The Soul Beyond the Frame

1. Aspiring to 'Soul,' Not the 'Frame'

The reason I started this site comes from a deeply felt sense of unease. When I watched the Star Wars sequel trilogy, what I witnessed was the 'death of mythology.' What remained was not the profound myth George Lucas sought to create, but a system of 'correct frameworks'—managed, calculated, and overbearing.

I am Japanese—an 'Asian.' In the original SW sagas (Episodes I-VI), characters of my race were almost non-existent. But it didn't matter. Regardless of skin color, I felt my heart race at the mysteries of the galaxy. This was because there was a universal 'Soul'—the core content—that transcended the 'Frame' of race.

By 'Soul,' I do not just mean spirituality; I mean 'Will'—the individual will to achieve something even in defiance of the system.

Later, I was truly delighted to learn that the word 'Jedi' was named after the Japanese 'Jidaigeki.' There was a genuine joy in knowing that our cultures were fundamentally connected at their roots. Despite different appearances, our souls resonated. Isn't that the 'connection' fans truly seek?

2. The Poison of 'Consideration'

The problem is not diversity itself. The problem is when 'Consideration' becomes a 'Frame'—a rigid system that judges whether a character's existence is 'appropriate' or 'correct.'

There is a powerful counter-argument today: 'With skyrocketing production costs and the need to appeal to massive markets, adopting politically correct frames is a business necessity.'

But what if this 'Frame of Consideration' is precisely the poison rotting 100-year-old brands? When the demands of the 'loudest voices' lower a work's quality, it is because the goal has shifted from 'moving the audience' to 'risk management for administrators.' In their obsession with counting 'sins,' they have lost sight of the 'Joy' found in a story.

3. Japanese Culture: A Renaissance of 'Freedom'

In this regard, Japanese culture is unique. Whether it's historical warlords or legendary racehorses, we dare to reimagine them as 'pretty girls' (Bishojo), placing them into an entirely different frame to appreciate their 'Soul'—their context and spirit.

This is a type of Renaissance—a rediscovery of context—that attempts to resurrect the 'Soul' in the modern age, unconstrained by the 'Frame.'

Do you not feel a sense of suffocation similar to what Van Gogh, Manet, and the Impressionist masters felt? They rebelled against the 'correct way to paint' imposed by the academies of their time, finding a 'freedom of soul' in Japanese Ukiyoe. Don't you feel that same stagnation in today's entertainment world?