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Reader Feedback on "Demon Hunters, Cyborgs, and Babes: Warped Women in Japanese Animation"

I am honestly surprised at what I've read. Is this person serious? First of all, he should have made very clear that Hentai, which is basically what his "work" bases on, is just a form of Anime, not a representative sample of all Anime. Second, "Anime" comes from "dessins animes", which is French, not from "animation", which is (evidently) English. Third, has this person really watched anime? Granted, there are a lot of series with "fanservice" (word for describing gratuitous demonstration of the female body or parts of it), that's not the only thing Anime is about, as there are many examples of main characters that are strong and not some commodified image for the viewing pleasure of some Hikkikomori in his room. As an example, there's Fruits Basket's Tohru, Ouran High School Host Club's Haruhi, Naruto's Sakura (look at the evolution of the character from the original to Shippuden), Anna from Shaman King, etc. What about them?
--ZRB
08/26

The place of the Japanese woman in society was the subject of "Japanese Girls and Women" a 1891 book by Alice Mabel Bacon. MS. Bacon was instructed by women in Japan from the highest levels of society. The author was told that the freedom of young girls was replaced by the self sacrifice of the life of a married woman, a woman who's marriage was most often more political than romantic. At one point the author is told that true romantic love was common between men, as between two samurai. Could this ancient custom contribute to the adoration of young girls and vilification of the put upon middle aged, married woman? Freedom vs. hard scrabble reality? I would be interested in other's thoughts on this subject. Carol Fanning, Honolulu, Hawaii t.fanning@verizon.net
--CSF
08/02

Rorikon is not child pornography, and otaku people are not pedophiles. www.rorikon.blogspot.com
--CHE
10/26

do you have a lists of good japanese animation web sites i am a fan of this art.do you a lists of book stores that sell anime books online. snw714@aol.com
--j.j
02/17

I know you might get pissed off at this letter but, I was wondering if you had any information about "Lolikon" message boards, news groups, websites, clubs, chats, etc. I am an American Lolikon and I want to meet others like me. I would appreciate any help. Thanks! Ben
--BT
12/18

Where I can get some more pics of that? wrote to me Belzebub2001@gmx.de
--nkwn
07/21

Where I can get some more pics of that?
--nkwn
07/21

interesting
--ed
02/04

Totally sick stuff.. These sterotypes and sadistic sexual/fear images of women are bound to a world that is incredibly unequal. It's one thing if these images existed solely on the level of fantasy, but the reality is they reflect a larger cultural enslavement, both in terms of economics and actual cultural disempowerment. As a person who has had many ex-patriot female Japenese friends I can tell you that is SUCKS if your female in Japan.
--SM
04/10

I have been looking for some studies or discussions on this subject thank you for sharing
--KB
04/10

I know someone who was struck by the idea of racism in the Disney Fantasia scene, and, she had a point. All the Centaurs fall in love, except for the black one that is serving wine or fruit or something, But that black zebra girl is worth rewinding for while the others are not. She is the most original and striking idea of a Centaur I have ever seen. I read this article as one of the few female animation students at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. I have been very disturbed by how females are portrayed or not even portrayed especially in Japanamation (because of the sex-violence and pedophilia) but also by fellow animation students. Many of them talk like homophobes, but I suspect many of them are in fact gay. Many of them that are straight seem to have real issues with women. And I am not someone who says that about men at the drop of a hat. It is a sexually tense atmosphere. I'm sure an essay on animator sexuality could cover a couple pages at least. People that like doing animation are people who are deciding to sit by themselves about 10hrs. a day. (and the steriotype of being nerdy control freaks is not, I think, entirely unfair.) How many female cartoon characters can you think of? Thelma from Scooby Doo is interesting, but how many are Wendys (Peter Pan), Jessica Rabbits (Roger Rabbit) or wicked? I'm not saying those characters shouldn't exist, but aren't women more complicated than that? can't they be divided into more than 3 cartoon types? Thank God for Matt Groening coming along with the Simpsons and Futurama eh?
--RA
10/25

Interesting, but is this culture brought on by the Ameircan influence. I always though of Japan as being isolated and therefore able to keep up tradition. What I see now is the worship of young girls in white panties and a fascination with schoolgirl rape.
--BEE
07/31

I just read the article on transformation in Anime and I thought it to be one of the more general (though pleasingly accurate) accounts on the portrayal of gender roles in Japanimation. Thanks for putting things in perspective for those who don't know what to think of those "awful Hentai things!" You all did a good job keeping things in perspective with the final lines: "'We're reluctant to talk about this,' says Napier, 'because we don't want to give the impression that the Japanese are any weirder or more sadistic than the rest of the world.' Odds are, they're not. The centaurs in Fantasia were pretty weird all on their lonesome." Thanks again for your objectivity.
--ER
06/14

I'm a fan of the genre and I often asked myself why; is it because the women are powerful, yet generous, curious . . . beautiful? Or is it because Japanese animation goes where no other medium dares to go today? Violent, real, cutting edge, multiracial, historic, erotic - anime has it all. There is also an underlying theme: I think the Japanese often reflect about the horrible thing with Hiroshima . . . ya know, that Bomb shit . . . it was whack when we did that, but the thing is, they don't forget . . . neither should we. And in most of the anime I see, no one else does it to them but themselves. They're always blowing up Tokyo and thangs (check out Akira), kinda like their saying, "No mas, iff'n it happens, we do it!" . . . I just enjoy the Japanese artists' view toward humanity and the future . . . clean lines, vibrant, alive . . . it hits you . . . and yes, the women are beautiful, thinly clad, sometimes too much so . . . Finally, check out "Sharon Apple" in the Macross II series and read William Gibson's "Idoru" and see if you don't say, "Farrr outtt." PEACE!!
--CJ
11/08

I think Adam Rogers' essay on anime was fascinating. As a long time American comic book collector, I was recently introduced to some anime video tapes and I was taken aback by the blatant sexuality. Adam's article put the videos into a context that was helpful for me to understand. I don't know if I like it but I now know a little bit more about it.
--JD
10/29

As opposed to what Adam Rogers suggests in his biased essay, anyone who's done a little research would find out that the prerequisite of being a miko is to be a virgin and remain so (even in the modern age). What bothers me the most is that the opinions expressed in his piece are all that of so-called scholars of Japanese culture of a well-known western institution. Finger-pointing something foreign and strange to one must be fun (after all, it's easy, anyone can do it), but if the author's so interested, why not bother a bit more to question the creator's point of view, or even better, the viewers of Japanimation? I'm sorry to read such sorry slop in an otherwise amusing and interesting e-mag.
--MA
10/27

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