Law through lens of anime

Law and order are for one and all. But how many of us truly understand what goes into our law books, and what our constitution truly means Demystifying the cumbersome aspects of the language of law and making it more accessible to everyone, a city-based organisation which promotes equality and human rights — Schools of Equality — is hosting an event called ‘Otaku-Nation: Understanding Law and Justice through Anime’. Surprised that anime can initiate such a thing Here’s what the organisers have to say.

“Law is for providing justice to everyone, but when we want to know what our rights and duties are — and look up our Constitution or the books on law in India — it is nearly impossible to get our heads around them and make meaning out of what they say. The books could be stating what our rights are, but it is tough to understand what they truly mean. We thought it was important to simplify law for everyone,” explains Saranya Manoharan, one of the organisers of the event.

“Young or old, children or adults, all of us are equal before the law and need to understand our rights and duties,” Saranya adds, “Law is something for each and every citizen and we need to know what our rights and duties are, to lead a meaningful life. This is our attempt to make it possible.”

When asked why anime specifically, Saranya elaborates, “Sometimes, the use of cartoons could make something that is serious seem silly or even childish. But anime transcends all that and can convey many ideas like law, rules, and justice. Japanese anime can be an inspiration to all of us when understood rightly. So we will use anime like Death Note, Deadman Wonderland, and Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, which discuss the concepts of law and rules.”

Conducted by Deeptha Rao, a lawyer and a member of the Alternative Law Forum in Bengaluru, this session is being held on Saturday in the city for children in and above class 10, students of law schools and teachers. “At the Alternative Law Forum, we have an interdisciplinary way of looking at law. Law governs us, but when read as a mere text does not make much sense. So we’ve been trying to relate law to the way it is represented in literature, or looking at it through various forms in media — like pop culture or anime. We are targeting children above class 10, as they can make their own judgement at that age,” she explains..

Deeptha, who has been practicing law in Bengaluru, adds, “Having been to a law school myself, I know how law and courtrooms lack imagination. People don’t break boundaries. If we look at anime, there are lots of similarities it has with law and hence this will be a first such attempt to understand societal justice and human rights through anime.”