The Japanese term ‘shojo’/‘shoujo’ is translated to English as ‘a girl’ or ‘a young girl’ (Anime-Planet, “Shoujo Anime”). The word is widely accepted in Japan in purpose of one anime genre’s description. This word is in use when we talk about Shojo culture – genre of Japanese art of animation with the young girls as the main characters in manga comics and anime movies. Shojo culture was created at the beginning of the previous century and it went through some changes from its beginning. Shojo art pieces might be based on the fantasy or reality; some are full of humor, some treat serious topics, some are about teenage romance and most are about single young characters. What is in common for all shojo anime and manga – the main character is a young girl. She is usually strong individual and adventurist. The first name in one’s mind, when it is about young female animated characters, is the name of Hayao Miyazaki, the famous anime director and the cofounder of Studio Ghibli. This essay will offer the analysis of the personal characteristics, physical appearances, age and emotions of Miyazaki’s shojo characters.
Age
In whole shojo culture, the age varies from 7 years old little girls till 18 years old young women with physical attributes of its gender. Most of Miyazaki’s heroines are in age from 9-12, in age just between cute little girls and rebellious teenagers. In this phase of their childhood, girls are full of imagination and very active. The exceptions are Nausikaa, in a movie “Nausikaa of the Valley of Wind” from 1984 and San - the princess Mononoke in the anime named by her from 1997 (“Depiction of Females in Miyazaki Films”). These two characters are warriors in the serious battles, so their age had to be a little bit higher than usual. They look like they are 17 or 18 years old. They are “taller and more curved” (“Depiction of Females in Miyazaki Films”). The youngest heroine is Sheeta in “Howl’s moving castle” from 1986; she is in search for the legendary castle and she gets a helper – boy Pazu. She is very young and innocent and without much life experience and that’s why the author provided helpers on her way. This is also the case with some other very young heroines in Miyazaki’s films.
Physical Appearance
In general, characters in anime are shown with big eyes, with look full of strong emotions, small nose and mouth, and with a head in disproportion with a body, bigger than in reality. Miyazaki’s shojo characters certainly have that strong sensitivity, expressed through their eyes. In their eyes the viewer may see sadness, determination to complete the personal mission, confusion and curiosity over the world, personal goodness, kindness and sometimes anger. Their eyes are rarely calm and peaceful, because these characters always have some important assignment to fulfil. They most often look like the girls from the real life, their clothes is ordinary and hair is brown, black or blond. There are no elements of fantasy in their appearance like it is often the case in anime art in general. Also, they are not beauties. For Miyazaki was not important to make them physically perfect and very attractive, because their character is much more significant than the look. There is not much eroticism in their look which again is not typical for anime genre in general. Their role is to act, to find and to fight, not to seduce or to provoke. Older female characters like San or Nausikaa look taller and bigger, their bodies are stronger and faces are longer, which is the indicator of more mature age, if we paraphrase “Depiction of Females in Miyazaki Films”. Very young girls – Sheeta, Satsuki and Mei (“My Neighbor Totoro” 1988), Chihiro (“Spirited Away” 2001) and others have round face and innocent curious expression.
Personal Characteristics
World of Miyazaki’s anime is colorful, which means that plots, motivations, circumstances and characters are different, but they share some qualities, which we may consider the author’s signature: girls in Miyazaki’s movies are the strong characters (younger and older among them), they are often singled out, without safety and family protection; sometimes they have helpers, but they are always strong individualists. Some girls have contrasts inside their character: Nausikaa is the pacifist and the female-warrior at the same time. San – princess Mononoke can’t decide if her real desire is to be a human or a wolf, so she is showing the personal identity crises. Characters are not flat, they have weaknesses and doubts just like the real people. Girls are often in some important search – Sheeta is looking for the castle from the legend, Chihiro is wondering through the strange world searching for the solution how to save her family and to find way back into the normal world.
Emotions
For majority of characters, family love is very important feeling. They are loyal to their families, connected and protective. Chihiro is a little girl, but she is the heroine who is saving family happiness. In magical anime “My Neighbor Totoro” the audience might see one of the most beautiful pictures of love between two sisters. The older (but still very young) is Satsuki, and the younger is Mei. Their biggest worry is sickness of their mother who suffers from tuberculosis and her condition is serious. Little sisters are joined in their love and care. They are best friends in a world and they have total understanding for each other. They also share the experience of meeting Totoro – catlike creature from the forest. This creature symbolizes wide children fantasy which is their defense from the cruelty of the real world.
Conclusion
Miyazaki’s young female characters are significant part of the shojo culture and one of its markers. They are unique and active, and because of their complex personality and strong motivation, they are one of the main pillars of the story.
Works Cited
Anime-Planet, Shoujo Anime, 2001. Web. 15. July 2016.
< http://www.anime-planet.com/anime/tags/shoujo>
Depiction of Females in Miyazaki Films, n.p. n.d. Web. 15. July 2016.
<https://inst.eecs.berkeley.edu/~cs2947/sp04/sp_04_presentations/Miyazaki_Females.pdf>
