The dramatic structure of all narrative fiction is based on the existence of a solid and attractive conflict. Those conflicts are characterized by a struggle between two opposing forces; a hero working to achieve his goal, and something or someone trying to prevent the hero from achieving his goal. However, a conflict does not necessarily require the character to fight a clear physical enemy.
In the Man versus Society type of conflict, your nemesis is represented by an entire social structure, the government, or a traditional cultural doctrine. When people find themselves marginalized from their society or their values no longer align with their larger social group, opposition arises. The inspiring stories of heroes standing against corrupt and reactionary regimes are very prominent in anime and explore the courageous rebellion of a single human being against a much more powerful system.
10 Terror In Resonance gives its characters a valid reason to oppose society
People can feel compelled to oppose social norms and rebel against the system for many different and understandable reasons. In the case of terror in resonance protagonists, their traumatic past as victims of secret human experiments leads them down the path of terrorism.
Nine and Twelve, the only survivors of a cruel attempt to turn children with Savant Syndrome into human weapons, create Sphinx, a terrorist organization that threatens to destroy Tokyo, to expose the inhumane acts of Rising Peace Academy. While they do not intend to harm anyone, the children become the most wanted criminals in Tokyo due to their actions.
9 Texhnolyze presents one of the most complex dystopian narratives in anime
Texhnolize is a definitive series for the underground cyberpunk anime scene. While the show’s cryptic narrative can be hard to fathom, it has a lot to say about the conflict between the individual and the collective. Texhnolize takes place in a dystopian underground city of Lux, a terrifying place overrun by gangs and poisoned by inequality.
The series’ protagonists, Ichise, a former boxer horribly mutilated by his boss, and Yoshii, a clever traveler from the outside world, cannot be satisfied with Lux’s current order, always on the lookout for something more.
8 The plot of Eden Of The East consists of many surprising revelations
east eden is an intriguing series that manages to pack a lot of creative and exciting ideas into its short 11-episode run. The series follows the aftermath of a strange encounter between a cheerful college student, Morimi Saki, and Takizawa Akira, a mysterious man suffering from amnesia.
Despite the plethora of oddities related to Akira, who believes himself to be a terrorist and has 8.2 billion yen in an online bank account on his phone, Saki decides to unravel the mystery of the man’s identity, accidentally getting involved in a game of death. orchestrated over the fate of society.
7 will last!! is a program about the marginalized and the conflicts they face in coexisting within society
The strange and convoluted structure of the plot makes will last!! an incredibly entertaining series. Explore countless diverse social and psychological topics. One of the central themes of the anime focuses on how the outcasts of society interact with the system that excludes them. This conflict between man and society is prominent in most of the show’s characters, both heroes and villains.
will last!! Deceitful protagonist, quiet high school student, Mikado, turns out to be the leader of the anonymous online gang Dollars. On the other hand, the iconic villain of the show, Izaya, constantly disrupts the fabric of society through manipulation due to his obsessive love for humans.
6 OreGairu’s hero excludes himself from adolescent fantasies of ideal youth
Conflicts between man and society in anime come in various forms and are not limited to large-scale clashes between a single person and the entire world. OreGairuknown in English as My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFUexplores a more grounded and personal case of a hero who goes against social norms and expectations.
The series’ protagonist, Hachiman Hikigaya, was bullied and ostracized in the past, causing the boy to be cynical and socially distant. He believes that the ideal of youth is an illusory farce, opposing those who falsely believe in their own meaning.
5 Shinsekai Yori uncovers the lies of a seemingly utopian world
Many fictitious societies that present themselves as idyllic utopias hide myriads of twisted secrets, helping them maintain a peaceful facade. The world of Shinsekai Yorior from the new world, consists of people who possess unique psychic abilities. When superhumans began to appear all over the world, society collapsed into chaos.
In order to restore peace to the remains of the people, the government implemented many cruel control systems, testing people through the educational process and eliminating potentially dangerous members. When the show’s protagonist, an ordinary schoolgirl, Saki, discovers the secrets of her society, she is faced with a dilemma between continuing to live in a world of lies or fighting back.
4 Code Geass is the story of a single man who organizes a rebellion against a super powerful empire.
in the universe of Code Geassthe world is divided between three supernations, the European Union, the Holy British Empire and the Chinese Federation.
Traumatized by the ruthless crimes of his father, the exiled British price, Lelouch is invaded by a vindictive hatred. Vowing to defeat Britannia, Lelouch gains the power of Geass, a supernatural ability that allows him to control people’s wills. With some newfound help, the Britannian heir begins to execute his deep plan for revenge, rebelling against the entire world under the identity of Zero, a terrorist vigilante leading the movement against the power-hungry occupants.
3 Jin-Roh questions the humanity of those who blindly carry out the orders of superiors
Sometimes even the people directly involved with government action can become the system’s biggest enemies, forcing them to reassess their past beliefs and actions. Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade takes place in an alternate 1950s Japan, recovering from the aftermath of World War II.
The story follows Fuse Kazuki, a member of an elite anti-terrorist police unit. After Fuse fails to execute an order to shoot a girl, which she detonates herself shortly after, he is reprimanded, makes an enemy of the police, and reconsiders his earlier perception of the system.
two Shimoneta adds a comedic twist to a mostly serious type of conflict.
Despite its dramatic premise, the Man vs. Society conflict doesn’t have to be exclusively grim and serious. Shimoneta: a boring world where the concept of dirty jokes does not exist it gives the trope a comedic twist while remaining an interesting study of censorship, taboos, and their connotations in traditionalist societies.
The name perfectly explains the premise of the series. In Shimoneta’s world, the Japanese government prohibited immoral behavior. In this oppressive environment, Ayame Kajou fights back by creating an organization called SOX, which spreads obscene material and encourages public indecency.
1 Psycho-Pass questions the central concept of justice in an authoritarian society
Omnipotent governments that control their citizens through manipulation and misinformation are a staple of the dystopian genre. However, no anime better portrays the conflict between an all-powerful authoritarian system and people who seek the truth and rebel. Psycho-Pass.
The show takes place in a futuristic Japanese society controlled by the Sibyl System, a biomechanical network that constantly assesses each citizen, scanning their level of potential danger to society. In a world where all would-be criminals are executed, a virtuous young inspector Akane Tsunemori slowly realizes the corrupting evil of the Sibyl System, struggling with her changing perspective of justice and freedom.
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