An analysis of gender in Crying Freeman

In this post, I'll share a summary of my analysis of an OVA anime series called "Crying Freeman". It was adapted from a manga series.  If you haven't seen this anime before, I highly recommend it but, be warned this film contains extreme violence, nudity, and adult situations. This anime was advanced for its time (1980s) because it has an atypical male protagonist, a strong, diverse group of female characters, innovative film techniques, and a queer subtext.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VubQSYauOv4


Yō Hinomura/Freeman disrupts the dominant, toxic masculinity of the world he inhabits. Crying Freeman is about finding a path away from this toxic masculinity which, in the series only leads to death for those who embrace that expression of patriarchy. Formally, the anime uses close-ups, light & shadow contrasts, vivid colours, photo-realistic looking characters, and settings to make this story emotionally engaging and believable. In terms of content, Crying Freeman is not the typical story of a conquering warrior that viewers may have expected.

Yō/Freeman is a naïve, sensitive pottery artist forced into the “man box”  by the 108 Dragons. He is entrapped and cries to show both his desire to be free of this trap and also because he regrets each murder he is compelled to commit. Freeman's artistic talents are channeled into murder.
Yō's identity is defined by performances: He is graceful like a ballet dancer or a gymnast and dons various undercover guises. But, he is also frequently nude or scantily clad and strips willingly. When he strips his tattoos are focused on, he is always on display and this display often has a homoerotic subtext.  This is not the typical gender script of a male protagonist in an action narrative, Freeman would be considered feminine compared to the typically stoic, armored, and decisive heroes of these types of narratives. Yō's experiences are like that of boys being shaped by patriarchal ideology that tells them being a man means they are only allowed to behave and embody a gender identity in certain ways. His tears express the deep trauma he experiences because of what he has become: “a thug who weeps" as he says. It is apparent that Yō’s vulnerability, empathy, and ability to work with other skilled people is indeed what makes him successful. Emu, an artist like Yō/Freeman is the one who “frees” Freeman. She “deprograms” him with her compassion, sensitivity, and warmth. He cannot bring himself to kill her even though his own life is in danger because of his love for her. She eventually becomes Freeman’s partner “Tiger Orchid." In fact, her transformation follows a somewhat different trajectory than Freeman's but, there are more similarities than differences between their narratives. Freeman's polyamorous romantic relationships with other strong women like Kimie Hanada and Dark Eyes/Bugnug are also mutually beneficial. Both women challenge Freeman first as antagonists but he impresses both of them with his warmth and sensitivity. They fall in love with Freeman and decide to work with him. Freeman transforms the 108 Dragons to a degree into a more benevolent organization than it otherwise would have been. In terms of form, the anime uses close-ups, vivid colours, light/dark contrasts, and photo-realistic illustrations to create the gritty, yet beautiful world that Freeman inhabits. The form is introspective and beautiful much like Freeman himself. I would also argue that this anime translates well from its manga format and is definitely enhanced by the use of colour. I highly recommend the anime and the manga versions of Crying Freeman. I would only watch the 1995 live action film if you are a fan of the anime and manga.

References

Nishio, D. (Director). (1988). Crying Freeman (Motion Picture). Japan: Toei Animation.