Commentator: Sayawaka (writer, story critic)
Something that resonates with everyone, even those with a young boy or girl's heart.
Juvenile science fiction, in which events that occur in another world are connected to real-world problems, is a feeling that is very relatable to people of my generation who grew up watching "Ultraman." There was also a scene in "Stranger Things" in the second half of season 2 where I felt the intention of the production team was clear.
When Dustin brings a manual for the tabletop game Dungeons & Dragons to defeat their nemesis, the Mind Flayer, Hopper dismisses it as "child's play." Hopper quickly retorts, "It's a manual. It's a metaphor for reality," to which Lucas makes the effort to correct him, saying, "No, it's not a metaphor, it's an analogy." An analogy is the process of inferring something unknown from similarities in structure or logic.
In other words, Dustin thinks about the rules of games and his works as if they were real life. In his story, he tells us that we can recapture reality through fiction. Hidden in the games that kids are obsessed with and that adults don't even pay attention to are clues to solving the mysteries of reality. This is where I felt a strong juvenile science fiction feel. It also corresponds to the setting of the work itself, in which the unconscious and the real world are mirror images, making it a highly polished piece of entertainment.
Director: Matt & Ross Duffer / Streaming since 2016 / Set in the 1980s American rural town of Hawkins, the film depicts a group of boys and girls at the mercy of mysterious phenomena. There are also many homages to 1980s films. "The love and oppression that Will receives from his mother, and the depiction of El losing the ability to use her powers, all show the conflicts and growth that are unique to adolescence."
Japanese juvenile novels that connect the world and the local area
Science fiction with adult protagonists often tackles major issues like social conditions, racism, and war, but when the protagonists are children, even when a major global problem occurs, they can only be involved on their own scale. How do they come to terms with reality and grow into adults amid such dilemmas? This type of format seen in juvenile science fiction has been a kind of specialty of Japanese authors for decades.
Take, for example, Mobile Suit Gundam and its influence, Neon Genesis Evangelion. Both are epic stories that involve epic battles in outer space, but their underlying theme is the relationship between father and son. Makoto Makoto Shinkai 's debut work, Voices of a Distant Star, is a juvenile science fiction work that deals with sentimental love, and is considered a representative of the so-called "sekaikei" genre, in which the relationship between you and me determines the fate of the world. Recent works such as Weathering with You and Your Name also have the same basic structure.
Director: Makoto Shinkai / Released in 2019 / In summer Tokyo, a runaway boy meets a girl who can control the weather. "Some say Shinkai's works are not science fiction, but that's because, as Yasutaka Tsutsui once said, they have permeated and spread so far. They have the youthful feel of a juvenile novel, in which the relationships between close friends have an impact on the world, and the scale of science fiction. I believe this is a work that will be loved in Japan and continue to be made."
Also, Cloud, the protagonist of "Final Fantasy VII," a game that appeared before the world-type genre and was recently remade, is constantly questioning who he really is in a world of constant conflict. However, this style of storytelling is no longer unique to Japan. The game "Life is Strange" really brought this home to me. As the protagonist repeats a loop over and over again to save a friend, singularities accumulate and a storm breaks out... Isn't this exactly the same story as "Puella Magi Madoka Magica"? (laughs)
Developer: Square Enix / Release date: 2024 / The second remake of Final Fantasy VII, originally released in 1997. It depicts the events from the escape from the Mako city of Midgar to the "Forgotten City." "When I played this game, the background of the war was depicted more vividly, and I felt once again that it was a sci-fi work that mixed Gaia theory, nuclear weapons, and cyberpunk. Cloud, however, continues to struggle."
Developer: DONTNOD Entertainment / Released in 2016 / Set in the fictional rural town of Arcadia Bay, Oregon, USA, the game depicts the friendship between Max, a high school girl who can rewind time, and her childhood friend Chloe. The latest installment, in which Max will once again be the protagonist, is scheduled for release in October 2024. "The portrayal of the typical teenage years, such as the strained relationships and painful descent into darkness, is heartbreaking."
Director in Chief: Shinbo Akiyuki / Director: Yukihiro Miyamoto / Released in 2013 / It depicts what happens after the TV series that began in 2011. The magical girl Akemi Homura continues to fight, dreaming of reuniting with Madoka. Currently, the latest film in 11 years, "Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Walpurgis no Kaiten" is in production. "Even though it has a magical crown, it is a science fiction story in which the girls' daily lives, the world, and loops are intertwined. The plot is also shocking."
The final plot, where the protagonist is faced with the question of whether to save his friend or the world, is a typical Sekaikei story. The Indonesian indie game "A Space for the Unbound: Flowers Blooming in the Heart," released in 2023, is also a juvenile science fiction work with a strong Japanese influence. The story, depicted in Super Nintendo-style pixel art, is heartbreaking and tear-jerking.
Developer: Mojiken Studio / Release date: 2023 / A 2D adventure from an up-and-coming studio. In a rural town in Indonesia, where the end of the world is approaching, two high school students embark on a journey of self-discovery. "The pixelated expressions, created by a generation that grew up on Japanese juvenile works, are appealing."
The story is set in Indonesia in the late '90s, but it also touches on Street Fighter II and Dragon Ball. Looking at the content that's popular globally today, it feels like the generation influenced by Japanese culture in the 1990s and 2000s has grown up and is now trying to create interesting things.
Reawakening the days of teenage curiosity and the world
Unlike fantasy, science fiction makes leaps based on certain rules and scientific rationality. That's why, dating back to the postwar period, I think Japanese people have dealt with real-life issues that are difficult to directly depict through science fiction analogies. What would happen if an unexpected science fiction-like event actually happened? It's tough, but it makes you hungry and sleepy, and you have to get to work by train.
For example, in the game "Persona 3," even if the protagonist conquers a dungeon in the middle of the night, he still has to go to school in the morning. Producer and creator of "Persona 3," Katsura Hashino, often says, "We're making a juvenile game." He says the target audience is anyone who still has a teenage heart.
Developer: Atlus / Release Date: 2024 / A remake of the popular title originally released in 2006, adapted for current hardware including the PlayStation 5. The story follows the protagonist and his friends as they awaken to a power known as "Persona" while living their high school life. "The "Commu" system, which allows players to build relationships with those around them, adds depth to the coming-of-age drama. A masterpiece crafted down to the smallest detail."
No matter how difficult things get, the structure of having to face mundane reality is the very essence of teenage life. Even if something strange happens, children can deal with it as part of their daily lives with curiosity and accept it easily. Perhaps everyone is so fascinated by juvenile science fiction because it awakens those feelings they once experienced.
