Transition is "blackface?"

[zirconia]

Hi, Lucca,

That's not entirely true, there have been plenty of Japanese live-action film adaptions of Japanese animation that have cast Japanese people in roles that were originally white, like in Fullmetal Alchemist or Attack on Titan, and have been criticized for it in both Japan and the U.S. (Or at least in the U.S, I've been told that there's some controversy in Japan but I can't really gauge it for myself.) However, this is pretty defensible in my opinion, given that I'm sure there's a lack of white actors who can speak Japanese well enough to stock an entire film cast.

From what I've understood, the main controversy regarding the Asian cast of Attack on Titan inside Japan concerned the fact that only one character in the comic was Asian... so it completely nullified a major aspect of the story. Other than that, many fans hated the acting, modifications to the story and setting, and how the movie all in all mangled and politicized the original. I myself found it so horrible that I've practically erased it from my memory... (As an aside, the correct translation of the original Japanese title of the comic would be closer to (The) Attack Giant.)

I really hope you don't take this wrong, but I felt troubled when you said the use of an Asian cast is defensible because there's a lack of white actors. The reason is that to me this would seem to imply that if white actors would be available it would be indefensible. If so, it almost sounds as if the American rules regarding only casting given ethnicities for certain roles and the reasons for doing so also apply in every other country throughout the world.

I'm actually happy that they don't, because if they did, I'm afraid that pretty soon other rules would also follow suit—and then the other countries would start to demand that the cross-border application of rules be made reciprocal. With all the various bans of certain things in certain countries tied to local cultural factors, I'm afraid everyone everywhere would eventually find very little freedom to do anything...

[DustKitten]

From what I've understood, the main controversy regarding the Asian cast of Attack on Titan inside Japan concerned the fact that only one character in the comic was Asian... so it completely nullified a major aspect of the story. Other than that, many fans hated the acting, modifications to the story and setting, and how the movie all in all mangled and politicized the original. I myself found it so horrible that I've practically erased it from my memory... (As an aside, the correct translation of the original Japanese title of the comic would be closer to (The) Attack Giant.)

Edit: Possible SPOILER WARNING, I'm not sure where the anime is and I'm caught up with the manga, so...

!!!POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD!!!



Technically, Mikasa is half-Japanese and half Eldian  but her family was killed over it, so I can see why people might have an issue with that. At this point, I'd almost forgotten she was part Japanese; her Ackerman-ness seems much more significant to me. I haven't kept up with, or watched any live-action anime movies since Dragon Ball Evolution and The Last Airbender, but I like when my friends get excited over one and end up bitterly disappointed when it fails to meet their expectations. It makes me feel good about refusing to see them.

[Dena]

Hi, Lucca,

From what I've understood, the main controversy regarding the Asian cast of Attack on Titan inside Japan concerned the fact that only one character in the comic was Asian... so it completely nullified a major aspect of the story. Other than that, many fans hated the acting, modifications to the story and setting, and how the movie all in all mangled and politicized the original. I myself found it so horrible that I've practically erased it from my memory... (As an aside, the correct translation of the original Japanese title of the comic would be closer to (The) Attack Giant.)

I really hope you don't take this wrong, but I felt troubled when you said the use of an Asian cast is defensible because there's a lack of white actors. The reason is that to me this would seem to imply that if white actors would be available it would be indefensible. If so, it almost sounds as if the American rules regarding only casting given ethnicities for certain roles and the reasons for doing so also apply in every other country throughout the world.

I'm actually happy that they don't, because if they did, I'm afraid that pretty soon other rules would also follow suit—and then the other countries would start to demand that the cross-border application of rules be made reciprocal. With all the various bans of certain things in certain countries tied to local cultural factors, I'm afraid everyone everywhere would eventually find very little freedom to do anything...

I can think of many U.S. movies where white people played Native Americans and Mexicans but the storyline did with respect toward the culture and the person. Black face is often done to ridicule the culture and that is were the problem is. It's acceptable to ridicule your own culture and some of our best comedy does exactly that. Look at It's a Mad Mad Mad World, Blazing Saddles or even Paint Your Wagon and you will see comedy that makes fun of ones self and not others.

It's much like when you were in school and it wasn't proper to make fun of others. You could be the class clown and that was perfectly acceptable.