Animês Além das Muralhas: conexões entre a qualidade audiovisual de Shingeki no Kyojin e a competência midiática na fanfic AoT no Requiem

Abstract

Japanese pop culture is a global phenomenon. In Brazil, since the exhibition of Knights of the Zodiac, anime – Japanese animation, which are one of the main facets of Japan’s pop culture – has been stablished as largely consumed productions, gathering fans around the country (NAGADO, 2007). Despite this, research on fictional series still focus, primarily, on AngloSaxon experience (ALBUQUERQUE; CORTEZ, 2013). However, anime are rich objects of analysis, discussing themes related to Japanese society and to universal matters as well (NAPIER, 2001). In this context, this dissertation aims to analyze, under the audiovisual quality and media competence perspective, one of the most successful anime over the past decade – Shingeki no Kyojin – and the AoT no Requiem fanfic, created by fans of this anime. The goal is to study the connections between Shingeki no Kyojin’s quality characteristics and the operation of media competence in the fanfic. We believe that the quality characteristics of the anime favor the development of abilities related to media competence and stimulate fan production. For this analysis, we use Borges and Sigiliano’s (2021) methodology, along with Jenkins’ (2012) studies on fanfiction. As a result of this research, we can argue that the anime’s quality elements stimulated critical thinking and creative production by fans, but the gaps understood in terms of anime’s quality are what effectively motivated fans to write AoT no Requiem. Therefore, we conclude that audiovisual quality and media competence have complex connections, but we see in fan culture and in anime interesting potential to foster critical analysis and creative production.