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Anime and Philosophy

Blogs > shindigs
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shindigs
Profile Blog Joined May 2009
United States4795 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-02-22 07:36:51
February 22 2011 07:34 GMT
#1
"Anime and Philosophy" is a course offered by UC Irvine next spring quarter that so happens to fulfill one of my GE requirements. Yay! I was debating on either taking this class or "Korean Wave and Pop Culture," but I heard that it's actually a boring class with actual readings and quizzes and busy work.

I was pretty excited to see what Anime and Philo had to offer, but my heart sank just a bit upon reading the course description:
"Anime has numerous works that hit upon philosophical issues or make philosophers and their theories central parts of the storyline. In this course, we focus on one anime, Naruto, and explore the connections between anime and philosophy. By examining characters, story lines, and the world Naruto takes place in conjunction with philosophical readings that address similar issue student will attempt to answer questions such as: What kind of philosophical issues appear in Naruto? How do the actions of the characters represent a philosophy in themselves?"


Naruto was definitely not my top choice for the anime I'd like to watch, but it's popular and I'm familiar with the lulzy storyline. I'm pretty tired of classes in general, so at the very least it's one class I can sort of not pay much attention to and still do well in.

Anyone else taking similarly "interesting" classes? Your responses are appreciated and help me procrastinate :p

*****
Photographer@shindags || twitch.tv/shindigs
Southlight
Profile Blog Joined August 2007
United States11768 Posts
February 22 2011 07:38 GMT
#2
Naruto? Seriously? That's the best they could do? God, the amount of rage I feel...
oraoraoraoraoraoraoraora
Blisse
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
Canada3710 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-02-22 07:39:21
February 22 2011 07:39 GMT
#3
Why do these classes even exist. (How?) I don't understand how a university can approve this?

I wouldn't take it on Naruto alone, but let's not go there.
There is no one like you in the universe.
Souma
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
2nd Worst City in CA8938 Posts
February 22 2011 07:40 GMT
#4
Naruto? Really? Wow, I would totally not sign up for that class. If they wanna talk philosophy in anime, they should so do Kino no Tabi.

I wonder if there are interesting classes like that (minus the Naruto) at UCSD though...
Writer
Turgid
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
United States1623 Posts
February 22 2011 07:41 GMT
#5
Ahaha, I had a philosophy professor who had a weird, romanticized view of what those "Anime and Philosophy" and "The Simpsons and Philosophy" and such books might contain. I think he actually ended up hating it when he actually read one. I'm kinda grossed out by this approach to philosophy, to be honest. Not that there's no way to use popular culture(even anime) as a tool for understanding philosophical concepts, but like 90% of the time the stuff is a gimmick and provides neither a more indepth understanding of philosophy(How much DOES Sasuke's beef with Naruto have to tell you about Hegel?) nor a more interesting set of tools to critique the culture around you.

malarkey!
(╬ ಠ益ಠ)
Terrakin
Profile Blog Joined December 2009
United States1440 Posts
February 22 2011 07:42 GMT
#6
Yeah it kind of does suck that they use Naruto when there are tons of amazing older anime out there. Class will probably be pretty boring if you don't like Naruto.
Fame was like a drug. But what was even more like a drug were the drugs.
Groslouser
Profile Blog Joined December 2007
France337 Posts
February 22 2011 07:43 GMT
#7
There are so many animes that deal with philosophy and they chose Naruto?

It's really a bit sad, however if you are solely interested in the situations the characters have to face you would have a vast aray of subjects to work with.

Still. It's a bit sad.
shindigs
Profile Blog Joined May 2009
United States4795 Posts
February 22 2011 07:51 GMT
#8
I just realized if we're gonna watch fillers, I'm dropping this class.
Photographer@shindags || twitch.tv/shindigs
enzym
Profile Joined January 2010
Germany1034 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-02-22 08:00:28
February 22 2011 07:52 GMT
#9
Wow... what a letdown. I'm an avid anime watcher (profile, for the curious) and especially love the aspects one thought were described by the OP. There are many great wisdoms and hints at philosophical concepts in anime, like Ghost in the Shell, Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen, even One Piece, and many, many more, but Naruto is pretty much the last one you'd connect to philosophy. Even after the seriousness of their expression I still don't know what philosophical concept they could be talking about. My uninformed reflection on their choice makes me sad. :[
"I fart a lot, often on my gf in bed, then we roll around laughing for 5 mins choking in gas." — exog // "…be'master, the art of reflection. If you are not a thinking man, to what purpose are you a man at all?" — S. T. Coleridge
quirinus
Profile Blog Joined May 2007
Croatia2489 Posts
February 22 2011 07:53 GMT
#10
So much fail... Why Naruto, why? Naruto isn't philosophically oriented at all, while there are animes that are specifically designed for that.

I guess they want to get popularity by using the mainstream animes and examining the philosophy of an ordinary one.
All candles lit within him, and there was purity. | First auto-promoted BW LP editor.
enzym
Profile Joined January 2010
Germany1034 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-02-22 08:07:30
February 22 2011 07:59 GMT
#11
On February 22 2011 16:53 quirinus wrote:
So much fail... Why Naruto, why? Naruto isn't philosophically oriented at all, while there are animes that are specifically designed for that.

I guess they want to get popularity by using the mainstream animes and examining the philosophy of an ordinary one.

And alienate the people who are even the slightest bit philosophically inclined in the process? It's so sad that I must repeatedly write it out. :[


On February 22 2011 16:51 shindigs wrote:
fillers

What the...? Hyping you up before letting you down is the greatest of all. Why, why, WHY?

I almost feel like I suffer more than you, haha. What a bummer.
"I fart a lot, often on my gf in bed, then we roll around laughing for 5 mins choking in gas." — exog // "…be'master, the art of reflection. If you are not a thinking man, to what purpose are you a man at all?" — S. T. Coleridge
FakeSteve[TPR]
Profile Blog Joined July 2003
Valhalla18444 Posts
February 22 2011 08:08 GMT
#12
if you're interested in philosophy, perhaps you should take a philosophy course that isn't based around a poorly-written children's show
Moderatormy tatsu loops r fuckin nice
divito
Profile Blog Joined January 2011
Canada1213 Posts
February 22 2011 08:10 GMT
#13
Very strange choice when there are so many others to use. Though, I can see why they might have chosen it.

Other than that, these kinds of classes/assignments are fun. My high school philosophy class was good and entertaining, though the majority of it was filled with morons. Final project was good too, had to pick a book or movie and explain it in relation to philosophical thought. I chose Fight Club because it was easy and because it was, well, Fight Club.
Skype: divito7
shindigs
Profile Blog Joined May 2009
United States4795 Posts
February 22 2011 08:13 GMT
#14
On February 22 2011 17:08 FakeSteve[TPR] wrote:
if you're interested in philosophy, perhaps you should take a philosophy course that isn't based around a poorly-written children's show


I've taken other GE's that have taught philosophy on a much more serious medium. I actually enjoyed Philosophy of Science when I learned about it, it's too bad it doesn't fulfill my GE as of now. I'm not a huge philosophy buff and I don't expect much out of this class. Sort of makes me sound like a bad student O_O I just need to get my GE's done!
Photographer@shindags || twitch.tv/shindigs
Tatari
Profile Blog Joined January 2011
United States1179 Posts
February 22 2011 08:15 GMT
#15
They better mention Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro...

Naruto is just absolute crap. Hell, why the hell do you even go around making a class BASED ON ANIME. AM I THE ONLY ONE NOTICING SOMETHING HORRENDOUSLY WRONG HERE?
A fed jungler is no longer a jungler, but a terrorist.
JSH
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
United States4109 Posts
February 22 2011 08:17 GMT
#16
Eh... I wonder why they chose Naruto lol

Cool idea but... meh...
"It's called a miracle because it doesn't happen" - Just like my chances of reaching C- on ICCUP
shindigs
Profile Blog Joined May 2009
United States4795 Posts
February 22 2011 08:19 GMT
#17
On February 22 2011 17:17 JSH wrote:
Eh... I wonder why they chose Naruto lol

Cool idea but... meh...


I looked up the instructor for next quarter, his FB profile pic is a Naruto character looooool.
Photographer@shindags || twitch.tv/shindigs
dronebabo
Profile Blog Joined December 2003
10866 Posts
February 22 2011 08:24 GMT
#18
--- Nuked ---
DeLoAdEr
Profile Blog Joined July 2003
Japan527 Posts
February 22 2011 09:25 GMT
#19
On February 22 2011 17:19 shindigs wrote:
Show nested quote +
On February 22 2011 17:17 JSH wrote:
Eh... I wonder why they chose Naruto lol

Cool idea but... meh...


I looked up the instructor for next quarter, his FB profile pic is a Naruto character looooool.


lool, hahahaha
TimeOut
Profile Joined August 2010
Germany1277 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-02-22 09:46:42
February 22 2011 09:43 GMT
#20
On February 22 2011 17:19 shindigs wrote:
Show nested quote +
On February 22 2011 17:17 JSH wrote:
Eh... I wonder why they chose Naruto lol

Cool idea but... meh...


I looked up the instructor for next quarter, his FB profile pic is a Naruto character looooool.


Haha. I feel for you.

The idea is not bad at all, but Naruto? Seriously? I guess this is more of an excuse to watch Naruto and get paid for it. Pretty clever if it works and if you like to watch it.

But perhaps we are wrong and Naruto is a deep philosophical anime.

Edit: vvvv *insert obligatory School Days comment here*
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