In 1995, the sarin gas attack by Aum Shinrikyō provoked a short circuit in Japanese society. All ‘new new religions’ (shin shinshūkyō) became associated with sectary violence thus disappearing from the public discourse, while trust in media and government plummeted, as both proved incapable of countering an arguably avoidable national tragedy.

Against this background, I argue that anime series 'Serial Experiments Lain' (1998, Triangle Staff), 'Boogiepop Phantom' (2000, Madhouse), and 'Paranoia Agent' (2004, Madhouse) helped young adults of the Lost Decades (ushinawareta sūjūnen) process collective trauma and fulfill their longing for transcendence outside discredited religious frameworks.

They accomplished this by present-time narratives where hypertechnology ('Lain'), contact with superhuman beings ('Boogiepop Phantom') or paranormal entities ('Paranoia Agent') invite an existentialist redefinition of the ‘self’ and its relationship with society. Interestingly, they also share a quasi-stand-alone episodic structure, where each instalment is conceived as a self-sufficient ‘experience’ (taiken) addressing a different human type, thus replicating the intimacy of spiritual experiences. Finally, they all foresee some sort of apocalypse (i.e., the Wire reset in 'Lain', the pillar of light in 'Boogiepop Phantom', the Maromi ooze in 'Paranoia Agent') that, in its etymological sense, positively reveals the possibility of a palingenesis.

By analyzing specific episodes and cinematic elements within them, I will explore how these series contributed to move away from the post-Aum stigma on spirituality. Addressing the issues felt as most pressing to its target demographics, I will also examine how they contributed to establishing a new standard for later SF anime.

Authors:
Giovanni Stigliano Messuti, University of Zurich, Switzerland

About the Presenter(s)
Giovanni Stigliano Messuti is a PhD candidate in Film Studies at the University of Zurich, with teaching experience in film history and a background in Japanese studies (BA, MA). His research interests include transnationalism in Korean and Japanese cinema, manga translation and adaptation, independent animation, and new religious movements in Japan.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/giovanni-stigliano-messuti-63711218b/

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