Nido to Mezamenu Komoriuta

Avant-garde anime often portray thought-provoking plots with rich themes, and more often than not, become social commentaries. This 30-minute film can be considered among them. Produced by a single person way back in 1985 (damn missed that 1984 dystopian mark) on a low budget, needless to say, its production value is negligible- art, animation and OSTs are barebones. So for sakuga lovers, apologies, but there is not much for you in the visual department. However, for those looking for intriguing plot elements with minimalistic yet bizarre, raw imagery in its crudest form, you are probably in for a treat. And there’s no dearth of symbolic ... imagery in this short film which I would love to talk about:

SPOILERS AHEAD:





Nido to Mezamenu Komoriuta is set in 1960s Japan- an era that witnessed massive economic reconstruction of the country’s post-WWII ruined economy, the Shinkansen train being its most symbolic representation in both the real world and in this film. The 1960s era, also, is conveniently forgotten for many more uncomfortable facets- the rising socio-economic inequalities (represented by the slums, the pampered boy vs our impoverished protagonist in one of the early scenes, the businessmen enjoying their parties vs the squalid commoners), the Minamata disasters wreaking havoc on the environment along with the toxic chemicals released from factories (symbolized by the polluted waters and air, the dead fish) and the Narita airport protests (demonstrated by the screeching airplane noise disturbing the tranquility of the surrounding residential areas as well as real-life footage of the protests interspersed in between). And amid these tumultuous times lives our protagonist nicknamed “Deppa”- one with the protruding teeth.

Many reviews have already highlighted the socio-economic-environmental dimensions of the film, so I would like to instead bring attention to one of the overarching and pretty straightforward, yet ignored, themes of the film- the eternal struggle and conflict between the Strong and the Weak, between the Haves and the Have-nots, which is presented in a very clever manner on two levels- the microscopic and the macroscopic.

Deppa’s tale of being mercilessly bullied forms the micro part. A boy who has lost his parents has to now bear with the apathetic (and later hostile) attitude of his live-in relatives; he lives in utter poverty and is constantly bullied and physically assaulted due to his unusual appearance- these all form the basis of the “weak” character archetype. We have the trio of bullies who are not only physically stronger but also have the tacit approval and support of their peers and adults into bullying this “hideous” creature. And on the macro level, we have the conflict between the government and the society, the former a mighty politico-economic behemoth while the latter meek, vulnerable, divided from within and barely managing to stay afloat in the cruel world. Like Deppa, the society suffers from the government’s bullying via its one-sided and opaque projects and policies, and just like Deppa they can only glare – by taking out some token protests and marches.

The worst part, however, is not the bullying. Rather, it is the indifferent attitude and behavior of the very agents who are supposed to protect and encourage the weak that is insufferable. The policeman asked Deppa to “brave” the bullying and return to the place that was a literal hell for him-the class, and his own school teachers warmly welcomed him back, neither addressing the bullying nor paying attention to his plight. The adult passers-by either mocked Deppa’s appearance, suspected him of having devious designs (like the school girl whose kindness instantly changed to suspicions on seeing his appearance, and now thought of him as a potential rapist! ), or had fun hurting him mentally and physically as this monster naturally deserved. Similarly, the government sought to capitalize on its gains and take favors from corporations, while destroying the society in the name of progress- the very society that it was mandated to protect and for whom progress was expected to improve their life and security. Hence, both the adults and the government showed aversion towards the ugly and weak (Deppa and the society respectively) and paid obeisance to the beautiful in their eyes- brute power.

Such gross neglect and abuse are bound to create grave ramifications, and Deppa was the victim. In an attempt to preserve his mental and physical stability, Deppa slips into depression and loneliness, which ironically makes him more vulnerable to harassment. His one last hope-to see his dying mother-was also crushed like the flowers which the bullies trampled on. This was the last straw and Deppa chose to retaliate. The monster that society had dubbed him till now finally awoke, and naturally, tragedy ensued. Deppa’s act of destroying his bullies was the much-awaited triumph of the meek over the mighty.

But was it the “triumph”, the long-held victory that Deppa probably dreamt of? Tragically, no. It only affirmed unquestionably and beyond doubt that Deppa is the “ugly tooth monster” who now has no place left for him in society. Wherever he runs or tries to escape, all he would find are ruins around him, which won’t welcome or protect him. And someday, he would crumble and wither away as a nameless person among the many piles of these ruins – like the sole chimney whose existence either as a deformed standing structure or as a freshly created pile of rubble was meaningless either way. Deppa will cease but the death lullaby-the bullying-will stay, searching for another victim.

And what if the mighty continue to prevail over the weak? The film also presents us with this answer in the form of the “tsunami” unleashed by the Shinkansen, which swept away the lives and livelihoods of those miserable paupers like insignificant twigs. Neither able to retaliate nor able to save themselves from the eventual disaster, they were swept and crushed. Their unknown remains now formed the bedrock for the government’s “progress” further, with those train bridges continuing on seemingly into the horizon.

It is often said in times of conflict and wars that you either kill or be killed. The film tells otherwise- whether you kill or don’t, it doesn’t matter; for the meek will be killed anyway. Whether this reflects in our own world or simply stays on this film is something to ponder on.

Wow. This is a really rough show to watch. I will say up front that it is not very good, but its importance definitely outweighs its quality.

It took one man (Hiroshi Harada) three years to create this 25-minute movie on his own. It's amateur. And crude. With lots of quick cuts and weird scenes, which only add to its experimental nature. After he finished this, he went on to adapt one of the most famous "guro" anime of all time: Mr. Arashi's Freak Show (also almost a one-man effort, and probably the most difficult anime ... I've ever watched).

"Guro" is a genre of anime you don't hear of much in America - basically it is the fetishization of gore, intentionally being as explicit, bloody and offensive as possible. This work definitely edges into that direction, even if there's not much actual gore itself. But the feeling and theme is definitely there, and you can think of this sort of a precursor to Mr. Arashi's Freak Show, as Harada is improving his craft.

There isn't really a story or plot to this. It's really two stories superimposed over each other - a small one and a large one. The more immediate smaller story is about a young, poor, lonely boy with an extremely pronounced "deppa" underbite tooth, who is relentlessly bullied for his difference, without any relief from anyone, anywhere. The larger story (that gets more pronounced towards the end) is the forced modernization/construction of the Narita Airport as it overtakes and destroys the old neighborhood. Although not explicitly said, the two are interlocked in this dark, thematic tale.

Going into this, do not expect a polished work. It is VERY raw. It has many problems. It is very difficult to watch. Some parts do not connect or make sense. Some of it is quite offensive. It's experimental, and art-school. But if you are looking for an anime that has a message and is totally different from almost everything else you've watched, this fits the bill.

Rate a 4
English Subtitled

Story
Not impressed nor saddened per-say. I this animation was designed to illustrate suffering taking place during certain modernization periods in Japan. While on one hand government meant well by issuing a more relaxed life it was coming at a big cost for those in the surrounding area of the construction. Solitude for those few towns were being coming a thing of the past. Looking at clear skies again a thing of the past. Heck even sleep was a problem. Many stresses they were faced it is no wonder they ended up revolting. While this is informative but this only relates best to ... reality and not the anime.

In the anime non of this goes on per-say even though live footage of it is used. The anime details the encounter or a life documentary of someone's troubles. Not just that but of troubles that he faces are not of his doing. If anything it was something beyond his control. Personally, i would blame genes. Anyways, not only does he have to fight this trouble on a day to day basis but other troubles start surrounding his family which affects him indirectly. Such as sickness and poverty-stricken. Great life for him in a sarcastic manner.