these are just some scenes off the top of my head from the new season, and it doesn’t even begin to encapsulate the multitude of healthy messages imbued throughout the entirety of the series.

the show repeatedly conveys that men can talk to their friends about their feelings and be respected and heard. that women are independent agents with intelligence and strength and exist as more than a potential love interest or catalyst to further a man’s narrative. that men can tell their friends and family they love them. that men can cry and be scared and be vulnerable and it’s okay. it doesn’t diminish your strength or worth as a person and it doesn’t make you any less of a hero. 

and then there’s the fact that the man who most closely resembles the archetype of a stereotypical hero in a young male-targeted show is a gay, disabled Japanese man with ptsd. 

whether or not you find the representation to be satisfying, through the lens of their target audience, shiro being the person he is–relationship or no–is hugely important.

is the writing perfect all the time? no. but the vld creators took a (kinda goofy) mecha show from the 80s and built a subtle but beautifully healthy portrayal of masculinity for a target audience of young boys and I think the fandom at large can get so caught up in our own lens that we lose perspective on that.

anyway, I’m just really appreciative, and I can’t wait to watch the show with my nephew when he’s old enough.