Illustration of germaphobia in the anime series Keppeki Danshi! Aoyama-kun (IMDb)
In 2017, Studio Hibari released an anime series which became their solo project. Taking the title Keppeki Danshi! Aoyama-kun , this series combines two opposing themes, namely football and germaphobia . This story, presented with fresh comedic elements, follows Aoyama, a first-year high school teenager who is famous for his skill at playing soccer. Aoyama’s popularity is so great that even his rivals are willing to do anything to get Aoyama on their team.
Although this anime series is about Aoyama’s journey who struggles to keep playing soccer, the story is actually more focused on how a germophobia overcomes her weakness for dirty things in order to play soccer and win.
In a unique way, this anime series adapted from Taku Sakamoto’s manga explains what germaphobia is and how people with it live their daily lives while continuing to pursue their hobbies.
What is Germaphobia?
Quoted from Halodoc , germaphobia or also known as misophobia is a term used to describe a psychological condition in which the sufferer experiences a pathological fear of germs, bacteria , contamination, and infection. These people tend to be easily disgusted and avoid things that smell dirty and messy.
From Aoyama’s habit of always wearing gloves when touching something, we can see how a germaphobe is so afraid of being exposed to germs, infections and others. You could say dirty is their weakness. This is also seen when Aoyama plays ball in the rain, he loses control and can’t move freely because he doesn’t want to be splashed by mud and dirty.
Things That Trigger Germaphobia
Still from the same website, there are a number of factors that cause a person to develop germaphobia, namely childhood experiences involving germs, genetics, environmental factors and brain factors.
Those who suffer from this disorder will be very affected and the impact is very severe if forced. Therefore, they tend to avoid various things that disgust and are thought to be a breeding ground for germs, such as mucus and saliva. They also hate things that look dirty, such as doorknobs, clothes that have been worn, keyboards, cell phones. They also do not want to share the same food or drink, shake hands and even physical contact. You can see how Aoyama doesn’t want physical contact with anyone in class or on the field. He will move more swiftly if someone approaches him.
Aoyama also fainted when he came into physical contact with his friend. His body became stiff and he felt panicked, short of breath until he was dizzy. Apparently it was the result of his fear of germaphobia. That is why, they are diligent about cleaning, washing their hands, always carrying germ-cleaning liquid and keeping themselves away from dirty things.
Well, the Keppeki Danshi series! Aoyama-kun talks about germaphobia well. So, while watching, we can know how a germaphobic goes about his days in order to live a normal life.