The Four Color Media Monitor

The Good Men Project wrote about the influence anime and manga have on men. But they decidedly have some misleading claims here, and they act like manga is literally realistic:

1. Stories That Liberate

Believe it or not, a whole world exists beyond American Superheroes. Going afar from the typical portrayal of men who’re macho in every situation, who look godly and have girls falling in their arms, Japanese anime and manga portray the more realistic man. He cries, gets weak, falls, and tries hard to get back up in a more relatable manner.

Oh please. Even from an eastern cultural perspective, not everything in a manga story is "realistic". Yes, Japan does have a problem with shy types who may find it difficult to prove the best of father figures. But since when wasn't the US superhero depiction of guys who're macho in all situations also realistic, and above all, meant to inspire? They even fail to ponder that at least a few of the early Marvel heroes in the Silver Age like Spider-Man, Cyclops, Daredevil and Thor had their share of moments where they didn't manage well with the ladies, though they eventually got the hang of it.

It's also ridiculous to make comparisons between corporate owned superhero worlds (corporatism is practically what's destroying them now), and manga books with all sorts of different cast members with no connection to each others' books. And how exactly is weakness "liberating"? I don't see the logic.

While each of us seek ‘diamond-in-the-rough’ kind of stories, Japanese anime and manga aren’t afraid to extend its genre to an extent where the storyline becomes more universal and current. Whether it is Futaba-kun Change, where the male character turns into a woman every time he gets excited, or Urbance that showcases a dystopian love story full of sex, drugs, and violence, Japanese anime and manga break the stereotype and give all a reason to think beyond rubrics.

Like as if that's "realistic". Oh, do tell. As if there wasn't enough kabuki-style theatrics in manga/anime already, with tons of violent clashes that could yield blood, yet no serious injuries or chances of death, and sometimes not even broken bones.

The most distinguishing aspects of Japanese anime and manga are its distinct graphics and drawings. Whether it is the innocence of Goku (Dragon Ball Z) or the twisted intentions of Light Yagami (Death Note), the cartoon characters are visually appealing and extremely relatable. Think of Edward Elric and one can instantly identify with the unapologetic eccentric state alchemist who’s always ready to push limits. These characters are a part of the lives of their fans. A lot of credit goes to the realistic depiction of their emotions through the spectacular visuals.

As I said before, that's asking a lot to believe even human relations in Japanese fiction are 100 percent realism. Why, in fact, is chibi itself realistic in every sense? Not necessarily.

Besides, if men in anime aren't always depicted knowing how to win over the ladies properly, how does that inspire in every sense? Often, we read stories about folks who can inspire. Fortunately, there are plenty of manga stories out that that offer up just that. But to say it's all one direction or another doesn't cut it, and doesn't provide convincing insight to manga at all. As a result, this is hardly the best guide to manga you could find.

Labels: Europe and Asia, manga and anime, msm propaganda