Ask John: Why Are Hopeless Battles So Common in Anime?

Question:
Is there something within Japanese history or culture behind the idea of a character or characters involved in or continuously fighting “losing battles” – an idea I (and probably many others) first heard about when Gundam Wing first came to North America and I see it coming up again in the new series Samurai 7?

Answer:
As I’m wont to do, once again I have to cite traditional Japanese samurai culture as an influence in the anime concept of fighting a losing battle. The samurai ethos was to persevere into death. The warriors pride was to carry out an order to the best of one’s ability, regardless of obstacles. The loyal samurai would fight on for the sake of pride and principle, even if his effort was hopeless. Merely exhibiting unwavering conviction was in itself considered noble. One of the best examples of this samurai dignity was illustrated in the American motion picture The Last Samurai. Saigo Takamori’s Satsuma Rebellion couldn’t possibly have succeeded. The Satsuma Clan’s opposition of the Japanese government’s abolishment of the samurai was a rebellion based on principle, and after his demise at the battle of Shiroyama, Saigo Takamori became a Japanese folk hero, respected because he remained loyal to his principles even in the face of defeat and death.

As it’s commonly said, everyone loves an underdog. Gundam Wing and Samurai 7 both tell stories of small groups which oppose and eventually triumph against overwhelming forces. Like David facing Goliath, we cheer for the small man rising up and striking out in a seemingly hopeless effort. An even more appropriate example is the original Gall Force trilogy in which especially main character Lufy attains the status of heroic martyr by literally throwing away her life in the pursuit of her mission. In fact, virtually everyone in the original Gall Force saga dies because they all continue to fight a battle that they know is hopeless, just because they’re duty bound to do so. Gall Force is an outstanding focal point for this interesting Japanese concept because Gall Force respects and honors its kamikaze characters while simultaneously suggesting that their single-mindedness is foolish and self-destructive.

I think there’s something romantic, a tragic nobility in prioritizing a moral code above one’s own health and life. Characters that struggle against impossible odds are supremely loyal, dependable, and responsible- all attributes which Japanese culture has prized for centuries. The samurai era may be over, but I think many of its principles are still influential in contemporary Japanese culture. Beyond just anime, the live action Battle Royale movies, especially the second movie, are another example of a small group of idealistic individuals who fight a loosing battle because it’s more fulfilling and dignified to die in pursuit of one’s goals or beliefs than accept compromise in order to avoid pain.