![]() ![]() ![]() In this respect, one should classify this character-driven narrative as a coming-of-manliness or, in psychoanalytical terminology, as a coming into being of an “active” subject. the forming of new societal structures with survivors, the danger inherent to human subjects itself, etc …, the main narrative thread of I Am a Hero is nothing other than Hideo’s struggle to redefine himself and to overcome his subjective inhibition. ![]() While the narrative touches upon familiar themes in the zombie genre, e.g. In other words, this break-out opens the possibility for him to overcome his subjective deadlock and to re-positioning himself as a different subject – a subject that acts and speaks in a formative way – within the changing symbolic structure (narra-note 1). The break-out of the virus disrupts the functioning of society and thus effaces the current symbolic structure Hideo as subject was stuck in. As Hideo lacks any kind of formative speech or formative act, he, as subject, is only able to fantasize about breaking out of his subjective deadlock and hoping for his manga to be published and receive the opportunity to be serialized.īesides showing how harsh the manga-business can be for aspiring artists, Suzuki’s societal position is “subtly” revealed by Tekko, his girlfriend, as not meeting the Japanese gender expectations of manliness, as not meeting those expectations that inform how a man should be within a relationship (psycho-note 1). his colleagues that solidify the place Hideo has found in society. the internalized signifiers that define his place in society, and the concrete others that embody the social surface, i.e. In the beginning of the narrative, Hideo Suzuki is nothing more than an inhibited subject, a subject that has become limited by the symbolic structure, e.g. Only armed with his shotgun, Hideo runs for his life. One day, the world Hideo knows is shattered in pieces as a mysterious virus (ZQN, pronounced zokyun) starts spreading throughout Japan, turning people into super-powered murderous zombie-like creatures. While he lives together with his girlfriend Tekko (Nana Katase), his struggle to realize his dream of becoming a full-time manga artist puts his relationship with her under stress. Hideo Suzuki (Yo Oizumi), an aspiring manga artists that once won an honorable mention at the manga newcomers’ award, seems doomed to a sad life. The question is, can he turn I Am a Hero in an enjoyable narrative as well? In the director’s seat: Shinsuke Sato, who already proved to be able to create engaging and enjoyable narratives with his diptych adaption of the sci-fi horror manga Gantz. One of the latest zombie narratives to hit the silver screen is I am a Hero, an adaptation of the highly popular seinen horror manga written and drawn by Kengo Hanazawa. As narratives like Zombie Ass: Toilet of the Dead (2011), Big Tits Zombie (2010) and the interesting Miss Zombie (2013) imply, the concept of zombies is often given an unique (‘Japanese’) twist. “Sometimes disturbing and confronting, sometimes fun, but ever engaging, the narrative underlines the influence society, (…) has on the subject, and how the collapse of a symbolic structure opens up the possibility to rewrite one’s coming-into-being.”Īs zombies have become part of pop culture, it should not come as surprise that zombies or zombie-like creatures have come to be represented in Japanese cinema as well. ![]()
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