About Re:Context

Re:Context is a personal writing project about Japanese animation, including the cultural contexts behind it.

Japanese animation, I believe, is one of the most high-context forms of cultural expression. It is somewhat like how English literature assumes that readers are familiar with Shakespeare.

However, many viewers outside Japan may not be immersed in the broader cultural background that Japanese creators often take for granted — for example, Akutagawa, Murasaki Shikibu, The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, Dazai, Slayers, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, or even everyday references such as mugicha (barley tea), sōmen (thin noodles), dango (sweet dumplings), and Shinto traditions.

One of the quiet pleasures of watching Japanese animation lies in noticing the subtle nuances that emerge from such cultural layers. Sometimes, these nuances reflect the creator’s hidden intentions or playful allusions. If my interpretation happens to align with theirs, I’m delighted — and if not, I still enjoy the process of my tiny discoveries. Hideaki Anno once mentioned that Evangelion is “pedantic,” but after all, while it matters what and how creators intend, it is equally important what and how viewers receive. Perhaps a work of art only approaches completion when it is received by its audience.

From this perspective, I write down my small thoughts in English on several Japanese animations, through the lens of Japanese cultural contexts. I hope these reflections will offer something quietly meaningful to those who love Japanese animation.

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Last reviewed: 2025-12-13