[ SECRET POST #630 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #630 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

CITY STUFF → http://lolbuttsex.myminicity.com

Pssst, you guys should go vote for us here! Us being technophile, mammaria, and ironicbonds in T2, telecast, databomb and tacky_tramp in T3, and vociferocity in T1 (did I get all the F!S people? If I missed you, tell me!) -- and anyone else you find interesting, too. Yes, anyone is allowed to vote, so there's no need to feel bad about not participating or anything.

tl;dr: LET'S BREAK SOME POLLS.

Secrets Left to Post: 00 pages, 00 secrets from Secret Submission Post #090.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 1 2 3 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 1 - too big ], [ 1 2 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

Re: 121

[ronsard.livejournal.com]

Isn't this all the more reason we should push for change, or at least for the issue to be debated? Or we could just continue to be complacent, happy with the way things are and the blatant sexism in one of our favorite forms of media?

Re: 121

[(Anonymous)]

What is the definition of "gender roles" in anime? I think it's a pretty meaningless struggle, specially since:

a) In anime, role models are particularly gender-less. The division between male and female characters is focused on whoever the illustrator has a preference for. What are we "fighting" for, really?
b) We're not Japanese. The anime industry is extremely self-contained. They work with low-budgets and are supported by the Japanese fanbase. We can't make a difference, no matter how hard we try. Besides, refer to point 1.

Re: 121

[ronsard.livejournal.com]

I disagree that portrayal of gender roles in anime is insignificant. How many times have we seen people complain about "useless female characters" only good for fan service and supporting the male leads? This, I think, reflects the creators' view on gender roles. More importantly, it also shows that we, the audience, are dissatisfied with the treatment these characters receive: just because this is what the artists think doesn't mean we're okay with it. When it comes to series that feature important female protagonists, you argue that the only reason they're female at all is because the creators want to reel in male otaku and "draw plenty of T&A": such judgment on the basis of gender is the core of sexism. People who believe in equality of the sexes would naturally be displeased if their entertainment supported such counterprogressive beliefs; this is why we should be vocal about it.

The argument that outsiders shouldn't interfere with another country's culture by imposing their personal beliefs often fails to take into consideration the fact that even within the country in question, there are already social movements aiming for change. Oftentimes, these movements receive support from organizations based in parts of the world where the "fight" has made greater progress. Even for Japan, where nationalism and gender equality often stand at odds, there is an enduring feminist movement in the undercurrent of society, whose supporters are greatly critical of the status quo I believe to be often reflected in anime and manga. Have you read any books by Chizuko Ueno? If you do, you will see how this issue is dissected from the point of view of a Japanese person.

Obviously, I am neither Japanese nor an academic, but I am part of the consumer base for this industry. It is hard to say that something is self-contained when it is actively seeking to license its products out to foreign markets. And while you can say that the foreign market for anime is as yet inconsequential compared to the Japanese fanbase, what's to say that this won't change in the near future? The western anime fanbase has seen great growth and become more structurally organized in the last 20-30 years. Foreign fans support the industry by spreading the word and getting people to learn about a form of media that maybe a decade ago was still considered little-understood. Now, anime art influences the style of people half way around the world, influences western media. Ten years ago we didn't have anything as cool as Avatar, now we do.

Anime is becoming more international by the day, and globalization has its side effects -- one of which is that as more people from other countries start to get into anime, they will bring into the experience their perspectives and personal beliefs. As the market grows, so will this trend, and just by talking about the significance of gender roles in anime, I believe that we're already taking the first steps towards changing things. Why do we want change? Because we love anime, and care about it -- many of us were in fact drawn into studying Japanese culture through anime. You say we can't change things no matter how hard we try, I say that's apathy and complacency at work. By bringing the issue of gender roles in anime (and Japan, by extension) onto an international forum, we can at least hope to effect change.

(And I also largely disagree with your opinion regarding Claymore -- whatever the original intention of the creator may have been, it's easy to see that end product is a wonderful and successful example of gender role reversal in a section of the industry that's notorious for throwing bit parts to the female cast. In the authorial intent vs. audience response debate, I tend to side with the latter, because that's what defines the extent of a work of fiction's influence.)