Indonesian Traditional Mask as Souvenir in Kamen Rider Kuuga Episode 1
It happened in episode 1 when Yusuke Godai (the main protagonist of Kamen Rider Kuuga) came back home and arrived in Japan after a vacation. Right after that, Yusuke went to his childhood friend’s place and intends to scare him with a souvenir mask. But unfortunately, it failed because his friend already knew about Yusuke’s movements. After Yusuke is finished, he explained that the souvenir mask he was wearing came from Indonesia and told him that the mask could ward off and protect against the power of evil magic. (Michael Chandra, KAORI Newsline)
The Protagonist Wears Batik in Kamen Rider OOO Episode 44
In episode 44 of Kamen Rider OOO, it was seen that Eiji Hino (the main protagonist of Kamen Rider OOO) was wearing a vest with a Batik pattern. Later, it was confirmed that the cloth is a Batik from Indonesia. In the story, Eiji is a traveler who travels around various countries to help people in need. It seems he has visited Indonesia, albeit off-screen. (Michael Chandra, KAORI Newsline)
Jakarta in Jormungand: Perfect Order Episode 16
This scene became viral back among Indonesian viewers because the city of Jakarta feels authentic. When cities are depicted in an anime, usually they look “clean”. Episode 16 of Jormungard‘s second season showed the grittier look of the city. The Block M shopping district, houses with orange roofs, bajaj in the middle of rain, and a local blue minimarket, they just feel more relatable. It’s something that Indonesian often see in their capital city. It also suits the story of the anime, which centered on criminal activity and the illegal arms trade. (Tanto Dhaneswara, KAORI Newsline)
“Kalau Anda Menemukan Tas Ini, Mohon Mengembalikan Kepada Putri Kami” from Clannad Episode 14
This scene happened during the Kotomi arc in the Clannad episode 14. Just after Kotomi wanted to move on from her parents’ death, her guardian came and give her a surprise: a briefcase with a teddy bear inside. According to her guardian, the briefcase was held by Kotomi’s parents on the day their plane crashed. It was supposed to be lost during the accident, but somehow it come back to Kotomi. It’s because there’s a note inside the briefcase that said “If you found this suitcase, please take it to our daughter”.
What follows is a montage where the suitcase floated on the sea, picked up, moved from one hand to another, and finally delivered. The scene is very sad. Accompanied with probably the saddest Clannad soundtrack Sora ni Hikaru, the suitcase traveled all around the world with Kotomi’s teddy bear inside. In each country, people will read the note in their language, and it includes Indonesian translation of the note “Kalau anda menemukan tas ini, mohon mengembalikan kepada putri kami”. I can help but remember the scene because it’s one of the saddest scenes in the anime, which already has a lot of sad scenes. (Dany Muhammad, The Indonesian Anime Times)
Izzy reads an e-mail sent from Indonesia in Digimon Adventure: Our War Game!
The moment happens near the climax of the film. Just as our protagonists are being cornered by the villainous Diaboromon, the fight between the DigiDestined and their Digimon partners is watched by children all over the world through the internet. Then, Izzy receives an e-mail from Indonesia showing support. It’s a throwaway line, but this was the first time I ever heard Indonesia being mentioned in any kind of media from abroad. It was such an impactful moment for me as a child, even more so as the children from various nations play a pivotal role in defeating Diaboromon and saving the world.
This movie was the first time I truly felt like playing an actual part in the narrative of the media I was enjoying. This movie shows that people all over the world can take part and have an impact on the media they’re watching, even before the advent of live streaming and mass internet access. The movie feels true ahead of its time. There are parallels between this scene and someone cheering their favorite streamer to defeat a video game boss 20 years later. Seeing the parallels just feels incredible. (Caesar E.S., The Indonesian Anime Times)
Here is our list. Have you noticed any of them? Or do you have your own “Indonesia in anime/manga” moment? Let us know another anime/manga scenes that mentioned Indonesia in the comment!
The Indonesian Anime Times
