Gender and Gender Relations in Manga and Anime Essay -- Men Women Humo

Manga and Anime, as inviting and open as they may seem, are at heart the products of Japans culture. Despite its technological advancement, Japan roughhow manages to retain oer more than of its historical character, in addition to blending in the everyplacewhelming influences of the West. The Japanese treatment of gender and gender relations has taken many turns all over the last millennium, and manga and anime reflect those changes. Still, at the core of the culture lies plastered fundamental beliefs that are proving difficult to change.Recently, too, there is growing controversy over gender roles in Japan. An American friend recently complained bitterly over the pervasiveness of sadistic, (heterosexual) male-oriented Japanese pornography in Japan. She says that the message that women are sexual objects has let almost epidemic in Japanese culture, and that male chauvenism is everywhere. Many career women in Japan seem to be so disgusted with things that they deflect to marry . And too many men are expected to sacrifice themselves to their jobs, to the menstruation of having no family involvement. When a man retires, he sometimes be comes trapped in a family he doesnt know, with nothing to do, and he tends to die soon after(prenominal)wards from his sudden lack of purpose.I am not an expert in this topic however, maybe I can provide some keenness into Japanese culture and its reflection in manga, as well as some recent trends in manga. I am writing, by the way, from the lead of view that individuality is more important than ones gender --- and hence to emboss genders and to force people to conform to those stereotypes is not a good thing. I personally think wed all be better off if to each one(prenominal) of us picked up the stereotypical strengths of both genders, if, say, men w... ...s, it seems, is to make Ranma rotate that he loves her. (In Takahashis Urusei Yatsura series, Lum would make herself bait in order to watch Moroboshi come rescue her --- proof to her that he did love her). However, unlike a very helpless heroine, over and over Akane must come to Ranmas rescue after he has come to hers. Without Akanes help, Ranma would have lost many of his battles, as much as he hates to admit it. Akane is a key part of a team either person could not possibly succeed alone. (Interestingly, though, this coalition is down-played in the TV shows it only truly shines through in Takahashis maestro stories).Even in some of the more stereotyped manga, there is some partnership and friendship between the sexes. And isnt partnership --- mutual respect, caring for each other, helping each other --- the most important thing in any relationship?