set his plans into motion.

1) Famous Quotes

“You shouldn't blame me! This is mankind's

dream, mankind's desire, mankind's destiny! To be

the strongest, to go the farthest, to climb the

highest. To compete, to envy, to hate each other,

and devour one another. [Mu: I won't let your

twisted logic ruin things any longer!] But you're

too late, Mu! You see, I am the product of all

this. That's how I know! I know that humanity will

be swallowed by the darkness it's created!”42

“Not you again. You're nothing but an

irritant, a pest! You're something that shouldn't

have been allowed to exist, boy! If people learned

of your existence, they would want to be just as

42
During the battle at Jachin Due between him and Mu la
Flaga, in Phase 49 of the first series
 66

you are. They would want to become like you. And

that's the reason why your existence cannot be

allowed! [Kira: Even if that's true, I'm not

defined by my abilities alone!] Who's going to

believe that line? Will they understand that? Of

course they won't! Nobody will!””43

“Shout all you want, but it's too late now.

This is our destiny. People knew where they were

heading when they choose to walk this path.

Justice and faith, ignorance and escapism. They

never learn. They never listen! We have reached

the end of that path. There's no way to prevent it

now. Mankind vanquished, at last! Just as they

deserve. [Kira: you're crazy, and so is your

logic.] That's how people think. You know it!

[Kira: you're wrong. people aren't like that at

all!] Ha! How are they not like that? What's your

proof? This is a world where people's hearts are

filled with hatred, where fingers have no purpose

other than to pull triggers! What do you believe

in, and why do you? [Kira: you dont understand

anything else!] Of course. After all, people can

only understand what they've experienced. Why

43
During the first round of the battle with Kira Yamato
at Jachin Due, in Phase 50 of the first series
 67

torment yourself saying 'eventually someday'? How

long have you been fighting with your mind clouded

by that brand of sweet poison?”44

The main reason why the animé has deep and

perverse philosophical notions which were explicit

throughout the whole series, is because of the

dialogues of the characters

2) The Fate of the World: The Nihilist vs The Übermensch45

The final battle between him and Kira is not just a

battle between two superior individuals; it is a battle of

principles. Although they would symbolize the peak of what

humanity would be, their existence negates the other.

Similarly, in the belief of having two perfect beings is

absurd. The very concept of what an Übermensch is depicted

by the two. The deciding factor to which the title of true

Übermensch would be given depended on their reason for

fighting. Rau, who failed to overcome his nihilistic

tendencies, was deemed unworthy by fate. Kira whose reason

for fighting is to protecting the future was awarded the

title. The title not given as if branding Kira as the

44
During the second round between him and Kira Yamato,
in Phase 50 of the first series
45
The concept of Übermensch here is more of a
reflection between the synthesis of the Nietzschean concept
 68

champion, it is simply survival and the task of protecting

the world for the peace of humanity.

The words that Rau le Creuset said were very much

convincing given the present situation of the world. Looking

it in a different perspective, he was not the epitome of

evil for the show. He was simply twisted by the reality of

his situation. He had the potential to be an exemplary

individual, but failed to realize the value of the world

around him. The only redeeming factor is that he died at the

hands of the true Übermensch, one willing to believe in the

future and protect this world even from itself.

This concept of the battle between the nihilist and the

übermensch does not solely exist within the animé universe.

The two characters are metaphors for the two notions that

exist in all of us. Nihilism does not manifest itself only

through the notion that humans are selfish destructive

individuals and that they are doomed to die a horrible death

because of their actions. In that same manner, the concept

of the übermensch does not solely manifest through a super-

human character with capabilities that surpass the normal

man. The two concepts exist in our mental state. As said in

the early part of this paper, boredom can be considered as a

manifestation of nihilism. To alleviate away from that we

participate in the active enlivening art of the world. The

 69

confusion that the übermensch character is the winner of the

ultimate contest of the survival of the fittest results in a

false manifestation of our over-man qualities. In the animé,

it was clearly depicted that humans’ desire to be better has

lead them to the point of destruction. However, we should be

reminded that the übermensch concept can simply manifest in

our state of mind. Even the simple feeling of believing in

ones capabilities is a manifestation of the notion.

Nihilism, too, manifests in simple states of mind. Over-

humility, especially if not necessary is one example. We

believe that whatever we do there is no point in succeeding

because we are incapable of success.

E) The Endless Tragedy of War: The Result of Ressentiment

Basically, the concept of ressentiment in the animé is

loosely derived from the Nietszchean concept of the slave

revolt in morality.46 The ressentiment here is not exactly

the notion by Nietzsche. This was simply taken to have a

clear picture of what resentment is within the realm of

Gundam SEED that caused people to kill and destroy

Essentially, the concept of ressentiment is the weapon

of the weak. is more of a manifestation of prejudice, fear,

envy, and loathing in the animé.

46
Nietzsche, Friedrich, On the Genealogy of Morality
 70

Justice in ancient times was basically retribution,

the concept of revenge. That is what manifests in the animé.

The ensuing cries of the victim of war usher in a new call

for war. Two specific instances within the animé is the

first attack done to the Coordinators when the PLANTs were

shot with nuclear warheads. Then Coordinators shower the

world with N-Jammers to prevent energy flux. The Naturals

suffered in turn from the hands of a terrorist cell loyal to

Patrick Zala. During the SEED Destiny arc, they diverted the

orbit of the remains of Junius 7 to crash on the earth’s

surface. Then finally, the extreme manifestation of

resentment was the firing of the lunar weapon Requiem.

The Gundam SEED philosophy is surrounded by this

concept. The constant bickering between the inferior envious

Naturals and the proud superior Coordinators resulted in the

almost destruction of both. The desire to be better than the

other will always bring forth conflict, and in turn the idea

that there will always be conflict will always bring the

desire to be powerful.

The recurring metaphor is the battle of the doves. It

is said that if you pit two doves against one another it

would be a long gruesome battle because they have no sharp

talons or pointed beaks. The same goes for the two warring

factions. Their belief in their own peace and denial of the

 71

other will lead them to a never-ending battle for their

beliefs.

F) Chapter Summary

This chapter discussed the example of the science

fiction genre of the mecha scene known as the saga of

Gundam. To have a background on the story, a simple

definition of important terms in the animé was given as

added information concerning the animé. There was a brief

synopsis on the back story of the actual anime was shown to

clarify events that have been briefly explained in the

animé. Also, the main characters have been enumerated. These

are not all the protagonists and antagonists of the animé.

They are only the main cast, and the whole story typically

revolves about their experiences.

The second part of the chapter illustrates the

philosophies that revolve within the animé series.

Basically, the concept of war is the main philosophy, in

that war is brought on not by political reasons but by basic

human qualities and urges.

 72

Chapter IV

Summary and Conclusion

 73

A) Summary

This paper discussed the different ideologies that surround

the realm of the popular culture scene. Popular culture has

become the new medium of this generation’s philosophy. The rise

of this culture was brought about as an off-shoot of the people’s

fatigue over the previous philosophy’s attitude of condescending

down on the perverse and the mundane. Those that followed the

principles of the old conventionalism never explored the

potentials and possibilities of the world. The branded those that

tried for something new as heretics to the structured society.

Those that believed too much on structures and boundaries feared

that an open society would bring about the downfall of humans.

In this new world of many post-isms, it is inevitable that

change in the medium of expression and ideology would happen. It

has already happened; people looked for new ways to express their

ideals and beliefs.

Friedrich Nietzsche’s works have grown into a new branch of

philosophy that idealizes a world against conventions.

Conventions and routine made man desire for something else. He

was bored with the fact that belief and faith in a higher power

stopped his train of thought. Another perhaps is that society

worships a world depicted only in black and white. The emergence

of new ideas made the picture in gray. Within this new culture,

expression was prevalent. The reason for this is because we

 74

desire to remove ourselves from that feeling of nothingness that

is slowly eating our spirits up. It is like a chronic cancer.

Most deny nihilism, the fact is many look on optimistic

ideologies in life. Most people would obviously desire happiness

and nihilism is with great confidence ‘not very happy’.

This media has grown towards into something more than just

entertainment. It became more than just a medium for expression

but a whole culture in itself. This developed out of the

attitudes of those that no longer desire to be mere herd-like

entities that follow given principles thrown to them obey.

The new culture and the new art, manifests itself in the new

media of expression of today. In one of these manifestations of

the new, animé as a popular media is the main discussion. Animé

is a form of narrative that apparently has deep philosophical

undertones. Because of its origins from a culture that already

has a powerful philosophical and spiritual background, it was

apparent that animé as the new art-form would also carry with it

this trait. To explain further, examples were given

In the chapter that succeeded the discussion on the new

culture, the main discussion of the animé franchise as a concrete

example of the media with philosophical undertones. The animé is

part of the meta-series of the Gundam animé scene. Gundam itself

as a whole was an international sensation among the society of

the new popular culture. The specific animé from the franchise
 75

was Mobile Suit Gundam SEED and its spin-off Mobile Suit Gundam

SEED Destiny.

It is a world plunged in war and drenched in blood. The

gruesome battle conflict between two warring factions, the

Naturals and the Coordinators, tests the limits of humanity.

Conflict ensued out of animosity and envy. It is a war for

supremacy and annihilation. This brings about the true nature of

man, as selfish destruction creatures. The philosophy of war is

more akin to the philosophy of life and death, of existence, of

reality.

The question of what humans should be fighting against and

fighting for recurs throughout the SEED universe. Whether or not

we humans deserve to be here begs the question on why we are here

in the world. We are fighting for a future we do not even know

what it is within it. What happens when we fight for something we

do not know is that that future which we wish for is built by

blood-stained hands.

B) Conclusion and Reflection

What does it take for us to build a better future? Do we

even need a new better one? What is wrong with the one we have?

These questions are those we ask when given the premise of a

better future as our reason to fight. In the real world, we are

always fighting. But the enemies we metaphysically shoot are

unknown to us.
 76

We sorrow our death for in our culture we understand it to

be the atonement and retribution of our sins. We create wars,

murder, blasphemy and all known forms of evil that man is the

only one capable. We build our future out of the money that oils

our wheels. We create a world of lies and deceit to be the means

for happiness as the end. What kind of happiness would that be?

Is happiness to be found in a future that is gasped with blood

stained hands? Is that the truth? We are blinded by insatiable

desire for independence, pleasure, and power. People do fear

death; they fear what they imagine death to be.

The question of existence no longer suffices. A more

transcended problem is given to us. What do we do now? This is a

question implied at the end of the series. This question not only

involves the animé characters after the war. It also applies to

the real world. Once we have reached our goal, we are bothered by

that question. In this world, throughout humanity’s endeavors,

the journey to find a better future has always led us to the

pains of reality. There are always so many paths before us, we

choose a path and we proceed. People who are too disillusioned in

an already laid out future walk their paths believing that

something they desire is waiting for them. Those that understand

the reality of this world walk the path to confirm that there is

nothing there, and so understanding this reality, these people

live a life of their own and create a future for a better

happiness. This is the philosophy of Gundam SEED.

 77

Bibliography:

Safrinski, Rüdiger. Nietzsche: A Philosophical

Biography. Trans. by Shelley Frisch (W.W. Norton & Co.,

2000)

Hull, Elizabeth Ann and Mark Siegel, “Science Fiction”,

Handbook of Japanese Popular Culture, Edited by Richard Gid

Powers and Hidetoshi Kato, (Greenwood Press: Connecticut,

London)

Ortega y Gasset, Jose, The Dehumanization of Art and

other writings on art and culture, Double & Company, inc.

Nietzsche, Friedrich, The Birth of Tragedy, trans.

Fadiman, Clifton F., Dover Publications Inc.

Nietzsche, Friedrich, On the Genealogy of Morality,

trans. Diethe, Carol, ed. Ansell-Pearson, Kieth, Cambridge

University Press

Levi, Antonia, Samurai from Outer Space:

Understanding Japanese Animation, USA: Open Court

Publishing Co., 1996

 78

Internet Sources

http://www.gundamofficial.com/index-2.html

Sinclair,Iain,http://www.shizuka.net/otaking/faqs/

faq12.ram.faq

Kellner,Douglas, Nietzsche on Mass Culture,

http://www.uta.edu/huma/illuminations/kell22.htm

Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Popular Culture,

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popular_culture

Barthes, Roland, The Death of the Author, http://evans-

experientialism.freewebspace.com/barthes06.htm

Animé Sources47

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED (aired in Cartoon Network, Hero tv,

and ABS-CBN)

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny (aired in Cartoon

Network, Hero tv, and ABS-CBN)

Full Metal Alchemist (aired in GMA 7 and Animax Philippines)

47
These are the Philippine airings
 79

Ghost in the Shell (aired in GMA 7, AXN Philippines, and

Animax Philippines)

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (aired in Animax

Philippines)

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complez 2nd gig (aired in

Animax Philippines)

Toward the Terra (aired in Animax Philippines)

Wolf’s Rain (aired in Animax Philippines)

Spirited Away (aired in Star Movies Philippines)

Death Note (still unaired in the Philippine television)