SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS Roland Barthes Narrative Codes in Anime Naruto Episode 101

NARUTO Episode 101

Gotta See! Gotta Know! Kakashi-sensei's True Face! ^o^

SYNOPSIS

Waiting for someone until at least three hours is a boring moment for team 7 which the members are Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. Coming late is such a tradition from their teacher, Mr. Kakashi, who always wears a mask covering his face. One day, Naruto had started the idea of finding out what was behind Mr. Kakashi’s mask. He persuades Sasuke to join with him and Sakura to find in which he does. Initially, Sasuke said that it was a stupid idea and he decided to go home. Naruto tried to tempt Sasuke by telling him which behind Mr. Kakashi’s mask could be, it was thick lips or buck teeth. Then, Sasuke get tempted and they start the planning. They invited Mr. Kakashi to getting lunch together in Ramen restaurant until being Mr. Kakashi’s stalker all day long, but their plan are failed. In the next day, they get a mission to help out on a farm. They were being followed by trio of weird brothers called as Trio Ninja Moya, who wanted to kill Mr. Kakashi because he beats up them and stole the leader of Ninja Moya’s girlfriend that happened three years ago. After defeating them, Naruto told Mr. Kakashi that he wants to see what was behind his mask. In the end, Mr. Kakashi dramatically removes it to reveal another mask.

Applied Roland Barthes Narrative Codes into Anime Naruto Episode 101

ENIGMA CODE

Enigma Code can called as Hermeneutic, refers to any element in the story which is not explained. It means that a mystery from the story must be solved by the audience. The ambiguity of the enigma code draws the audience in by invoking curiosity. Usually, an unanswered enigma makes the audience frustrated because it was raising questions that demand explication.

According to Naruto Episode 101, Mr. Kakashi’s true face behind the mask can interpret as Enigma Code. It seems when Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura are so curious about what was behind Mr. Kakashi’s mask. It was because Mr. Kakashi always covering his face by mask. Of course, it makes his student always guess what his true face could be. Is it thick lips or buck teeth? At the end of episode, Mr. Kakashi’s true face still becomes a mystery that can’t be solved by Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura.

ACTION CODE

Action Code can called as Proairetic, applies to any action that implies a further narrative action. The action and suspense used traditionally for escapism to entertain the audience and immerse them in the text. Definitely, it asks the audience to guess what is going happen in the next.

According to Naruto Episode 101, all of the plans from Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura that they have realized can interpret as Action Code. It seems when they think out of the idea to solve their problem, to getting know what was Mr. Kakashi’s true face behind his mask. They really want to know the reason why their teacher uses the mask to covering his face. They will do everything to reach what their goals. They make some plans to realize it. It started when they invited Mr. Kakashi to getting lunch together, following Mr. Kakashi’s schedule all day long, and etc. But all of their plans are failed. It makes them tired. But, they feel dissatisfied if they can’t fulfill what they want. They are so confused about what will they do in the next, because they don’t have an idea to solve this problem.

SEMANTIC CODE

Semantic Code points to any element in a text that suggests a particular, often additional meaning by way of connotation. These are called semes, which connote an extra meaning aside from the literal denotation. Commonly, it founds in open media texts.

According to Naruto Episode 101, The Leader of Trio Ninja Moya wants to marry a girl he loved and he gives her the red rose which describe about romanticism. The romanticism can interpret as Semantic Code.

According to Naruto Episode 101, The Leader of Trio Ninja Moya gives a poison on Mr. Kakashi’s meal to revenge him which describe about craftiness. The craftiness also can interpret as Semantic Code.

CULTURAL CODE

Cultural code is any element that refers to anything which is founded on some kind of canonical works that cannot be challenged and is assumed to be a foundation for truth. Usually, it refers to a science or a body of knowledge, such as morality and iedeology. In other words, the cultural codes tend to point to our shared knowledge about the way the world works, including properties that we can designate as “physical, physiological, medical, psychological, literary, historical, etc. Typically this involves either science or religion, although other canons such as magical truths may be used in fantasy stories.

According to Naruto Episode 101, Trio Ninja Moya can interpret as the Cultural Code. Ninja is a type of warrior from Japan who specialized in unconventional warfare such as infiltration, sabotage, and assassination. Usually, ninja employed deception and forgery tactics to take opponents out by surprise.

According to Naruto Episode 101, the way of Mr. Kakashi and his student when they are having dinner also can interpret as Cultural Code. It becomes the characteristic of Japanese people who are doing dining table for dinner as their tradition.

SYMBOLIC CODE

Symbolic Code is about the eponymous symbols which can be found in media texts. It is called signifier and used to convey meaning through symbolism, as well as emphasizing character development, contrast, and tension. This is typically done in the use of antithesis, where new meaning arises out of opposing and conflict ideas. It was annoyingly difficult to explain. You will only understand it if first we look at binary opposites, the theory which describe about one thing can only be defined in relation to something.

According to Naruto Episode 101, Sasuke was not interested to help Naruto for find out what was behind Mr. Kakashi’s mask that covering his face. It means that Sasuke is complete indifference to how Mr. Kakashi’s true face could be. Indifference can interpret as Symbolic Code.

According to Naruto Episode 101, Naruto really want to know about Mr. Kakashi’s true face. It means that Naruto is care about Mr. Kakashi and it was totally different from Sasuke. Care can interpret as Symbolic Code.