Family involvement Essay

Another issue that marks anime is that it is an escape from reality. Past the obvious supernatural powers, there are several issues that are indicative of Japanese society. An example of this is the Japanese fascination with powerful women in anime; the female characters are not the submissive women of Japanese society, but they are still regarded as inferior to men. Anime also deals with current Japanese issues. For instance, the Roujin Z anime centers on an experiment to deal with the problem of care for the elderly. Such issues such as the Ie and the aging population are openly discussed. Some issues that it deals with are expressed at the message that women are sexual objects has become almost epidemic in Japanese culture, and that male chauvinism is everywhere. Many career women in Japan seem to be so disgusted with things that they refuse to marry. In line with this, Boden (2001) asserts: The role of women in Japan is a hot topic amongst commentators on the state of contemporary Japan. While it is important to consider analysis drawn from statistics and surveys, it is also important to look at how popular culture defines the modern Japanese woman. Consequently, Japanese animation, as a form of popular culture, can be used as an analysis of the role of women in Japanese society. Through looking at how women are portrayed in a broad sweep of Japanese animation over the last ten years or so, we can begin to identify the role of women in contemporary Japanese society. And too many men are expected to sacrifice themselves to their jobs, to the point of having no family involvement. When a man retires, he sometimes becomes trapped in a family he doesn’t know, with nothing to do, and he tends to die soon after from his sudden lack of purpose. Historically, like almost every culture on the planet, Japan has tended toward idealizing male dominance and female submissiveness. However, women have not been invisible, especially in Japan’s early years. Some of Japan’s greatest literary figures were women, such as the novelist Lady Murasaki, who lived about a thousand years ago. However, when Japan became war-oriented and feudal, women quickly became second-class citizens. Most women were treated as they have been treated throughout history: as merchandise, or servants, and as heir-producing machines. The concentration of the following analysis is on mainstream youth-oriented works, not as much on the adult-male oriented manga. Even with the youth-oriented works, one should remember a few key points. First, many manga are targeted at either girls or boys, and can be classified as either girls’ or boys’ comics. (see glossary) Generally, though not always, boys’ comics are told from a male perspective, and vice versa. Also, girls’ comics tend to focus on human relationships more than the boys’ comics; the latter focus more on competition or contests of will (such as a detective struggling to close a case). Lastly, girls’ comics tend to have artwork that is dreamier and softer, while boys’ comics tend to be brasher and flashier. Also, Japanese manga for young people tend to be far more intricate, human, philosophical, and mature than American comics. Responsibility and the consequences of one’s actions are taught at all levels; so is the essentially humanity of even one’s enemies (usually). Conversely, the increased maturity level also means that nudity and sexual themes are present in comics meant for grade scholars. The theme of â€Å"men ought to be stronger than women† is a pervading theme that can sum up a lot of gender relations in manga and anime. The idea is that women, no matter how strong or independent they are, are actually looking for someone who they can depend on and who will protect them. There are a variety of different types of female roles in anime. A recent style of manga and anime introduces the â€Å"Super Woman† notion. Main character heroines are stronger and smarter than everyone else around them, including their love interests. And, unlike some other manga, they are not ashamed to be better, and they fight hard to stay sharp and competent. The male doesn’t strive to change/lower the woman, but instead strives to raise himself to her level Still, there is a more alarming reason for moviegoers’ rejection of live-action Japanese films. Their flight to anime is an inevitable result of the ethnic self-denial that has suffused Japanese society ever since the Meiji era, and especially since the end of World War II. Bent on achieving the goals of modernization and Westernization, the Japanese, in rejecting their own history and traditions, have sought to become Nihonjin-banare (de-Japanized) — a generally complimentary term, implying that one looks and acts more like a Westerner or a Caucasian than the average Japanese. â€Å"Japaneseness-free† might convey the nuance of the term even better. Take a look at the animated characters featured in anime. Physically they are â€Å"de-Japanized Japanese† — a blend of Japanese and Caucasian characteristics. Given the setting of Princess Mononoke, it is obvious that the characters are intended to be pure Japanese (or at least Mongoloid), yet their features are nearly identical to the presumably Caucasian characters in Miyazaki’s earlier work, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, a fantasy set in a future world suggestive of medieval Europe. (The heroine herself is named after the daughter of King Alcinous of Homer’s The Odyssey). In Miyazaki’s animation there is no physical distinction between Japanese and Caucasians. Evangelion features a Japanese girl, Rei, and Asuka, a girl who is one-quarter German and three-quarters Japanese. Apart from Asuka’s Caucasian attributes of light brown hair and blue eyes, there are no significant differences in the facial features or physical development of the two girls. One should also note that Rei has blue hair and red eyes rather remarkable traits for a Japanese girl!