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> can only see it through your cultural lens Thanks for this. I read this as you presuming me to be a Westerner Social Justice Warrior making gender progressi
by alephnan 3y ago
> can only see it through your cultural lens
Thanks for this. I read this as you presuming me to be a Westerner Social Justice Warrior making gender progressive criticism. Rereading my comment, I can see how it may be interpreted this way interpreted.
To be clear, my original comment was not a criticism of Toriyama Akira, nor a suggesting Japan needs to be more gender progressive. The fact that people project this issue and respond so defensively is an indicator that gender issues remain a thorn in Japan.
> According to Shonen jumps own statistics, about 40% of their readers are women
Do they report if 40% of their executives or artists are women?
In general, we shouldn't take a company or institutions words at face value and look at what they actually do. According to China Evergrande and FTX's own sheets, they had health balance sheets. By China and Japan's own statistics, they have conflicting numbers on geopolitical matters.
I'm not saying Shonen Jump is in the same group as shady companies, but they are a for profit organization. Of course they are increasingly financially incentivized to not limit their customer base. If they were serious about being universal, they can change their name. Let's not evade around the fact that Shonen doesn't literally means 'boy'. I'm not suggesting that Shonen Jump needs to change their name, I'm just saying if they actually cared about gender equality, other then profiting off half the population, you'd see this reflected more.
Even if this cherry picked statistic is true, there could be more to it. I acknowledge Shonen Jump is increasing its female reader base, but that doesn't mean the bulk of their content is male centric. Maybe there's one series that appeals to female audience.
> They are very well aware of that fact and takes that in to account when they accept new series in to the magazine.
So I'm not wrong to suggest that the industry and company has been, atleast historically, male centric?
> have a theme, which explicitly is "friendship, effort and victory"
It seems most of the victories are through physical combat. From my western "cultural lens", that's usually a sign of male centricity.
> their reader, guys or girls, old or young
Would love to see a statistic on what percentage of Shonen Jump's readers are 60 year old ladies.
> I think you're down voted because you have a shallow understanding of the topic... don't fully understand how the Manga culture
My understanding is shallow because the subject is not deep. It's only complex if you to do mental gymnastics to defend and explain away Japan's male patriarchy.
Since you want to portray that culture is more progressive then it is, and it is I who is ignorant to how progressive the culture is, can you enlighten me why all female artist collectives like this exist? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clamp_(manga_artists) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clamp_(manga_artists). Are there major publishing houses ran by such groups of women?
> (and somehow think mentioning that on a post he died, is appropriate)
I never criticized Toriyama Akira. It is people who are projecting gender progressive issues
- konart 3y ago>Would love to see a statistic on what percentage of Shonen Jump's readers are 60 year old ladies. This a very strange desire considering the magazine literally have word "shonen" in its title. You do realize that they also have shojo and josei manga? >My understanding is shallow because the subject is not deep. Maybe you should do at least scratch the surface? https://www.animemangastudies.com/search-results/?Title=women&Name=&frm_search=&show_view=yes https://www.animemangastudies.com/search-results/?Title=wome...
- alephnan 3y ago> have word "shonen" in its title. Right, meaning boy. Which I originally stated as not being a deep topic. So why try to pretend Shonen Jump is this progressive brand for universal audiences. Doing mental gymnastics to twist the meaning of “boy” to mean this inclusive theme of victory for all. > shojo and josei But, as with many things Japanese, the boys and men take first precedence. Is this not indicative of the male patriarchy? Why not name It Shojo Jump then? Does that make you uncomfortable? Or do you have some denialist answer about how naming it “Shojo Jump” would be awkward or “strange” in the Japanese language? If that’s strange, then it suggests to me the male patriarchy is so deeply institutionalized and embedded that you can’t possibly reason outside of it Thank you for mansplaining the existence of Japanese feminist studies. Can you please mansplain why “women’s colleges” exist in Japan? And why feminist studies are almost always resigned to these institutions. To most Americans, that would be a weird and ironic concept. You think asking whether any 60 year old women are actually readers is a “strange question”? Why? Because the answer is a statistically low number? Me too. You’re agreeing and confirming my very points. Maybe you can’t pickup on the sarcasm and irony here.
- bigbillheck 3y ago> Right, meaning boy. Which I originally stated as not being a deep topic. So why try to pretend Shonen Jump is this progressive brand for universal audiences. Doing mental gymnastics to twist the meaning of “boy” to mean this inclusive theme of victory for all. OK, now do Shonen Knife.