Philosophical Analysis of Message
Yes, I have watched Message yet again. I read on Lady Nina's FAQ website that it was difficult for Japanese to understand, so I decided to watch it again. The first two episodes, dubbed, were rather easy for me to comprehend. However, when I thought about what they meant in conjecture with the last three episodes in the order - sub, dub, and then sub - I realized that they could contain a deeper meaning for me, especially when I began asking my own questions that I wish those five boys could answer.
I am a member of a mailing list dedicated to ethics and the philosophy of ethics. While reading the posts and defending my position, I always remember Message and the OAV irks me. The biggest question that I face on the mailing list, which the OAV does not seem to answer by itself, is this, "Is war/evil a necessary part of life/human existence?"
Considering the ending, it can be said that Message is against war. However, there are many inconsistencies. Suzunagi herself said in the fourth dub episode, "It is all right to rejoice and it is all right to lament . . . There is a balance to everything and even solitude has its time and place. When this balance is lost, the soul can soon become filled with misery." Does that mean war/evil must exist in this world to balance out the peace/good? After all, the two tigers act as a balance to each other, as do the two Inferno armors/Kikoutei. Sage/Seiji and Kento/Shu prove that power accomplishes only ruin while Sai/Shin flings himself at power for protection. In the case of Sai/Shin, he wishes to survive but hates fighting, so he ultimately chose total destruction. Kento/Shu merely wished to have a struggle against two different powers and thus found himself along the path of destruction.
However, is it power that brings ruin or is it spite/hate? Sai/Shin chose power to prevent a horrible future filled with evil. Kento/Shu spitefully chose power when challenging Suzunagi's creation after he confronted her for a battle. At that moment, he felt fury the lesser form of hate towards Suzunagi, the Inferno, and her creation. Kento/Shu and Rowen/Touma experienced the same emotions, hate and spite, towards Mukala in the second OAV, which caused the evil side of their armors to take control. Sai/Shin never felt battle lust while wearing the armor and remained free. Nonetheless, as his friends tried to convince him onto a path that he rejected thus making him feel threatened and cornered, he proved that, "people will continue to fight as long as they are desperate" even without any armor. Perhaps his violent actions in the second episode of the second OAV are a part of the balance. The scene in Kikoutei Densetsu is similar to the decision of Sai/Shin for power in Message.
Yet, near the end of the last OAV, a proper path is mentioned frequently - a path which everyone must follow. The proper path, full of peace/love, was found when destruction was averted. However, if everyone must follow the "proper path" of peace and love, then why should war/hate balance it out? I suppose it is due to the warrior spirit that Mukala possessed. A true warrior fights for the mere challenge without interfering emotions yet knows when to cease battle, never harms innocents, and is merciful to those who accept the challenge.
Even so, there is an inconsistency with that theory about Mukala. Although the theory explains war, it does not explain the emotion hate. Perhaps, quite simply, not everyone can be guided to the "proper" path. Perhaps not everyone has experienced peace/love and does not wish to have those experiences. If this is the truth, then to follow a path without self-doubt and without inner troubles, a person must choose a path best suited to that self, whether that path be good, evil, or somewhere in- between.
Yes, I have watched Message yet again. I read on Lady Nina's FAQ website that it was difficult for Japanese to understand, so I decided to watch it again. The first two episodes, dubbed, were rather easy for me to comprehend. However, when I thought about what they meant in conjecture with the last three episodes in the order - sub, dub, and then sub - I realized that they could contain a deeper meaning for me, especially when I began asking my own questions that I wish those five boys could answer.
I am a member of a mailing list dedicated to ethics and the philosophy of ethics. While reading the posts and defending my position, I always remember Message and the OAV irks me. The biggest question that I face on the mailing list, which the OAV does not seem to answer by itself, is this, "Is war/evil a necessary part of life/human existence?"
Considering the ending, it can be said that Message is against war. However, there are many inconsistencies. Suzunagi herself said in the fourth dub episode, "It is all right to rejoice and it is all right to lament . . . There is a balance to everything and even solitude has its time and place. When this balance is lost, the soul can soon become filled with misery." Does that mean war/evil must exist in this world to balance out the peace/good? After all, the two tigers act as a balance to each other, as do the two Inferno armors/Kikoutei. Sage/Seiji and Kento/Shu prove that power accomplishes only ruin while Sai/Shin flings himself at power for protection. In the case of Sai/Shin, he wishes to survive but hates fighting, so he ultimately chose total destruction. Kento/Shu merely wished to have a struggle against two different powers and thus found himself along the path of destruction.
However, is it power that brings ruin or is it spite/hate? Sai/Shin chose power to prevent a horrible future filled with evil. Kento/Shu spitefully chose power when challenging Suzunagi's creation after he confronted her for a battle. At that moment, he felt fury the lesser form of hate towards Suzunagi, the Inferno, and her creation. Kento/Shu and Rowen/Touma experienced the same emotions, hate and spite, towards Mukala in the second OAV, which caused the evil side of their armors to take control. Sai/Shin never felt battle lust while wearing the armor and remained free. Nonetheless, as his friends tried to convince him onto a path that he rejected thus making him feel threatened and cornered, he proved that, "people will continue to fight as long as they are desperate" even without any armor. Perhaps his violent actions in the second episode of the second OAV are a part of the balance. The scene in Kikoutei Densetsu is similar to the decision of Sai/Shin for power in Message.
Yet, near the end of the last OAV, a proper path is mentioned frequently - a path which everyone must follow. The proper path, full of peace/love, was found when destruction was averted. However, if everyone must follow the "proper path" of peace and love, then why should war/hate balance it out? I suppose it is due to the warrior spirit that Mukala possessed. A true warrior fights for the mere challenge without interfering emotions yet knows when to cease battle, never harms innocents, and is merciful to those who accept the challenge.
Even so, there is an inconsistency with that theory about Mukala. Although the theory explains war, it does not explain the emotion hate. Perhaps, quite simply, not everyone can be guided to the "proper" path. Perhaps not everyone has experienced peace/love and does not wish to have those experiences. If this is the truth, then to follow a path without self-doubt and without inner troubles, a person must choose a path best suited to that self, whether that path be good, evil, or somewhere in- between.