Sarazanmai Ep.1

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Preliminary reaction to Sarazanmai Ep1. Have not watched Sub, so terms might differ.

Probably what I am seeing here is the privacy=self-defining=what it is to be yourself in the internet age. The desire dimension of Asakusa is basically a motif based on cyberspace, where desires of the users are designed to be enhanced. Before the premier, I thought SNS would come in, and it is probably right, seeing the apps motif and all. Just that it was not the core in the first episode. Probably the next one.

Use of box could have several meanings, but the layered understanding would be closer to what Ikuhara has in mind. Packet as an network term, together with globalization with Amazon motif, and probably the notions of inside-outside of the box is either AT-Field-like self-others border. My friend’s interpretation as the storage space of the IT devices are also very much valid.

The “desire leaking” is basically the leakage of the private information, equivalent to losing self-definition of the cyberspace identity. It might also a message that there is no “privacy” in cyberspace. Secret, in the true sense of the word cannot exist in internet.

The setting is deliberately made so that Sarazanmai serves as a mirror image of the Yurikuma Arashi. Total male cast, desire as core, and the “bond” is all common features in these two works. I understood Yurikuma as tales of religion, fundamentalism and extremism, revolving around 9.11. Sarazanmai would serve as a reflection of that, namely the disconnect and conflict within society with Social Media and desires. I would still need to re-watch Yurikuma with emphasis on desire, but the notions of these paired reflection should be correct.

The overly sexual motif in Ikuhara’s works nothing new, but I think this work is very explicit, cognate with Yurikuma, especially the opening. Yurikuma drew such sexual relationship as a new age (taboo between bears and humans) for the world, by rejecting the norms=religion. In Sarazanmai, the use of the sexual motifs are probably trying to convey messages about the desire going berserk in internet, and that the sexual desires are the easiest to manipulate and exploit=make it go berserk.

Why Kappa? Superstition that world forgot through enlightenment and rejection of religion?

 

I’m pretty sure Sarazanmai will be about relationship in SNS age.

Penguindrum was 1995, Yurikuma was 2001, then when would Sarazanmai be?

The issue of Desire is mentioned in Yurikuma, but since the core of that work is religion, so the desire seemed like it was the antithesis to the core message. Based on that, I feel the desire in Sarazanmai would be something on “this side”, as a mirror image counterpart of Yurikuma.

The theme about SNS would come in next episode, I guess. The Exploitation of Desire is basically about Internet-sphere. The box is probably based on the “packets” in network jargon.

Bringing back people from internet-sphere, where it enhances desire => “Removal of the swollen desire (shirikodama)”. The Exploitation of Desire might be the desire going berserk, and becoming zombie.

Jesus that contrast of “removing key items from the body” from 20 years ago! Utena had its beauty from the chest, but Sarazanmai is doing that from your asshole…WTF.

So the box is like AT field from Eva.

It’s Human Instrumentality Project! I fucking told you!

No, wait this is not about globalization. It’s like one’s self-defining in the cyberspace where the desires are enhanced.

 

 

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