I love stories. I love stories in all forms, and am desperately obsessed with any I can consume. I read comics, watch cartoons, watch shows, watch movies, read books, read short stories, truly anything my hands can get on. But something that often eludes me is something that’s fairly popular nowadays: anime.
I adore the artfulness and the power of anime. I love the breadth of genres the art-form has. I honestly have several movies I need to catch up on, including many Studio Ghibli films. I know these films likely will be amazing.
However, I have a hang-up with anime. And its one that really makes enjoying the artfulness and storytelling of the medium hard.
Japan, unfortunately, is not exactly well-known for its treatment of women. And it reflect heavily in its shows. If the story isn’t a drama or an action saga, there tends to be an overwhelming amount of comic relief being about touching, harassing, or teasing girls. Understandably, as a woman, that can kind of upset me. But because Japan is how it is, this kind of humor is as commonplace as jokes about hating your job or striking out on dates are in sitcoms. Its just the humor they are accustomed to.
Ergo, I hate it. And, generally, the female characters are not as common or fleshed out, generally speaking. There are exceptions, for example Kaiju is a show with only female main characters. Flip side, its all about fighting in tight body suits with their asses. Oftentimes, its one thing or another. I got through most of Death Note, but Misa being the only main female character and being a needy, beauty obsessed, crazy girl isn’t my fave. Its not the worst of the worst, but it gets grating that its all I’m stuck with.
I’ve slowly been growing to accept the state of anime and women, and be pleased with shows where only one character is a perverted monster or slights are rare, but its frustrating that to widen my anime pool I have to do that. I’m hoping the more I learn, the easier it becomes to find shows that don’t make me feel second-hand groped.
Films may be my savior. After watching Spirited Away for the first time last year, I adored it and wanted to watch more. A Silent Voice, Ghost in the Shell, Akira, Princess Mononoke, and Grave of the Fireflies are all high on my list.
I just also hope loving some animes doesn’t encourage any of this awful behavior. I don’t like having to compromise my moral compass sometimes just to enjoy a genre. Perhaps it’ll be a symbiotic effect: the more anime shared around the world, the more inclusive and universal it becomes. At least, that’s my hope.
Because anime is interesting and beautiful and I’d love to have more than Yugi-Oh on my lists of finished shows. Its honestly embarrassing.
Creatively Disordered 