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INTEREST: Gundam Designer Gets Political with Trump Magazine Cover


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mgosdin



Joined: 17 Jul 2011
Posts: 1302
Location: Kissimmee, Florida, USA
PostPosted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 2:22 pm Reply with quote
I'm not sure that US Politics, in it's current iteration, and Manga / Anime are a good mix. I don't really come here to have this sort of thing thrown at me. I think it would be wise for ANN to think long and hard before becoming involved.

Mark Gosdin
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HolsteinCrab



Joined: 07 Dec 2017
Posts: 42
PostPosted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 2:31 pm Reply with quote
Something is wrong....

Putin's skin is more orange than Trump's! TRAVESTY!
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Kicksville



Joined: 20 Nov 2010
Posts: 1250
PostPosted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 2:33 pm Reply with quote
I like how tiny Abe is.
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testament956



Joined: 31 Mar 2005
Posts: 10
PostPosted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 2:43 pm Reply with quote
mgosdin wrote:
I'm not sure that US Politics, in it's current iteration, and Manga / Anime are a good mix. I don't really come here to have this sort of thing thrown at me. I think it would be wise for ANN to think long and hard before becoming involved.

Mark Gosdin


I actually think it’s a good thing, it’s great to have a perspective on how Japan views America. Even if it’s not a pleasant view for Americans to know, they should still know how their country’s politics affect the world.
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Chrono1000





PostPosted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 2:52 pm Reply with quote
That cover doesn't really make sense considering Trump is the most anti-communist President we have had since Reagan. The main problem with North Korea is that China props them up economically so that no matter how many sanctions are placed on them they still get enough money to continue their nuclear program. China is using North Korea to distract from their other activities and they are gambling that if a war does happen that they can avoid getting involved in it.
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mgosdin



Joined: 17 Jul 2011
Posts: 1302
Location: Kissimmee, Florida, USA
PostPosted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 3:08 pm Reply with quote
testament956 wrote:
I actually think it’s a good thing, it’s great to have a perspective on how Japan views America. Even if it’s not a pleasant view for Americans to know, they should still know how their country’s politics affect the world.


It's only a single illustrator's view, pleasant or not, and likely doesn't represent the total of Japan's citizenry. After all, they keep electing Mr. Abe and he's not being flattered by this illustration either.

In this day and age there's nothing that can separate people faster than politics, do we really want that here?

Mark Gosdin
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uguu



Joined: 02 Oct 2010
Posts: 220
PostPosted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 3:10 pm Reply with quote
Pointing out Yasuhiko drew a political mag cover is fine. ANN have been inserting legit out-of-place politics into reviews for ages so it's weird to make a thread complaining about this in particular.

That said there might be some bias in the "look at all everyone in Japan shitting on Trump" list at the end. I kinda doubt they'd have brought up something like Tadashi Hiramatsu's disliked of Hillary and feeling that even Trump is a less-bad choice, then going out of his way to portray her negatively in Ibuseki Yoruni.
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BadNewsBlues



Joined: 21 Sep 2014
Posts: 6313
PostPosted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 3:17 pm Reply with quote
Chrono1000 wrote:
That cover doesn't really make sense considering Trump is the most anti-communist President we have had since Reagan.


Which isn't saying really saying much as North Korea is one of the more strongly communist countries represented on that cover. And he himself hasn't much of problem doing business with the Chinese at the very least.

HolsteinCrab wrote:
Something is wrong....

Putin's skin is more orange than Trump's! TRAVESTY!


That and Trump apparently drinks alcohol which he doesn't do much of if at all.


Last edited by BadNewsBlues on Wed Dec 27, 2017 3:18 pm; edited 1 time in total
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ANN_Lynzee
ANN Executive Editor


Joined: 02 May 2011
Posts: 3031
Location: Email for assistance only
PostPosted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 3:17 pm Reply with quote
mgosdin wrote:
testament956 wrote:
I actually think it’s a good thing, it’s great to have a perspective on how Japan views America. Even if it’s not a pleasant view for Americans to know, they should still know how their country’s politics affect the world.


It's only a single illustrator's view, pleasant or not, and likely doesn't represent the total of Japan's citizenry. After all, they keep electing Mr. Abe and he's not being flattered by this illustration either.

In this day and age there's nothing that can separate people faster than politics, do we really want that here?

Mark Gosdin


I stayed out of the last thread specifically but this point of view boggles me as a journalist. I think everyone here realizes that this magazine exists whether I write about it or not, right? The crux of this argument is asking journalists, even when the focus is entertainment, to ignore anything that might upset anyone. We're all (mostly) adults here, so as long as the content is written in a reasonable and factual way without presumed judgment of the reader, why on Earth would you want me (as the author of this article) to babysit all of you (the readers) based on what I think you might overreact to?

A very prominent character designer in Japan drew an image of world political figures. Based on the art, he doesn't like how they're doing things right now. That's it. Knowing his feelings about political events can also lead to a deeper understanding on the point view in his art (manga) and gives a better understanding of creators as people. His views inform his art and art influences his world view.
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uguu



Joined: 02 Oct 2010
Posts: 220
PostPosted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 3:29 pm Reply with quote
octopodpie wrote:

I stayed out of the last thread specifically but this point of view boggles me as a journalist. I think everyone here realizes that this magazine exists whether I write about it or not, right? The crux of this argument is asking journalists, even when the focus is entertainment, to ignore anything that might upset anyone. We're all (mostly) adults here, so as long as the content is written in a reasonable and factual way without presumed judgment of the reader, why on Earth would you want me (as the author of this article) to babysit all of you (the readers) based on what I think you might overreact to?

A very prominent character designer in Japan drew an image of world political figures. Based on the art, he doesn't like how they're doing things right now. That's it. Knowing his feelings about political events can also lead to a deeper understanding on the point view in his art (manga) and gives a better understanding of creators as people. His views inform his art and art influences his world view.


I disagree with OP but I do think the general tone of the article is highly Americentric. From the title you'd think the cover exists specifically to criticize Trump when it's actually a "multiple world leaders drawn in a goofy way" thing.

The Inferno Cop thing is also a bit out of context since that episode was hardly some dead serious satirical #resist thing given it ended with Trump slicing Inferno Cop in half and all the Americans getting together to sing about hamburgers.

And once again I doubt ANN would have made an article dedicated to the nationalistic views of people like Hiramatsu (or, from what I gather, as I don't personally read it, the Baki author brought up in the article) that have leaked into their work.


Last edited by uguu on Wed Dec 27, 2017 3:34 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Stevangelion



Joined: 08 Feb 2017
Posts: 48
PostPosted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 3:32 pm Reply with quote
Some people... Jesus. This is an anime news related site. The guy who designed Gundam, an anime, drew a cover. It's news. Something that surely can't be news to you is that the world hates America correct? You have to understand that, right?

Most of the world outright hates us to their core and they have a bunch of valid reasons for doing so. Trump is a moron who loves his twitter feed and skin care regimen more than the country he is sworn to protect.

This is the way things are and hiding from stuff like this very TAME political drawing isn't going to help you, pop the bubble you're living in bruh.

Also people please don't bring up "What if Hilary" questions either. She couldn't even beat Trump and isn't the president so it's not valid. Live in the now and enjoy a very possible WW3.... maybe we will get another season of Hetalia if we're lucky.
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ANN_Lynzee
ANN Executive Editor


Joined: 02 May 2011
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 3:35 pm Reply with quote
uguu wrote:
I disagree with OP but I do think the general tone of the article is highly Americentric. From the title you'd think the cover exists specifically to criticize Trump when it's actually a "multiple world leaders drawn in a goofy way" thing.


There's always going to be a limitation to headlines. Trump is the central, focal figure of the artwork based on placement and of greatest interest to the majority of our readers, so he gets top billing. The secondary sub-headline is included to give additional details and context.

Headline writing is tricky and can require finesse at times to balance a bunch of different important aspects. I usually don't bother to delve into it here since it's a part of my job and it's sometimes very hard to make people satisfied without laying out my entire decision making process. But I get your interpretation and you may agree or disagree with the choice I made, that's valid.

.EDIT:
Quote:
And once again I doubt ANN would have made an article dedicated to the nationalistic views of people like Hiramatsu (or, from what I gather, as I don't personally read it, the Baki author brought up in the article) that have leaked into their work.


This is actually the exact type of thing we would write into Interest if there was reaction to it. I try to monitor certain blogs for major reactions in Japan to anime/manga/game works and we've written them up before, even when they have no relation to any American person. A good example of this is:
The rejected pearl diver mascot: http://4NN.cx/.92178
Cancelled moe girl shrine game: http://4NN.cx/.121570
Everything about Rokudenashiko: http://4NN.cx/.108895
Japanese criticism of Syrian refugees: http://4NN.cx/.93930
Sexual art in Shonen Jump: http://4NN.cx/.118937
Male-female dating dynamics: http://4NN.cx/.120300

Those are the few that I found with keywords, but we actually do controversy here in Interest a lot because I believe it's important to give a multi-faceted view and sometimes that means touching on Japanese nationalism, views of sexuality, and religion.


Last edited by ANN_Lynzee on Wed Dec 27, 2017 3:46 pm; edited 2 times in total
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uguu



Joined: 02 Oct 2010
Posts: 220
PostPosted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 3:36 pm Reply with quote
Stevangelion wrote:
Some people... Jesus. This is an anime news related site. The guy who designed Gundam, an anime, drew a cover. It's news. Something that surely can't be news to you is that the world hates America correct? You have to understand that, right?

Most of the world outright hates us to their core and they have a bunch of valid reasons for doing so. Trump is a moron who loves his twitter feed and skin care regimen more than the country he is sworn to protect.

This is the way things are and hiding from stuff like this very TAME political drawing isn't going to help you, pop the bubble you're living in bruh.

Also people please don't bring up "What if Hilary" questions either. She couldn't even beat Trump and isn't the president so it's not valid. Live in the now and enjoy a very possible WW3.... maybe we will get another season of Hetalia if we're lucky.


The thing is you're all focusing very hugely on Trump and/or how EVERYONE HATES AMERICA when the cover is not just about America. Trump was just one of multiple shitty world leaders caricatured.


Last edited by uguu on Wed Dec 27, 2017 3:58 pm; edited 3 times in total
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SrkSano



Joined: 05 Oct 2008
Posts: 205
PostPosted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 3:56 pm Reply with quote
"The red tie makes Trump look three times dumber than an ordinary President." - Char Aznable
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uguu



Joined: 02 Oct 2010
Posts: 220
PostPosted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 4:07 pm Reply with quote
It's worth noting a lot of Japanese left-wingers see Japan as quite easily comparable to America. Particularly likely for Yasuhiko, an animator of that generation who's made glorified drawings of Che Guevara before. America has more power in the grand scheme of things (which is why I think Trump is the biggest in that picture?) but Japan have screwed over other Asians and Abe strikes me as a sort of mini-Trump

That stuff, I think, is the problem with people getting really into politics because of Trump (I've seen people say stuff like "America is no longer united" which is comical). The guy is a symptom of social ills that have been rampant for eons and have been knowingly covered by manga/anime people from Tezuka to Urusawa or even guys. Even freaking Mad Bull 34 has a chapter about the entire police force covering up the death of an innocent black kid and the protags rebelling against this. But people are only noticing political themes in manga/anime now and trying their best to link it to just recent American issues.
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