For some reason I was quite surprised that they mentioned some actual literature in the anime.
A novel based on “book cleansing” written by an American author around sixty years ago (I’m guessing relative to the anime’s time frame)… Fahrenheit 451.
451 degrees Fahrenheit = 506 degrees Kelvin.
Anyways, I’m still not too sure what to make of this series – it really stresses my suspension of belief (“present-day world” setting + ridiculous premise don’t mix too well) but the character-driven entertainment is quite satisfying, regardless.
How is it a ridiculous premise? Having previously worked in a library, did you know that the American Library Bill of Rights states the following “Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.”? I don’t think that to take up arms in defense of freedom of thought is so far fetched. People did it when Hitler tried to control the media through mass book burning. Another item taken from the American Library Bill of Rights “Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.” which is basically what Toshokan Sensou revolves around, doesn’t it. Japan has something extremely similar and I do not think it is ridiculous to think that people would find defending things as important as books a waste of time. After all, you have Islamic extremists who would go on a suicide mission because they saw enemy troops shooting at their holy book and I’m sure if you look, you’ll find some fundamentalist Christian would do the same.