Black, White and asian people in anime.

[NaNaNaaaaa]

Nearly all anime/manga characters are Asian in design, the guys and gals designing them will be imagining them as Asian, like they are, they are drawn to appeal to the Asian market, they are NOT drawn to look like westerners, it is just the drawing style. Westerners are so quick to model everything on themselves, can't believe for a second that a genre might exist without them in it...

I'm not refearing to you BTW, this just makes me think of the guy in a doc I watched who would insist that manga exists because of America and all the characters are designed to look American, what rot. Osamu Tezuka got his inspo for modern manga from old cartoons like Felix the cat, but his invention was his own and Japan had comics hundreds of years ago. Japanese manga style is naturally ambiguous, but in the end they are all supposed to be Asian, except those specific characters that are supposed to be Western. .

That guy really irritated me, such arrogance he had as well, and I watched the doc years ago LOL

 

[Callypigia]

There are no white people in naruto unless you can prove it.

Are you serious? The way they look is the proof.

It's true, everyone in Naruto is Asian. The only reason some anime has blonde hair/blue eyes, is because of influence from Germany during WWII. The homogenous "pure race" ideology of Hitler was very popular in Japan, which has always been very nationalistic. Most the time, especially in older anime, when they represent a black or European white person, their features are pretty racist (look at Mr. Popo). Part of this is because they know little about other cultures. Most Japanese students only learn Japanese history in their classrooms. If you're more interested you can VM/PM.

 

[ministerC4]

Lelz always thought about, and next topic is the eyes.
Like wdf your surrounded by nikkis who have squinting eyes, but you some how make eyes that are bigger their damn foreheads for your art.
It's kinda... retarded, maybe they hate squinting eyes, or have a fetish for those eyes..

 

[NaNaNaaaaa]

It's true, everyone in Naruto is Asian. The only reason some anime has blonde hair/blue eyes, is because of influence from Germany during WWII. The homogenous "pure race" ideology of Hitler was very popular in Japan, which has always been very nationalistic. Most the time, especially in older anime, when they represent a black or European white person, their features are pretty racist (look at Mr. Popo). Part of this is because they know little about other cultures. Most Japanese students only learn Japanese history in their classrooms. If you're more interested you can VM/PM.

Mr. Popo is not a black man, he is a Genie, he was never supposed to look racist or represent black people in any way, it was just western TV channels being over PC. I know some people think he is a caricature of those horrible racist styles but he is not.

And also, Anime characters having blonde hair has nothing to do with politics, its just the way Anime and Manga is, if that was case then what is the political motivation behind green and pink hair, seriously, people read too much into things, I once saw a book about the political meanings of Harry Potter, what is wrong with people, its a cartoon.

I do agree with you that the Japanese use stereotypes, but your have to remember that they use stereotypes in everything in manga, male characters, female characters they are all pidgin holed and made to a blue print with just a different story. If you read Manga manuals translated from Japanese, you will see that Manga is all worked on one big blueprint.

Do you know, I just tried to look up genies in Japanese mythology and all I got was bloody pictures of stupid SNSD!

 

[Avani]

It's true, everyone in Naruto is Asian. The only reason some anime has blonde hair/blue eyes, is because of influence from Germany during WWII. The homogenous "pure race" ideology of Hitler was very popular in Japan, which has always been very nationalistic. Most the time, especially in older anime, when they represent a black or European white person, their features are pretty racist (look at Mr. Popo). Part of this is because they know little about other cultures. Most Japanese students only learn Japanese history in their classrooms. If you're more interested you can VM/PM.

Hmm But online sources say- The hair and eye colour carry out symbolism related with it.


Orange:

Courageous, loyal, spirited, optimistic, unpredictable, brazen, testy, annoying, attention-seeking, selfish

Yellow/Blonde:

Confident, happy, romantic, artful, whimsical, Naïve, ditzy, impish, manipulative, callous, stubborn

The colour scheme fits too much to Naruto.

I am aware that they prefer sharper eyes- many Japanese actually got for plastic surgery to get them fixed. I have been told by a Japanese girl that she like my eyes better just because mine was bigger than her.. But if nationalism is involved why would they be thinking other ethnicity any better than theirs...

 

[Callypigia]

Mr. Popo is not a black man, he is a Genie, he was never supposed to look racist or represent black people in any way, it was just western TV channels being over PC. I know some people think he is a caricature of those horrible racist styles but he is not.

And also, Anime characters having blonde hair has nothing to do with politics, its just the way Anime and Manga is, if that was case then what is the political motivation behind green and pink hair, seriously, people read too much into things, I once saw a book about the political meanings of Harry Potter, what is wrong with people, its a cartoon.

I do agree with you that the Japanese use stereotypes, but your have to remember that they use stereotypes in everything, male characters, female characters they are all pidgin holed and made to a blue print with just a different story.

I never said they were intentionally racist. They aren't as diverse in culture as many other countries. And Germany and Japan had large influences on each other during WWII. It's no coincidence that they often pair the Aryan characteristics.

 

[Jazzy Stardust]

Honestly I use to think the same thing, why do anime character look like Europeans more than Asians?

We'll watch an anime called MushiShi where all of the people except the main character looks Asian. I'm not trying to be racist but it's very boring when everyone looks the same.

 

[Keyboard Uchiha]

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Hispanic Characters are Kinda rare in anime as well the 2 above me are Barbara from Yugioh 5Ds, and Chad from Bleach.
Also Skyla from Pokemon Kinda looks Hispanic to me

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[SonictheHedgehog]

but we hardly see people who look like an actual asian or chinese/Japanese guy.

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He really looks like this the whole time btw.

 

[NaNaNaaaaa]

I never said they were intentionally racist. They aren't as diverse in culture as many other countries. And Germany and Japan had large influences on each other during WWII. It's no coincidence that they often pair the Aryan characteristics.

I think the term Aryan is a little strong, I find it impossible to believe that Kishi was thinking of Nazi propaganda when he was creating Naruto and colouring his hair blonde, intentionally or not. Honestly most Japanese hair colour and style is just random, if anything Kishi may have wanted Naruto to have blonde hair to contrast the ying and yang thing with Sasuke.

I do however see where your argument is coming from and understand that the influence between the cultures must have exsisted/exsists. I also agree that the Japanese don' seem as versed in other cultures, but I think that comes from being content with there own or possibly just ignorance LOL.

Honestly, I don't think most Manga Ka's think this complex, I mean Shampoo from Ranma was Chinese and she had purple hair.

 

[Sakura Bunny]

anime characters aren't white tho.
the artists draw them with wild hair/eye colors and big eyes because it's cute.

 

[ministerC4]

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He really looks like this the whole time btw.

Idk about you but I find that kinda disturbing...
I think I'd enjoy watching that, what's it called? .-.

 

[Avani]

I never said they were intentionally racist. They aren't as diverse in culture as many other countries. And Germany and Japan had large influences on each other during WWII. It's no coincidence that they often pair the Aryan characteristics.

Eh Japanese were pretty racist in their own way( ask Chinese) but they wouldn't buy German race theory the way it was projected. Racism means superiority of ones own race over the others , not the other way round. They cooperated with German for mutual benefit. If Japan doesn't study other cultures and history outside of their class even today in age of information ( as you said) then I doubt they were paying much attention to German version back then.

Edit:
Although honorary Aryans ...I can see what you are indicating at.

 

[SonictheHedgehog]

Idk about you but I find that kinda disturbing...
I think I'd enjoy watching that, what's it called? .-.

Kimi ni Todoke.

 

[Dr Frostmask]

Don't yo think that Itachi is more asian looking than Sakuke ?-.-

 

[Callypigia]

Eh Japanese were pretty racist in their own way( ask Chinese) but they wouldn't buy German race theory the way it was projected. Racism means superiority of ones own race over the others , not the other way round. They cooperated with German for mutual benefit. If Japan doesn't study other cultures and history outside of their class even today in age of information ( as you said) then I doubt they were paying much attention to German version back then.

Edit:
Although honorary Aryans ...I can see what you are indicating at.

Well, I didn't mean Aryan in ideology, just in looks. Hitler and Hirohito agreed on many of their concepts of ethinic purity. The Germans described their superior race in physical attributes (primarily), which the Japanese may have latched onto atleast on a shallow and aesthetic interest. I'm far from any conspiracy theorist, but they definitely reserve the blonde hair, blue eyes look for some of the most powerful (or European often times) characters.

I also agree that most of their hair colors and skin hues represent different personalities.

 

[~Sky~]

Anime characters appearances are usually up to interpretation.