Anime Director Sheds Light on Creators' Desires to Get Political

Recently, Tsutomo Mizushima made the news by sharing a political opinion about the politics of his nation, with the anime director of Girls & Panzer going further into detail about a law that he wasn't in agreement with and went into more detail about the general thought about the medium's creative minds sharing their thoughts on politics. As Mizushima shares, he believes that there is a general "agreement" that politics should not be discussed by the creators of anime, but throws caution to the wind by sharing his thoughts on the controversial revision.

In Japan, a bill is being proposed that would change the retirement age of public prosecutors from 63 to 65, a change that Mizushima disagrees with vehemently. Other anime creators joined suit with Tsutomo in expressing their displeasure in the proposed revision, proving that some creators aren't afraid to share their political opinions on matters of the day.

When pressed on his decision by fans on Twitter to spread his opinion regarding these political revisions, Mizushima had this to say:

""In the anime industry, people may not say it outright, but there's a silent pressure not to make political statements. To hell with that."

If you haven't gotten the chance to watch Girls & Panzer from director Tsutomo Mizushima, the official description of the series reads as such:

""Senshadou" is a traditional sport using World War II era tanks in elimination-based matches. Widely practiced by women and girls alike, it's advertised as a form of art geared towards making ladies more prominent in culture and appealing to men. Becoming a worldwide phenomenon over time, the influence of senshadou leads to the creation of a world championship which will soon be held in Japan. Miho Nishizumi, who comes from a lineage of well-respected senshadou specialists, is at odds with the sport after a traumatic event led to her retirement and eventually a rift to form between her and her family."

Girls & Panzer has received a number of anime series and spin-offs, to say nothing of light novels and manga series, that has made it a cult favorite for fans.

What do you think of this political controversy that so many creators are expressing their feelings on? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime!

Via ANN