Illusion of Juxtaposition

I, Cheng Khai Wen have come across a quite headache word today, Juxtaposition. Juxtaposition is a stimulation of creativity in problem solving from a two contrast pictures put on side by side and compare and relate each other. The most common word to show the meaning of juxtaposition is oxymoron.

Well, juxtaposition can also be says as the opposites placed next to each other so as to emphasize the contrast. In anime and films it is frequently used in this manner. It expresses to the audience the dichotomy of characters, situations, events and the like. Let's put it simple this way: two object that is totally unable to related are put together.

Hm...if you want me to show you a series that have juxtaposition, i would like to show the example in Air Gear, one of the famous sports animation or manga(comic) in japan. Air Gear is not as popular as Slam Dunk(Basketball) or Captain Tsubasa(Football) but is all about Roller-Skates.

Enemy/Friend- At the beginning of the anime, Minami Ikki which is the main character just have 2 friends, which is Kazu and Onigiri as his team-mates when wanted to form the team Kogarasumaru. So, at his way to find his new team-mates, he met up with Buccha and Agito which both are at Ikki's enemy team. After Ikki beat them in a match, both Buccha and Agito join force with Ikki as the main member of Team Kogarasumaru.

Dark/Light- This juxtaposition is hidden within the character Wanijima Akito/Wanijima Agito or most often called "Agito" by his friends. Agito have split personality which shows in the picture above. With the help of the eyepatch, Agito can switch his personality. Wanijima Akito is the angel side of the Wanijima while Wanijima Agito is the devil side of the Wanijima. Akito's characteristic is mostly kind and soft-hearten while Agito is aggressive and always being rude.

Attention/Ignore- Ikki(the one below) and Kazu(the one above) are both the main key characters at the recent chapters for Air Gear. But Ikki is the one always getting all the attention from others while Kazu is often being ignore and called as the shadow of Ikki. The truth is both Ikki and Kazu are best friends who have the strongest battle skill in the Team Kogarasumaru.

Betrayal/Friendship- Ikki and Sora are once teacher and student and most importantly Ikki and Sora are the same kind of person until Sora recognize Ikki as his younger brother. But in the recent chapter of Air Gear, Sora reveal that Ikki is just his tools to regain the most powerful Regalia(a skate part that represent the status as a King in Air Gear) and Sora tell Ikki that he will kill Ikki if Ikki is in his way to regain it and Ikki is no longer Sora's brother but Ikki still treat Sora as his brother until the newest chapter where Sora plan to kill Rika which is Sora's own girlfriend and also Ikki's step-sister to totally break Ikki's spirit to battle against Sora for the Regalia.

So, you have it. The two words that is unable to combine is shown inside Air Gear.