Gender and Gender Relations in Manga and Anime Essay -- Men Women Humo

Manga and Anime, as inviting and open as they may seem, argon at heart the products of Japans culture. notwithstanding its technological advancement, Japan somehow manages to retain much of its historical character, in addition to blending in the overwhelming influences of the West. The Japanese treatment of sex and gender relations has taken many turns over the last millennium, and manga and anime reflect those changes. Still, at the core of the culture lies certain fundamental beliefs that are proving difficult to change.Recently, too, thither is growing controversy over gender roles in Japan. An American friend juvenilely complained bitterly over the pervasiveness of sadistic, (heterosexual) male-oriented Japanese pornography in Japan. She says that the message that women are sexual objects has become almost epidemic in Japanese culture, and that male chauvenism is everywhere. Many career women in Japan seem to be so excite with things that they refuse to marry. And too many m en are expected to sacrifice themselves to their jobs, to the point of having no family involvement. When a man retires, he sometimes becomes trapped in a family he doesnt know, with nothing to do, and he tends to die soon after from his sudden lack of purpose.I am not an expert in this root word however, maybe I can provide some insight into Japanese culture and its reflection in manga, as well as some recent trends in manga. I am writing, by the way, from the point of view that individuality is more important than ones gender --- and hence to stereotype genders and to force people to accommodate to those stereotypes is not a good thing. I personally think wed all be better off if each of us picked up the stereotypical strengths of two genders, if, say, men w... ...s, it seems, is to make Ranma prove that he loves her. (In Takahashis Urusei Yatsura series, Lum would make herself bait in order to watch Moroboshi come rescue her --- proof to her that he did love her). However, c ontrasted a truly helpless heroine, over and over Akane must come to Ranmas rescue after he has come to hers. Without Akanes help, Ranma would have lost many of his battles, as much as he hates to admit it. Akane is a key part of a team either person could not possibly succeed alone. (Interestingly, though, this league is down-played in the TV shows it only truly shines through in Takahashis original stories).Even in some of the more stereotyped manga, there is some coalition and friendship between the sexes. And isnt partnership --- mutual respect, caring for each other, helping each other --- the most important thing in any race?