For those unfamiliar, Tomino, creator of the Gundam series, is long known for
his incredibly confusing direction, especially in framing, and his poor use of
female characters; his works, despite taking place in the future, usually bear
conservative Japanese attitudes from the current era. Ironically, Tomino
created something of an interesting portrayal of disability, where Katejina, a
strong, capable female character in Victory Gundam, is under such great stress
she 'snapped'. Such a portrayal suggests heavily that, by series end, Katejina
suffers from trauma. Nuanced internal motivations
are fractured from stress and washed out by generic lust for power. This is….actually
a trope for the Gundam series, especially associated with Tomino. However, from
the start, Katejina is presented as an impeccable role model, especially to
main character Usso (an impressionable 13 year old, even more impressionable
than my editor). Given that this series is framed as a coming-of-age series,
Usso especially looks up to others around him. Such high expectations, but
Katejina believes she can uphold them. Until she can’t anymore. Even though the show appears to ask us to
detest Katejina, I can relate to her struggles.
Tomino’s narrative continually emphasizes Katejina as a key
player throughout the series. However, though she initially has an older sister
type of influence on Usso, she is gradually removed from his presence. Instead,
she becomes a member of the ‘enemy’ faction (which matters only in terms of its
opposition to protagonist Usso and his comrades). Military prowess becomes
critical as Katejina begins appearing in austere uniform. However, as the below
image shows, she maintains this militaristic seriousness even in plain clothes.
How can one be a soldier opposing Usso while simultaneously trying to be a role
model? The show provides no clean answer. This leads me to two conclusions:
either Katejina is brainwashed into fighting against Usso by the enemy faction
or she is acting as a practical and rational agent.
Brainwashing
is not an exact science and it takes time. The series, clocking in at 51
episodes, has the time but does not suggest this outcome. To assume brainwashing
requires many leaps of logic, and on a personal level feels so dissatisfying.
This intuition applies most clearly to Katejina’s duties as a mecha fighter,
literally the mechanism behind her forging her own pathway. The below image,
with her off-center eyes and furrowed brows, highlights Katejina’s anxiety as
she fights, which is a reaction not possible from someone simply fighting based
on ideology (or ‘brainwashing’). In my mind, this cements the Katejina is
practical interpretation.
Despite being held up as a practical character, she ultimately seems to succumb to her juggling. Katejina’s behavior, in the last third of the series, becomes increasingly erratic. She forcibly proclaims her position as Usso’s role model claiming that she controls the enemy faction. At this point in the series, Katejina becomes entirely unpredictable, as the enemy faction begins to dwindle. Tomino’s conservative gender politics appear to shine here – Katejina as she begins to think for herself, spurred by her painful dilemma, becomes heavily sexualized. ….But specifically for the two factions (Usso and good as blue, enemy as red) she is deciding between. Usso transforms from a child to help raise into an object of sexual desire, as Katejina makes romantic overtures to him. However, through this sexualization, the director establishes Katejina as leaving sanity. On the surface, she is no longer a complex character, but one seeking to satisfy sexual urges. However, as much as the director pushed this narrative I could not quite accept it. Given her repeated role in the story, on both sides, there was no way for me to personally accept Katejina as simply driven by her sexuality. Otherwise, she is simply brainwashed in another, arguably more diabolical, way.
Despite being held up as a practical character, she ultimately seems to succumb to her juggling. Katejina’s behavior, in the last third of the series, becomes increasingly erratic. She forcibly proclaims her position as Usso’s role model claiming that she controls the enemy faction. At this point in the series, Katejina becomes entirely unpredictable, as the enemy faction begins to dwindle. Tomino’s conservative gender politics appear to shine here – Katejina as she begins to think for herself, spurred by her painful dilemma, becomes heavily sexualized. ….But specifically for the two factions (Usso and good as blue, enemy as red) she is deciding between. Usso transforms from a child to help raise into an object of sexual desire, as Katejina makes romantic overtures to him. However, through this sexualization, the director establishes Katejina as leaving sanity. On the surface, she is no longer a complex character, but one seeking to satisfy sexual urges. However, as much as the director pushed this narrative I could not quite accept it. Given her repeated role in the story, on both sides, there was no way for me to personally accept Katejina as simply driven by her sexuality. Otherwise, she is simply brainwashed in another, arguably more diabolical, way.
A particular
scene highlights Katejina’s dark place being translated along sexual lines. Despite
her erratic behavior, Usso decides to put his trust in Katejina; in return, she
uses her sexuality, in particular by tightly hugging Usso, to lull him into
caution. Smiling maliciously, Katejina slips a knife into his back, startling Usso
into falling to the ground. However, this stabbing comes across as incredibly
odd. As a mecha fighter, Katejina had many more efficient methods of killing
him. Instead, she chooses a method that requires her to get close. Despite this
image of sexualization consciously pushed, Katejina is actually again still
acting rationally, within the limits of her situation of great stress. Her ploy
makes much more sense if observed from the angle of goading Usso into further
action, rather than an earnest effort to hinder him.
A later
line helped me better appreciate this obstinance. One member of the enemy
faction, very close to the end of the series, admits that Katejina chose her
own path, which I had suspected all along. This however contradicts the
sexualization that reduces her agency. It’s definitely concerning that Tomino
would seek to portray a sexually empowered women as a villain outside of her
mind. But it was really comforting to be on the same page on him for even
something so seemingly simple
With all these pieces in place, Tomino’s portrayal of mental disability, especially of falling to extreme stress brought on by war, begins to come together. In one transition, Tomino superimposes the mecha onto its pilot, creating the impression of a mask; this creates an image of a mask of mental unwellness, supposedly highlighting her ‘insanity’. This is an incredibly frustrating and negative portrayal of mental illness. However, as discussed, Katejina shows many signs that she fights of her own accord.Then the mask must be reinterpreted as well; rather than being the mask borne from mental illness, this mask represents the messy and horrific battle she has found herself in. This mask of trauma can be explored further because Katejina survives the final showdown – here, in a seemingly intentional act, Usso simply knocks her back, defeating her without killing her.
With all these pieces in place, Tomino’s portrayal of mental disability, especially of falling to extreme stress brought on by war, begins to come together. In one transition, Tomino superimposes the mecha onto its pilot, creating the impression of a mask; this creates an image of a mask of mental unwellness, supposedly highlighting her ‘insanity’. This is an incredibly frustrating and negative portrayal of mental illness. However, as discussed, Katejina shows many signs that she fights of her own accord.Then the mask must be reinterpreted as well; rather than being the mask borne from mental illness, this mask represents the messy and horrific battle she has found herself in. This mask of trauma can be explored further because Katejina survives the final showdown – here, in a seemingly intentional act, Usso simply knocks her back, defeating her without killing her.
And
that's called back when Katejina appears in the epilogue as a 'traveller'; when
she sees Usso, she's reminded of that trauma, which you see in her dead
expression (as shown below). Given that years have likely passed, Katejina has
spent many years living with the mask of trauma. Ordinarily in a Gundam series,
a character with trauma, especially a female one, would have perished. Seeing
her alive, even with an incredibly spotty portrayal, and living with trauma becomes
an incredibly powerful experience as a result. To me, this ties her good vs
evil struggles to the incredible stress placed upon her; even if that doesn’t
quite play out in real life, I still find the battle very powerful on an
emotional level. I hope to share Katejina’s fortitude. The great risk of
portraying Katejina pays off, even if it is far from perfect, because it
highlights how humans can continue on, even after the adversity of war. Perhaps
in many ways, it's a more nuanced
portrayal of trauma than I expected really.
