I have to admit that I have an enormous personal bias when it comes to the sort of animation that is all over the otaku (geek/nerd) parts of Japan like Akihabara. The infantilized and sexualized imagery really irritates me. It's not only freaky, but creepy. If real people looked like the women in that artwork, they'd look like hideous alien creatures. It's so distorted that I view it not as art, but as a form of advertising/recruiting for body dysmorphic disorder. The fact that girls in Japan will do cosplay to look like such characters including freaky contact lenses to make their eyes look enormous only supports my sense that this is so. That Ukranian "living Barbie" woman only strengthens my sense that there is a toxic nature underlying what appears to be innocent "art".
This is my issue. Maybe I'm an old fuddy-duddy. Maybe I just don't "get it" (though I can say that my brain is open-minded enough to "get" most modern art). However, I still don't miss anime-style advertising and dislike seeing it in the U.S. when it sneaks up on me on occasion.
Posts
When my wife and I were at the cherry blossom festival in SF recently, we saw 5-6 women dressed in anime like outfits. Most of them were Caucasians clearly emulating what is presented in manga, etc. They attracted a lot of attention, of course. Some people even came up and asked to take photos with them. They enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteIf it's done in fun, a la Halloween dressup, it is relatively harmless in my opinion. If, however, it becomes a lifestyle which the individual pursues all the time then it suggests someone who prefers to live in a fantasy world of their own making rather than the reality of their own lives, self image, etc. In those instances it is sad indeed!
I really like manga and anime, to an extent. Yes, some of it is really ridiculous and over-sexualized, but so is American comics. Sure, we don't show that kind of stuff all over the place, but I think the fact that Japan does this is pretty unique. Akihabara was one of my favorite places in Tokyo, and it's unlike any other district in the world. I guess its a taste preference. I don't like people who cosplay 24/7 and dress crazy for attention, but I still consider it and the animation that inspired it a treasured art form. :)
ReplyDelete