Race and Ethnicity in BSSM

[Sailor Suki]

Probably just a troller, but I wanted to hear some educated opinions on this post. Feel free to post there and here. See if you can find my two cents.

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[Crystal Sailor Pluto]

That person clearly had no idea what she was talking about. stare  

[Luamervara]

Well, I can -understand- why she's saying that. But it's done in the most ignorant way possible.

She apparently doesn't understand cultural differences and the like. They're not 'white' they're Japanses. It just -looks- that way to her.

Plus, it's also climate that plays a big role. It's simple to decipher: Farther north you are the less sun and the less need for darkened skin tone. The more sun you have the more need for the said dark skintone.

Because of the melanoma in the skin that has to do with it's pigment.

(Though, based on that logic Mercury should be one dark girl and Pluto should've been pale as a ghost. )

It's only more recently in the last 10+ years that you see other races in Anime appearing more frequently. (Thanks Hip-hop/Jazz/commericalism.)

Even if it's sometimes sterotypical.

Not only that I think Japanese -and in general- have a love affair for pale skin and exotic eyes.

If you look at the literature and such- you see what the ideal beauty usually was.

Plus she really shouldn't be saying that anyway because up until they were free and now a couple centuries have passed- there used to be some Black people that literally believed that when they die, they'll turn white and go to heaven.

Does that make them racist?

Nope. D:  

[Sailor Suki]

Quote:

there used to be some Black people that literally believed that when they die, they'll turn white and go to heaven.

Wow, that's sad. But if you're a repressed/enslaved race, then your idea of ultimate happiness is probably gonna include you being of the free race. sad  

[Luamervara]

Not always, but that's how probably some of them viewed it. I remember watching a documentary about Slavery in the US (The notable one) and how this woman had sown a quilt and in one patch you see these two lil pale angels flying up and the person explained that the reason for that is, is that she believed that when her babies had died they would turn white and go to heaven.

She's obviously been converted to it-as many were. (Couldn't practice their own religion and ect.) And Originally couldn't be able to say -their- religious prayers out loud. Til like later.


But...yeah. Though her claims that Pluto is black is usually sourced because of the comic itself. Pluto-to someone outside of Japan and Asia in general- looks like she's black.
The story claims that Chronos is an actual living god/being and Pluto's his daughter.

With that evidence and the fact that the mythology of Chronos is from Greece which is near Africa as well- one can assume that Pluto could probably be half black.
Which when you're in the States- is an assumption that you're black. Unless you're able to pass for white. (Believe me there have been people like that.)

Add on to the illogical place of where Pluto always seems to be where there's no sun, no real logical reason for the dark tone of her skin- other then the fact she inheirted it from her parents. Either one could've been darker then the other.

But that last bit is my theory~
(Note: D: This is a blanketed generalization I'm making. It can be extended to any race that has been enslaved whether by it's own or another. Just being specific because of the original 'troller' 's claim about racism and the indication of her believing Pluto to be black. Tis all <3 )  

[Sailor Suki]

Anybody else? wink  

[Nicki Plague]

I saw that thread a while ago I thought it was rather stupid for them to post that even though it's their opinion (and stupidity) it was expressed wrongly and apparently with little to no research done

 

[HououMinamino]

Here is what I posted:

Quote:

They aren't white. They're Asian. Asian people, specifically Japanese people, live in Japan. Japan is the setting.
And technically, since the Senshi come from other planets, they are all aliens. I see diversity in that. People from different planets! Look at characters like the tree aliens. They have green skin.

 

[Sailor Chiron]

HououMinamino

Here is what I posted:

Quote:

They aren't white. They're Asian. Asian people, specifically Japanese people, live in Japan. Japan is the setting.
And technically, since the Senshi come from other planets, they are all aliens. I see diversity in that. People from different planets! Look at characters like the tree aliens. They have green skin.

*applauds*

“Guardian of the Gate of Death, I’m searching for the New World”

 

[Sailor Suki]

Haha, I like the part about green-skinned people. Keep thinking of the phrase, "It's not easy being green . . ."  

[KiMeepKi]

Not sure if this discussion is still open but....

The point that they posed is actually a very common issue most "darker skinned" people have with anime in general. I don't see it as racist, per se, but xenophobic. My Japanese teachers have all told me that Japan is very wary of foreigners, especially those who look drastically different than them (i.e. Black people, Hispanic people, etc.). Anime has shown a very long standing "hatred" toward dark skinned people, they they are shown in the first place. Just look at Chocolove from Shaman King (even the name is racist) and Axel from Yu-Gi-Oh GX.

D:

But of course, it's not racist to simply not include a race in your stories. If you think about it, it wouldn't make sense for many dark skinned characters to be in an anime, since most anime is set in Japan. There aren't too many Black, Hispanic, Indian, etc. people in Japan. And obviously, Sailor Moon was made before Pluto was demoted from its planet status and Pluto clearly isn't even Black. So nothing about that thread in particular is truthful. However, my own personal problem comes not from the lack of Black people (though its extremely annoying when it comes to cosplaying) but the way they are drawn and portrayed. Only recently have I seen any Black/dark skinned characters who aren't like black face caricatures that make us look like monkeys (Yoruichi, Tosen, Chad...unfortunately these are all from the same series...).

So yeah, that's my take on it. But the post itself is bogus XP There's nothing racist about Sailor Moon or most other anime.  

[Nariana]

It's very ridiculous to bring that up. She obviously doesn't understand that all the characters are Japanese and live in Japan. Not much racism when the creator of Sailor Moon, Naoko Takeuchi is Japanese. Seriously, that is really lame in my opinion. Why would race really matter, anyway? I understand that some people there may not care for other races (from what I hear, at least). That's okay, since they make great shows.

Also, Pluto was a planet when the story was created. It was impossible to know that scientists would demote Pluto as a planet fifteen years later. She is darker than everyone, true, but I assume that she is also Japanese or Asian. They don't all have to be the same color, right?

So this is my 2 cents.  

[GreenInkling]

I think I mentioned this before, but the Sailor Moon fandom community is full of black and multi-racial otaku senshi and original characters. It's nice to know our community is so open.  

[Saturn Tomoe Hotaru]

I think it would also be safe to say that Lead Crow was also colored/black/darker skin. <- Depends on how you view it.

But I agree with a lot of what was written here, when I was helping Triton research about her character I found that back when Sailor Moon when being made people of darker skin found it hard over in Japan. I think KiMeepKi hits the nail on the head.

Its nice to see how far anime has come with their racial differences;

1- Utena you have Anthy and Aiko.

There was a possible interracial coupling between Utena and Anthy, but there was definitely one between Utena and Aiko.
Anthy was kind of a grey area character, she wasn't evil and was mislead but her elder brother.

2- There is the character in bleach, I don't remember her name. She was someone of a high power in the rankings and she had a pretty important role I think.

And I've drawn a blank at others at the moment but that is my two cents. ^^  

[Luamervara]

I agree. Lead/Red Crow was of a darker tone. So was Ruruna(sp?) who was Naru's little sister and her friend. (Then again it could be they just got a tan...)

Anthy and Akio are pretty much Indian.

And from Bleach it's:

Sado (Chado)- Tall dark one of the main characters. Half Japanese/Mexican.

Shihouin Yoruichi- The black lady that was a cat. She was an instructor for Ichigo. And pretty fast.

Kaname Tōsen - Blind Black man that joined Aizen in that whole 'path of least bloodshed' thing. He's pretty powerful as well. Captain of the 9th Division.


Of course there are other animes - Cowboy Beebop- and such.


But you know, before her death, it could be argued that Pluto isn't Japanese before her 'rebirth' for the Super's Arc. (But that's going strictly by Manga.)

Could be argued she's Greek/or just Plutonian. Since she's from Pluto after all xD; .