Abstract
This paper focuses on the inclusion of Japanese Dragon Ball anime characters into Superhero Therapy for the purpose of encouraging people with substance use and addiction to change. Drawing on qualitative data, the study looks into the nature of these characters, specifically Goku, Vegeta, and Piccolo, as symbols of struggle, transformation, and a second chance for personal transformation purposes. This study examines the role of pop culture characters from anime and cartoons in the process of emotional restoration of substance-dependent young people aged 18–35 years who are fans of anime or cartoons. The participants targeted in this study are 20 people selected from drug rehabilitation networks in Ibadan, Nigeria. Based on the screening results that followed the guidelines of Braun and Clarke, four analytical themes are outlined that describe how participants define pop culture characters as a source of motivation for developing coping strategies for personal change; motivation that is fostered through themes of overcoming, managing oneself, and social support. Furthermore, such Japanese culture motifs as ganbatte and kintsugi found in anime are revealed to strengthen such relationships, as these values contribute to participants’ emotional repair mechanisms and provide constructive reaction strategies regarding substance dependence. This paper gives information on how anime and pop culture fictions can serve as therapeutic tools in mental illness treatment, using role models and culturally relevant characters and narratives that evoke emotional coping and recovery motivation.
Keywords:
Anime, Dragon Ball, Motivation, Recovery, Substance Use, Superhero TherapyReferences
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Copyright & License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.