Japanese Symbolism In Seita

Aside from Japanese nationalism and its “structural violence” that led to the deaths of Seita and Setsuko, many critics blame Seita and his actions for the miserable fate of the siblings. Connecting to Japan’s overt nationalism, Seita was also a victim of this blind view and how it contributed to his and his sister’s demise. One example of symbolism that links his nationalism is Seita’s fire brigade uniform, which he wear for the entirety of the film (Goldberg 44). Takahata uses this to suggest his father and his militaristic ties. The only image we see of his father is in the militaristic sense as Seita carries a photo of his father in his navy uniform. Since his father is a huge role model for him, he puts in blind hope towards the military and how his father will “make

Whenever confronted by a problem, his “hero complex” is the one to dictate his actions. Knowing that he is primary source of dependence for Setsuko after losing their mom, he takes up the responsibility in taking care of her. Seita wants to be a hero for his younger sibling, even if meant disregarding the help of better authority. This is quite evident in the scenes leading up to his departure from the shelter of his aunt’s house. Despite his nationalist view, he doesn’t take upon any responsibility to help the country by finding a job or serving in the fire brigade, which was a trait his aunt despised. Seita simply many days going about his insolent activities with Setsuko. After finding his aunt’s nagging to be bothersome, he let his self-pride create a delusion that he would be able to be self-sufficient on his own as he finds his own shelter. Koolbeanz: 002, a blogger who reviews various animes on the AminoApp, comments that after leaving his aunt, Seita practices “…’self-seclusion’, leaving society and living on his own. He attempted to live off of nature with his sister now in a position where he was the only influence in her