How Japanese Anime Naruto became popular in China
Naruto is a Japanese anime focused on the youth and growth of a bunch of teenager ninja students. Despite its traditional Japanese myths background, including ninja skills and all kinds of monsters, it received huge fame in the country’s neighbor, China. Indeed, the anime was well-produced with high image quality and an appealing story. However, are they the only reasons why Chinese teenagers like it? What’s less obvious is that it reflects Chinese teenagers’ wish to escape into a less stressful world.
Needless to say, Chinese students, especially those in middle school and high school, are tough. Influenced by the Confucius philosophy, parents in China urge their child to do nothing but study and study and go to a top high school in the region and then a top university. With everyone fighting as much as possible, the term “involution” becomes popular among the society. This term, while initially used to describe the activity of animals, paint an accurate picture of the school. You see your classmates writing 2 pages of problems a day, and you write 3 to beat them, and they write 4 to beat you. This process continues, and eventually everyone was exhausted but gain little.
The anime provides an exit, or rather a pause, of this madness. The protagonist of Naruto was at first a weak and lazy boy, and through training and adventures he found his potentials and became a master. The anime fulfills student’s fantasy of being a genius and becoming the star. In the story, a giant mythical creature was encapsulated in the hero’s body, and the hero eventually found a way to deal with the creature and use its power. It symbolizes the stress and competition faced by the students. Watching the protagonist communicating with the monster and eventually allying with it, they fantasize that they can see their pressure as a source of motivation, and they can use the pressure to win the competition and become the top of tops. In this magical land where people can duplicate themselves into three or transport to miles away, Chinese students can find their peace and hope.
