Forum - View topicHey, Answerman! [2008-12-12]
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Descent123
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I don't know if it was use for JAL flights, but I do know that some of the Streamline stuff was used for the flights.
LDs is some good stuff, I'm glad I was able to pick up a good player for cheap. I don't get why people would like to important LDs that has no subtitles on them. If possible I would like to know what they are talking about. 
For the US LDs it's mostly on the cheap side, except for a few titles. |
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Hon'ya-chan
 Posts: 973 |
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Sorry, that quote reminded me of this xkcd comic. |
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sabriyahm
 Posts: 291 Location: Georgia |
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I HATED Momo in Peach Girl for all the reasons written in and about a billion more. I am not inclined to forgive the Japanese their obsession with skin color and general racism and prejudices based on skin color as a different "culture". If it's their culture their culture is racist. End of story. It's a well documented fact that Japan is a very Xenophobic Racist country. Peach Girl illustrates that fact very well. I mean darker skinned people are delinquents? Can't get more racist then that. On a side note. The whole I am not a racist I have other race friends. NEVER say that. It's like code to black people that you are racist. I am not saying you are only that when most minorites hear someone saying that they are more likely to think you are a racist then not. Just FYI. |
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Eruanna
 Posts: 451 Location: Canada |
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Thats just it though -- your thinking of skin colour as HAVING to do with race, but its not. Okay so black people are darker then white people but even among white people -- some are born darker skinned then others. Me I am very very pale skinned, I never tan ever. Does that mean my race is different then other white people who have stronger pigmentation? No. And the issue in Peach Girl was not race, but tanning. It has nothing to do with race whatsover. Its just another feature, like hair or eye colour. The characters arent saying "I hate black people, therefore anyone who tans I hate because they resemble black people closer". I doubt they would even hold this "beauty" standard to someone who wasnt asian.
And that dosnt make any ounce of sence.. But okay. |
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Furudanuki
 Posts: 1874 |
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What Peach Girl illustrates is that, from the '90s onward, most people who saw a Japanese girl of high-school age or older with a dark tan and bleached hair would assume she was a Ganguro.  These aren't girls with naturally dark skin: the look is a fashion statement, and originally a form of rebellion against the accepted norms for beauty. "Rebellious youngsters" = delinquents, not "darker skinned people" = delinquents.
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abunai
Old Regular
 Posts: 5463 Location: 露命 |
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Absolutely correct -- in fact, in this case, tanning is a significant indicator of delinquency (or rather, a perceived indicator). For a long while in the 1990s, tanning was a form of rebellious behaviour. It has nothing to do with actual skin colour, nor does it in any way relate to prejudice versus actual dark-skinned people (although that prejudice is, in fact, present in Japan -- it's just an entirely separate issue, unrelated to tanning).
I agree, it makes no sense. By this spurious argument, I would be the most prejudiced person in the world, since I claim friends from numerous racial/sexual/political/religious minorities, including some that are so obscure that you've almost certainly never heard of them. I generally choose my friends by their personalities, not by their labels. It's a stupid argument, and that's that. - abunai |
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sabriyahm
Posts: 291 Location: Georgia |
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I think you missed the point and it wasn't meant as an argument or even that I agree with the sentiment. It's more about the impression you leave by making the statement. Having friends of all races isn't the ssue at all. My statement was meant as more helpful advice then anything else. When ever discussing any sort of racial issue with any minority do not end your opinion with the statement "I am not a racist because I have other race friends" or anything similar. EVERYONE ALWAYS SAYS THIS. It does not help prove your point and is more likely to have the opposite effect because it's the standard statement EVERYONE SAYS to justify their racism. You should just state your opinion and leave it at that. For the record I did not find anything prejudiced in your statements to begin with. As far as the idea that Peach Girl is about Tanning and not skin color. It's not much of a distinction to me. Tanning IS STILL skin color and I am not inclined to look favorably on prejudices related to skin color no matter what the reasoning. |
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Greg Aubry
 Posts: 224 Location: Detroit, MI |
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Nice column, Brian!
As a fan of both Western and Eastern comics, I always wanted to see a crossover between Savage Dragon and Bean Bandit/Gunsmith Cats. Both properties' characters are native to Chicago, and as Dragon is a cop, it makes sense that at some point, he'd chase Bean down. Alas, that one will always be relegated to fan-fics (that I won't bother to write or draw). Manga fans might be interested in Adam Warren's book EMPOWERED. It's a "sexy superhero comedy" that has tons of references to otaku culture. In one story, a ninja character informs us that moe is actually part of an insidious cultural plot to depopulate Japan so that an American ninja clan can reign supreme. There's lots of goofy stuff like that in those books, and they come out twice a year in black-and-white 200-page volumes. Those of you looking for American black-and-white "backwards manga" now have four volumes to hunt down. There is a lot of sexual content in those books, though, so hide 'em from your Religious Right parents or your obviously too-young siblings... I think inter-subculture elitism is something you outgrow... ...maybe. |
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josegodumb
 Posts: 8 Location: deep east oakland,ca |
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The discussion on Momo piqued my interest. I never watched Peach Girl but got the basic idea of what it is about by reading the comments people posted. On the whole tanned issue I would say that lighter skin is preferred among most people in any country. Even black people here in the U.S prefer "lighter" black people as is evident by black celebrities. I am not saying that Japan is not xenophobic but I am saying that Peach Girl is not really trying to be racist it is just talking about skin color bluntly.
I agree with that. People use that as a trump card when they get in trouble all the time. If you need to pull that line out then you know you need to change the conversation. |
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Dark Elf Warrior
 Posts: 228 |
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Welcome back Brian! Very good article this week. I like the way you answer questions. Keep up the good work!
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maaya
Posts: 976 |
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Even if that was true (while I disagree), you shouldn't lump together all Japanese people like this. This reminds me of the ridiculous claim that one of those pokemons was racist x_x You cannot completely ignore the differences of culture and just force a link because of your own associations. There are actually many naturally dark skinned Japanese people and there are many Japanese who tan their skin because they like dark skins. Gal fashion is still pretty popular today. Then there are singers like Thelma Aoyama or Crystal Kay or Jero, who are quite successful and could be considered as proof that "Japan" isn't all that xenophobic >< Never ever in Peach Girl was the message supposed to be that dark skin is really bad. It's only Momo who is too insecure and let's herself be influenced by Sae and because she believed that Toji dislikes dark skin. So if I'm blond and my best friend told me, that the guy I like dislikes blond hair ... that's exactly the same situation. Or if you want to stay with skin related stuff, you could take frackles as an example. If I dislike frackles, that's just my taste and has nothing to do with races.
But it's not only tanning - the important part is the hair color, isn't it? Since, as said, there are a lot of dark skinned Japanese people with black hair, so in order to be considered a delinquent you'd also have to have blond hair or at least (light) brown. Else that doesn't make sense to me, but I'm not so knowledgeable in this field either ^^;; |
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BleuVII
 Posts: 672 Location: Tokorozawa, Japan |
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True enough. At the same time, please understand that the tendency to perceive offense where no offense was remotely intended, especially when this is done by an African-American, is one of the leading causes of majority apathy. Your concern about racial stereotypes is great, and as a resident of Japan, I agree with you, but I doubt you have "converted" anyone to our cause with the way you have been talking about this anime. To most people, the issue of tanning/ whitening and the issue of Japanese racial stereotypes aren't related, and it seems like you're reading really far into the situation. To them (maybe I should say us), your offense at this is about as confusing as a Mongolian who was offended at the American sitcom "Heroes" because it portrays Asians as childlike and irresponsible. Please think about it. I am not trying to be antagonistic to you. I care about and share in what you are trying to do, but I know that the power of perception works both ways, and we need to stop talking past each other. |
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Dorcas_Aurelia
 Posts: 5344 Location: Philly |
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You mean jynx? The one with blackface and huge lips? I guess it depends how offensive you find the stereotype. |
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Hon'ya-chan
Posts: 973 |
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The problem with that is that it's always the vocal people who have too much time on their hands complaining about it. Admit it, the first time you saw Jynx, you probably didn't think of Mammy or Blackface. Only after someone complained, you made the distinction. |
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sabriyahm
Posts: 291 Location: Georgia |
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Sigh.... I think you are putting a great many words in my mouth and making a lot of assumptions. I never said I was particularly offended by MOMO or that this issue was the main reason I didn't like her. I stated I dislike her for a billion reasons. I am not the person who wrote in the answerfans letter in case you think I am. I don't think you can assume you know the intentions of the makers of Peach Girl so I don't get the no offense was intended statement. YOU HAVE NO IDEA what was going through the mangka's head. I think I have gone out of my way to make it clear that I did not take offense to anyone's comments on this board because I think open discussion is good. Ironically I am a bit offended by your statements. Why exactly is an African-American being offended so much worse then anyone else? You may not realize it but that is the subtext of your statement. Actually it's not even a subtext. It's what you said.
I wasn't trying to "convert" anyone. It's just my opinion. You don't have to agree with it. You don't have to see the same things I see in the show. I am okay with that.
I am not most people I guess. For me any show that has characters feeling bad about themselves because of their skin color is a show with a character I am not going to like. Look we are not talking past each other. I think the problem is the perception that we all have to agree on what is or is not offense or racist or xenophobic or sexist or whatever. People will percieve things differently. Neither one of us is neccessarily wrong. We just take away different things from the anime. This is true of every communication medium. We have had a lively discussion. Opinions were exchanged. I offered some helpful advice to board members for future similar discussions (didn't go over well). Probably no minds were changed but progress is made regardless. I think thats the best way to look at it. But again just my opinion.
I can completely ignore the differences of culture. That was my entire point. I do not think all Japanes are racist. I dont think all Japanese are all anything except Japanese. Perhaps my wording was a bit off. What I meant was I will not excuse what I deem racist xenophobic or any other ism I don't like as simply the culture of any given society. I hold all societies up to the same standard and make excuses for none. You don't get to say oh thats just their culture, it's okay in their culure. No if that's the case then it's a culture of racism and I will not make allowances because it's so on going it's seeped into their very culture. Their was a time when it was in our culture too. I always find this culture argument especially ridiculous because it really makes no sense. Certainly a case can be made that the other culture never really intended offense. But thats as far as the argument goes. For example watch a Thai television show romantic comedy. Usually the male lead will rape the female lead, she will get pregnant and they will fall in love. I am generalizing because I have only seen 2 but that was more then enough. Should we watch that and say well that's just their male dominated culture. We shouldn't be offended by it. They meant no offense it's normal for them. Absolutely not and the same theory applies here. I am not saying the Momo situation is analogous to rape. I am just pointing out the limit of the whole culture argument. In case anyone was wondering I give the show Peach Girl as a whole the same rating as it's average (7 Good) in my anime here on ANN. Last edited by sabriyahm on Sat Dec 13, 2008 1:25 am; edited 1 time in total |
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