Sydney

“I am also not worried that anyone will take my meaning of “dark” to mean anything related to race, as race or the ethnic origins of any characters within the films in this article are never addressed. This article strictly has to do with the narrative and the stories of different animated films.”

I didn’t take it that way, so fear not. The concern is with the term being used without much thought, and perpetuating the usage of things considered “dark” along with things that are evil, violent, gruesome, etc, etc…

“I think in the future, though, I will actively choose to use different terms that describe this concept more accurately. So thank you.”

It’s not an easy adjustment to make. A professor of mine pointed it out recently, and I wasn’t even aware of it. But once you become aware, you definitely catch yourself wondering about which words you use.

Also, thank you for the receptive response and excellent article.

For me, the most impactful scene in “The Corpse Bride” was when the dead visited the world of the living for the wedding. The living were terrified of these skeletons and decomposing corpses. People were running around, terrified out of their wits. Eventually a little boy recognizes one of the dead as his grandfather… and their reunion (and the ones following this one) are very sweet and heartfelt.

It made death seem like something people shouldn’t fear, and instead, something that should be celebrated.

First of all, great article. My biggest bone to pick is the use of the word “dark” throughout.

The word “dark” tends to have connotations of evil and negativity with it, but “dark” can also be used to reference non-white races. I’ve been working on using words other than “dark,” and it’s not easy. It’s very ingrained to use the word and not think about alternate meanings. Not only that, but “dark” is very vague.

Instead, words like “gruesome” or “eerie” may (or may not) work better in certain contexts. For example, “Watership Down” (one of my favorite books and films) is violent and bloody, as opposed to saying “Watership Down” is dark.

I will start off saying that I am heavily biased in favor of this series–I’m a huge fan of Arina Tanemura’s works. I first read “Full Moon” when I was 12, and here I am, a couple weeks away 21, and I still cannot let go of it. It’s one of two series I allowed myself to bring to college. There’s something about it that’s still very powerful and relevant.

I’m pleased that you call it a “A Beautiful Shojo Title for All Ages” even though its tone and content are surprisingly heavy for the shojo genre, but that’s why I appreciate “Full Moon” and other Tanemura series. I think it’s easy to write off the shojo demographic as a bunch of naive little girls who are happy-go-lucky. Arina doesn’t do that.

If you read other series she’s written, you will notice she’s not afraid to write about heavy, loaded topics. She knows her audience can handle it, so she doesn’t skimp out on “going there.”