ME!ME!ME!: Modern Art, Social Commentary, Or Both?

Friday, 12 December 2014

So if you've been anywhere near the internet in the last few weeks, you've heard about, if not already seen ME!ME!ME!: A anime music video (for lack of a better term), made by Anno Hideaki (the creator of Evangelion), Teddy Loid ft. daoko, and Studio Khara. If you haven't watched it, stop reading, watch the video located in the link below and come back. *Warning* The video isn't safe for work or the general public. Watch this alone if possible.

ME!ME!ME! Video

The video premiered at Animator's Expo and received a mixed response within the anime community. This is largely due to the graphic nature of the video, with heavy amounts of gratuitous violence, overtly sexual imagery on the brink of pornography, and use of psychedelic drugs; As an anime-viewer that's hardly too far from the norm but that's where the heart of the video lies. It's a social commentary on Otaku culture and I'll explain why.

The video centers around "Syu-chan", a "vanilla" Otaku character. He's lying in a messy room, his ashtray littered with cigarettes, anime models and paraphernalia lining the walls and shelves of the cramped confines of his room. He's lying on his bed, staring at his desk as his tablet begins to flicker and he starts to imagine buxom anime girls dancing for him. This represents the loneliness and despair Syu is feeling due to his "obsession" with anime/manga and possibly something else.

At this point, we're introduced with the manifestation of Syu's obsession and his regret: a nude masked girl. Later on, we see a bleak scene where she is on the ground, unmasked, crying out to him and yet he's unsympathetic as he walks away. This stands out against the saturated color scheme and tone of the music shown throughout the rest of the video. This illustrates his guilt, as it comes back to literally gnaw on him, particularly his intestines.

Like anyone else in pain, the first reaction Syu has is to get rid of the cause of his pain. So he fights his obession: he fights the representation of his lust, addiction, and despair and ultimately loses. Then the video loops back to the beginning and plays again. That's the beauty of "ME!ME!ME!", it perfectly illustrates the struggles of addiction. So long as he's alone, he's bound to repeat the cycle of obsession, regret, and depression.

This is a serious issue, although it's not just limited to the Otaku community which is probably why plenty of people got angry. While the art, animation, and music are all superb, they are mainly vehicles to deliver this social commentary. Honestly, I'd expect nothing less from Anno Hideaki. What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below and thanks for reading!