The Japanese government continues to find innovative ways to deliver important messages to its citizens. This time, the Tokyo Metropolitan Consumer Affairs Center is using magical girl anime as a medium for public education. In their latest public service video, the Tokyo government raises the issue of the dangers of misleading contracts with a distinctive approach magical girl.
Educational Campaign with a Touch Magical Girl
This video follows the classic formula magical girl anime. A young girl is confronted by a terrible monster and, under duress, accepts a contract from her mascot companion to acquire magic powers. Eagerly, she agrees and undergoes a dramatic transformation, complete with colorful effects typical of the genre.
However, instead of directly fighting against its enemy, the story takes an unexpected direction. After the transformation was complete, the mascot suddenly issued the first bill listing the transformation cost of 800 million yen (equivalent to USD 5.44 million or around IDR 85 billion).
Surprised by the enormous amount, the magical girl protests that he was never informed of this fee. But the mascot, in a cold tone, simply replied, "It's your fault for not reading the contract."
The video ends with a warning from the Tokyo government: "Be careful with contracts."
Relevant Messages in the Digital Age
Although the contract to obtain magic power only exists in the world of magical girlHowever, the message in this video has real relevance. In the digital age, anyone can easily agree to a contract without really understanding its contents and consequences.
Services such as streaming service, transactions in mobile gameA contract, or an agreement with a digital service provider, often requires users to agree to long and complicated terms and conditions. Considered too technical, many people skip reading the contract details, which can end up trapping them in hidden fees or unfavorable regulations.
In the past, mistakes in signing contracts were more often considered an adult problem. However, with more and more digital services targeting the younger generation, they too must be more careful in understanding the terms they agree to. The message in this video is not only relevant to Japanese society, but also to anyone who frequently deals with digital contracts.
Inspiration from Madoka Magica and Fan Response
For fans of magical girl animeThe concept in this video is certainly reminiscent of Puella Magi Madoka MagicaThis is a video about a mascot that is famous for its theme of dangerous contracts represented by a mysterious creature called Kyubey. It's no wonder that many comments compared the mascot in this video to Kyubey, given that both have a similar approach to making harmful contracts.
Additionally, the involvement of professional voice actors such as Ayumu Kotomiya and Kisho Taniyama adds to the appeal for viewers. While there are currently no official plans to develop the video further, many have found the concept interesting enough to make it into a movie. project which is bigger.
Pop Culture as a Means of Socialization
The Japanese government has used pop culture as a public education tool. Previously, various campaigns have utilized anime characters, VTuber, up to reference manga to convey messages to the public in a more interesting and understandable way.
In this case, incorporating contract education into the magical girl anime Not only does it make information more interesting, but it's also more accessible to a generation that grew up with pop culture. This approach can serve as an example of how public education can be delivered in a more creative and effective way.
With the widespread influence of pop culture Japan in various countries, this method has the potential to be adapted to educational campaigns outside of Japan.
Source: SoraNews24
