Humans Versus the Human Identity in Science Fiction: Reactions to Modified Humanoids by Society in Elfen Lied and Deadman Wonderland

Within science fiction literature, a largely debated subject is the modification of humans and the consequences attached to this practice. Questions such as the extent to which it would still be possible to call these people ‘human’ or the role they might play in bringing the human civilization to an end are largely examined within science fiction. This thesis addresses the issue of modified humanoids within Japanese works of science fiction, with special attention to the reaction of society to these modified humanoids. Specifically, the focus of this research is the mangas Elfen Lied and Deadman Wonderland, as they frame the modification of the human in such ways that shows completely different reactions by society, ranging from marginalization to attraction or a need for controlling them, rooted in different emotional responses to the threat to their human identity. The framework of soft science fiction offers the base of this analysis as it deals with aspects of social and...Show moreWithin science fiction literature, a largely debated subject is the modification of humans and the consequences attached to this practice. Questions such as the extent to which it would still be possible to call these people ‘human’ or the role they might play in bringing the human civilization to an end are largely examined within science fiction. This thesis addresses the issue of modified humanoids within Japanese works of science fiction, with special attention to the reaction of society to these modified humanoids. Specifically, the focus of this research is the mangas Elfen Lied and Deadman Wonderland, as they frame the modification of the human in such ways that shows completely different reactions by society, ranging from marginalization to attraction or a need for controlling them, rooted in different emotional responses to the threat to their human identity. The framework of soft science fiction offers the base of this analysis as it deals with aspects of social and political response to technical developments. This comparison between these different reactions by society offers new insights on how modified humanoids are seen by society in Japanese literature. In conclusion, this thesis sheds a new light on the rarely researched issue of how society in science fiction has varying responses to the modified humanoids and take action on these responses in support of their own ideas surrounding what the human identity entails.Show less

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Humans Versus the Human Identity in Science Fiction: Reactions to Modified Humanoids by Society in Elfen Lied and Deadman Wonderland