How anime helped discover my Japanese identity
Victoria Migdalski |
TEDxSeisenInternationalSchool
• April 2021
From the classic art of Ghibli to the latest releases of Attack on Titan, 17-year-old Victoria considers herself a huge fan of anime. While current-day Victoria has watched a variety of shows and movies from a plethora of genres, she hasn’t always been the otaku she is today. Victoria grew up in Japan with the mentality of Western superiority. Despite being half Japanese, as a young child influenced by white superiority, she had always associated herself with her western side more than her Asian one. Because of this, even unconsciously, she distanced herself from Japanese culture and followed culturally western trends. However, as she began to watch anime, she gradually learned more about Japanese culture, slowly connecting with her Japanese roots. Victoria’s ted talk will address the significance of anime in helping her come to terms with her half-Japanese identity.