Although products of a highly commercialised entertainment industry, Japan’s manga are still rooted in a tradition of refined figurative self-reflection. Especially theatrical practice with its multiple forms of expression affected manga in a way that it began to feature the human body as the most flexible symbol of both physical and psychical concerns. “In Japanese […] comics this protean transforming body is sometimes grotesque […], sometimes alluring […], but always memorable. […] In this fantastic mode, ranging from science fiction to occult pornography, the body interrogates the dominant constructions of identity in modern societybe they gender-based or even human species-based.” (Napier, 37) Under such a heading different subgenres of manga developed their own distinctive techniques of presenting bodies. Theshojo1genre, in the beginning exclusively aimed at adolescent girls, acquired its characteristic motifs and style in the seventies when conquered rapidly by draughtswomen who made it a successful domain on the Japanese comic market. Female protagonists were then alternated with so-calledbishonen,sensitive young men of feminine beauty deviating from sexual and social norms by entering into romanticised homoerotic relationships. Androgyny, nonconformity and role reversals, which went back particularly to Kabuki and Takarazuka theatre2, became omnipresent inshojomanga. Great emphasis was placed on physical beauty which did therefore not fall victim to stylisation as it was the case in other genres. Plot ceased to be the centre of interest and gave way to detailed illustrations of inner conflict and personal development for which the human body often constituted the visible equivalent. From this, manga critics also frequently drew conclusions about the inner life of the meanwhile grown main target group, actually girls and young women in their teens or early twenties.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Male Character Concepts
A. Incestuous messiah: Setsuna
B. “Am I beautiful?”: Rosiel
C. Devoted from head to toe: Katan
III. Female Character Concepts
A. Adolescent concerns: Kurai
B. 87-58-85 and a bleeding heart: Alexiel
C. Veiled disgrace: Layla – Sevothtarte
IV. Sexless Character Concepts
A. Joys of motherhood: Seraphita (Adam Kadamon)
B. Boundless transgression: Belial (“Mad Hatter”)
V. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines how the human body in the shojo manga "Angel Sanctuary" functions as a symbol and mirror for internal, interpersonal, and social conflicts, specifically during the developmental stage of adolescence.
- Analysis of male character concepts and the integration of identity conflicts.
- Exploration of female character concepts in relation to patriarchal structures.
- Investigation of sexless characters as symbols for motherhood and gender transgression.
- Evaluation of the influence of social roles and traditional norms on personal development.
- Discussion of the body as a multi-faceted medium for representing inner states.
Excerpt from the Book
B. “Am I beautiful?”: Rosiel
As Setsuna is no perfectly righteous protagonist, his antagonist, “inorganic” seraph Rosiel, is no “bad guy” in the Western sense either. Antonia Levi points out that because of both Japan’s literary tradition to focussing on introspection (28) and the Japanese attitude that “morality is a purely human concept, a social concept […] not tied to any transcendental view of the universe” (99), in manga “being a villain is not the same thing as being the enemy” (70). Keeping this in mind, Rosiel’s character concept is probably one of the most interesting within Angel Sanctuary, in particular with regard to discrepancies between body and soul.
In the past, Seraphita had divided his might into positive and negative energy attaching the first to Alexiel and the latter to Rosiel, the twins he then “gave birth” to. God, who feared their joint powers, isolated them holding Alexiel captive in Eden and keeping Rosiel in Etemenanki. In terms of physicality they were exact opposites25. Alexiel was a pretty, vital young girl, whereas Rosiel was born malformed and almost not viable, actually without a body in the original meaning of the word. God assured only him repeatedly of his love, but when Rosiel wished to meet his sister God suggested that she would not like to see him because of his unique hideousness. However, he, albeit filled with desperation, finally managed to approach Alexiel, but instead of requiting his affection she rejected him. Unknowing that God had extorted this behaviour from her, Rosiel erroneously attributed it to God’s preference of him and, above all, to his ugly appearance so that he brutally took tissue and organs from her body in order to create an own beautiful bishonen-like physique from it.
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: This chapter contextualizes the role of the body in shojo manga and outlines the focus on Kaori Yuki’s "Angel Sanctuary" as a representative work for examining identity and social conflicts.
II. Male Character Concepts: This section analyzes how male protagonists, such as Setsuna, Rosiel, and Katan, navigate their identities through physical transformation and adherence to or rebellion against societal expectations.
III. Female Character Concepts: This part explores the struggles of female and transformed characters like Kurai, Alexiel, and Layla, focusing on how they deal with patriarchal violence and traditional gender roles.
IV. Sexless Character Concepts: This chapter investigates non-binary or sexless beings like Seraphita and Belial, using them to deconstruct the social constructs of motherhood and gender-based identity.
V. Conclusion: The final chapter synthesizes findings, arguing that the body in "Angel Sanctuary" serves as a vital mirror for adolescent maturation and that individual confidence is achieved through a personalized balance of adjustment and deviance.
Keywords
Shojo manga, Angel Sanctuary, Identity, Adolescence, Gender roles, Patriarchy, Body symbolism, Character development, Sexuality, Nonconformity, Social construction, Mythology, Transgression, Psychical conflict, Human development
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The work examines how the human body in the manga "Angel Sanctuary" acts as a symbolic medium for representing the inner struggles, developmental challenges, and social conflicts of its characters.
What are the central thematic areas discussed?
Key areas include the impact of patriarchal structures, the influence of traditional social roles, the physical transition of adolescence, and the formation of individual identity through body-related choices.
What is the core research question?
The research asks how bodies in "Angel Sanctuary" are integrated into character concepts as both triggers and mirrors for inner and social conflicts, and what attitudes toward physicality and gender roles are revealed.
Which methodology is employed?
The author uses a literary and cultural studies approach, combining textual analysis of the manga with theoretical frameworks concerning Japanese manga traditions, gender studies, and developmental psychology.
What does the main body of the work cover?
It covers detailed analyses of male, female, and sexless character archetypes, exploring how each character's physical state informs their psychological development and reaction to external pressures.
Which keywords characterize the research?
The study is best characterized by terms such as shojo manga, identity formation, gender roles, body symbolism, and adolescent maturation.
How does the author interpret Rosiel's character?
The author interprets Rosiel not as a simple villain, but as a tragic figure whose obsession with beauty and love stems from his initial physical malformation and the manipulation by divine patriarchal figures.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding the role of women in the manga?
The author concludes that while the manga exposes and criticizes the misogynistic biases and patriarchal cruelty women face, the characters like Alexiel remain caught between traditional expectations and the desire for self-emancipation.
- Quote paper
- Heike Stindt (Author), 2004, Organic Mirrors - Reflections on and by Characters' Bodies in Shojo Manga Angel Sanctuary, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/59634
