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Catherine Jane P Pace

Almacita Calimbo

Advanced Literary Criticism

KAZUYA MINEKURAS GENSUMADEN SAIYUKI (JOURNEY TO THE WEST) AND

NOBUHIRO WATSUKIS RUROUNI KENSHIN (SAMURAI X):

ARCHETYPAL ANALYSIS

INTRODUCTION

"Criticism asks what literature is, what it does, and what it is worth." Literary criticism

analyzes, interprets, and evaluates works of literature. Though you most often find criticism in

the form of an essay, in-depth book reviews may also be considered criticism. Criticism may

analyze an individual work of literature. It may also examine an authors body of work.

Literary criticism is the act of interpreting literature. Authors present us with work that

can have multiple meanings, expecting us to consider thoughtfully--to interpret. Writers and

critics build on each others' understanding of a work of literature in a kind of dialog. Noted

authors often have a body of criticism attached to their work. Critics evaluate and debate the

ideas of fellow critics. Good criticism can help develop a better understanding of a work. It can
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help develop a point of view about a work, whether or not we agree with the opinions of the

critic. < http://www.sdst.org/shs/library/whatislit.html >

The Western critical tradition began with Plato's Republic (4th century BC). A generation

later, Aristotle, in his Poetics, developed a set of principles of composition that had a lasting

influence. European criticism since the Renaissance has primarily focused on the moral worth of

literature and the nature of its relationship to reality. At the end of the 16th century, Sir Philip

Sidney argued that it is the special property of literature to offer an imagined world that is in

some respects superior to the real one. A century later John Dryden proposed the less idealistic

view that literature must primarily offer an accurate representation of the world for "the delight

and instruction of mankind," an assumption that underlies the great critical works of Alexander

Pope and Samuel Johnson. A departure from these ideas appeared in the criticism of the

Romantic period, epitomized by William Wordsworth's assertion that the object of poetry is

"truthcarried alive into the heart by passion." The later 19th century saw two divergent

developments: an aesthetic theory of "art for art's sake," and the view (expressed by Matthew

Arnold) that literature must assume the moral and philosophical functions previously filled by

religion. The volume of literary criticism increased greatly in the 20th century, and its later years

saw a radical reappraisal of traditional critical modes and the development of a multiplicity of

critical factions. < http://www.answers.com/topic/literary-criticism-2 >

Archetypal criticism argues that archetypes determine the form and function of literary

works that a text's meaning is shaped by cultural and psychological myths. Archetypes are the

unknowable basic forms personified or concretized in recurring images, symbols, or patterns

which may include motifs such as the quest or the heavenly ascent, recognizable character types
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such as the trickster or the hero, symbols such as the apple or snake, or images such as

crucifixion (as in King Kong, or Bride of Frankenstein)--all laden with meaning already when

employed in a particular work.

Archetypal criticism gets its impetus from psychologist Carl Jung, who postulated that

humankind has a "collective unconscious," a kind of universal psyche, which is manifested in

dreams and myths and which harbors themes and images that we all inherit. Literature, therefore,

imitates not the world but rather the "total dream of humankind." Jung called mythology "the

textbook of the archetypes".

Archetypal critics find New Criticism too atomistic in ignoring intersexual elements and

in approaching the text as if it existed in a vacuum. After all, we recognize story patterns and

symbolic associations at least from other texts we have read, if not innately; we know how to

form assumptions and expectations from encounters with black hats, springtime settings, evil

stepmothers, and so forth. So surely meaning cannot exist solely on the page of a work, nor can

that work be treated as an independent entity.

Archetypal images and story patterns encourage readers (and viewers of films and

advertisements) to participate ritualistically in basic beliefs, fears, and anxieties of their age.

These archetypal features not only constitute the intelligibility of the text but also tap into a level

of desires and anxieties of humankind. < http://www.wsu.edu/~delahoyd/archetypal.crit.html>

At present many both young and oldare attracted with Manga inspired Anime. If

theres a form of literature that holds the most number of archetypes, it would be the Japanese

Anime. They are not only rich but they also have the most obvious.
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The term anime refers to a distinctive tradition of Japanese animation that is almost

immediately recognizable by its superior artistic quality as well as by the somewhat mannered

artistic conventions anime artists employ, such as the preference for child-like, large eyes. But

it's not just the art that grabs one's attention.

In contrast to the flat, Good vs. Evil plots in U.S. cartoons, many anime stories deal with

complex, thought-provoking themes, presenting complex characters that change as the stories

progress. There's a ready acceptance of the reality of death. In some anime, even those intended

for kids, main characters sometimes die. Although there's as much silliness and trash in anime as

in any other popular medium, it's a fair generalization to say that it's a more intelligent genre than

American cartoons. For anyone used to Disney's predictable plots and platitudes, one's first

encounter with anime produces shock, followed by fascination. It's serious stuff.

Some of the most interesting anime explore the implications of technologies that blur the

distinctions between machine and person, male and female, good and evil, leaving the characters

groping to find their moorings. In contrast to American explorations of advanced technology (as

in Star Wars and the Terminator films), which subsume all the issues under the "absolute good

vs. absolute evil" and "happy ending" tropes, anime deeply explores the moral and spiritual

ambiguities of life and culture in a world pushed over the edge by rampaging technological

progress. < http://www.abcb.com/ency/a/anime.htm >

Anime is closely related to Japanese comics, called Manga: Many anime series got their

start as popular Manga. An industry with $3 billion annual sales in Japan, Manga account for as

much as 60 percent of all printed materials sold in that country, and are very avidly read--so

much so, in fact, that addiction is something of a problem. Japanese smile wryly when they refer
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disparagingly of otaku, over-the-top Manga fans whose filthy, cluttered homes are stacked to the

rooftop with Manga.

The popularity of Manga helps to explain why anime productions values are so high: It's

a huge, profitable market. A recent anime feature release, The Wings of Honneamaise,

reportedly cost $8 million to produce, and involved the efforts of more than three thousand

animators. Some of Japan's most talented artists and musicians are drawn to the Manga/anime

industry. < http://www.abcb.com/ency/a/anime.htm >

For most Filipinos, Mangas and animes seems kiddy and are things of childish taste.

However, most if not all of the famous Korean/Chinese Novelas are actually based on Japanese

Mangasthe mother of Japanese Anime.

Objectives

Manga-based Japanese Anime is obviously conquering not only television but even other

media like print, internet, and even films. It is an apparent phenomenon. It may not have gained

enough acclamation, but it remains as an established source of good literature.

Japanese anime sparks the interest of many. This paper aims to expose the common

trends in the literature behind the Anime. Specifically the paper aims to answer the following

questions;

1) What incidents in the work seem common or familiar enough as actions that they

might be considered symbolic or archetypal? Are there any journeys, battles, falls,

reversals of fortune?
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2) What kinds of character types appear in the work? How might they be classified?

3) What changes do the characters undergo?

Plots

Two of the most famous anime are Kazuya Minekuras Gensumaden Saiyuki (Journey to

the west) and Nobuhiro Watsukis Samurai X (Rurouni Kenshin). Every Japanese Anime fan

must have been addicted to these Animes.

According to a comprehensive summary by Jeanne Johnson, the title translates to

"Fantasy Fairytale of the Journey to the Extreme." The original "sai" of "saiyuki" meant "west,"

but it's been changed. Some of the official releases have translated it into "The Legend of the

Western Journey Into Danger"

Gensomaden Saiyuki is a story that's very loosely based on the Chinese epic Hsi Yu Chi

or "Journey to the West," sometimes entitled "Monkey." It follows the adventures of four

extraordinary individuals: a godless, remorseless young priest called Genjo Sanzo; a powerful,

innocent, playful creature named Son Goku; a handsome, womanizing hooligan named Sha

Gojyo; and a courteous, mild-mannered murderer called Cho Hakkai.

It is set in a world where humans and demons coexist peacefully, watched over by a

myriad of bored gods. However, a recent supernatural incident warped most of the demons'

minds and turned them against humans. The story starts here, where our heroes start off on a

quest to stop the force controlling the demons, which is the resurrection process of the giant

demon Gyumaou.

The demon can only be brought back to life with the aid of the five Heaven and Earth

scrolls, one of which happens to be protected by Genjo Sanzo. The Sanzo team first need to

collect the scrolls before Gyumaou's retinue can, but failing that, they will need to travel to the

great demon's stronghold in the West, to prevent his revival at all costs.

Adventure after adventure occurs. The very prolific author, Minekura Kazuya, has come

up with 9 volumes of the Manga, a side story (Gaiden) and a sequel (Reload). The televised

anime series ends in 50 episodes and a movie (Requiem) has been released. <

http://daiquiribird.philsites.net/saiyuki/about.php>

On the other hand, the story of Rurouni Kenshin takes place during the early Meiji era in

Japan. It tells the story of a peaceful wanderer named Himura Kenshin, formerly known as the

assassin "Hitokiri Battsai". After participating during the Bakumatsu war, Kenshin wanders the

countryside of Japan offering protection and aid to those in needs as atonement for the murders

he once committed as an assassin. When arriving in Tokyo in the 11th year of Meiji (1878), he

meets a young woman named Kamiya Kaoru, who was in the middle of a fight with a murderer

who claims to be the Hitokiri Battsai from her swordsmanship school. Kenshin decides to help

her and defeats the fake Battsai. After discovering that Kenshin is the real Battsai, she offers

him a place to stay at her dojo as she notes Kenshin is a gentle person instead. Kenshin accepts
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and begins to establish lifelong relationships with many people such as Sagara Sanosuke, a

former Sekih Army member; Myjin Yahiko, an orphan from a samurai family; and a doctor

named Takani Megumi. However, he also deals with his fair share of enemies, new and old,

including his rival from the Bakumatsu Sait Hajime and the former leader from the

Oniwabansh, Shinomori Aoshi.

After several months of living in the dojo, Kenshin discovers that his successor as

assassin of the shadows, Shishio Makoto, plans to conquer Japan by destroying the Meiji

Government, starting with Kyoto. Feeling that his friends may be attacked by Shishio's faction,

Kenshin goes to meet Shishio alone in order to defeat him. However, many of his friends,

including a young Oniwabansh named Makimachi Misao, decide to help him in his fight. He

decides to accept their help and defeats Shishio in a fight, which dies in the process due to the

rise in body temperature caused by his burns. The anime adapts the Manga until this part, later

featuring new story arcs which were not featured in the Manga.

Archetypes Found in the Anime

The two anime both deals with an adventure or a quest. For Gensomaden saiyuki it is the

journey of the heroes to the west in search of the scroll to stop Gyumaou from dominating the

earth. For Rurouni Kenshin or popularly known as Batousai, he is driven by his good nature to

protect the people of Japan during the Menji dynasty from the evil and to stop Shishio Makoto

from destroying the government and creating tyranny.

Adventure and Quest are two of the most used motivation in Animes. For a story to be

appreciated it must involve a goal Defeating Evil. Other Anime with the same archetypal plot
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are, Hunter-X-Hunter, Flame of Recca and Ghost Fighters. What is notable about these Animes

is that they all involve four-archetypal lead characters. Four is also an archetype for the cycle of

life, (earth, water, fire, air) nature.

First theres the hero, the courageous figure, the one whos always running in and saving

the day. He is equipped with noble intentions and always places himself in trouble for others. For

Gensomaden this is exemplified by the demon Monk Genzo Sanzo. Sanzos always saves the

day. The rest of his crew would do nothing without him. They are good fighters but its always

Sanzo who saves the day. As well as Kenshin, the other member of his gang may stop any evil

doers from hurting anyone but the fight would always end when Kenshin finally kills the

perpetrators.

The second archetypal character is the scapegoat figure is one who gets blamed for

everything, regardless of whether he/she is actually at fault. For Gensomaden Saiyuki, Son Goku

is obviously the scapegoat. Every mess they got into must be indirectly or directly caused by his

naivety. Kenshins trouble mostly is caused by Yahiko Myojin, the youngest in the gang. He

always calls for trouble but the hero always gets away with it.

The third member of the league is the outcast is just that. He or she has been cast out of a

society or has left it on a voluntary basis. For Cho Gojyo he was born as an outcast. He is a

mixture between a demon and a human so as Japanese would term it, he is a gaijin. But he found

his home among the group lead by Sanzo. Takani Megumi used to be a member of the leftists.

She supplies drugs but because of a bitter incident that occurred to her, she chose to be separated

from the group. She became an outcast voluntarily but Kenshin being good natured accepted her

still.
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The fourth familiar character is the platonic idea. He or she is a source of inspiration and

a spiritual idea, for which the protagonist or author has an intellectual rather than a physical

attraction. Cho Hakkai is the silent and modes demon. However when the going gets tough,

Sanzo could count on him for his genius plans. He is the philosopher of the group. Sagara

Sanosuke although over compulsive at times, always delivers a good advice to Kenshin. Kenshin

is very trusting but a plan would only be done with Sanosuke on his side.

These four heroes would not be polished without the devil figure. Evil incarnate, this

character offers worldly goods, fame, or knowledge to the protagonist in exchange for possession

of his soul or his principles. Gyumaou offers Sanzo power beyond anything. He could even own

the world if he ceded to him. But of course Sanzo would decline in the same way Kenshin denied

Shishio Makotos offer. He offered Kenshin a high position in his tyrant government.

The movement of the characterization for the lead is from pure evil to pure kindness.

Sanzo used to be a murderer but as their story end he decided to remain as a monk and learn to

dream. Kenshin from a slasher decided to settle with Kauri and raise a family. This movement is

never easy but somehow they made it.

Whether we accept it or not, anime has conquered the world of literature and has a great

potential of creating its very own genre. Most if not all, have certain conventionalities that are

very common. However instead of making it trite, these conventions/archetypes are the very

reason why animes are more exciting.

Readers are presented with varied characters to which they could easily relate to.
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WORKS CITED

Absolute Anime. Genso maden (24 May 2010)

Absolute Anime Samurai X (24 May 2010)

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Literary Criticism (23 May 2010)

< http://www.answers.com/topic/literary-criticism-2 >

Delahoyde, Michael. Introduction to Literature (2009)

Melendez, Mildred C. ARCHETYPES LIST (2002)

The anime encyclopedia. Gensomaden Saiyuki (24 May 2010)

Virtual Library . What is literary criticism? (23 May 2010)