Tag: Empathy
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Does the sad story of Secret of Mana reveal the tragic outcome for the younger generations and the state of our planet?
Read more: Does the sad story of Secret of Mana reveal the tragic outcome for the younger generations and the state of our planet?Secret of Mana, originally released in Japan as Seiken Densetsu 2, is a 1993 action role-playing game developed and published by Square for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the sequel to Final Fantasy Adventure (Mystic Quest) released on Gameboy. The game allows three players to play simultaneously, following the journey of a boy,…
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Serial Experiments Lain: Should we be frightened, sad, or optimistic about a world so close to the WIRED?
Read more: Serial Experiments Lain: Should we be frightened, sad, or optimistic about a world so close to the WIRED?Serial Experiments Lain is a Japanese anime television series created and co-produced by Yasuyuki Ueda, written by Chiaki J. Konaka, and directed by Ryūtarō Nakamura. It was first broadcast in Japan in 1998. The show features surreal and avant-garde imagery and explores philosophical topics such as reality, identity, and communication. Its content is highly experimental,…
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What Can Les Trois Frères Teach Us About Society, Family, and Emotional Awareness?
Read more: What Can Les Trois Frères Teach Us About Society, Family, and Emotional Awareness?Can humor reveal the deepest flaws of our society? Les Trois Frères is a 1995 French comedy film written, directed by, and starring Didier Bourdon and Bernard Campan alongside their Les Inconnus partner Pascal Légitimus. Three brothers meet each other for the first time after their mother’s death. Believing they will inherit her fortune, they…
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Can Whisper of the Heart Guide Us Toward a Life True to Ourselves?
Read more: Can Whisper of the Heart Guide Us Toward a Life True to Ourselves?What if fiction could awaken our true calling? Whisper of the Heart is a 1995 Japanese animated coming-of-age romantic drama film directed by Yoshifumi Kondō and written by Hayao Miyazaki, based on Aoi Hiiragi’s 1989 manga Mimi o Sumaseba. The movie inspires a profound love for art, literature, and the courage to follow one’s own…
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Can Rhapsody of Fire Help Us Rethink Identity, Society, and the Power of Stories?
Read more: Can Rhapsody of Fire Help Us Rethink Identity, Society, and the Power of Stories?How can music inspire philosophical thinking? Rhapsody of Fire (formerly known as Rhapsody) is an Italian symphonic power metal band formed by Luca Turilli and Alex Staropoli, widely seen as a pioneer of the symphonic power metal subgenre. I was still in high school when I first started listening to them, after being introduced to…
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Can Summer Snow Teach Us About Love, Change, and the Future?
Read more: Can Summer Snow Teach Us About Love, Change, and the Future?Is climate change reshaping the seasons we once knew? Summer Snow is a Japanese drama that was broadcast in 2000. I watched it just before my entrance exams for engineering school, back when I was still living in France. I still remember how the song by Kinki Kids lingered in my head while taking the…
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Is Wicked (2024) a Reflection of Our Own Prejudices and Potential for Change?
Read more: Is Wicked (2024) a Reflection of Our Own Prejudices and Potential for Change?Can We Truly Overcome Prejudice? Wicked (2024) was just released in Japan, and we went to see it with my wife. I later learned that it was an adaptation of a 2003 musical, which was based on a novel inspired by The Wizard of Oz. The story serves as a prequel, following the journey of…
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Can We Change Our Minds? American History X and the Power of Influence
Read more: Can We Change Our Minds? American History X and the Power of InfluenceHow does trauma shape our beliefs? American History X is a 1998 American drama film directed by Tony Kaye and written by David McKenna. Edward Norton and Edward Furlong star as two brothers involved in white power skinhead and neo-Nazi movements. This movie is quite emotionally charged and left a strong impression on me, making…
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Can Kiroro’s Songs Help Us Reflect on Life, Love, and Gratitude?
Read more: Can Kiroro’s Songs Help Us Reflect on Life, Love, and Gratitude?Kiroro is a Japanese pop duo from Okinawa that debuted in 1996. I listened to them when I was still in high school, particularly their songs “Mirai e,” “Best Friend,” and “Akikaze.” I loved the simplicity of their music—though some might call it naive, why complicate things that don’t need to be? How does “Mirai…
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Prisoners: Can We Break the Cycle of Hatred and Revenge?
Read more: Prisoners: Can We Break the Cycle of Hatred and Revenge?What does Prisoners teach us about morality and justice? Prisoners is a 2013 American thriller film, directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Aaron Guzikowski. Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal take on the leading roles, delivering performances that are both remarkable and deeply unsettling. Jackman portrays Keller Dover, a father whose daughter goes missing—presumably kidnapped—while…