Forum - View topicEyeshield 21's sanitation of racism issue
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TcDohl
 Posts: 82 |
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In the Eyeshield 21 anime, one character, Panther, an African-American high school football player was kept from playing for his white-only football team and treated like trash by his white coach... for 'showboating for his grandma' in one game instead of following the coach.
However, in the Eyeshield 21 manga, Panther was kept from the team and treated like trash by his coach for... yes, being black. The coach was racist, and Panther was his outlet for his racial anger. In both versions, he was kept on the team as a ball boy, with the pleas of the team members, many of which were his friends. In one scene, the coach grabbed Panther's headband and used it to shine his shoe. The coach constantly degrades him when he is in his presence. Now, that seems a bit excessive for 'showboating', huh? Now, may I ask the producers and writers of Eyeshield 21, and not to mention, TV Tokyo, why? Why gloss over such an important topic such as racism? Why change the backstory of a character when this would leave plot holes? Let's not forget that Japan has had a long history of racism and intolerance. Today, one can go to a few pubs and onsen only to find a sign that says 'no foreigners unless accompanied by Japanese'. Japan currently does not have as much protection for ethnic minorities as other industrialized nations. One has said that this was done in order for the show to be more "family friendly" (a trend that TV Tokyo has proved in the past). However, I cannot find anything inappropriate with raising important issues. If anything, issues like this make it all the more appropriate for Japanese kids and teens, since they don't usually see someone of different nationality every day. The only manga or anime that's dealth with racism that I know was Planetes, and that's only in the manga. |
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Coffeeman
Posts: 298 |
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The Japanese are actually a very racist society.
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Chiroptera Rex
 Space Cowboy Posts: 262 Location: The Batcave, Gotham City, Wisconsin. |
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As is any country. That's how it is everywhere in the world. Differences are alway met with hostility at first. In the modern times, Japan may be more overt in their racial hostility. I think that they're still extremely isolationist. Still, that's no different from what the United States used to be in the past and is still no different from how the US still is behind closed doors.
The anime definitely should have been left alone. I would suspect that the manga writer agreed with the studios to change the scene. |
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ParaParaJMo
 Posts: 333 Location: Gilbert, AZ, USA |
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Hell, the Ringu ni Kakero manga puts the racism to Eyeshield 21 to shame. They portray Germans as Nazis (don't expect it to be licenced in Germany), Italians as Mafia men, French as uptight and arrogant, and Americans as a motley crue of a jive talking black guy (keep in mind the manga was written in the 70s though the anime was fairly recent), a death row inmate for multiple counts of murder, a gay man from Chicago, a Hell's Angels member, and a member of the Ku Klux Klan. They even use the N word at times and use very racist terms.
I'm not too offended by it, but looking at it from a view point of a different culture, I just find it hilarious. Hajime no Ippo, another boxing manga has also portrayed Thai's and Korean's in a very negative matter itself. |
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