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The Kirishima Thing
Movie

The Kirishima Thing

2012 • Unknown

Woke Score
1.4
out of 10

Plot

A story about the disappearance of Kirishima, a star athlete of the volleyball club, and how his disappearance affects every person in school.

Overall Series Review

The Kirishima Thing is a 2012 Japanese ensemble drama that dissects the rigid social hierarchy, or 'school caste,' of a high school student body, where the popular students (jocks, cheerleaders) are the 'in-crowd' and club members (film, band) are the 'out-crowd.' The sudden, unexplained disappearance of the unseen star athlete, Kirishima, acts as a MacGuffin, causing the fragile social order to fracture and forcing the remaining students to confront their true identities and ambitions. The narrative focuses on the internal politics, existential angst, and social pressures unique to the Japanese high school club system ('Bukatsu'). The film’s critique is sociological, examining the performative struggle for social recognition rather than promoting a political or ideological agenda. The central conflict is one of meritocracy based on popularity and athletic status versus a genuine pursuit of passion, which is a universal human dynamic, not a 'woke' one. The film contains none of the specific ideological markers of the Western 'woke mind virus.'

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics1/10

The film’s central conflict is the 'school caste' system, where students are judged by popularity, looks, and athletic ability, not race or intersectional identity. The cast is entirely Japanese, making Western-style 'race-swapping' and 'whiteness' critiques irrelevant. Character merit (athletic skill or dedication to a club like the film club) directly informs a student's standing and internal struggle, representing a meritocratic, albeit ruthless, social structure.

Oikophobia2/10

The film critiques a specific, modern cultural pressure within Japan: the rigid social hierarchy of the high school environment and the pressure to find worth through demanding extracurricular club activities ('Bukatsu'). This is a specific internal social critique of an institution, not a blanket demonization of the nation, its people, or its history. The film is an honest exploration of youth anxiety within its own cultural context.

Feminism1/10

Gender roles are depicted realistically within the framework of a high school social hierarchy. Popular female characters are shown as dependent on male status, while others struggle for attention or self-worth. There are no 'Mary Sue' or 'Girl Boss' characters presented as instantly perfect or capable; all students, male and female, are complexly flawed products of the school's social system. The plot does not contain anti-natalist or anti-family messaging.

LGBTQ+1/10

The narrative's focus on teenage social pressure revolves entirely around traditional heterosexual relationships, crushes, and rivalries within the high school ecosystem. No explicit LGBTQ+ themes, alternative sexual ideologies, or commentary on gender theory are present in the plot or character arcs. Sexuality is shown as a private element of the typical teenage experience without being an ideological centerpiece.

Anti-Theism2/10

The film's exploration of angst and emptiness is existential and sociological, focusing on the lack of future prospects in the context of 'Japanese late capitalism.' The conflict is social rather than spiritual. The movie does not feature any religious characters, plot points, or explicit anti-theist sentiment, nor does it promote moral relativism over objective truth as a thematic core.