One of topics that we covered in class last week how males are expected to be tough in modern day society. It seems that males are expected to have muscles, be brave, and be powerful figures. Even in children’s programing, males are shown to be the dominant figures on the show. In this entry, I will cover some examples that I have noticed. I will use an example form the Anime Dragonball Z.
The picture above depicts the character, Gohan. He is a twelve year old boy in this picture, and he is not your typical hero. He studies hard, sacrificing a social life in order to please his parents by becoming a scholar. While he looks like your typical preteen boy in this picture, the picture below makes him look completely different.
Gohan is also a skilled fighter. Unlike most scholars, he has muscles and is able to raise his power to very high levels. In this picture, he is in battle. As such, he has blood on his body and no longer has a smile on his face. This is implying that even smart males should be strong, and not afraid to fight. While Anime is not targeted solely toward children in Japan, it is when it is dubbed in English and aired on television here in North America. This can lead an expecting child to think that this image of toughness is normal for any age. They might then feel as if they need to mimic what the show portrays, or else they will not fit in.
This example relates to what the documentary we watched in class portrayed. At one point, the documentary showed us that action figures are beginning to become exaggerated. They almost always have abs, and are depicted as being strong men. This can sometimes contrast the character that the figure is actually based on. Children might then expect that this is how men are supposed to look. Whether or not this is done intentionally, it is wrong to continue for this image to be enforced. It is a false perception that does not identify with all males.
Dragonball Wikia. (2010, June). Gohan. Retrieved November 2011, from Dragonball Wikia: http://dragonball.wikia.com/wiki/Gohan
Matt, what I find fascinating is the differences in the hair and eye color in addition to the changed muscular physique. You mentioned that this cartoon is aimed at young Japanese children. Typically Japanese people have dark eyes and dark hair. I find it interesting that the "strong bad ass" version of Gohan has light eyes and light hair. The "nerdy and uncool" version of him is depicted as having dark hair and eyes.I wonder what they are implying here...I have read before that hair and eye color seem to signify certain character traits when people first meet us. For example blond hair is seen as people who are free spirited and fun, brown hair is seen as people who are down-to-earth and genuine. I think that part of that socialized stereotyping is shown here but I also wonder if this is an example of American culture's influence on Japanese culture.
ReplyDeleteThe gold hair is actually a reference to a Japanese legend that involved a powerful man. He had gold hair and a golden aura surrounding him, and he was known as "The Gold Worrier." i would also have to agree with you about American cultures influence on Japanese culture. Newer anime is being written with the thought that things might be cut out or altered when the show reaches America. As such, it is not what it used to be. The one that I use in this entry was one of the last few that were designed in the old-style anime.
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