I have watched Episode 34 of Gundam Seed Destiny, and I can't help but compare the beings of [Gundam] Freedom Pilot Kira Yamato and Hitokiri Batousai, Himura Kenshin. I mean, they basically have the same method, same objective, and same social power. But why is it that Kenshin Himura defeated Shishiyo, but Kira Yamato did not defeat a misguided "ace" (why do you call a person sinking non-mobile naval ships by a mobile suit an ace? It's analogous to a lion attacking an elephant or a giraffe, or a tyrannosaurus rex attacking a diplodocus!)?
That's what I hope to determine today.
Let's see their sitiuations first, then their similarities, then their differences, which resulted to a difference in the results of their campaign.
Himura Kenshin lived in a period of Japan that is on the rise to a major world power, but internal conflicts prevent it from happening. Many persons want either control of Japan to lead it into that destined goal, or take over Japan for their own selfish reasons. Shishiyo was one of those who belong to the first, idealistic group. A lot of people under Shishiyo, or other enemies of Kenshin were of the second, personal group, like Aoshi .
Kira Yamato's situation is basically the same. The future world - while people think of it now as a very peaceful existence - is torn between the coexistence of two biological human races, the Naturals and the genetically altered Coordinators; and the primacy of one of the two races. Again, two objectives exist among the influential groups. One is coexistence, the other is annihilation. There are a number of methods between the two objectives, but there are generally two courses of action - war and not-war. A number of groups with one of the two objectives (sometimes, people with the same objectives fight each other) employ one or both methods.
Kira and Kenshin both have the same line of objective - a non-violent method of resolving the conflicts in their situation. Kenshin, while fighting, uses a reverse-edged sword. Kira, while using the deadly Gundam Freedom, aims only for the weapons of the mobile suit (something which has actually been done previously in Gundam Wing). They do not want fighting or bloodshed in
Kenshin does not have any great objectives - objectives of saving the world or humanity from self-destruction, but he has a purpose in his own life - to live a simple life. Kira Yamato, on the other hand, perhaps because of a subtle feeling of superiority in being a Coordinator, feels that he has a need for doing something in the world to resolve the political/racial conflict. Kenshin is in the late 20s or early 30s, while Kira is not older than 18 years old.
(Considering that both anime are from the same culture, I cannot see the fascination of Japanese for young heroes. Himura Kenshin is a significant deviation to the stereotype of anime protagonist.)
Considering the above characteristics and age difference, would they result to the difference? Not really. I see some key differences on the two heroes' handling of their situations, however.
Kira did not have the maturity of Kenshin. Besides NOT living in an age of youth being thrown into wars without proper orientation on their perspective of human and political dynamics (an unlikely scenario, which makes the situation of the Gundam Seed Destiny unlikely, nor the character of Kira Yamato emerging in the real world), Kenshin lived the life of a youth with a twisted sense of right and wrong. He eventually realized this, and this realization happened in a plausible time frame - something like his whole adolescence or pre-adult period (Not like Kira's few battles and one friend dying in the process).
Kenshin lived and relished killing and murdering for his political beliefs before becoming the Himura of Sanosuke, Yoshi and Cori. Kira did not have that, so he could not argue one how the other person felt or feel in encounters.
That maturity allowed Kenshin not to be stopped in verbal arguments. He knows what to say, he knows how to respond, and while he may not know what the other side would say or what they have done (he is not god, you know), he commits to the proper course of action - not by sense of fate, but by prudent thinking, experience, and identification with the enemy or opponent (Kenshin, in addition, knows that not all opponents are enemies. Ayoshi is an opponent, but not an enemy, for example). He knows that while words may not be enough, they are significantly effective (shouting the style he is using is beside the point, though).
Kira is frequently shocked and stopped in verbal encounters - a sign of his emotion-based actions. He may have an above-Natural and above-Coordinator mental capability (i.e., intelligence), but his interpersonal and affective functions are weak and unstable. The theory of SEED (Suprior Evolutionary Element Destined-factor) makes it even more fate-based. Despite the word "destined" in SEED, it makes the person tied to a particular course of reaction, the very essence of difference between fate and destiny. Fate dictates what will happen to a person no matter what he does, while Destiny indicates the path a person would have to take, but the choices remain. What form would choices become, but responses or reactions?
Kira lived in an ideal world - that is, he perceived in an ideal point of view. Kenshin knew better. He knew the weaknesses of people, and he knew that some of the character weaknesses he fought were inside him. For that reason, it was easy for him to forgive. Kira did not have a concept of forgiving of asking forgiveness.
The character and values instilled by proper teaching (by sensei Seijuro Hiko), realistic life experiences and proper responses, gave Kenshin the proper and effective personality in acting on the situation of Shishiyo's menace. (Before Kenshin went to Shishiyo, he considered his needs and capabilities, his weaknesses and the concerns. This is something you cannot see in Kira in the Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny series.)
Kenshin knows his role in the general perspective. He knows his capabilities but does not have a thinking that his or his own group would save the world (or Japan) from destruction, but they know their role in fulfilling the proper objective of Japan. Kira and the Archangel did not have that attitude. Instead, they went to the battles and persisted on a non-violent means of resolving their conflict. Besides Athrun's point of giving confusion to the battlefield, Kira's action prohibited the prospective sympathizers with confusion on what they are aiming.
Perhaps, if Kira and the Archangel pronounced to the whole world their intention before going into battles, they would have been more effective. It would send the message in a consistent manner, and the involved parties - Naturals' and Coordinators' military - would treat them properly.
(An election message exclaimed by George Bush in his committment to Iraq and fighting terrorism, "consistency of the message.").
Kenshin, in fighting the first significant battle he fought (saving Utaro from the gang that was planning to use the kid's riches to conquer Japan for their own selfish scheme), he asked the police first to stop the battle between the two armies (the samurais and the police/army troops), then settled the issue of the day.
Kira and Kenshin lived in generally the same type of situations (one cannot use the argumentation that there are nuances in each situation that may have resulted to the difference in results to their campaign, because ALL situations are different. The key social, political and cultural characteristics, however, are THE SAME). They also have the same heart of achieving their objectives in peaceful, non-violent methods. The key differences which resulted to Kenshin winning his battle against Shishiyo and his elements, against Kira losing to Shinn Asuka in the battle of Indian Ocean, however, are the following:
- Experience - realistic, situation and person-based Kenshin allowed his character to develop. You know how he loses and wins, and what he learns from the battles. He learns the proper lessons, not vengeance or personal sense of justice.
- Mature attitude and outlook - Kenshin knows his objectives, specific and bound by certain factors. Kira does not consider the factors in fighting his battles.
- Objective assessment of capabilities - Kenshin knew he had a lot of things to catch up with Shishiyo's level of swordfighting. He prepared. Kira did not. He was a civilian that joined the Archangel. That's all.
- Character - you see the discipline in how he handles things - be it funny or serious. He knows the value of inter-personal relationship, the objective of a campaign, and the sacrifice that have to be made. There is focus to the objective without deviating from the values that you have to adopted. It persists in temptation of giving up, situation of testing both the capability and perception, and puts the human in utmost priority. In corporate jargon, there is ethics in the business at hand.
Note: The above article is written with the writer wearing a headset playing in medium volume the anime OSTs of Rurouni Kenshin (Samurai X), Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny. Forgive if the thoughts are not as organized as they should be.
I could easily relate this to the Philippine government and public leadership, but let us not go to that. It is better this way.
No comments:
Post a Comment