Indeed, but odd info from that film maker that I know, wot?
What?
I mentioned a film maker that I know.
Who might that be?
Well, who do you think?
I think the Japanese film maker you were talking about earlier, but who is this mysterious film maker?
Now that’s a mystery.
It is
So, what do you think is the key?
You telling me the name, or giving me something she’s worked on, so I can look up her name.
I don’t think that would be a wise idea.
She told me that over dinner.
I don’t know why I’m inquiring, I’ll just lay off.
Anime characters look like the do because they were inspired by early American cartoons like Betty Boop and the style has evolved from there. I’ve never heard your theory.
In particular all of the charcters in Howl are white because the movie is based on a British fantasy novel.
Thus, the setting.
Although I think that Miyazaki likes to mix things up with a western setting sometimes. Kiki’s Delivery Service takes place in an alternate Europe in the 1950’s where WWII never happened and everyone has western-esque garb in Nausicaa, and Caslte in the Sky. Oh yeah, and Porco Rosso is post-WWI Italy.
If you look at anime in general you’ll find that most of the characters are white people.
The influence of American animation is more obvious in very early anime. For instance Tetsuon Atom (Astro Boy) looks alot like Micky Mouse.
The prongs in AB’s hair look like Mickey’s ears.
Also, to tell the characters apart Japanese animators will often give the characters different colored hair.
The look of characters is most anime has very little to do with race, and alot to do with style. I think that’s part of what gives anime a universal appeal for many people around the world.
I’ve never heard your theory.
In fact I find it odd because many people and especially kids identify with the various heroes that they see on film and TV, so it seems pretty odd that most of Japan would have white people as heroes.
Something tells me that the white people in anime may be a little like the cartoons and blackface performers that used to exist in the west. It’s fun to watch those blackies do their thing.
I don’t take what that person said lightly, because she really seemed to know what she was talking about. That particular evening I asked her a lot about Japanese cinema and got answers that I later heard repeated in other places.
For instance, I asked her about why in many old Samurai films why they would show Cherry Blossom petals slowing falling on water. She reported that the represents people that have died or soldiers that have died. I later found that to be true. That and other things make me think that she knows what she’s talking about.
Anime became popular right after WWII as the country was still rebuilding. Although highly inspired by Disney and other styles I doubt that post-war Japanese people really wanted to see what white people do.
The theme of these early shows were simply and peppy, must like the depression-era movies from America.
The idea of manga comes from two sources, as I have mentioned the influence of western character styles. The second part comes from a much older source. Painted scrolls used to tell stories in earley Japan. When manga creators paired the character designs from comic strips and scroll art a new art form was born. So even if the characters look white, the core of manga and anime is quite traditional.
I find that difficult to swallow.
Many cultures have a history of telling stories through pictures and Japan has a huge history of racism and xenophobia that continues today.