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intertribalOkay, so you know how I've always joked about people thinking of DBZ as racist because of the whole, um, SSJ-Aryan thing? Everybody thinks, "Oh, that crazy girl, reading too much into that stupid kid's cartoon again." Everyone laughs that Namek is a planet of black people, not thinking anyone will actually think that.
TAKE THIS!
So, everybody feel like a bad enough person for watching it? Okay, great. Granted, there are serious misunderstandings in the article - for example, not knowing that Kami isn't Kame, and that it means God in Japanese and (my favorite), that Mr. Popo is not actually meant to be black, although he looks like he's drawn in blackface. He's supposed to be Indian. Trust me on this. And I really don't think the show is as misogynistic as I thought. I mean, it's no X-Files, sure, but it's also not as bad as... you know, 90% of anime. But sometimes I think even Law & Order can be seen as misogynistic too... "the ADA Babes", as they're referred to? Sigh, misogynistic, such a strong word. I prefer sexist myself. Sexism. It has a nice easy slip of the tongue to it. Mm, sexism. Nothing like some good sexism in the morning. Please understand that it's 3:00 a.m. as I write this.
They proceed to discuss all these other horrid racial stereotypes in DB/Z and I'm just like... uh... heh heh. This is why it was only meant to be seen by Japanese people? Then they become thankful that anime is now becoming more open-minded - the new, awful generation of anime, you know. Personally, this is why people who have singular issues annoy me. They would find similar artistic/animation issues in Akira, to be honest, in some of the evil people of the rival gang the Clowns. Yes, I know that it doesn't help and that it perpetuates racial stereotypes, but you know, I don't think it's malicious. The '80s animators didn't know the full history of these issues in the states, and let's face it, Japan is a homogeneous country. I've read that anime girls have ridiculously big eyes because the artists were inspired by American cartoons like Betty Boop. Which means, really, we have ourselves to blame. I'd be more concerned about the way Japan depicts China. That has history - that could be politically malicious. But not the way Japan depicts black or white America.
Oh yeah, and they also seem to not have caught onto what the fandom has decided - that Nameks are black, and thus one of the show's most awesome characters, Piccolo, is black.
Still, my favorite part is the comment from "Pierce": "Po-Po. What is he, po? broke? Mr. Broke-broke?"
Rofl.
TAKE THIS!
So, everybody feel like a bad enough person for watching it? Okay, great. Granted, there are serious misunderstandings in the article - for example, not knowing that Kami isn't Kame, and that it means God in Japanese and (my favorite), that Mr. Popo is not actually meant to be black, although he looks like he's drawn in blackface. He's supposed to be Indian. Trust me on this. And I really don't think the show is as misogynistic as I thought. I mean, it's no X-Files, sure, but it's also not as bad as... you know, 90% of anime. But sometimes I think even Law & Order can be seen as misogynistic too... "the ADA Babes", as they're referred to? Sigh, misogynistic, such a strong word. I prefer sexist myself. Sexism. It has a nice easy slip of the tongue to it. Mm, sexism. Nothing like some good sexism in the morning. Please understand that it's 3:00 a.m. as I write this.
They proceed to discuss all these other horrid racial stereotypes in DB/Z and I'm just like... uh... heh heh. This is why it was only meant to be seen by Japanese people? Then they become thankful that anime is now becoming more open-minded - the new, awful generation of anime, you know. Personally, this is why people who have singular issues annoy me. They would find similar artistic/animation issues in Akira, to be honest, in some of the evil people of the rival gang the Clowns. Yes, I know that it doesn't help and that it perpetuates racial stereotypes, but you know, I don't think it's malicious. The '80s animators didn't know the full history of these issues in the states, and let's face it, Japan is a homogeneous country. I've read that anime girls have ridiculously big eyes because the artists were inspired by American cartoons like Betty Boop. Which means, really, we have ourselves to blame. I'd be more concerned about the way Japan depicts China. That has history - that could be politically malicious. But not the way Japan depicts black or white America.
Oh yeah, and they also seem to not have caught onto what the fandom has decided - that Nameks are black, and thus one of the show's most awesome characters, Piccolo, is black.
Still, my favorite part is the comment from "Pierce": "Po-Po. What is he, po? broke? Mr. Broke-broke?"
Rofl.
