Akira, the Manga (1982)

First volume cover.

Synopsis

Akira, written and illustrated by Katsuhiro Ōtomo, is a cyber-punk manga taking place in a post-apocalyptic Neo-Tokyo. The series ran from December 20th, 1982, to June 25th, 1990, and had 120 chapters between 6 volumes. Akira chronicles a Tokyo that is decimated by a mysterious blast, inciting World War III and leading to the formation of Neo-Tokyo, a corrupt, seedy metropolis. Kaneda, a teenager and one of the story’s focal characters, is the leader of a motorcycle gang with his best friend Tetsuo. After a run in with an “esper” (a powerful child with telekinetic powers), Tetsuo gains psychic powers of his own. From there, the story becomes a race against time as the government and Kaneda try to contain Tetsuo and his destructive powers so that he doesn’t incite another World War. 

Tokyo Getting Blown Up in Volume 1 of Akira (Oh No).

The Dystopia of Neo-Tokyo (Wow, This Place is a Dump)

When it comes to shady underbellies, Akira has you covered. Not only is this a world riddled with biker gangs, military experiments, and political unrest, the city of Neo-Tokyo is built directly atop the ruins of old Tokyo, a constant reminder of World War III. Nuclear anxiety is one of the story’s strongest dystopian themes, evident through the military’s constant presence and pursuit of Tetsuo. The overbearing government control in Akira leads to youth rebellion and the formation of violent gangs, all of which are exclusively male-dominated (more about gender in the next section). While Neo-Tokyo’s neon-lit infrastructure and advanced cybernetic technology should be signs of societal progress, its decay and disillusioned populace make it an anti-capitalism work about what happens when consumption and power goes unchecked. Akira explores dystopian themes of societal breakdown and mass destruction, and this is only further enhanced when discussing the gender performances of Kaneda, his gang, and Tetsuo.

Really cool bike activities from Kaneda and his gang.

The Capsules and Male Camaraderie

 An important aspect of Akira (and probably my personal favorite aspect of the manga) is the hyper-masculine performances of Kaneda’s biker gang, The Capsules. As disillusioned products of their environment, Kaneda and his friends resort to violence to assert dominance over other men (especially The Clowns, a rival gang). Analyzing The Capsules and their relationships with one another could prompt an interesting conversation about the portrayal and dynamics of male social groups. Kaneda’s gang bonds primarily over dealing drugs, catcalling women, vandalizing buildings, and driving recklessly, but the gang does share moments of genuine connection and emotional bonding outside of hyper masculine performance. They do care for one another in this world on the brink of collapse, and analyzing both the positive and problematic aspects of their gang could prove fruitful for a discussion about gender. There are very few women featured in the manga, so I think the work is practically begging us to think about men and their relationships.

Late stage Tetsuo (I am frightened of this man)

Tetsuo and Toxic Masculinity through Body Horror

As the series main antagonist, Tetsuo is constantly put down by the gang for being slower on his bike and physically weaker when compared to the other members of the gang. After gaining psychic powers, he begins to abuse his new-found physical strength and displays extreme aggression. He begins sexually harassing women, kills some of his fellow gang members, and craves authority and control. I can think of no better character to analyze for Gender and Dystopia, as Tetsuo represents a textbook case of toxic masculinity. His need for dominance is rooted in deep-seated insecurity brought on by his fellow gang members teasing and emasculating him, and I think there is a case to be made that his repression of emotional pain and vulnerability leads to his downfall. One of Akira’s most memorable facets is its body horror centered around Tetsuo, and I think that the mutation of his body could be worth exploring as a metaphor for his suppressed trauma…also...Kaneda and Tetsuo’s relationship reads a little romantic sometimes…but that’s not a conversation the people are ready for (however, I am. Queer theory and homoeroticism abounds). 

Conclusion

Akira is a work interested in exploring abuses of power and systemic corruption, so finding parallels that relate to patriarchy and toxic masculinity is certainly no coincidence. I think the manga has a lot to say about male relationships, both positives and negatives, and it’s absolutely worth investigating through a gendered lens.

Sources

Ōtomo, Katsuhiro. Akira. Dark Horse Comics, 2011. 

The Walking Dead (TV series)

What Is The Walking Dead, and What Is It About?

The Walking Dead season one image

The Walking Dead is an AMC Television series airing from 2010-2022, produced by Frank Darabont, and it follows the survivors of a zombie apocalypse. This series was originally a comic written by Robert Kirkman, and the television series is loosely based on it. The television series begins with an introduction to the main protagonist, Rick Grimes, a police officer in the state of Georgia, waking up from a coma induced by a work injury. When Rick wakes up, he discovers the world is falling apart, and society has changed completely as zombies have taken over. Rick becomes a leader figure to many of the survivors, and the main goal for the people left uninfected is to survive in a world full of the undead.  

In a crisis such as a zombie apocalypse, survival becomes the main purpose of every survivor. However, some viewers and reviewers argue that the series enforces traditional gender roles, while others believe it erases them. The survivor named Carol is a hot topic in this discussion, who, before the outbreak, was a housewife, and who is a rather maternal character in the series. Carol, at least at the beginning of the series, is seen doing a lot of the domestic work, like cleaning clothes, cooking food, and even taking care of children, which is a traditionally feminine role. While the men in this post-apocalyptic world, for example, Rick, take on a leadership role to protect people, and serve as an overall dominant male figure. Also, according to Dr. Zuleyka Zevallos, gender analysis of the series Rick also went on to save a woman from a domestic abuse situation, which seems admirable; however, it was mostly because of his “lust” and not only that, it also put his family and group of survivors in danger (1). Despite these characters displaying characteristics of traditional gender roles, there is also the other side of the coin, especially in relation to the women in the series.

Bringing the discussion back to Carol, as she is a rather interesting character in terms of growth and breaking free of gendered stereotypes. At the start of the series, viewers see Carol in an abusive relationship with her husband, and her young daughter joining a survival group. Carol’s husband eventually dies due to infection, and Carol is the one who has to do the killing. This scene, in general, is rather influential and was discussed by a reviewer, Oliva Hershman, and this is where “the audience sees Carol gain confidence and strength” (2). Ultimately, she takes the power back from her male abuser and gains the courage to survive and protect her child on her own. 

Carol Peletier In The Walking Dead 

Another female character that simultaneously matches gender stereotypes and breaks them is called Michonne, another survivor of the outbreak. Although her story remains rather mysterious for a while, it is discovered that before the outbreak, she had a child and a partner, who had passed away. Michonne, outliving both of them, became a very talented survivalist who, according to the Walking Dead wiki, “[perfected] her swordsmanship and [became] a dark and ruthless warrior” (3). However,

Michonne and Rick 

despite her skills with a katana and her ability to fight like a soldier, she still manages to fall second in line with Rick and is a caretaker to many of the other survivors, including Rick's son Carl Grimes. Not only does this series have an interesting story to tell in terms of gender analysis prospects, but also the dystopian elements of this post-apocalyptic world fit perfectly with that discussion. Because of the outbreak, there was ultimately a collapse of society, eliminating the government, law, and any sort of regulations that normally exist. As mentioned previously, the people in this series have a main goal of survival, meaning that violence is a very regular occurrence, not just against zombies but against other people as well. Despite the main goal of survival, there is still the conversation of how traditional gender roles still worm their way into a collapsed society. That arguably makes for a very unique discussion about how, in a lawless and majority lifeless world, people conform to gender norms. Then there is also the other groups of survivors who are apart of a "walled in community" (4) which are groups of people who live in what they think is a safe protected zone, which also demonstrates how even in a place where nobody has power, there are still some that try to take control and regain order in a orderless place. Overall, this series makes for some very interesting conversation for a course based off of dystopia, and also focuses on gender analysis due to its complex characters, and despite the lack of power their are still groups of people seeking control in more ways than one.

SONGLIGHT
BY MOIRA BUFFINI 

Paperback Cover (Barnes &Noble)

Overview
    Moira Buffini's Songlight is a YA dystopian novel that follows two girls living vastly different lives in the same post-apocalyptic authoritarian nation of Brightland; Elsa, who lives in a remote costal village, and Kiera - known to Elsa as Nightingale - from the capital city. Both possess a rare telepathic ability known as "songlight," a gift outlawed by the regime. In Brightland, those with songlight are branded as "inhumans," hunted, feared, and framed as threats to purity and order.

    When separate traumatic events in their lives causes Elsa and Kira's powers to stretch further than ever before, their minds collide across the miles, forging a rare and dangerous connection. That bond pulls them into a web of rebellion, surveillance, and political powerplays. As their abilities strengthen and their relationships deepen, they find themselves fighting a system designed to erase them, risking not only their own lives but the lives of their loved ones and the very existence of their country.

Why Students Will Love It

    Songlight will remind readers of several other well-known works in the dystopia genre. Much like Christina Dalcher’s Vox and Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, girls in Songlight are groomed to become perfect wives and homemakers, forced to marry whoever chooses them, while boys are trained from a young age to become leaders and soldiers of “purity” movements. These men are empowered to take multiple wives and are granted unrestricted control over them. As in Vox, voices in Songlight are literally silenced through painful technology, and no one is truly trustworthy, those who love you most can turn on you without warning. This tension is amplified by Elsa’s brother being a die-hard soldier-in-training for the regime, and Kiera’s father being a decorated songlight hunter. Most notably, readers have compared the novel to Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games, one of the most beloved YA dystopias of all time. Songlight not only features a forbidden love affair, a government structure reminiscent of Panem, and a society shaped by post-war ruin, but also echoes Collins’s writing style. The bond between Elsa and Kiera which blends queer subtext, psychic connection, and political rebellion creates a powerful emotional core that will draw readers in and heighten their own connection to the material.

Why It's Perfect for Literature & Media in Culture

    Like the novels we explored in class this semester, Songlight feels both timeless and contemporary, especially as a 2024 release. It engages not only with dystopian world-building but also with gender and sexuality focused violence, making it a compelling candidate for talking about power, identity, and oppression. The novel features many of the key elements we’ve examined this term: a rigid patriarchal regime, externalized power dynamics, and a narrative centered on existence as a form of resistance. It also emphasizes the power of connection, illustrating for students how both individuality and solidarity become essential tools for survival. Furthermore, the novel’s central metaphor of “songlight” invites deep and expansive discussion. As a telepathic power, it not only represents silenced or marginalized voices but it also reflects the subtle and overt ways oppressive systems attempt to control, shape, and limit how people think, feel, and bond with one another.

Works Cited

Buffini, Moira. Songlight. HarperCollins, 2024.

"Songlight Paperback." Barnes & Noble, 28 Oct. 2025, www.barnesandnoble.com/w/songlight-           moira-buffini/1144213869?ean=9780063358225. Accessed 11 Dec. 2025.

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

 

Summary

In this world, everyone has to undergo a mandatory plastic surgery in order to transform them from "Ugly" to "Pretty". This operation is performed on everyone once they reach their 18th birthday. Tally Youngblood, the main character of the novel, is currently living in Uglyville which is right outside Pretty town. Her best friend Peris just recently turned 18, underwent his transformation and now lives in Pretty town. Throughout the novel, Tally is learning to adjust to her new life without her best friend. During this period of Tally's life, she meets a girl named Shay. Shay has a different opinion on the surgery than most people in the community, she does not support the surgery and is searching for a way to run before her 18th birthday. Her opinion on the surgery starts to sway Tally's opinion, making Tally also want to run. The two girls make a plan to run away to a city named the Smoke, which contains a group of people who have successfully ran and are now living in the wild. On Tally's 18th birthday she wakes up in a cell of sorts where Dr.Cable, a pretty, tells her to follow Shay to the Smoke and give away the location or she will withhold Tally's surgery. While Tally is in the Smoke, she meets a boy named David. He tells her how the plastic surgery doesn't just make you pretty, it also renders your intelligence, this is the communities way of keeping peace. Tally wakes up and finds that the Specials, or military for the Pretties, have invaded the Smoke. Her and David look to find a way to rescue the other people in the community, where the people then find a cure or alteration to the plastic surgery. They find out that Shay was forced to go through with the surgery, which causes Tally deep remorse. Tally decides that she will go through with the surgery and become a test subject for the cure when the people of the Smoke rescue her. 

Dystopian and Gender

The book is placed in a time line that is about 300 years after our current era. The technology is advanced and they have found ways that the community believes make everyone equal. I think it is important to notice that in this novel, the people of the community are being oppressed. The people in this novel grow up believing that life in Pretty town and after the surgery is significantly better than anything else. They are taught that the body and face they are born with are not good enough for the real world. Although, they do not see it as that. They see it as changing to be better for the community. This topic goes to show that we learn by what we are taught and sometimes, that isn't correct. It is also mentioned in both the book and movie, that once people turn pretty they start to shame the Uglies. The Uglies are seen as outcasts and are frowned upon and segregated from the pretties, even though they were once uglies themselves. 

I do not believe that this novel has a specific gender placement. I would personally say that this book shows more about cultural beauty standards and the levels that people will go to meet those standards. It is also important to realize that these beauty standards are enforced. While people wait 18 whole years just for this surgery, they have no choice on if they get the surgery or not. The only way out of the surgery is to run and even then it is difficult to get away without getting caught. Again, I do not believe this story is about gender, but more about physical differences. Once everyone is pretty, no one is left out or separated from the community leading to peace and happiness. 

Work Cited 

Uglies (The Uglies) Summary. Grade Saver. https://www.gradesaver.com/uglies/study-guide/summary  

 The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan

by Hannah Harvey

Overview & Summary

Imagine this: you're scrolling on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, etc. to come across a video or post of a mother with their child. Everything seems fine on the surface, until you open the comments. Babies should only be eating organic, whole foods! Children shouldn't have access to iPads. Why don't their toys have more color? Don't you put your kid down for bed at a decent time? Your kids' clothes are too mature for their age! Even beyond the seemingly-endless expanse of social media, you've probably seen tips for mothers in one format or another. Maybe you've seen them on a random blog post, in the Lifestyle section of the newspaper, or even in a dusty box in the attic where your mom keeps all your newborn items. It seems the world just can't get away from analyzing the "best" methods of parenting, especially as it's targeted towards mothers. But what would happen if this judgment extended beyond verbal scrutiny? That's the idea Jessamine Chan tackles her 2022 The School for Good Mothers, as she illustrates a world where mothers aren't just scrutinized, but stripped from their title as a parent while they attend a school designated to making them the best, most textbook-style mother. 

The book follows Frida, a Chinese-American mother who struggles with the frenzy and stress of everyday life. After putting her daughter, Harriet, into a bouncy chair while she goes to another room, and several minutes turns into several hours, she returns to find that her daughter has been taken into the custody of her ex-husband. She's given a choice: she can either relinquish all custodial rights to her ex, or she can attend a year-long "reform" school for mothers. At the school, Frida is forced to parent AI-powered robot dolls, doing everything with them as she'd have to do with her own daughter, Harriet. Whether it be playdates, potty training, or feedings, Frida's every move is watched by the government. And if she makes a mistake? According to a Columbia Magazine review by Rebecca Shapiro, she must recite the lines: "I am a bad mother, but I am learning to be good." Or, even worse, "I am a narcissist. I am a danger to my child."  

The Perfect Mother: An Impossible Standard

The novel, while inherently dystopian, explores the important idea of motherhood in contemporary society, where mothers often face heavy criticism for not following strict, arbitrary guidelines. A review by Jayme Lemke writes that "the most chilling part of the narrative is how easy it is to imagine a path towards such a future." Chan's story draws into question a system that already exists today, and how it defines what a mother should be. She questions the dynamic between mothers and fathers, which suffers from an extreme imbalance as a result of gender stereotypes. In the novel, these expectations are both set and heavily enforced by an institutional authority. For Frida and the other women attending the school, their worth becomes defined not by their individual personalities, needs, or desires, but by how well they can excel at meeting requirements. The punishment Frida faces for a lack of perfection satirizes common criticism faced by mothers today, whose identities become dampened by the weight of conforming to societal norms. 

Another key contributor to the conversation of gender in the novel comes from the perceived "naturalness" associated with motherhood. For the mothers in the story, their ability to nurture is seen as instinctual rather than an active choice. Because of this assumption, they are demeaned and devalued as individuals. The ideal of a "perfect" mother is identified as maintaining a sense of obedience, self-sacrifice, and unwavering restraint. In feminizing these traits, their success is corroborated by a patriarchal system built on suppressing their agency while giving leeway to fathers. Shapiro writes, "Notably, there is a father’s section of the school, and their path back to custody seems clearer; their mistakes are more easily forgiven, and even minor efforts they make with their dolls are acknowledged and praised." Thus, Chan is not only criticizing unrealistic standards imposed on mothers, but the gendered power structures that divide parenthood. 

Big Brother, Meet Mommy

Many of the dystopian themes present in the novel are ones we can observe in a variety of other movies, novels, TV shows, etc. The book is frequently compared to Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale for its depiction of entrapment within motherhood. While not as vastly different from our world as other dystopian texts, governmental control of a people is highlighted through the surveillance experienced by Frida in the reform school. The mothers aren't only watched by cameras throughout the facility, but also by the AI-powered dolls they're forced to take care of. This extends beyond simple observation, as the dolls are able to detect any emotion on the mothers' faces. If they display any sort of unhappiness, dissatisfaction, stress, or disassociation, they receive punishment. Thus, Chan's world exudes a typical, yet valuable theme of entrapment that both resembles and distorts our current reality. While the story stays grounded in a slightly-near future America, the elements of bureaucratic control elevates the novel to a unique kind of dystopia. 

Reviews & Closing Thoughts

This novel would make a great addition to a course on gender and dystopia. From its commentary on the experience of motherhood, to the strict, borderline Big Brother-type surveillance mothers experience both in and out of the reform school, there is certainly much to dissect in a classroom setting. Plus, it's critically acclaimed and a New York Times bestseller! Below are some snippets from different reviews on the book, and a link to a trailer for the book posted by Penguin Books. 

"This book is a horror story so potent it will fill even the most diligent parent with an itchy impulse to panic-clean, to straighten up, to act like someone’s watching." -Kate Knibbs, WIRED

"A mother reading it doesn’t close the book, sigh, and think, Thank god the world’s not really like this. No, she closes it and knows she must be very careful." -Kate Knibbs, WIRED

"The instructors are looking for perfection. But of course, no human is capable of it, and Chan captures brilliantly the mommy-shaming culture that — even in the real world, with no robot dolls in sight — makes perfection seem not just possible but expected." -Rebecca Shapiro, Columbia Magazine

Works Cited

Knibbs, Kate. “Dystopia Is All Too Plausible in ‘the School for Good Mothers.’” Wired, Conde Nast, 24 Jan. 2022, www.wired.com/story/school-for-good-mothers-dystopian-reality/.

Lemke, Jayme. “Social Control at the School for Good Mothers.” Econlib, 11 Apr. 2024, www.econlib.org/social-control-at-the-school-for-good-mothers/.

Shapiro, Rebecca. “Review: The School for Good Mothers.” Columbia Magazine, magazine.columbia.edu/article/review-school-good-mothers. Accessed 10 Dec. 2025.

 

What is Cyberpunk?

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is a Japanese animated show with a total of 10 episodes and a run time of roughly four hours. The show itself is based on an American game series called Cyberpunk, which has been around since 1988, and still has modern titles and some tie-ins with the show, but none of the information is necessary to watch the show. The Cyberpunk world is a highly capitalist and technologically advanced future where lives are cheap, and death is a casual affair. The main focus of the world and of what we get to see from this show is cyberware that can alter your body and give you different kinds of powers. Our main character, David, finds his own and joins up with the edgerunners within the show, and we get to see his story play out. 

The dystopia of Cyberpunk 

Another aspect of the cyberware is the constant risk of undergoing cyberpsychosis. This is a state of insanity we see in individuals throughout the show when anyone gets too much cyberware, and their bodies can no longer handle the stress. After going into cyberpsychosis, the person will start to lash out, shooting at or trying to kill anyone around them, friend or foe, till they themselves are put down. Additionally, with the highly capitalist nature of this world, it is very hard to make something out of your life, as corporations hold all of the wealth and power. 

Gender discussions 

There is a wide variety of gender roles on both the male and female sides. With male characters like David, Faraday, Adam Smasher, and most importantly, Maine, who is David's mentor and father figure. Then the female characters like Kiwi, Rebecca, Lucy, and Dorio. This story is mostly about David and Lucy's relationship, and we get to follow them and learn a lot about them and their gender dynamics in this story and in this new Cyberpunk world. 

Overall, I would think this to be a great pick to teach in a future class, as it is concise and focuses closely on its main characters and their roles in the group and in society. This story could most likely be talked about in two to three class periods with common access to it on Netflix or other online methods. 

Red Clocks by Leni Zumas

Photo of Red Clocks on Pinterest.com

Red Clocks by Leni   Zumas

        The book Red Clocks by Leni Zumas was published in 2018, but its relevance has only grown within the United States. I have not read this book yet, but I think that it would be a good addition to this class.

        The story follows five women, with four of them living in the present state of the US as abortion laws become more and more restrictive. The fifth is a little-known female explorer from that past, who is being written about by one of the main protagonists, Ro. In the story, the 28th Amendment has been passed, called the Personhood Amendment, giving every fertilized egg the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As a result, abortions are strictly banned in all 50 states.

        The story takes place in Oregon with close proximity to Canada. In the review by the She Lit Editor, they quote the book, explaining that "American intelligence agencies must have some nice dirt on the Canadian prime minister. Otherwise, why agree to the Pink Wall? The border control can detain any woman or girl they 'reasonably' suspect of crossing into Canada for the purpose of ending a pregnancy. Seekers are returned (by police escort) to their state of residence, where the district attorney can prosecute them for attempting a termination. Healthcare providers in Canada are also barred from offering in vitro fertilization to U.S. citizens” (Zumas).

        Ro is a teacher and an older single woman who is trying to conceive with a sperm donor, but she worries that the new “Every Child Needs Two” law will prevent her from being able to have a child on her own. The law requires that, in order to adopt a child, two people must show proof of a marriage license between them before being able to adopt. Her chance of becoming pregnant is low due to her age, and she worries that she won’t be able to become a mother on her own with this law. 

        Next, we follow Mattie, a star student of Ro’s, who accidentally becomes pregnant in high school. Her relationship with her best friend, Yasmine, was destroyed when Yasmine became pregnant after the Personhood Amendment was implemented. Mattie now struggles alone as she looks for a chance to secretly get an abortion by traveling to Canada or visiting the “mender”.

        The mender is a woman named Gin, who is a herbalist who lives away from others. Her family has used natural medicine for centuries, and she still helps women have abortions after the new Amendment goes into effect. In the story, she ends up going to trial after being accused of providing an abortion for a woman who went to the hospital with injuries.

        The last main character is Susan, who is a housewife to one of Ro’s coworkers. She had children while in law school, and she faces the fatigue with two young children and a husband who is careless of her feelings. She spends the story wondering what would happen if she left her old life behind for a new man and a new life. 

        We follow these multiple perspectives throughout the book and watch as they interact with one another. They navigate the new world that they now live in and what that means for them. Interestingly, we find out that the term “red clock” is used to talk about the uterus because it functions as a biological clock for women as their bodies constantly plan for reproduction.

Gender and Dystopia in Class Discussions

        This book centers around gender and what that looks like in a society that restricts the rights of women. I think this book would bring about many conversations related to gender, especially within our society today. Having multiple women with different goals and paths in life would also be an interesting part of the conversation. It would help the conversation stay away from one idea of this world because you are forced to see how these laws affect many different people. I would be curious to see how the book explores the role of men in this world and how they act and think. Overall, I am sure that this book would provide the start for a rich conversation surrounding gender.

        Unfortunately, this book would probably be seen as less dystopian than others due to the political climate of today. Abortion has been attacked and taken away from so many women, but this book provides a much more extreme version of this world. I think it would still be classified as a dystopian novel, but it is a book that would feel very eerie to read and connect to our world. The fact that this book mirrors our world in some ways would be a good place for conversation within the classroom. Although abortion is a very sensitive subject for many people, I feel like future students taking this class would be able to handle that conversation.

    I feel like this book relates to Vox in a lot of ways. As I read the review for this book, there was a passage talking about Ro and her protests against the Twenty-Eighth Amendment. She wrote to her representatives, marched in protests, and donated to Planned Parenthood. However, she was not that worried because she thought it was all for show within the Conservative Party. She never thought it would actually happen. If Vox were included in the class readings, this would be an interesting plot point to discuss, as it shows up more than once in the readings for class.