Najica Dengeki Sakusen

Ory: Najica Dengeki Sakusen has my favorite action writing ever. But nobody notices this because of all the unapologetic pantyshots (which are part of the action writing). And yet, there’s _something_ about the tone and context that makes this less cheap softcore fanservice (though still fanservice at some level) and more of bodily/sexual confidence (for the good guys, at least). In fact, the dress code seems to be treated as normal in-universe so when you suspend your disbelief you also end up treating it as normal and not really caring about panties at all. It’s weird!

Rando: Skorpions do not fit in panties, good lord. Also, ang gratuitous nga ng fanservice =/

Ory: I feel like I might be crazy, but after a few episodes in, I think it’s not just “simple” fanservice. Like for one thing, I think there’s exactly one piece of “made to be erotic” panties in the entire show and it’s worn by the villain in episode 1. All other panties are plain white. Or bathing suits. But bathing suits only appear in episode 3. There’s no going around it being “male gaze fanservice”. But it’s surprising how much it makes a difference in tone that nobody comments on the panties in-universe.

For example, in a normal show the “haha I saw ur panties” and “eeeee! he saw my panties!” reaction reinforce an of exploitative and transgressive tone. But imagine a show where nobody cares and everything is (spy) business as usual even if panties are visible. It feels like how women started wearing sports bras when working out in public. Like yes, it’s showing off something at some level. But on the other hand, SPORTS TIME frames the attractiveness as a fitness thing instead of a sexy boobs thing. Potential pretentious bullshit time.

I feel like when you get desensitized to the pantyshot saturation, it shifts Najica’s attractiveness away from her basest physical attractiveness. Her panties and legs aren’t special because every goon has the same thing. So what differentiates Najica from them, what makes her attractive in a special way, is her competence and control. Her panties fly into the shot because she dove into cover there, not because she got knocked out and collapsed. It’s like, the director has control over the camera. But Najica has control over her panties.

Rando: Yeah, but it kind of makes you feel like you’re being part of the perviness. Because you’re being voyeuristic. I’m not saying that the art is erotic or anything but the fact that it isn’t really makes it feel like you’re needlessly being voyeuristic Like you’re okay with the director being a lech and sure Najica has control, etc.

Ory: Yes there’s voyeurism as a viewer. But I experience a strong separation between that and being a disbelief-suspended in-universe “viewer”.

Rando: From a personal perspective, it’s like committing a crime in the worst way possible. Like robbing a bank and only taking 1 coin. Why bother?

Ory: Wait, I don’t get your metaphor. Like, you’re saying that could’ve been showcased without being voyeuristic?

Rando: You’re consenting to being a voyeur in watching this. Yes, I believe so but the voyeur targets aren’t even… worth it

Ory: But a voyeuristic experience is fundamentally different from a GP (General Patronage) experience!

Rando: Well, it doesn’t help that I’ve only seen like action snapshots. I don’t *get* what the show is about per se. Feels like generic action + pantyshots =/ You are a trusted source of good material though but if I remove that trust

Ory: lol yes I know Rando: it sounds like a satirical review. That’s how bad it’s sounding right now. It’s like you’re trolling me into liking it.

Ory: I think it’s everyone expects the same casual eroticism that most action anime has. To review it as an action show, I’d reallly need to rewatch and spoil a whole sequence to show the cause -> effect chain as a situation changes

Rando: Sure, but what is it to you then if not an action show?

Ory: It’s an action show. It’s a character study on an independent loner forced into pseudo single motherhood. It has an overarching theme on how our children become what we are. But… yes every time I talk about it I end up defending the pantyshots. lol right I should actually discuss those non-panty non-action things, since that took up a lot of my headspace when watching it

Ory: Najica’s sidekick is a blank slate android loli who’s kind of her adopted daughter. Because she needs it for the mission and because she values competence and independence, a lot of her interaction with her sidekick is giving her tests and quizzing her on decision-making. She wants her loli sidekick to become independent and her own person. But this kind of interaction is cold and professional instead of warm and nurturing.

On the other hand, most of people she faces also have a blank slate non-loli android of their own who they’ve molded into a tool to achieve their goals. They’ve turned their children into an extension of themselves, and not without special effort because kids naturally copy their parents. With kids, it just happens. When Najica sees this, she realizes that her sidekick is not growing “independent” as in “someone with free will”. Instead, her sidekick is more “independent” as in “doing things without help”.

But Najica values the free will aspect more than the competence aspect. And this is a dilemma because it’s hard to teach a kid to become themselves, when their natural instinct is to copy you.

— Ory and Rando

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