In the midst of the war between Russia and Ukrainea young Russian soldier has captured the public’s attention and has become a trend on social networks due to his outstanding actions on the battlefield. The soldier, whose identity is being withheld for security reasons, has been awarded two honorable mentions for his bravery and skill in combat during the ongoing war.
What has made this soldier stand out even more is the fact that he belongs to an unconventional military unit: the “Anime Squad.” This unit, based in the city of Kerch, has gained notoriety for its peculiar love of anime culture. Members of this unit not only decorate their weapons with decals of their favorite anime characters, but they also bring a variety of otaku items with them to the battlefield.including dakimakuras (hugging pillows) with images of popular characters, cat ears and other accessories inspired by Japanese culture.
The “Anime Squad” has attracted attention both inside and outside Russia for its unique combination of passion for anime and dedication to military service. Although opinions on this practice are diverse, with some praising the soldiers’ creativity and spirit of camaraderie, while others question its appropriateness in a war environment, it cannot be denied that this unit has generated an online debate about the relationship between popular culture and the reality of war:
- «The Russian army is so populous that soldiers have to buy their own dakimakura to go to war».
- «He seems to have quite a crush on Zero Two in general.».
- «I’m pretty happy he’s still alive after they reported the existence of this unit a few months ago. I would like the war to end so that kids as young as him stop dying on the battlefield.».
- «What an absolute legend. I hope he makes it out alive, I hope everyone does, actually.».
- «He looks like a Twitch streamer, honestly, but I congratulate him on the balls he packs».
- «Russia has otakus in its military and Ukraine has trans. This war has definitely become a Wattpad story».
- «You are the hero of many otakus friend, be proud of it!».
- «Forget giving him a medal, just give him money to spend at the nearest otaku store. Maybe this way we can get a waifu less shitty than Zero Two».
- «Would you rather be killed by one of these otaku or by one who does a Fortnite dance on you?».
- «Imagine being murdered by a guy wearing an anime t-shirt, using a rifle with anime stickers on it, what the fuck».
- «The tattoo in the photo says “FOR THE ANIME!” I am certainly speechless».
- «Geez, some of them are Neon Genesis Evangelion fans, I hope they come out alive».
- «They are facing death, at least let them have fun and dress how they want while fighting for their country».
- «We need some Japanese volunteers to rescue the waifu once the squad falls in combat».
Source: reddit
Credits:Kudasai
