THE USE OF PERSUASIVE SPEECH ACTS BY THE CHARACTERS IN THE ANIME TSUKI GA KIREI DIRECTED BY SEIJI KISHI

Abstract

Language functions not only as a means of conveying information but also as a medium for influencing the attitudes, thoughts, and actions of interlocutors through communication. In pragmatics, persuasive speech acts are regarded as a form of communication intended to obtain particular responses from interlocutors without imposing direct coercion. Persuasive speech acts are frequently found in literary works, including anime, as the dialogues between characters reflect various communicative situations encountered in everyday life. The anime Tsuki ga Kirei was selected as the object of this study because it presents interactions among characters that demonstrate various forms of persuasive speech acts in both social and interpersonal contexts. Therefore, this study aims to describe the forms, functions, and motives of persuasive speech acts used by the characters in the anime Tsuki ga Kirei episodes 1–12.

This study employed a qualitative approach using a descriptive method. The data consisted of utterances containing persuasive speech acts found in the dialogues of the characters in Tsuki ga Kirei episodes 1–12. The data were collected through the non-participatory observation method (simak bebas libat cakap), followed by note-taking techniques. Subsequently, the data were identified, classified, translated, and analyzed based on Searle's (1969) and Koizumi's (1993) speech act theories to identify the forms of persuasive speech acts, while Cialdini and Goldstein's (2002) persuasion theory was employed to analyze their functions and motives.

The findings reveal that persuasive speech acts in the anime Tsuki ga Kirei are realized through various forms of utterances, including requests, invitations, suggestions, persuasion, commands, and advice. Each form is employed according to the communicative context underlying the interactions among the characters. Furthermore, the use of persuasive speech acts demonstrates various persuasive functions aimed at gaining acceptance, influencing decisions, and encouraging interlocutors to perform particular actions through persuasive principles. The motives underlying the use of persuasive speech acts include obtaining social acceptance, encouraging interlocutors to take action, maintaining interpersonal relationships, strengthening confidence in decision-making, and creating changes in attitudes and responses during the communication process. Therefore, persuasive speech acts in Tsuki ga Kirei function not only as a means of expressing the speaker's intentions but also as a communication strategy employed to influence interlocutors according to the context of interaction.