Escapism in the Comic Book Requiem of the Rose King by Aya Kanno

Abstract

This research discusses the escapism of the second main character in Aya Kanno’s comic series Requiem of the Rose King. This research aims to find the factors behind the second main character’s experiences he had and the defense mechanism that makes him create a way to escape from reality by analysing his characterisation. The data is taken from the historical-dark fantasy comic series Requiem of the Rose King by Aya Kanno which ran internationally from 2015 and is still ongoing. Researcher using descriptive qualitative method for analysing the data with psychoanalytical approach by Freudian theory about ego defense mechanism. Escapism as avoidance behaviour, suggesting that only the negative aspects of the phenomenon being measured. A defense mechanism is the emergence of resistance to internal stress, a progression of unconscious ego activities. This research shows severlas factor, such the adultery of the second main character’s mother, the throne, and the rape that caused him to experience trauma and the escapism he did is the outcome of his defense mechanisms. The researcher also found seven defense mechanisms that suit the characterisation of the second main character, such as denial, repression, projection, fantasy, sublimation, rationalisation, and regression.