The Deconstruction Method

 

Deconstructing Magical Girls / Review 3: Oops, I Turned the Wrong Person into a Magical Girl!

For my final installment of this series, I will be reviewing a magical girl deconstruction that isn't an anime but a manga. I stumbled upon this work a few years ago while looking for magical girl recommendations. The cover immediately drew me in with its rawness and edgy attitude the main character is giving off.

And I was hooked! Read the first couple of chapters and it never failed to disappoint. Unfortunately, I got caught up in other series and couldn't finish reading it. Though, I started to re-read it for the review and just because I was feeling a little nostalgic. 

But, enough about the past. Let's jump into this review!

Starting off, the story starts with a magical creature named Meow (ironic I know), looking for a candidate to become a magical girl. He stumbles upon Kayo Majiba, a cute young lady who perfectly fit the description. However, his prediction was way off when the girl in question exhibits her delinquent behavior and very strong prowess. And just like that, Meow made the wrong mistake in picking her to be a magical girl.

This has to be one of the magical girl deconstructions that is actually "dark" and realistic. I'll even go as far to say that it's darker than Jubei-Chan in terms of monsters and themes. Speaking of which, let's talk about the monsters first. 

One thing that I like about this manga is that the monsters are actually scary. Take a look at this! This is one of the monsters that Kayo fought right after she receives her magical powers.

Of course, she defeats the monster with one punch but it's still terrifying to come across. Imagine encountering a creature like this without magical powers. You might as well say your prayers and hope your death isn't too painful. And it's bad enough that the monsters are drawn to Kayo's negative energy, so she has to fight them off a few times a day. But she wins each time. 

(This happens a page after she met the monster in the previous picture)

Onto the next subject, Kayo herself. Earlier, I mentioned that Meow mistaken her for being a pure girl really set up the smoke screen that this was going to be another magical girl anime. But as soon as she took out a cigarette, the illusion broke, kicking off some of the deconstruction.

There are some deliquent-esque characters in magical girl anime like Sailor Mars for example. But at least she's ladylike and "approachable." Kayo is something else entirely. I haven't gotten that far in the story but from what I've read, I think her behavior stemmed from the fact that she was a problem child. So, her issues went unchecked and it grew worse as she got older. Though, there are times where she shows her softer side around her friends and sometimes Meow when she's not using him as a punching bag.

(I like this side of Kayo)

Oh, I forgot to mention about the transformation sequence. Believe it or not, Kayo was able to fight most of the monsters without having to transform, which is something interesting. Usually when girls come in contact with magical beings, they instantly transform. Kayo on the other hand only got a power boost at the time. She first transformed in the second chapter when her school was under attacked by a monster. You would've expected a magical girl transformation to be awesome. But as the reviews would teach you, that won't be the case this time around.

When I first read this, I laughed out loud. I wasn't expecting a wardrobe malfunction. This must've been a reference to how magical girls go nude when transforming, hidden behind a glittery silhouette. This one doesn't do that and likes to embarrass Kayo, much to her annoyance. 

As for themes I haven't gotten that far to pinpoint the exact one. However, I feel like one of the themes is to not judge a book by its cover. Now I know that sounds a little generic, but Kayo is a perfect example of this. We, along with Meow, first thought she was the ideal magical girl, but we were wrong. However, her delinquent side also has some softness to it, which takes us by surprise again. 

In closing, Oops, I Turned the Wrong Person into a Magical Girl  is a whirlwind of craziness and full of de(con)struction. If you like magical girls duking it out or overpowered characters, this is for you. 

Deconstructing Magical Girls / Review 2: Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt

For my second review this week, I'll be talking about something a little different. Don't worry, it still goes into the niche but more so derails into a parody of the magical girl genre as a whole, deconstruction or not. Before starting this review, I would like to mention that every parody can be a deconstruction but not every deconstruction is a parody. Now, onto the review. 

The story revolves around the titular characters who are kicked out of Heaven because of their behavior. They are sent to Daten City, which resides on the border between Heaven and Hell, where they live at a church named Cemetery Hills, under the care of the priest Garterbelt. In order to get back to Heaven, the sisters must collect Heaven Coins by defeating ghosts. However, the two are usually sidetracked by Earth's vices. 

Like I mentioned in the previous post, the deconstruction genre of magical girls is usually darker and realistic. And how parodies operate, they like to make fun of everything, even the nitty-gritty. Panty & Stocking can go into that, but they're making fun of everything. Take the art style for example, it's obviously a reference to western cartoons. This creates a false sense of security, with viewers thinking this is nothing but a run-of-the-mill magical girl anime...right?

Oh, you sweet summer child😏....

And before you say it, yep, that's from the official English dub of the anime. Which goes into my next point, vulgarity. This is where parodic elements come in. Remember the false sense of security and how Panty and Stocking get caught up in their vices than doing their job? Well, that's the beauty of it, its intentional chaos wrapped in satire. Panty's a sex addict who treats men like disposable candy, while Stocking is a gothic sugar fiend obsessed with sweets. Their personalities break the expectations that magical girls are supposed to have. 

Their transformation sequence perfectly mirrors this with the angels literally stripping in a club-like background. Take a look.

Even the monsters are crude, they're vengeful spirits, or ghosts, who died from funny or tragic reasons and haunt the streets of Daten. The only way these ghosts can be defeated is by the holy weapons that the sisters brandish. Panty can transform her panties into a gun called Backlace, while Stocking can transform her stockings into two katanas called Stripes 1 & 2. This highlights the monster of the week and the magical weapons that can only be held by the protagonists. Later in Season 1, the show presents us with two rivals that are sort of a dark mirror to Panty and Stocking. Their names are Scanty and Kneesocks.

(Scanty and Kneesocks are on the left btw)

Magical girls having rivals is pretty common, whether they're evil or friendly yet combatant. In this scenario, the demon sisters are obviously evil. And you're probably wondering how messed up these girls can be to be the secondary villains of the show. Well, they're not exactly "evil" at a first glance. Compared to Panty and Stocking, Scanty and Kneesocks are sophisticated, well-mannered, respects the rules, and so on. Of course, this doesn't mesh well with the angels' raunchy and wild lifestyle and the four clash throughout the season. 

Moving onto the themes, I can say that this show is very sex positive. It's a feminist concept that's open and encouraging about sex and sexual urges/activities. Things such as slut shaming is a sex negative because it shames others and discourages them from doing it. Panty is a prime example of this, while she's called a slut for sleeping with a lot of men, she isn't inherently bullied for it. Not to mention that she doesn't care what people have to say about her promiscuous life. 

Another theme can be freedom, which is a little cliche. Then again, take a look at the setting and the way they act, they're living on the edge! Those angels would rather get caught up in some mess than do their jobs correctly. And while there's nothing wrong with that, there's also nothing wrong with responsibility, which is a foreign word to all the characters in the series.

In closing, Panty and Stocking is that anime you expect to be cutesy and fun but gets turned on its head on the first episode. And while it doesn't look like a magical girl anime from a glance, it still has those familiar tropes that would make any fan of the genre interested. 

Deconstructing Magical Girls / Review 1: Jubei-Chan

When you hear the word, "magical girl" what's the first thing that comes to mind? Is it girls wearing tutu's accompanied by glittery transformations and heart-shaped wands while screaming the triumph of love and friendship? Or is it something darker, complex even. What I'm getting at is that at the height of the magical girl genre, there's bound to be some sort of "deconstruction" of the very foundations that made the genre popular in the first place. In this review series, Deconstructing Magical Girls, I'll be exploring the very stories that drive away from the sparkling optimism and venture into something more serious or even silly.

For the first review, I'll be covering Jubei-Chan: Ninja Girl.  It revolves around an ordinary schoolgirl named Jiyu Nanohana who's living her life until she runs into a scatterbrained 300-year-old samurai. He tells her that she's the reincarnation of Yagyu Jubei. With the help of the Lovely Eyepatch, she transforms into a legendary samurai and fights adversaries that wants to reclaim that title. 

Now just from the synopsis, there's already some deconstructing going on. Most magical girls don't take on samurai aesthetics in terms of clothing or power. They only brandish the katana which is infused with magical energy. There's also the Lovely Eyepatch which helps Jiyu transform. And yes, it wouldn't be a magical girl anime without a transformation scene. 

Onto the other things, a few things I noticed was that Jiyu's friends knew about her magical girl persona earlier in the series. Usually, magical girls try to separate their superhero-ing from their personal lives. But somehow, it always bleeds through, and the villains use it to their advantage. Same can be said in this anime but it doesn't affect the relationship between 

Speaking of villains, Jiyu's aren't monsters but humans that looked like they came out of a samurai movie. Which makes sense if we're going off the show's motif. Also, a running gag is that every villain works at Jiyu's school and every time one of them dies, they get replaced by the next villain. It's a great way to setup the whole "monster of the week" thing that most magical girl anime has. 

As for the themes, it dives into some mature territory beneath its slapstick humor and flashy fight scenes. One of the core themes is identity and inheritance, the struggle between who you are and what others want you to be. Jiyu didn't ask to be the successor of Yagyu Jubei, yet she was burdened with centuries of conflict and revenge. This contrasts sharply to the "chosen one" narrative magical girls who want to be heroes of justice and love. Jiyu's journey is about reluctance, responsibility, and ultimately, self-acceptance. 

Another theme is that it clashes with the past and present. This is especially evident in the sequel, Jubei-Chan 2: The Counterattack of Siberia Yagyu. It's about Jubei's daughter, Freesia, coming back from the dead to take revenge on her father. She goes to Jiyu's school to befriend her and try to take the Lovely Eyepatch for herself. It leans into the generational curse motif---the sins of the father being carried by the daughter then passed onto Jiyu, who had no real stake in the ancient feud. Like I mentioned before, the show uses samurai elements not for style, but to explore how outdated ideals such as honor, revenge and legacy, clash with modern life. It's almost satirical: ancient warriors reincarnating to fight their old battles in a middle school suburban middle school setting.

The show also toys with gender expectations. Instead of the stereotypical magical girl tropes---cute, nurturing, and selfless---Jiyu's alter ego is confident, battle-hardened, and downright intimidating. The Lovely Eyepatch doesn't only give her power but shifts her personality completely. It's almost like the show is asking viewers what would happen if ferocity and femineity were put in a blender. And the answer is a magical girl wielding a katana instead of a wand.

All in all, Jubei-Chan is a very interesting deconstruction anime. It takes the magical girl tropes and turns them into something more "niche" and original. Magical girl shows that revolves around samurai, ninja, and other warriors from the past is a bold creative twist that rarely gets explored, even today.

Internet Meme Assignment

 

When crafting my meme, I based it around the saying, "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions." It means that while people may have noble intentions, these intentions can often result in negative outcomes if not acted upon effectively. It also emphasizes that wanting to do good is insufficient and that your intentions and actions must align to make a good effect. Instead of saying the quote in the meme outright, I decided to format it where it's completely original but doesn't stray away from the original. Hence the "eternal damnation" bit which is a description of hell itself. 

Photo Remix Assignment

 

For this assignment, I decided to use the saying, “An eye for an eye makes everyone go blind” which emphasizes the futility of seeking revenge or retribution. It suggests that when people act on their grievances leads to a cycle of violence and hatred, ultimately harming all parties that are involved. The saying originated from Gandhi who used it to criticize the cycle of violence and advocated for peace instead. With everything going on in the world recently, I feel like I can relate to this quote more than ever. Whether that’s from a personal or worldly standpoint. While revenge may be sweet, is it all worth it in the end?

From Text to Tech: How Multimedia Shapes the Way We Communicate

In today's digital age, the way we share, learn, and interact with information looks different compared to the past. At the center of this transformation lies the rise of multimedia texts, a broad category encompassing content that combines multiple modes of communication, such as visual, auditory, and textual elements. 

Multimedia texts combine more than one type of media. From interactive websites and social media posts to video games, educational platforms, advertisements, and virtual reality experiences. Their influence is profound, influencing how we learn, entertain ourselves, communicate, and perceive the world. This essay looks over the characteristics, importance, and impact of how multimedia texts are central to modern communication.

At a basic level, a multimedia text combines many types of media to convey a message or tell a story. Traditional texts rely on written or oral language to communicate ideas, but multimedia texts inserts this with images, audio, video, animations, hyperlinks, and also interactive features.

For example, an online news article may add text, photographs, infographics, and embedded videos to incorporate a richer, more engaging experience than a blank textual article. In comparison, a special media post may combine with brief written commentary with a video or animated GIF, capturing attention from others. The multimodal nature of these texts caters to diverse learning styles, getting the attention of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners alike.

One of the significant advantages of multimedia texts is their ability to enhance comprehension and retention. Educational research has indicated that people are most likely to remember information when it's presented in multiple formats. Visual representations like charts, diagrams, and videos can clarify complex ideas, while audio narration or background music can emphasize important points and evoke emotional responses.

For instance, online learning platforms often use multimedia texts in the form of interactive lessons, where learners read explanations, watch instructional videos, and participate in simulations or quizzes. This combination not only reinforces understanding but also sustains engagement, addressing the challenges posed by shorter attention spans in digital environments.

Furthermore, multimedia texts enable creativity and expression in ways that traditional texts cannot. Artists, designers, and writers can merge visual, textual, and auditory elements to produce innovative narratives that transcend the limitations of a single medium. Video essays, interactive storytelling apps, and digital comics are prime examples where creators exploit the potential of multimedia texts to communicate complex ideas and emotions. 

The combination of multiple modes also allows for layered storytelling. A single piece of multimedia can provide information, evoke feelings, and encourage interaction simultaneously. For example, a museum’s digital exhibit may infuse historical texts, photographs, soundscapes, and interactive timelines, allowing visitors to experience history not just intellectually but emotionally and experientially.

The prevalence of multimedia texts is especially pronounced in the digital age. Social media platforms, streaming services, and mobile applications thrive on content that can be quickly consumed, shared, and interacted with. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube embrace the power of multimedia texts by combining visuals, audio, text, and interactivity to engage vast audiences. 

These platforms demonstrate how multimedia texts shape cultural trends, influence public opinion, and even kickstart social movements. For example, short-video forms have become powerful tools for advocacy, education, and entertainment, capable of taking out complex messages into digestible, shareable formats. In this context, multimedia texts are not just tools for communication, they are instruments of cultural influence.

However, the rise of multimedia texts also presents challenges. The blending of many media elements can sometimes overwhelm the audience, leading to a mental overload if not designed thoughtfully. Additionally, multimedia texts often rely on implicit cues and symbolic representations, which may lead to misinterpretation if cultural or contextual knowledge is lacking. 

For instance, an infographic that uses humor, irony, or culturally specific imagery may be effective for one audience but confusing or being offensive to another. Moreover, the pervasiveness of multimedia texts raises questions about credibility and authenticity. Deepfake videos, photoshopped images, and clickbait social media posts demonstrate that while multimedia texts can enhance understanding, they can also distort perception and propagate misinformation.

Critical literacy is therefore an essential skill in the era of multimedia texts. Understanding how different modes like images, sounds, text, and interactivity convey meaning is important to creators and consumers. Readers must analyze not only what is being communicated but also how and why it is presented in that sort of way. For example, color choice, typography, background music, or camera angels can take a major influence in how a message is interpreted. By developing skills in multimodal literacy, others can navigate complex media landscapes more effectively, strategic bias, intention, and credibility across diverse formats.

The amalgamation of multimedia texts also has profound implications for accessibility. Combining multiple modes can make content more inclusive, accommodating learners and audiences with different abilities. Audio descriptions, captions, tactile graphics, and interactive features can provide alternative means of access, ensuring that information reaches a broader population. 

Although, the design of multimedia texts must consider the varying needs of users, including those with visual, auditory, or cognitive limitations. Thoughtful implementation can transform multimedia texts into tools of empowerment, fostering learning and participation for all.

In conclusion, multimedia texts represent a foundational evolution in the way we communicate, learn, and experience information. By combining text, visuals, audio, and interactivity, they engage multiple senses, enhance comprehension, and enable creative expression. They are pervasive in digital culture, influencing social trends, education, and entertainment, while concurrently presenting challenges related to cognitive load, misinterpretation, and credibility. 

To navigate this landscape, critical and multimodal literacy skills are essential, allowing audiences to engage thoughtfully and effectively with multimedia texts. As technology continues to grow, the role of multimedia texts will only expand, shaping the future of communication and the ways in which knowledge, culture, and creativity are shared.