Now Playing: Fitness Films, the Power of Anime
Behold! I have made a Hollywood caliber short film inspired by my fitness journey:
Ok, so there’s not much of a plot, it’s totally repetitive and I used generic stock music and special effects from iMovie… But while it took me very little time to throw this clip together, I think the “acting” is good. I really identify with the protagonist 😉. The premise of this short little film was to make something lighthearted and fun to spruce up my documentation of what I call “kickboxing burpees.” I was struck by the idea of a comic book or animated hero going to the gym; hence, the comic book filter, which I think kind of makes the whole thing somewhat rotoscope-esque. I get a real kick out of seeing my physique outlined by a line drawing.
The connection between animation and fitness is wide-reaching and well documented. There are so many swole animated characters like Goku, Garnet, Susan Strong and Popeye, as well as vigorous and acrobatic figures like Sailor Jupiter and She-Ra. This is perhaps best reflected in the anime genre where there’s a specific brand dedicated to athleticism. Goku is frequently shown performing incredible feats of strength and agility in the series Dragon Ball Z. There’s also Stretch, which is actually a manga (i.e. comic book/graphic novel) and not an anime, but it is still relevant to this topic. Stretch is a coming of age tale that artfully mixes in short instructional training segments for becoming more mobile and flexible. The most prominent example of fitness focused anime is How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? which makes fitness and exercise the main focal point of its story arc. The show has even been lauded by exercise scientist Jackson Peos.
The problem with many animated portrayals of fitness is that they’re presented through an ableist lens. In other words, the characters are depicted are non-disabled. Another issue is the all too common fetishization of women and men’s bodies within animations that contain sports and fitness narratives. Body positivity is a rare thing in the anime genre. But disability advocate, writer and poet Borealis Capps notes that they were able to design an accessible workout for themselves based on the full ab routine from How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? So it is clear that there are strides being made to make exercise more diverse and accessible, whether or not that is actually reflected in the animated series itself. Capps (2022) explains that, “I know logically I can’t look like a 2D drawing, but I think that level of escapism helps me get healthy in a joyful way instead of being motivated by shame. Since it’s impossible to achieve that kind of look, I don’t feel bad if I don’t get there.”
The idea of escapism is an interesting concept, and certainly we are attracted to animated content largely due to its portrayal of fantastical scenarios and personas. These depictions enable us to suspend our disbelief and become drawn into these surreal worlds for the sake of enjoying the narrative and identifying with the characters. So while it’s nice to dream about training like Goku, unless you’re a fitness influencer, that is highly inadvisable.
However, Stretch and How Heavy Art the Dumbbells You Lift? have leveled the playing field for the average person who wants to workout and get fit while embodying the life of an anime character. Hopefully the canon of animation fitness continues to expand in a manner that is more representative of all types of bodies and identities.
References, Notes, Suggested Reading:
Capps, Borealis. “The Short History and Strong Potential of Fitness Anime.” Anime Herald, 24 September 2022. https://www.animeherald.com/2022/09/24/the-short-history-and-strong-potential-of-fitness-anime/