I've learned ... anime is weird. Really weird. The series I've been watching (Ranma 1/2 if anyone's actually curious) ran from the late eighties to mid-nineties, and the principal character is a guy who turns into a girl when cold water is splashed on him. Who also does kung-fu. The entire show is laced with cross-dressing, over exaggerated sexuality, and atypical relationships.
In Japanese society, homosexuality is not against the law, but is frowned upon. There has been little to no action in order to legalize same-sex marriages, and anyone not straight is called "hentai," which means twisted or backwards.
How can a society based on family values and honor come up with such ridiculous, non-traditional sexual themes? Such anime shows are very popular in Japan, but differ so starkly from societal values. I found an article which explains the "gender-panic situations" of the cartoon in detail. The author says gender-panic is used as a comedic tool. I also found an anime-news forum (the things you can find on the internet these days) with a blog about gender-bending. One blogger said that:
"Recently, anime has been focusing a LOT on ridiculous slapstick comedy and "man in a dress" has been good for kicks ever since M*A*S*H or Some Like it Hot.
It's not a case of gender-bending being any more or less acceptable from a cultural standpoint, it's just an example of an industry running on creative empty."
It's not a case of gender-bending being any more or less acceptable from a cultural standpoint, it's just an example of an industry running on creative empty."
So is anime using gender-bending to promote LGBT issues or for comedic effect? Is the use of gender-bending hurtful or harmful to the LGBT community in Japan? What do you think?
It's actually very interesting how mainstream gay relationships in anime are, and yet culturally homosexuality is still disapproved of. Almost any anime these days features at least one gay character (or the one you suspect to be gay). Usually we talk about getting gay images into the media as a raising awareness (i.e. The Celluloid Closet) but I'm wondering if gay characters in anime are less an attempt at honest representation and more a sort of fetish; viewers are attracted because they see the character as different, not as an equal.
ReplyDeleteOne of the strangest things, I might add, is that Ranma 1/2 ends with them getting married (I'm sorry if that was a spoiler for anyone). They spend most of the show flipping genders and having weird fight scenes, but somehow messing with gender boundaries actually seems to reinforce the traditional gender roles. The females are super feminine (they fight with a gymnastics competition, for goodness sake) and the guys are super masculine. When Ranma changes gender, he often works his 'feminine charm' to get his way with people, seeming to say that whatever's on the outside, gender-wise, is the important part.
And then they get married. As man and wife. wtf anime.