Character Spotlight: “Immortal” Sugimoto

I recently finished watching both seasons of Golden Kamuy and, let me tell you, what a wild ride that was! Set in the wilderness of Hokkaido during the aftermath of the Russo-Japanese war, at times it is reminiscent of a History Channel/Natural Geographic documentary, especially with its emphasis on the indigenous Ainu people, their culture, and belief systems. But, at other times, it feels a lot like Hokkaido’s answer to Food Wars (with its near sensual depiction of the Ainu dishes) or to JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (with its cast of buff manly men and its propensity to throw logic straight out the window). Watching it was an experience like no other. I couldn’t recommend it highly enough. Anyway, today I would like to talk about its hero and my favourite of its many characters: “Immortal” Sugimoto.

Run with the Wind – Redefining Masculinity in the Context of Male Friendships

I’ll usually look less favourably upon an anime with no strong female characters (I get a real kick out of seeing my sex represented in a positive, significant way). And whilst Run with the Wind is one such show (with only one female character – and a minor one at that), I still adore the bare bones of it! It may be a bit of a sausage party, but, contrary to what you might expect, the way that our main characters interact with each other is completely and utterly devoid of any exaggerated masculinity. If anything, many of their interactions actually contain the hallmarks of, not male, but female friendships. These include intimacy, the tendency to encourage one another, vulnerability, and insight into each other’s characters…