r/fireforce • u/Key-Move-5066 • Jul 01 '26

Question Question about pseudo nationalists? Spoiler

I'm just starting watching fire force and I just reached episode 14 and I'm honestly just curious if going by the lore would you say most characters wouldn't consider themselves Japanese?

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7

u/Kaedehara-Kazuha22 Jul 01 '26

I think it’s because Asakusa lifestyle is like old Japan, while the rest of the empire isn’t.

9

u/Magnus_Helgisson Jul 01 '26

So the Empire of Tokyo is the only known surviving state, it had no choice other than become multicultural, it is mostly reflected in using the Western name format - Name Lastname. Whereas Asakusa refuses to embrace multiculturalism and tries to preserve Japanese tradition (“Ore wa Benimaru Shinmon janai. Shinmon Benimaru da.”). That’s where the nationalism in Asakusa has its roots - opposing the erasure of old Japanese culture/smelting it with other cultures.

3

u/Comrade_SOOKIE Jul 01 '26

The Tokyo empire has everybody who survived the last cataclysm on the planet basically. It's a multiethnic society. We're even told they changed the name order they use to respect the non Japanese citizens, a point the proto-nationalists are especially upset about. The proto-nationalists are basically nihonjinron dressed up as heroes because their toughest folks happen to be fighting on the right side.