Shri Vile Parle Kelvani Mandal’s
MITHIBAI COLLEGE OF ARTS, CHAUHAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE &
AMRUTBEN JIVANLAL COLLEGE OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMICS
(AUTONOMOUS)
NAAC Reaccredited ‘A’ Grade, CGPA: 3.57, (February 2016) Granted under RUSA for
Research, Innovation and Quality Improvement
Granted under FIST-DST & Star College Scheme under DBT, Government of India Best
College 2016-17, University of Mumbai
Mapping Power Pyramid: Exploring the Authoritarian power structure
in Nishigori’s Darling in the Franxx
Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfilment for the
Degree of Masters of Arts in English
Department of Languages (English)
Researcher’s Name: Mr. Shijil Philip
Guided by: Dr. Shweta Salian
April 2021
CERTIFICATE
Certified that this dissertation is a bonafide record of the work done by Mr. Shijil Philip during
the period of January, 2021 to April, 2021 at the Department of English Literature, Mithibai
College of Art, Bhaktivedanta Swami Marg, Gulmohar Road, Suvarna Nagar, Vile Parle (W),
Mumbai, Maharashtra- 400056.
Signature ________________
Dr. Shweta Salian
GUIDE
Date: 20.04.2021
I declare that the form and content of this dissertation are original. It has not been submitted in
parts or full for any degree or diploma of this or any other University or institution.
Signature ________________
Mr. Shijil Philip
RESEARCHER
Date: 20.04.2021
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude towards my research guides
Dr. Shweta Salian for imparting her invaluable insight, knowledge and feedback throughout
the research process, which helped me achieve clarity and coherence with respect to my ideas
and expectations regarding this research. Her support was of critical importance and this
research wouldn’t have materialised in its current form without their considerable experience
and literary nous backing it.
I would like to especially thank Ms. Sanika Mansabdar for her assistance in procuring
literary material from qualified sources such as renowned and respected literary databases,
journals and other quality resources available.
I would also like to thank my family for their constant and unwavering support
throughout the research process. Finally, I would like to thank my friends for always hearing
out my thoughts and ideas whilst also furnishing me with transparent feedback, constructive
criticism and sound advice as and when I needed it.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1: Introduction
Pg. 02
Chapter 2: Althusser’s ISA and RSA
Pg. 10
Chapter 3: The Panopticon
Pg. 20
Chapter 4: Conclusion
Pg. 26
Works Cited
Pg. 28
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Abstract:
This thesis aims to focus on the elements displaying a totalitarian and authoritarian
power structure in a dystopian setting as displayed in the anime Darling in the Franxx. The
presence and representation of an autocratic form of government, the manipulative methods it
uses to propagate a certain ideology, and the measures it undertakes to keep the ideology
maintained shall all be explored in this research. While it primarily focuses on how ideology
and state apparatuses, both ideological and repressive, from Althusser’s ‘Ideology and
Ideological State Apparatuses’ have been applied into the anime series, at the same time, it
will also be looking at how Jeremy Bentham’s model of the Panopticon has found a way into
the dystopian Japanese anime in the form of characters such as Nana, Hachi, Papa, the ‘APE’
organization, and the VIRM.
Apart from the employment of Althusser’s theory and Bentham’s model, this research
will also be looking at other characteristic features of a dystopian setting such as loss of an
individual’s identity, dehumanization, and environmental destruction as reflected in the series.
Hypothesis:
Understanding the totalitarian power structure by applying Louis Althusser’s Ideology and
Ideological State Apparatuses and Jeremy Bentham’s model of the Panopticon in the dystopian
anime Darling in the Franxx by Atsushi Nishigori
Keywords: ‘Ideology’, ‘Papa’, ‘Parasites’, ‘Franxx’, ‘Klaxosaurs’, ‘Saurification’,
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Chapter 1 - Introduction
This research aims to explore and discuss the power structure as observed in the
dystopian Japanese anime Darling in the Franxx. In order to critically analyse the series, I will
be employing Louis Althusser’s theory of ideology and state apparatuses. At the same time,
this research also aims to analyse the medium of surveillance as observed in the series, and I
shall be applying Jeremy Bentham’s model of the Panopticon to further analyse it.
No critical assessment of the anime has been made as of yet using Louis Althusser’s
‘Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses’ or Jeremy Bentham’s Panopticon model.
Although, through research for ISA’s application in anime and films, it was found that Ari
Setyorini’s The Practice of Ideological State Apparatuses in Lois Lowry’s The Giver discusses
a similar dystopian setting. A film adaptation of the novel has also been made by director
Phillip Noyce in 2014. In particular, the paper focused on the use of ISA in The Giver’s society
using the above stated theory, and how the novel painted ISA as a tool used by “the Committee”
to assert its control and maintain its dominance in a dystopian world. It discussed the working
of ISA through the training system, the language conventions used by the society in the novel,
censorship of media, role played by family.
One of the main reasons to choose Darling in the Franxx as the anime for the research
is because it perfectly fits the description of a dystopia, featuring the influence and control of
technology all throughout the series. The various characteristic features and elements of a
dystopian setting have been fused together in such a manner that it is nearly impossible to
differentiate and segregate them from each other. Apart from these, the application of the
widely used concept of robots fighting monsters has been utilized with a plot twist in the last
few episodes of the series. A good story, in depth characterization of the main characters, a
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good moral at the end, and the potential to become much better than it already is, are all reasons
that made me choose this anime as the primary text for my research.
In this research, I will be using Louis Althusser’s Ideology and Ideological State
Apparatuses (Notes Towards and Investigation) published in 1970 which talks about social
models and ideological apparatuses used by the State, where the State is the ruling power.
According to Althusser, it is the domination of the ruling class that breeds the ‘ideology’
which are then function as agents that exploit the lower strata of the society. This ideology is
propagated through different apparatuses such as educational institutions, churches or other
religious institutions, media outlets, sports and social clubs, and so on. The reason for spreading
a certain ideology is to maintain a certain level of influence and control over the masses, and
while doing so, not allowing the population to question the authority. In the scenario that
someone stands up against the ideology, the State resorts to using ‘violence’ as a repressive
measure so as to curb the rebellion staged by the individual, where the State is the ruling class.
The physical form of such (Repressive) State Apparatuses can be recognized as the Army, the
Police force, etc.
Additionally, in this thesis, I will be using Jeremy Bentham’s model of the Panopticon
which was first published in 1791 in his Panopticon, or the Inspection House.
A symbol of constant surveillance; the Panopticon was a concept for a prison or an institutional
building and a system of control. Jeremy Bentham, in the 18th century, inspired by his younger
brother Samuel Bentham, proposed the idea of building a prison system which would require
minimal to no security staff for the sake of surveillance. It is a building with circular walls, a
watchtower for the security personnel in the centre, and prison rooms with their doors facing
the tower. The concept of the Panopticon is such that while the security guards can watch and
keep an eye on each prisoner, the prisoners would not be able to see the security guards, which
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would make them conscious of someone watching them constantly. This would in turn make
them conscious about themselves and make sure that they behave, since the aim of this setup
was to ensure that the prisoners would exhibit voluntary discipline.
What is Dystopia?
Dystopia is generally the opposite of utopia: the ideal state. It is a society or a state, set
in a post-apocalyptic world, where there is great suffering and injustice, usually under an
authoritarian or a totalitarian form of government. It is basically an imagined fiction set in
future which fundamentally aims to criticize the present social norms and political systems.
A dystopian setting often stands out because of the distinct attributes it possesses. It is
often characterized by dehumanization, need for survival, existence of a tyrannical
government, loss of individualism, the employment of technology to control different sections
of the society, and even destruction of natural environment.
One central theme of dystopia is the control or influence of government on the society’s
day-to-day life. A society controlled by an autocratic form of government has little to no
choices and restricted “freedom”; a civilization where fostering an idea different from the
regime is equivalent to challenging the authority itself. Such a society can never break free
from the shackles of bondage they are bound in, both in their actions and their line of thought.
The theme of dystopia has been widely explored in the past decade in films and series. The
theme of an authoritarian and controlling form of government as shown in Phillip Noyce’s The
Giver (2014) can be taken as an apt example, where the government has access to every
individual’s private and public life, and has already decided their respective fates for everyone.
Other films such as The Matrix franchise (1999 - 2003) and Oblivion (2013) showcase an
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intricately woven theme of dehumanization and environmental destruction, which are
characteristic features of a dystopia.
Japanese culture as reflected in ‘manga’ and ‘anime’
The genre of both manga and anime have always been attributed and associated to Japan
and so, it is to be expected that Japanese culture must have influenced the genre in some way
or the other. While this assumption stands true, it is also important to know how much the
native Japanese culture has dissolved into the genre. Japanese culture, as known to general
public, houses different customs and regulations just like any other culture on the planet, with
the only difference being that while other cultures are more or less flexible, the Japanese culture
is a rather hard set of regulations. Owing to this fact, it can be understood that the genre of
manga or anime sometimes act more than just entertainment; it can be considered as a means
of escapism more than mere expression of their inner person.
In Japan, anime as a term stands for just any form of mass-produced animation, both
Japanese and non-Japanese1. The significance of the genre is such that it is not limited to
children alone, but rather to the adults as well. In fact, shows such as Tokyo Ghoul, Attack on
Titan, Death Note, and Neon Genesis Evangelion are highly favoured among the adults, and
there are special categories targeting adults specifically such as the poetic and haunting anime
movies Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away. The reason why these are of such great demand
among the young crowd of the country is because they provide more complex plots and
storylines, and in-depth characterization, thus giving birth to more realistic and threedimensional characters.
1
Anime: a reflection of Japanese culture written by More By Us
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The history of Japan is such that after being isolated for two centuries, it finally opened
up for trade with the western countries, wherein they abandoned their traditional feudal system
and embraced modernization. Japanese culture and history reflect in both manga and anime
since they mark the transition of a traditional Japan to a globalized one. Even the traumatic
experiences they faced in the World War II were reminisced in the conflicts of the manga
Astroboy wherein a young robot kid has to fight off aliens to save the Earth.2
Another aspect of the culture that receives coverage, or rather, is propagated through
the genre are the morals and the values. Anime, in general, aims at providing positive messages
to the audience. If a certain character makes superhuman efforts to achieve a particular goal,
they get all sorts of positive results and manifestations of all the good things. ‘Goku’ from
Dragon Ball Z is a classic example of this principle. These values are mostly observed and
repeated in the opening and closing songs of the anime. Certain anime also show the negative
or the darker side of the criticism of citizens, like the anime Welcome to NHK wherein social
problems such as unemployment, one’s personal problems such as not studying and not being
able to relate to a person drive a 25-year-old to the extent of social isolation. Being extremely
shy is another problem among the Japanese people. It is very seldom that passers-by would
even fix eye-contact with each other, instead they avoid it and maintain their personal space.
In Chihiro’s Journey, we see a young man who is blinded by the fear of the unknown, and
refuses to leave his room out of fear and frustration towards the expectations of the society.
Other examples could be ‘Hinata’ (Naruto)3 and ‘Grey’ (Black Clover)4 who have been shown
to be extremely shy or sheepish. Even the conflictive parent-child relationship between ‘Asuna’
and her parents which is marked by abandonment, disappointment, and the inability to show
2
Origins section of Anime: a reflection of Japanese culture
‘Naruto’ is a Shounen anime series, extending to Shippuden series
4
‘Black Clover’ is a Shounen Jump manga series first published in 2015, adapted into anime version since 2017
3
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affection is exposed in the anime Sword Art Online, giving an insight into the untapped tensions
in families because of the busy work culture and lack of quality family time.
Japan has become a country where tradition meets modernity. While the younger
generation embraces modernization and globalization, the elderly refuse to give up on the ageold traditions. The streets are a place where one can see both women in ‘kimonos’ and people
cos-playing as their favourite anime characters. This same level of contrast has been carried
into the genre of manga and anime, and so it no longer remains limited to only audio-visual
entertainment, but is also a representation of the duality of the Japanese culture and lifestyle.
Introduction to the anime
Darling in the Franxx, a 2018 anime series by Atsushi Nishigori, is a dystopian anime
which fundamentally focuses on the romantic relationship between the two protagonists Hiro
and Zero Two.
In the 21st century, humanity made ground breaking discoveries in mining technology
and began extracting magma energy from the earth, succeeding in using it as an allencompassing source of energy in their day-to-day life. The scientists who contributed to the
cause formed an international organization called APE, which eventually creeped its way up
into total supremacy and control by influencing politics and global economy.
After the discovery of human immortality, most of the human population opted to
become eternal at the cost of their reproductive systems, and instead, used magma energy to
maintain their immortality. Eventually, the perpetual process of extraction of magma led to the
emergence of giant beasts known as Klaxosaurs who lay dormant in the earth all this time, and
they attacked and laid waste to both the mining facilities and human civilization, driving
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mankind to the brink of being wiped out completely. Fearing their extinction, under the
leadership of APE, the rest of humankind took shelter in relatively safer mobile fortress-cities
called ‘Plantations’.
In order to fight the Klaxosaurs, humanoid robots called ‘Franxx’ were created which
would need human pilots. However, it was later found that in order to make it work, a two-man
squad, i.e., a male and a female pilot were needed - ones who retained their reproductive
systems. Since most of mankind was neutered in a way in exchange for deathlessness, there
was an urgent need for fertile human beings, and so, through genetic cloning, children were
“born” in laboratories. These children were referred to as ‘Parasites’, since they would be
controlling the Franxx, just as a literal parasite uses its host.
The story follows the lives of Parasites of Plantation 13, one of the many Plantations,
each with their respective Parasite groups. The Parasites were artificially made human children,
kept in an orphanage, where their aptitude was tested, and based on their results, were given
specific digits rather than names. They were nothing more than a science experiment, a project,
ones who could be discarded anytime they didn’t produce the expected results. They were
educated only to pilot the Franxx and were discouraged from learning anything other than that;
not even basic life-skills.
They are not exposed to the idea of emotions which is why it appears foreign to them,
and they don’t know what to do with it. While they explored the extent of their emotional
stretch, they were discouraged from developing feelings of love for another Parasite, but if they
did, consequently their memories about that specific person are wiped clean, and if they are fit
to continue as a Parasite, they are returned to the camp.
Darling in the Franxx is a dystopian anime directed by Atsushi Nishigori. Set in a postapocalyptic time in the future, the story revolves around a group of teenagers called ‘Parasites’,
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their struggles in leading a ‘normal’ life, and their inter-personal relations. The most significant
characters that will be discussed in this paper are Hiro, Zero Two, Zorome, Mitsuru, Nana,
Hachi, and Papa.
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Chapter 2: Althusser’s ISA and RSA
Althusser, although a Marxist believer and philosopher, stems away from the Marxist
understanding and explanation of ideology, and rather, builds on the work of Jacques Lacan to
understand how ideology operates in a society. According to the earlier model, ideology was
used to create what can be called “false consciousness”5 (Feluga) - a false understanding of
how the world worked. He explains how according to Marx, ideology was just an imaginary
construct, an equivalent to the theoretical status of dream among writers before Freud - purely
imaginary. Althusser on the contrary, equates ideology to Lacan’s understanding of “reality”,
the world that we construct around us once we enter the symbolic order, the rules of the society
that we adhere to once we begin to comprehend language, ones that we need to follow in order
to enter and interact in a community of others, since those laws laid down by the society control
one’s desires and rules of communication.
Ideology, Althusser claims, is a medium that the dominant class uses to exploit the
lower strata of the society and at the same time, maintain its power, influence, and hierarchy.
The main reason why ideologies work is due to the fact that people are afraid of social rejection,
ostracization, or getting isolated or ridiculed at. Therefore, if observed closely, it can be
concluded that such ideologies operate on a psychological level, wherein they condition one’s
thought processes to unconsciously adhere to the established principles so as to maintain order
and cohesion in the society. This is of significance when it comes to revealing the employment
of ideological state apparatuses in the anime, because it has been observed that such social
occurrences, are in some way, depicted throughout the anime.
5
Dino Felluga’s article on Althusser’s use of Lacanian ‘reality’ in Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses
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Althusser, in his most influential essay, describes ideology as something which
materially exists within an institution as a set of collectively agreed practices, or in simple
terms can also be referred to as an ISA. APE as the institution in Darling in the Franxx has a
distinct amount of ways to get what it wants and maintain the set of ideologies that it aims to
propagate. With ‘Papa’ as the apex leader and the core of APE organization, they make sure to
suppress and smother any form of retaliation and thus maintain total supremacy and control in
the Plantations. Actions such as restrictions on the children from roaming anywhere close to
the underground cities are hints at the unconscious repressive measures that the totalitarian
authority uses to maintain order.
Althusser continues to profess that ideology has a material existence because it always
exists within an apparatus and its practices. It manifests in the form of actions, for e.g., rituals,
conventional and accepted behaviour.
2.1. ‘Start-up Ritual’ and ‘Parasites’ as eye-candies
Nana’s reference of the ‘Start-up Ritual’ (E01) is the first instance of ideology that we
observe in the series. The Start-up Ritual is a grand ceremony where the cadets are officially
given the title of Parasites, and are displayed before the adults as fit to pilot the Franxx. Given
from the point of view of the adults, it is supposed to be of great significance because they not
only receive recognition as Parasites, but also get to fight in the war against Klaxosaurs. In the
anime, from Hiro’s repeatedly used words, we can derive that an ideology had been previously
established and followed, that piloting a Franxx was the only purpose in a Parasite’s life; that
they existed solely to fight, and because he didn’t qualify, it didn’t matter if he wound up dead.
Children that weren’t fit for that specific purpose had no value, and they would be sent back to
the ‘Orphanage’, just like Naomi, who considered it to be lucky to be even given a chance at
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becoming a Parasite, who was so bent on becoming a Parasite that it didn’t matter to her if it
killed her. In another instance, Ikuno mentions that if a Parasite can’t pilot, there’s little hope
Papa will be willing to accept it, to which Futoshi agrees, again reinforcing the ideology that
one needs to live up to, while at the same time, hinting at the presence of repressive measures
that have been executed in the past.
2.2. All that glitters
Papa saying “You’re the chosen ones” (E01) to the Parasites is a way to spread a certain
doctrine and establish a set of beliefs and ideas. When Papa uses these words, he is not only
projecting Parasites as on a lofty place, but is inspiring other children to try harder to get into
the ‘chosen ones’ slot. On the day of the ceremony, in the assembly of all the adults of the
Plantation, Papa delivers a speech about the honour the Parasites should be feeling at being the
chosen ones. He glorifies the act of war; the war their great predecessors fought to defend their
cities and people, and how it represented them as a community. The ideology that war is
honourable is given excessive and undue importance, especially when he asks of the Parasites
to “go out in the blaze of glory and shed every last drop of blood” they had (E01);
consequently, placing ‘killed-in-action’ on a pedestal, and goes on to ask them to become “a
shining ray of hope for all humanity”.
The handing out of medallions for acts of bravery and for their faithful service to Papa
(E10) proves to be an excellent and effective medium of reinforcing the above said principle,
as it functions as a reward system for the Parasites, thus subconsciously conditioning them to
further continue serving as expendable pawns for an autocratic form of government. All the
while when combat is celebrated, and when there is every possibility of the Parasites losing
their lives, Papa very casually makes all the imagery of carnage go away by painting a picture
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of getting rewarded with medals, honour and glory. His ideology is ingrained into them to such
a degree that one of the children, Zorome, claims it out loud to himself and the others that
they’re the ones protecting the adults and their lifestyle, and as a result, are very ‘useful’ to
them. Here, while he uses the term ‘useful’ to describe themselves, he is unconsciously
chalking out a bitter fact for the viewer; for the time being, they are useful to the adults, but
once their resourcefulness is exhausted, they will inevitably be discarded.
Another instance where we spot the propagation of propaganda is when the Parasites
return after their first battle and stay in the Plantation for the magma energy transfer process
(E05). A grand ceremony was held in their honour which comprised of the Franxx squad from
Plantation 26. They were briefed about the possibility of an impending Klaxosaur attack, and
that the responsibility of the safety of the Plantations rested on their shoulders. They were
praised as strong and brave fighters, and that everyone believed they would surely bring them
victory. All these words had a specific goal: to boost the morale of the children. Althusser in
his essay, mentions how language plays the role of an institution, how it can be manipulated
and used as a means to propagate an ideology, just the way he builds on the Lacanian
understanding of “reality”. Here, the announcer’s speech had been used in such a way that the
children wouldn’t be bogged down by their previous incompetence in the battle, but would
rather be more motivated to fight the next battle.
Keeping this instance in mind, parallels can be drawn with the character of Squealer in
the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell (1945); a character that the author uses as a
mouthpiece to highlight language as an institution that can be manipulated to spread a certain
ideology favouring a specific individual, or as in this case, a society and an organization.
2.3. “Adulthood” as a delusional parlor trick
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One implicit and mysterious form of ideology prevalent in the first half of the series is
that of ‘growing up’, wherein ‘becoming an adult’ is portrayed as of great significance. This
idea exists because it is believed that when one becomes an adult, they find endless happiness,
and that they get to live in the inner city of the Plantation which is way below the surface of
the earth. In reality, this belief is just an illusion; rather, it goes to reveal the darker side of
human lives in the well-lit cities. The streets appear desolate, inciting a feeling of lack of human
presence. People no longer interact with each other; in fact, they dread it and tend to run away.
They live in big, beautiful apartments; big, but empty. Although they live in pairs, they don’t
talk to each other, to the extent that they have forgotten their partner’s voice. They seem to
have forgotten about their life before becoming eternal beings; they find the thought of people
relying on each other annoying. Their old eyes seem to have lost their colour and shine, not
because of growing old, but because of losing their ‘human’ side in the pursuit of immortality.
Since they have already lost most of the parts that make them “human”, both physically and
mentally, they now depend on machines to bridge the gaps. They no longer require to consume
food, since all the nutrition their body needs is readily ingested into their body with the help of
machines. They no longer “dream”, since ‘sleep’ is a concept of the past. To compensate for
their lack of ability to experience ‘emotions’ organically, they have technology that activates
the reward system of their brains to give them a sense of pleasure; in simpler terms, they receive
their daily doses of “happiness” from machines. (E10)
One character in particular, Zorome, who looks up to the adults and aims to grow up to
be one of them, gets completely disillusioned of the idea, and stops chasing after a bleak and
colourless mirage. We can conclude that he decided to let it go because he interacted with an
adult in person, and saw how it leaves nothing more than a shell of a man, and how he was not
willing to trade his human side for a life in the inner cities. Although it is exhibited as something
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substantial, this belief gets an early conclusion in the 10th episode as it serves its narrative
purpose.
2.4. Being ‘inquisitive’ as being ‘defiant’
Althusser says that an individual’s belief in a concept is an inference they reached upon
from their own ideas, and when one believes in something because of their idea about it, their
attitude follows. Such an individual will adopt certain behaviours, practices, and will even
develop a practical attitude - all based on the ideological apparatus upon which his ideas are
founded. For example, he states: “If he believes in God, he goes to Church to attend Mass,
kneels, prays, confesses, does penance (once it was material in the ordinary sense of the term)
and naturally repents and so on. If he believes in Duty, he will have the corresponding attitudes,
inscribed in ritual practices “according to the correct principles”. If he believes in Justice, he
will submit unconditionally to the rules of the Law, and may even protest when they are
violated, sign petitions, take part in a demonstration, etc” (Althusser, 82)
Once an ideology is established and put into practice, it suddenly becomes difficult to
question its legitimacy and credibility. In such a framework, the established belief gains ground
so rapidly, and leaves an imprint so deep in the minds of the people following it, that the
slightest remark against the prevalent principle might cause friction giving rise to
disagreements, feud or even violence. Often, in such situations, the ideology defends itself,
meaning, the need for such an idea to materialize and take an executable form is what serves
as a justification to the existence of the ideology. One such instance in the anime can be seen
when Hiro raises a harmless query about a possible scenario where humans never extracted
magma energy to begin with, which would in turn hold back the Klaxosaurs from surfacing,
thus solving their problem of the war altogether. It is at this moment that Mitsuru speaks up
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asking “You’re doubting Papa and the rest?” (E07). This statement clearly sends a message
across to the receiver that asking questions will get them into trouble and they will have
consequences to face. He further goes on to justify the actions of Papa as ‘noble’, since Papa’s
decisions and actions to move into the Plantations were what saved the rest of humanity from
the wrath of the Klaxosaurs (E07). This goes to show that once an idea is blindly believed in,
the idea defends itself through the believer.
Upon observing their behavioural patterns, it can be seen that all the children look up
to Papa and the others for their safety and well-being, but it is more intensely noticed in both
Mitsuru and Zorome. While Mitsuru believes in Papa’s decision because of the nobility of his
actions, Zorome is someone who believes in Papa and the others blindly. A lack of clear reason
can be observed in his beliefs and actions. He believes that by doing what they are purposed to
do (killing Klaxosaurs) and making Papa proud (E07), everything else will be alright and taken
care of. This could be because he only chooses to see the so-called brighter side of becoming
an adult and surrenders himself to the idea of a better life in the future, and not the price nor
the consequences it brings along.
2.5. Becoming ‘Human’
While the others follow the beliefs and principles laid down by Papa and the APE
organization, Zero Two sticks out as different from them because of her insubordination and
her desire to be a free bird. As someone who has seen her fair share of death on the battlefield,
she comes across as someone who has lost hope, and it is clear when she says, “Once we die,
all we’ll be is a statistic. It won’t matter what we were called” (E03). She calls the cities inside
the Plantations as ‘lifeless’ since it has no skies or oceans, as a ‘dead-end of a one-way street’
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(E03). Even more so, her reason behind calling it ‘lifeless’ is due to an absence of people; a
vanished humanity.
Upon observing closely, we find that she is someone who’s caught in a web of beliefs
different from others; she desires to become ‘human’ and not to be called a ‘monster’ anymore.
In her pursuit to ‘become human’, she makes it a motto for herself that she will slay as many
Klaxosaurs as possible, since killing them seems to make her more of a ‘human’ in the eyes of
others (E12). The force that drives her is the desire to be recognized and treated as a normal
human being by the children and the adults alike, and not a mere weapon that was brought to
life in a lab.
2.6. The (Repressive) State Apparatus
Althusser in his essay, mentions about the repressive measures or the Repressive State
Apparatuses (RSA) employed by the State in order to maintain the integrity and the dignity of
their ideology, and at the same time, maintain a certain level of order and control, where the
State is the ruling class. The Repressive State Apparatus (RSA) differs from Ideological State
Apparatus (ISA) fundamentally in the method of its delivery; while ISA functions through
‘ideology’, RSA functions through ‘violence’. While it is clear that both function in different
ways, it is also true that both are interwoven into each other and cannot exist in their pure form,
i.e., there can not exist pure ISA without a pinch of RSA and vice-versa. This is because every
ideology, while propagated and imposed, shows traces of repression; for example, School, as
an ideological institution, uses forms of repression such as punishment, selection, expulsion,
and so on to “discipline” others; whereas, Army or the Police being the State’s Repressive
Apparatuses, follow certain ideologies to ensure their own cohesion with the ideology and their
reproduction of the values they preach.
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In the anime, we see multiple instances of Repressive Apparatuses taking shape, but
the most noticeable and significant form of repression visible all throughout the series is the
wiping of memories6 (E13). It is a method of repression that Papa and the adults use to
extinguish any form of rebellion against the initially laid out ideology, and it is used to control
the children, to make them subservient to Papa’s orders.
Judging by the precision they maintain in the process, since it definitely takes a lot of
experimentation and practice, it can be derived that the practice of erasing memories started
way before Hiro and Zero Two. They have been shown as the first ones among children to get
their memories altered in the series. Whenever a child goes against the command of Papa, or
does something which is basic human instinct, such as developing emotions and feelings for
someone, their memories are erased to the point where they do not remember that specific
person. There are also instances where intricately designed fake memories are implanted into
the minds of the children, memories so detailed one would never doubt.
Destroying memories is just a form of repressive state apparatus which is
predominantly employed in order to safeguard the belief that Papa does not entertain rebellion,
that his decisions are for the greater good of mankind, and just a method to maintain the
integrity and cohesiveness of that ideology.
Another form of repression that can be seen is the introduction of 9’s into Plantation
13’s house (E17). The 9’s being under the direct command of Papa, do exactly what he
commands. In order to stop the wedding ceremony, the 9’s arrive with a platoon of soldiers
and use brute force to take away Mitsuru and Kokoro. While they do this, they actually use
violence against Zorome and Mitsuru, hitting them in the head using their guns. When looked
at externally, this repression affects only Mitsuru and Kokoro, but in reality, it was a warning
6
Episode 13: The scene where Dr. Franxx wipes Hiro’s and Zero Two’s memories
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to the rest of the squad members who would dare to think of rebel, or even act ‘human’. This
form of repression of a certain principle is to show that only the supreme authority’s (Papa)
ideology will prevail, and anyone trying to oppose it, shall be put down, even if it requires them
to use force to do so.
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Chapter 3: The Panopticon
The Panopticon was a concept for a penitentiary building and a system of control
proposed by Jeremy Bentham in the 18th century. It was a ring-shaped building with a
watchtower in the centre, and the prison cells on its circumference, their cell doors facing the
watchtower. The concept of the design was such that it would allow a single security guard to
keep an eye on the prisoners without the inmates ever really knowing when they were being
watched.
Bentham’s reasoning behind such a design was simple: if the prisoners of the
Panopticon prison could be seen, but never knew when they were being watched, they would
have to follow the rules and discipline themselves so as to not get into trouble. The
psychological effect on the prisoners was that they were aware of a presence of authority at all
times. In such a scenario, it tips the scale of power dynamics massively, because now, the
authority would change from being limited to a mere physical entity, to being an internalized
omniscience. Now, because someone might be always watching, they couldn’t step out of the
line, thus discouraging any thoughts of prison riot or prison break.
The main focus of the Panopticon was to maximize the level of surveillance in a prison
building with a minimum staffing; since the prisoners couldn’t look into the watchtower and
know whether it had security personnel in it, it was possible for just a single guard to take care
of the prison surveillance. This would take the weight off of their shoulders, allowing the
guards to take breaks during their shifts. Even if there was no one, the prisoners wouldn’t come
to know about it, which would make it a self-serving and self-preserving surveillance system.
Michel Foucault, a French critic and an intellectual, expounded on Bentham’s
Panopticon, leading him to observe that schools, hospitals, factories, and military barracks had
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a striking resemblance to that of the Panopticon model where surveillance, discipline, and
normalization merged together. This also suggests that the current society which has been
founded on surveillance and discipline have Bentham’s model as the base. Foucault also
explained how the panopticon had turned into a system for social control, by extending into the
everyday lives of the people, and how people more than often internalized authority, which is
one way to keep the institutions and their norms running.
Throughout the series, the presence of a model which combines both Jeremy Bentham’s
and Michel Foucault’s version of the Panopticon can be observed. It is a mixture because, while
it follows the conceptual characteristics of Bentham’s Panopticon, it also displays elements
from Foucault’s idea of the internalization of authority, thus creating an identifiable and a much
more contemporary version of the Panopticon which are apparent in the present times.
3.1. The all-seeing eye
In the anime, what’s clearly visible right from the beginning is a prison and surveillance
system. This system exists to keep the Parasites in check and at the same time, keep an eye on
them and their daily activities. The ‘birdcage’ which is an artificial habitat created for the
Parasites, is just like any other prisons on the planet. The name ‘birdcage’ is symbolic since it
is usually a literal prison for birds, and has been used to shed light on the Parasites’ desire to
take flight into freedom from bondage and slavery (technically); although, unlike the
conventional prisons of the past or the literal meaning of “birdcage”, this place does not have
bars to keep them inside, but rather, glass ceilings for them to watch the outside world. The
surveillance systems are monitored and controlled by Nana and Hachi who fulfil multiple roles
such as caretakers, officers, and watchdogs of the Franxx squad.
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What is clearly visible, and is actually a big support to the plot, is the hierarchy in which
the surveillance system functions. While Nana and Hachi are responsible for the surveillance
of the Franxx squad in Plantation 13, they still answer to Dr. Franxx, who every now and then
instructs them regarding their treatment of the squad and their intervening in the lives of the
adolescent children, clearly stating that even the watchers are being watched. Dr. Franxx on
the other hand, is watched by Papa himself, which establishes the fact that Papa sits at the top
of the hierarchical structure, or so it seems till the introduction of VIRM, that use Papa as mere
puppets to meet their end goals, which implies that even Papa was under the constant
supervision of VIRM. A point worth noticing is that the surveillance feature from the original
Panopticon model, where the prisoners knew that they were being constantly watched, but
couldn’t see their watcher, has been implemented partially, because here, although they did not
know when they were being supervised, they did have knowledge about who their supervisors
might be.
3.2. Bentham-Foucault fusion
As previously mentioned, in the series, there seems to be a presence of a Panopticon
model that integrates both the conceptual characteristics native to the model, and the
internalization of an omniscient authority. The first instance one notices it is in the pilot episode
when Goro says to Ichigo, “Ichigo! Focus on the ceremony. Papa’s watching, and so is
everyone else” (E01) and her readily acknowledging it gives us an insight into the duality of
the situation; while they know that they are under constant supervision (Bentham’s model),
they also have internalized the fact that they need to put on their best performance because
Papa is watching (Foucault’s internalization of authority).
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Another instance where this phenomenon repeats itself is when 9-Alpha, the leader of
the 9’s calls Zero Two as 9-Iota and she declines conforming to that name (E17), to which he
appears taken aback and asks if she is throwing away the special forces code name Papa gave
her. Here, apart from blind faith in Papa, what appears more prominently is the internalized
concept of obedience and fear; since he knows that they are being watched that very moment,
and even if they aren’t being supervised, he knew it for certain that rebelling would come at a
serious cost. The same can be seen when the 9’s are fighting the Klaxosaurs in the final battle
(E21), and they ask squad 13 to get back to their positions because Papa has ordered them to
do so. Upon studying the situation closely, it can be observed that there is obvious obedience
and devotion towards Papa, and the devotion they have internalized has consumed them to the
extent that they cannot see the reality of the situation, i.e., Papa was no longer present and
whoever was looking over them, had abandoned them.
The 9’s are a special forces unit directly under the command of Papa, which naturally
means they are his favourite expendable pawns since they follow his every command
religiously, so much so that at one point in time, it seems as though they are just an extension
of Papa’s will. The way they show their detachment from emotions and feelings (E17), how
they consider it to be a burden, the display of discontent regarding Zero Two’s name, Kokoro’s
idea of having a baby, possessing a very narrow and rigid way of thinking about the genders,
being entirely against the idea of wedding, and many more instances show us how they have
ingrained Papa’s will into their very being, and would give up their lives to make his command
achieve fruition. This is the best example for Bentham’s model of the Panopticon and
Foucault’s internalization of authority that could be derived from the series.
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Other dystopian elements in the anime
Loss of individualism and Dehumanization:
One of the characteristic and remarkable features of a dystopian setting is the loss of
identity as a person, where the value of a person reduces to practically nothing. Throughout the
series, we see examples of inhumane behaviour meted out to children from their autocratic
leader.
The act of making children in labs through artificial means although might sound
inhumane, but it needs to be remembered that because the rest of humanity had given up their
reproductive systems, it was the only option available, but at the same time, the fact that those
children were meant to fight off monsters only cannot be overlooked. They were given code
numbers instead of names - an ideology that stated clearly that they were mere test subjects lab rats - nothing more than expendable goods. Even in the code numbers given to them, the
closer their number was to zero, the more priority they had, and only because they were born
in a lab and their purpose in life was quite decided, they were subjected to innumerable tests,
both physical and mental, to measure their aptitude and potential to become a Parasite. Making
them compete with each other to get into the ‘potential Parasites’ list shows that they were
denied of any value of their individual self.
Every child would go through the process of Saurification - a process which begins
from the moment they are injected with yellow blood cells to increase one’s compatibility and
aptitude in piloting a Franxx. Not only was the process extremely and excruciatingly painful,
but also came with massive side-effects such as rapid ageing, greying of hair, unprecedented
fever. The more someone pilots a Franxx, the faster the process of saurification occurs within
the body. Sometimes, the stress while piloting a Franxx is so great, it accelerates the rate of
ageing as it put a tremendous amount of strain on the human body. While both the pilots take
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the brunt of it, it is more visible in the females since it is her soul that gets connected to the
Franxx. If a certain specimen with good compatibility falls short because of their aptitude or
their weak body, they are given what is referred to as an ‘Elixir’ shot. While it is known to
increase one’s aptitude and physical capability, it has incredibly low success rates; very few
people who take the treatment live to tell the tale.
The children that weren’t fit for the ‘Parasite’ program started disappearing from the
facility; they were in fact discarded and sent off the current facility to an unknown and
undisclosed place. Years later it was discovered that the rejected kids had been in cryogenic
sleep for all that time. The fact that they were ill-treated, considered expendable, and a price
that Papa was happily willing to pay gives an insight into the mindset of the adults.
Environmental Destruction:
The massacre of environment is another one of the characteristic features of a dystopian
setting, and while it was present in the series, it was one of the lesser explored themes. The
deterioration of natural habitat can be derived from the barren surface of the earth. Since human
kind moved into the Plantations, they left the surface of the earth, making the surface of the
Earth barren. Another form of environmental deterioration is humans extracting magma energy
from earth to use it as a fuel to power their everyday life. Magma energy is what powered their
machines, powered their Franxx, was used in the laboratories for research and testing, it was
what kept the adults alive for such a long period of time. This large-scale extraction of magma
attracted Klaxosaurs that attacked the Plantations and the mining facilities. Although the
Klaxosaurs have been portrayed as hostile, looking at it from another perspective, it can be
seen as the Earth’s defence mechanism; where Earth itself is an organism, and the Klaxosaurs
function as the organism’s white blood cells, thus, protecting the Earth against humans that
were extracting the magma energy.
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Chapter 4: Conclusion
Through this research, we can confirm the presence of an authoritarian and totalitarian
‘pyramid’ of power. I use the term pyramid because there is an obvious hierarchy, a chain of
command. When compared to Althusser’s theory of ideological state apparatuses, the elements
discussed in the research match the required criteria to be called as ‘ideologies’, and at the same
time, we observe institutions that propagate the ‘ideologies.’ Simultaneously, comparing the
elements in the series to Bentham’s model of the Panopticon, we can conclude that the kids
were treated as prisoners and were always under the surveillance of someone or the other.
Adding to it, the elements also display a manifestation of Foucault’s version of the Panopticon
which internalizes the authority of an unknown or unseen entity in a social construct rather than
a prison setting.
While it was undoubtedly a difficult task, what encouraged me the most to continue
working was the desire to do justice to the series, since it is one of my personal favourites.
Contributing to the same were the arising of new questions, unexpected insights, and a little
joy in re-watching the series. I believe to have made effective use of the theories to critically
analyse the series to the best of my abilities.
While this research surely illustrates the power structure in the series, and has been tried
to contain to that specific scope, it also leaves spaces open for further research on it. A
psychoanalytical study of the characters in the series, or an application of gender studies, or
even employment of eco-criticism will surely open up new horizons, since no such theories
have been applied on the series as of yet.
Moving forward, this research may act as a reference material to literature or film
students who wish to further investigate on anime. It may also be helpful to those who wish to
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analyse similar genre of anime or film which embodies the employment of Louis Althusser’s
theory on ideology and state apparatuses or Bentham’s model of the Panopticon.
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Works Cited
Primary Text
1.
Darling in the Franxx. Directed by Atsushi Nishigori. Co-produced by A-1 Pictures and
Trigger, animated by Trigger and CloverWorks, 2018.
2.
Althusser, L. Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses (Notes Towards an
Investigation). 1971.
Secondary Texts
1.
Orwell, G. Animal Farm.
2.
Noyce, Phillip. The Giver. The Weinstein Company, 2014.
References
1.
Mambrol, Nasrullah. “Louis Althusser: ISA and RSA.” Literary Theory and Criticism, 4
June 2019, literariness.org/2016/04/13/louis-althusser-isa-and-rsa/.
2.
Setyorini, Ari & Idris, Serwana. (2017). The Practice of Ideological State Apparatuses in
Lois Lowry’s The Giver. NOBEL: Journal of Literature and Language Teaching. 8. 8393. 10.15642/NOBEL.2017.8.2.83-93.
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Althusser, Louis. “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses (Notes towards an
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www.marxists.org/reference/archive/althusser/1970/ideology.htm.
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Jespersen, Julie & Albrechtslund, Anders & Øhrstrøm, Peter & Hasle, Per & Albretsen,
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Brunon-Ernst, Anne. (2012). Beyond Foucault: New Perspectives on Bentham's
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