#hapa characters

[itsawritblr]

Fuck "sensitivity readers."

I see that a couple of my Followers and other writers on here are obsessed with writing POC "correctly."

As a full-time professional writer of fiction and nonfiction who's also Hapa, I need to point out:

So you're paranoid that you're gonna write something and POC are going to come after you, calling you "racist" or "insensitive" or that you're "appropriating culture."

The only reply you need to make is in 2 steps:

Say:

Then:

There's is no "right way" to write any group of people or any race or ethnicity. Know why?

I've seen this happen. A Black writer will tell white writers how to write Blacks. Then another Black writer will say, "Wait a minute, I'm not like that, my family's not like that. We're not all Urban BLM hip-hop lovers. I'm Christian, I'm against trans in women's spaces, I have several White friends, and I listen to classic country music."

So who's right? Both.

A "sensitivity reader" or some on this hellsite will tell you HOW to write POC. When all they're telling you is their POV. They can't speak for everyone. (A perfect example.)

If you want to write about a person of a race or ethnicity other than your own, sure, do a little research, as you would with anything. If a sensitivity reader tells you your Jewish character should be celebrating Shabbat, a little research on your own will tell you that not all Jews do (as it happens, I learned this from my Jewish boyfriend, whose family never celebrated Shabbat). So that "sensitivity reader" would have given you misinformation because of her or his POV.

Do not panic that you're gonna be canceled or yelled at for "getting it wrong."

There IS no wrong. Look,

All you need to remember is:

Writer and screenwriter Anthony Horowitz was told not to write Black characters because he's white and Jewish. This stunned him. He was supposed to leave Black characters out of his work? But if he did that he'd be accused of not having Black characters.

He didn't obey. In fact, I'm reading his current novel, and he has a perfectly fine Black character in it.

Read this article:

No, Authors Should Not Be Constrained By Gender Or Race In The Characters They Create. by Lorraine Devon White, Contributor

This was the BBC.com headline:

Spy Author Anthony Horowitz ‘Warned Off’ Creating Black Character:

Author Anthony Horowitz says he was “warned off” including a black character in his new book because it was “inappropriate” for a white writer. The creator of the Alex Rider teenage spy novels says an editor told him it could be considered “patronising” ... Horowitz, who has written 10 novels featuring teenage spy Alex Rider, said there was a “chain of thought” in America that it was “inappropriate” for white writers to try to create black characters, something which he described as “dangerous territory”.

Dangerous territory, indeed.

What are we to make of this? Is an author limited to only writing characters within their race? What about gender? Religion? Age? Ethnicity? Sexual orientation? Where do the boundaries stop?

The old adage, “write what you know,” is a thesis that implies a writer should limit their imagination to the parameters of their own life and experience. But does that maxim still hold true today? Certainly in these times of viral accessibility, contact, research, knowledge, and interaction with people, places, and things far outside our own proximity is as every-day as 24/7 updates from the farthest corners of the globe. Our ability, consequently, to gain perspective sufficient enough to write outside one’s own “house” is not only doable, but, perhaps, universal and insightful, presuming one does it well.

But is it “patronizing”? Are we, as writers, simply not allowed to write outside, say, our culture, regardless of how well we might do it? Has society become so compartmentalized, so hypersensitive, politically correct, and wary of triggering repercussion, resentment, or misinterpretation that reaching beyond our own skin ― literally and figuratively – has become verboten to us as creative artists?

Interesting questions, these; particularly when you consider that men have been writing about women since time immemorial without particular societal concern that they couldn’t possibly know, couldn’t authentically muster, the requisite experiential perspective. It was a given that they could get the job done; accepted without debate. Yet the specificity, the sensitive and unique nature of being female, could be considered as disparate from the male experience as being black is to a white person, but that hasn’t stopped male authors, from Vladimir Nabokov to Wally Lamb, from creating their women of note.

Which is fair. Because the explicit job of an author is to climb inside the experience of LIFE, real or imagined, to tell compelling stories that reflect the incalculable diversity of detail, nuance, thought, and emotion of any variety of people, places, and things. And the creative mind can find and translate authenticity whether writing about Martians, coquettish teens, dogs who play poker, or characters who exactly mirror the author‘s gender or race.

I’ve had my own experience with this interesting conundrum: my last novel, Hysterical Love, was told through the first-person point-of-view of a thirty-three-year-old man, and it goes without saying: I’m not one of those. Yet I felt completely capable of infusing my story with authenticity by relying on my skills of observation, as well as my experiential knowledge as the sister of five men, the mother of a son, the wife of a man; my years on the road with rock bands, and the immersive research of being a close friend to many, many men throughout my life. I’ve been told I pulled it off, even by the men who’ve read it, so my conviction proved out.

But is the divide between cultures, races, wider than that of gender diversity? Does a white writer delegitimize their prose by including black characters? Is the reverse true?

I don’t think so. I think it depends on the writer, the quality of their work; the depth and sensitivity of their depictions. Those are my initial responses. But I also understand the question:

About two years ago I had an article up at HuffPost titled, “No, White People Will Never Understand the Black Experience,” a piece that became a flashpoint for much conversation on the topic of race. It was written in response to events of the time, particularly the egregious injustice of Sandra Bland’s arrest and subsequent (and inexplicable) jailhouse death, and the cacophony that arose amongst, amidst, and between parties on both sides of the racial divide as a result. My own thesis, my perspective on the tangible limitations we each have in perceiving and assessing the realities of life outside ourselves, is made clear by the title alone. But while there’s obviously much more to that debate, here and now we’re discussing the issue as it relates to the job of being an author and I have some specific thoughts on that.

Inspired by the many responses and conversations that ensued after the aforementioned article, as well as others written on the topic of racial conflict, bias, and injustice, I took one of the stories referenced, about an interracial couple’s experiences with police profiling, and developed it into a character-driven novel called A NICE WHITE GIRL, a title that reflects commentary made within some of the conversations I had.

This “sociopolitical love story” is told through the intertwining points-of-view of a black man and white woman dealing not only with pushback to their new and evolving relationship, but the ratcheting impact of police profiling that ultimately leads to a life-altering arrest. It’s a story that’s human, gut-wrenching, and honest, built on the foundation of my own experiences in a long-term interracial relationship earlier in my life, as well as journalistic research and interviews, personal interactions, even friendships with members of the black community. Given a commitment to creating the characters outside my demographic as authentically and sensitively as I possibly could, without watering them down or pandering to political correctness, I believe I served both my story and its cultural demands well. Did I?

Every author relies on, taps into; mines the wealth of thought, opinion, perspective, and acculturation of their own unique life experience. Certainly that’s true. But as artists, as observers and chroniclers of life by way of prose, we go beyond that pool of reference. We reach out, we expand; we explore plot lines and include characters that stretch our imagination, that dig deep into worlds, events and experiences, imagined or real, that can pull us onto less traveled roads that might demand the challenge of research, of specific observation, even outside consultation. We take these extra steps, even for fiction, because we want to infuse our work with inherent realness. Particularly when writing characters outside our culture. That was certainly the demand I faced when embarking upon this latest novel.

But I am a white woman who’s written a book with a black male character, inclusive of his mother, his sister, and various friends. I’ve depicted their family life, their interactions, relationships, thoughts and feelings. Do I not have the creative right to do that? Will I be seen as patronizing, insensitive, off base, and inappropriate? Will this make my book too controversial for representation, for publishing, for sale? Will it garner derision and disdain from members of the black community? Even members of the white community who may resent the harshness with which I depict some of the police?

I don’t know. Maybe. But it was a story I felt passionate about, compelled to write; that took the many debated aspects and elements discussed in my articles and put them into fictional form, with imagined characters who embodied and borrowed from people I knew, from conversations I’d had, from ideas, agendas, politics, and passions that had been conveyed to me by real people expressing essential and sometimes controversial perspectives. I was determined to honor them by candidly, honestly, and without apology, telling the story.

But perhaps, as Anthony Horowitz was told, I’m entering territory that is off-limits, that puts me at odds with those who might frame me as presumptuous and patronizing. “A nice white girl” who’s stepped outside of culturally acceptable boundaries.

I hope not, because I, like Mr. Horowitz, see that as “dangerous territory.”

Just as brilliant male authors have gorgeously written female protagonists; as female novelists have conjured male characters ringing with truth; as writers of one ethnicity have honestly depicted another; as fabulists have invented entire worlds of imagined wonders, authors must be limited by... NOTHING. Not a thing. They must be free to create without fear of cultural naysaying, societal judgment, threat of reprisal, or the discomfort of crossing cultural boundaries.

The only mandate to which they’re obligated is GOOD WRITING. Writing with wit and clarity. Honesty. Authenticity. Sensitivity and depth. Engaging prose, compelling plots, and visceral emotion. And, if need be, if determined helpful, the use of “sensitivity readers” who can ascertain if the writer got the cultural references right.

But just as Idris Elba could certainly make magic as James Bond, as Anthony Horowitz could create an intriguing black spy for his books; as I can write characters both male and of a culture outside my own, so must every author of merit and worth be allowed to view the entire panoply of life as fuel for their imagination. Anything else is antithetical to the mission of art... and stymying art serves no one. Not the writer, not the reader, not the myriad members of our diverse world hungry for stories that reflect their lives. Art is imagining; creating, mirroring, and provoking... all of which can and must be achieved by artists free to explore without the limiting effect of creative and cultural boundaries.

[witchofthesouls]

Besides American pop culture such as metal, is Miko a fan of the more traditional aspects of Japanese culture at all?

Hmm, this is a tricky question for me because I'm a born and raised American hapa. My half-Asian is Viet.

A lot of my thoughts for Miko were formed by conversations with a few Japanese exchange students, YouTube, Japanese language classes, online information, and what I would have liked to see from the show.

I'm going to be missing a lot of cultural context from a native perspective.

(That or I'm reading way too deep into this ask lol)

I really wish that we had more instances of culture clash or misunderstandings because it could have provided more depth to everyone by opening new dialogue and provided more context of the lore and character backgrounds.

As a character, Miko Nakadai comes off more like an American-born or as someone who's very comfortable in the U.S. from long-term exposure. Perhaps she has relatives in a different state? But then that opens more questions than answers. (It doesn't matter obsessed you're into a country or culture, the first hand experience is a shock.)

And it doesn't help she feels slap-dash in a way. She's vague in the sense that she has a lot of disconnected traits that don't really match up what we were given as viewers. It really isn't a surprise that she's a polarizing character.

Concept wise, the creators pulled a lot of inspiration from Harajuku fashion, so the colorful punk aesthetic does make sense in hindsight with the elements of Visual Kei and Kawaii. But that particular tidbit was released in the Transformers: Art of Prime book.

(As of now, it's nearly $5,000 on Amazon, but we have lovely people who may or may not share some pages online.)

It would have been so great if the show committed to the Japanese exchange student bit by giving more information about Miko's background besides her parents living in Tokyo. I know I made a comment about her parents are like Tatsu and Miku from Way of the Househusband, but that would have provided so much context on Miko's wildness and complete recklessness because the Vegas Effect can only explain so much. (It would make so much sense on how she went for the damn axe to wield against Soundwave! No hesitation from that girl!)

Shoot, even her favorite band, Slash Monkeys, is a Bulgarian rock band! There is nothing wrong with that, but give me/us a bone! Something minor, like a throwaway line about Japanese rock bands that did popular anime openings. (Y'all remember the grip the Big 3 had on our collective throats? Plus, the granddaddy of them all: Dragonball.) That could have built rapport, delved into cultural differences, and been a feel-good moment as the kids showed the 'bots different anime via movie night.

Bottom line, she confuses me on the same level as Orion Pax conundrum, so I just like doing things to make things make sense.

[sourveggies]

Hiyoko reimagined! 🌸🍬🪭🇯🇵

She’s still of full Japanese descent, as well as growing up in Japan.

I drew her before and after her growth spurt, too!

(Side complaint or something):

I LOVE Danganronpa, but I mean, she’s very proudly Japanese, so why is she depicted as looking like a little white girl? ✋😭 (not hating, I’m sorry I just find it kind of funny and ironic-) Especially when it comes to characters in the game that being of Japanese descent is important to their characters (Fuyuhiko & Hiyoko).

(Saying this as a hapa haole btw, I could never even look as white as how Fuyuhiko & Hiyoko are depicted-)

🐻‍❄️🩸🔎👤

[songofwizardry]

It's speak your language day! I have some fun facts on Kiswahili! Translation under the cut.

Leo hapa Tumblr ni siku ya kuongea lugha yako ya kwanza (inaitwa speak your language day)! Kuisherehekea siku hii, nilitaka ku shiriki nanyinyi nyote semi chache za Kiswahili. Kiswahili ina utajiri nyingi ya mapokeo ya mdomo, na kuna desturi na historia ndefu ya kusimulia mahadithi, kutega vitendawili, n.k.

Kwa mfano, ukitaka kusimulia hadithi, unaanza hivyo:

Msimulizi: Hadithi hadithi!

Hadhira: Hadithi njoo, uongo njoo, utamu kolea!

Msimulizi: Zamani za kale...

Hadithi zinazosimuliwa mara kwa mara ni hadithi za wanyama wa porini: sungura mjanja, mfalme simba, fisi, na kadhalika; hadithi kama hizi zinapatikana katika nchi nyingi za Kiafrika.

Vitendawili ni semi zinazotegwa, na watu wanatakiwa wazifumbulie. Watu wanaoongea Kiswahili kawaida wanajua vitendawili vingi, kwasababu tunazifunza katika shule ya msingi—mi mwenyewe nakumbuka nilipokuwa katika darasa la saba, kabla ya mtihani ya taifa, nilikaa ninakariri vitendawili kama arobaini! Vitendawili vinachekesha na vinachemsha bongo, kwa mfano:

"Askari wangu ni mpole lakini adui wanamhara." (Jibu: paka)

"Tajiri wa rangi." (Jibu: kinyonga)

"Numba yango ina nuguzo mmoja." (Jibu: uyoga)

"Mzungu katoka ulaya no mkono kiunoni." (Jibu: kikombe)

Kwa ukweli mi mwenyewe nimeaanza kusahau vitendawili vingine—lakini zinapatikana ukiGoogle siku hizi!

Kiswahili ni lugha yenye historia, desturi, na vipengele vingi vya kuvutia—siwezi kuziandika zote hapa, lakini kwa mfano, muda ya Kiswahili ("swahili time"), ngeli za nomino, historia ya uandikishi wa Kiswahili (kuanza na harufi za Kiarabu), na ilivyotengenezwa 'lingua franca' katika Tanzania, na lugha ya taifa baada ya uhuru. Natumaini mtafunza kidogo kuhusu lugha ya Kiswahili leo—usiache baada ya kujua 'Hakuna Matata' tu!

(Kama nimokesea sarufi, samahani sana! Siku hizi siandiki kwa Kiswahili kwa kawaida.)

(Translated from Kiswahili/Swahili, with some extra notes)

Today, here on tumblr, is Speak Your Language Day! To celebrate this day, I wanted to share with you a few short sayings in Kiswahili. Kiswahili has a rich variety of oral traditions, and there is a long history and tradition of narrating stories orally, posing vitendawili (common riddles), etc.

For example, it is traditional when one is narrating a story to start like this:

Narrator: A story, a story!

Audience: Story, come! Fiction, come! Make it sweet!

Narrator: Once upon a time...

The common tales that are narrated are folk tales involving wild animals: common characters of the cunning hare (sungura mjanja), the king lion, the hyena—folk tales of similar nature can be found in many African countries.

Vitendawili are short sayings that are posed, and people need to solve/figure them out. People who speak Kiswahili will know many of these, because we learn them in primary school—I remember when I was in Grade 7, before my national exams (standardised tests taken at the end of primary school), I sat and memorised about forty different vitendawili! Vitendawili can both make one laugh, and be mind-bogglers (literal translation: they boil the brain), for example:

"My soldier is so gentle, but the enemies are scared of them."

"The one wealthy in colours."

"My house has only one pillar."

"The white man has come from England with his hand on his waist."

Answers to the vitendawili are at the bottom.

In all honestly I have forgotten a lot of the vitendawili—but these days you can Google and find lists of them easily!

Kiswahili is a language with a rich history, and many fascinating features—I couldn't write them all here, but for example, Swahili time, our many noun classes, the history of writing Kiswahili (there are early Kiswahili writings using the Arabic script), and the way it originated as a lingua franca and how it became the national language and a uniting factor in Tanzania after independence. I hope you'll look up the history of or a little bit of Kiswahili today—it's much more than just the phrase 'Hakuna Matata'!

(My apologies if I've made any grammar mistakes—these days I don't often write in Kiswahili. Also, because I intentionally wanted to write this in Kiswahili first, and then translate it, and I'm not practiced at translation, the English sounds clunky/weird—my apologies, but hey, it's SpYLD, I gotta prioritise the non-English text.)

Answers to the vitendawili:

A cat

A chameleon

A mushroom

A teacup

Some links:

Langfocus' Swahili video, which is a really good primer

The online Kiswahili dictionary I use most

For Kiswahili news, BBC Swahili (both online and you can listen to the radio) is pretty good. There's also many, many Kiswahili language news sites you can find, eg Mwananchi.

And of course, music!

Bongo flava is a genre of Tanzanian music (that originated in Dar es Salaam! Bongoland!)—it's a vibrant genre, it's closely linked to hip-hop and Afrobeats; I have a soft spot for the Bongo Flava of the 00s, so here's Usineseme by Ali Kiba (2009)

Sauti Sol are super well known these days, with good reason! They're awesome! They sing in both Kiswahili and English, but my favourite song of theirs is Nairobi

And in a departure from my usual brand, some patriotic music—this is a remix of the traditional patriotic song Tanzania Tanzania, recorded to encourage people to vote in the 2015 elections. I like it because it's a fun video that captures a lot of different parts of Dar es Salaam.

[official-trainwrecks]

Celebration Time + Previews

Trainwrecks has made its first subscriber goal! Granted, it was a pretty low number because I didn't want to get my hopes up, but no one's going to celebrate my accomplishments harder than I am, so here I am celebrating!

Tomorrow I'll be posting the first of the bonus stories. This one will be free to read, but the bonus stories that follow will be for paid subscribers only. Here's a preview of this month's bonuses:

Hapa (9/6): Duke Kingston has never been Hawaiian enough for his Hawaiian family. (tw: racism, racial violence)

An American Dream Pt. 1 (9/13): Sebastian Velasquez's life is turned upside-down when his immigrant mother is arrested.

Daddy Dearest (9/20): For as long as Victoria Hale can remember, her father has been sad.

Danse Macabre Pt. 1 (9/27): Jasmine Nolan worships at the altar of the most powerful god she knows: herself.

Paid subscriptions are a low price of $5 a month or a discounted price of $50 a year. Bonus stories are not required to understand the main story, but give more insight into the characters' pasts or the current events of the narrative.

Thank you thank you thank you to everyone who's subscribed so far! I hope that you continue to enjoy Trainwrecks!

[kommissarkartofelov]

a

i like this sorta ranty blogging style, brings back feelings of the old internet

flalout

to continue my love of the toyger hair i ported an oblivion port of the hair into fnv since i dun have the knowhow or patience to backport skyrim's nifs into the fo3/fnv era gamebyro engine plus someone made a freckled race (sadly hidden from the nexus as of writing)

unfortunately the preset for the freckled race was not sufficiently cute enough for me, so i decided to crack open the g.e.c.k. n make a freckled asian race

guess more than anything its a hapa race lol dunno where i put the files, so prolly lost to the zone

oh, and the reason why i felt that the lobotomite texture would work for a creepy-cute design is i played a bit (probably for 5 mins before quitting from a trauma loop in DUST) with the playable lobotomite mod and managed to mess with the sliders to make a kinda cute lady. fllatou 4 have toyger will tomboy

also tried making a tired/sad girl instead of a tomboy

pretty proud of her since she conveys the exact vibe i want

fits with the total desperation of FROST though unfortunately by the time i got done taking a handful of screenshots of her i lost interest in playing also yey not using the toyger hairdo for the umpteenth time

eh why not bonus sims segment i have an unhealthy like for character creators

wanted to try making an unconventional lass, ended up with a NEET goblin

think i had that one jewish girl who photo got posted occasionally on 4chins n popopoka's blind girl in mind when i made her

am tired now dunno if i'll do any more posts like this aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah bye

[crazyrichasianscontroversy22]

#7

“Crazy Rich Asians: Hapas, Colorism, and Why It’s a Big Deal for Asian-Americans.” YouTube, YouTube, 24 Aug. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=l48X00ali34. 

2:08- 3:32

Youtuber Anna Sterling sits down with journalist and producer Cristina Kim to talk about their thoughts on the movie #CrazyRichAsians. Having a love story based on two Asian characters is huge for the Asian community. The women talk about their own experiences watching love stories based on American actors and actresses and thought it was refreshing to see an Asian man in the lead role of such a big movie. Very light skin actors were the main character in the movie, the only time you will see a darker skinned person is if they are the help and are opening doors or the security guard. They have a conversation about what it means to be Asian. There was controversy surrounding the real life actor of Nick Young, Henry Golding. The criticism was based on him not being of “full Asian descent”. They talk about a side character in the movie who was thought to be a  white woman because of how she looked. This brings up the point that a seemingly looking white woman who is Asian is more likely to be playing the role of an Asian woman in an American movie but not the other way around. 

[tahopo]

The way you interpret faces is soooo good, especially your eyes. I could crop all the eyes and I would know which character is which. That being said your alistair looks wasian haha, I like it

i did mean for him to look hapa LOLOLOL ive always seen him that way

And thank you! Glad doodling all those eyes during my school years were of some use… 😵‍💫

[ao3feed-ineffablehusbandz]

now doth time waste me

now doth time waste me

by bearwonder

After eight years apart, Aziraphale and Crowley have finally reunited. The distance is hard, but they're figuring things out, slowly but surely.

Then the pandemic hits.

Words: 1760, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Series: Part 4 of latch/key

Fandoms: Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett, Good Omens (TV)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Human, COVID Lockdown, cw: 2020, Childhood Friends, Moving In Together, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Teacher Aziraphale (Good Omens), Hapa Crowley, Domestic Fluff, HIV Positive Character

From https://ift.tt/iT8CPMb https://archiveofourown.org/works/47665369

[itsawritblr]

Why did no one TELL me that “Turning Red” is fucking brilliant?!

Yes, yes, I’m late to this film.  I don’t have streaming so I couldn’t watch it on Disney+, and I no longer go to theaters because too often I pay $10 and hate the movie.  I wait for things to come out on DVD, if they ever do.  So I only just borrowed this from my library.

Holy fuck, do I love this movie.

I love middle-grade fiction (10-13 year olds).  I’ve been really, really disappointed with MG novels the last few years.  The writing has been shit.  Authors know how to write “killer” first chapters, because that’s what writing teachers tell them they have to do, but they’re not good at middles and godawful at endings.  It’s as if they’re following a Kid Lit 101 template for “How To Write A Middle-Grade Novel.”  So I can read through a literal stack of MGS and each one has the exact same plot, with the same use of coincidence to give the MC a Happy Ending With a Lesson.

First, Turning Red surprised me by its time period and location: Toronto, 2002.  Which was nice, because therefore the middle-school characters weren’t walking around with smartphones and earbuds.

Second, which should be first: The screenwriters depicted 13-year-old girls like real goddamn 13-year-old girls.  Not teenagers in smaller bodies.  The writers understood fannishness and depicted it accurately.  And, most important, they didn’t mock it.

Nearly all goddamn entertainment media (with the exception of Miraculous Ladybug) shows kids creating fanart and fan content with a slight condescending sneer.  “Oh, it’s really so cringe, but the kids like it.”  TR depicts just how important fandom is to Mei and her friends, that it’s not a crutch or “coping mechanism.”  It’s a stabilizing, life-affirming, integral part of growing up, of learning about yourself and your relationship with a difficult, unstable period of your life (that even, helLO, adults enjoy).

And the writing is just so fucking good.  The way the characters react to Mei’s transformation, to a giant fucking panda running around Toronto, is handled so well, so consistently.  Do they call the police or the FBI or some secret government Cryptozoology Unit?  No.  The people are shocked and surprised, but they accept it.  That they do means the audience does, so there isn’t a belabored “Well, let’s explain this bizarre phenomenon so you’ll accept our world-building” exposition bullshit.

The plot moves forward with logical progression.  The girls want to go to the concert.  This means they need to raise money.  They turn Mei’s transformation into a benefit.  Because the kids act like kids would.  They fucking LOVE Mei as a giant panda.  These are kids who are into manga, anime, fanfics, fanart, and plushies.  Real kids would see a giant, talking panda and run TO it, not from it.  Of course they’d pay to take selfies with it, and buy merch.  TR doesn’t laugh at the kids who wear panda ears and tails.  It understands and celebrates them.

Of course the movie is too short to round out all the characters.  But given its limited time each of Mei’s friends has a distinct personality.  The screenwriters don’t explain why four such different girls have bonded so deeply.  Watching their joy and camaraderie is more than enough for the audience to understand.  They fill niches in each other, making them whole.

I love how Abby yells in Korean and they don’t have subtitles.

I also love that the girls’ crushes aren’t stereotypically handsome.  The 17 year old cashier at the convenience store, the kid at his locker who Mei gapes at, they’re just regular-looking boys to the audience, but they’re special to the girls, and that’s refreshing.

I’m Hapa, but I didn’t grow up around other Asians.  I’m not familiar with the pressure Mei gets from her mother, which some accused of being stereotypical of the “Tiger Mom.”  But other Asian girls have said it’s fucking accurate.  And god knows the pressure isn’t limited to Asian families.  It’s a truism that the more specific your story the more universal it is.  Most kids can identify with adults pushing them to goals they may or may not want.  That we the audience experience a culture with which we may not be familiar is icing on the cake.

I LOVE that for once we see a religion that isn’t Christianity, and it’s treated with respect and sincerity, not as something exotic or weird.

The metaphor of Mei’s transformation isn’t heavy-handed, partly because of its humor.  I absolutely adore how they treat a girl’s first menstruation with the alarm which many parents feel, but also as completely normal.

I love that they don’t get into detail about exactly how Ming hurt her own mother.  But we can guess it by Wu’s eyebrow scar, and how she touches it when she mentions how dangerous being a panda can be.

The concert’s opening is a fantastic build-up.  Mei has fled the ritual that would deny her her “red panda” and instead goes to the concert, a ritual in itself, the pacing, the sound, the reveal.  This is Mei and her friends’ initiation into, as they say, being “women.”  Even Tyler undergoes the ritual of admitting to others his own blossoming adolescence, and finds common ground with the girls.  In 2002 it was still risky for a boy to openly show his crush for another boy.

Here Mei, her friends, Tyler, and all the other kids at the concert join in an open-air Communion.  Notice there are no adults in sight.  In fact, the liturgy is interrupted when an adult, Ming in panda form, bursts in.  But the transformation -- Mei and her friends into “womanhood” -- continues and is an integral part of the Red moon ritual.  This is some amazing metaphorical shit, and it’s done so smoothly, so unconsciously, so damn well, on a gut level.

The screenwriters set up that any singing will work for the ceremony -- Mr. Gao, the shaman, says he loves Tony Bennett -- as long as it’s from the heart.  So having 4 Town and their concert audience singing help the ritual absolutely works.

The only thing I don’t like about TR is the closing speech by Mei.  It’s preachy and unnecessary.  But, that’s American animation, and fiction, for kids.  They’re expected to Teach A Lesson.  I just wish the writers and director had left it off.

Last but not least, Mei’s father.  What can I say?  A quiet figure, who any other movie would have turned into a weak nagged-to-death husband.  Instead, he’s talented in his own right -- a great cook; we see it when he’s introduced, so we immediately know he’s an artist with food; it reminded me of Ratatouille.  He speaks for Mei, and though his wife dominates their scenes together, it’s his kind, caring, common sense personality that helps Mei along.  Her transformation, from girl to woman, isn’t his area of expertise.  He knows it.  But he’s there as her support.

If I had to pick just one Disney-Pixar film to show middle-grade kids, Turning Red would be it.  I want to show it to every middle-grade writer I know and tell them to fucking learn from it.

[itsawritblr]

OH my lord. Perfect! Beautiful!

My one annoyance with Mariette's design in canon is she doesn't look more Asian. This only bugs me because, like Marinette, I'm Hapa, and I'd really like to see more Hapa girl characters who look more Asian than white.

This fanart perfectly captures how I see her, and how my fanfic's Gabriel sees her.

The Cocoon Splits on AO3.

[sourveggies]

Found this older sketch! I think I only watched 2 episodes, but the main character is a HAPA HAOLE!!! 🍱🥢🥹 AAAA

🔎🥼🧪❔

[gebergera150]

Entry #2: Film

For the film portion of my journal, I chose to examine the 2018 Marvel movie "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse." It's an animated film that explores the concept of the multiverse, where multiple dimensions and alternate realities coexist. The story centers on Miles Morales, a teenager who gains spider-like superpowers and becomes the Spider-Man of his universe. When a super-collider causes various Spider-People from different dimensions to converge in Miles' world, he must team up with these alternate Spider-Heroes to stop a catastrophic threat and find a way to return them to their respective realities.

When looking at our class topics, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" is closely linked to our content regarding multiculturalism and the Hapa Project. This film makes a point to represent diverse identities and experiences throughout the characters in the cast. In particular, it celebrates cultural diversity through its various Spider-People, who come from different backgrounds, such as African-American, Hispanic, and Japanese. Each character brings a unique cultural perspective to the story, reflecting the idea that heroism and personal identity are multifaceted and inclusive. The movie highlights the richness of different cultures and how they contribute to a broader, shared experience. When looking at The Hapa Project, it focuses on the experiences of individuals who are of mixed Asian and Pacific Islander heritage, often exploring themes of identity, belonging, and representation. Miles Morales is of African-American and Puerto Rican descent, embodying a similar sense of mixed cultural identity. His character resonates with the Hapa Project's themes by showcasing how mixed heritage individuals navigate their identities and connect with various cultural influences.

This film also elaborates on racial and ethnic identities beyond the appearance of each character. First, the film juxtaposes culturally specific elements with universal themes. For instance, the depiction of Miles' family life includes cultural references like his father’s role as a police officer, his mother’s protective nature, and the importance of family ties and community. These specifics provide insight into his background while emphasizing universal experiences of family dynamics, adolescence, and self-discovery. Second, the film’s animation style reflects diverse artistic influences, from graffiti and street art associated with urban culture to the more traditional comic book aesthetics. This visual diversity mirrors the variety of cultural backgrounds represented in the characters, making the film a celebration of both cultural and artistic diversity. Lastly, the interactions between characters from different dimensions foster conversations about cultural and generational differences. For example, the older Spider-Man (Peter B. Parker) has to mentor the younger Miles, bridging generational gaps while also navigating cultural nuances. These dynamics can prompt discussions about mentorship, cultural transmission, and the evolving nature of identity.

All in all, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" is a champion for cultural representation in the film industry, and its story reminds us that while our backgrounds shape our experiences, the essence of heroism and personal growth is something that transcends individual differences.

Works Cited

https://kipfulbeck.com/hapa-me/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2018/12/16/spider-man-into-the-spider-verse-is-not-just-a-must-see-its-a-must-see-in-theaters/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4633694/

https://www.netflix.com/tw-en/title/81002747

https://www.vulture.com/2019/01/how-spider-man-into-the-spider-verse-changed-animation.html

Kip Fulbeck, "The Hapa Project: 10 Years After" (2013)

Susan Saulny, "Black? White? Asian? More Young Americans Choose All of the Above" (2011)

[xiongmulticulturalamerica]

TV Show - Princess Weiyoung

Princess Weiyoung is a Chinese TV series that was released in 2016 and directed by Li Huizhu. "Princess Weiyoung'' is a Chinese historical drama series that tells the story of a princess named Feng Xin'er from the Northern Liang Dynasty, who survives a massacre orchestrated by the Chiyun family. She takes on the identity of Li Weiyoung, the daughter of a noble family, to seek revenge and reclaim her rightful place. Through the series, she faces a number of challenges, including romance and political intrigue. The drama is known for its plot, strong performances, and elaborate costumes and sets. 

Because this is a Chinese production, the perception the Western world may have of it will be different to non-Western individuals. Relating a bit to Fullbeck’s HAPA project and A Couple in a Cage (Gomez-Pena and Fusco), while Asian-Westerners would take this production well while understanding history and cultural context, Westerners would see it and apply the show production to all Asian-Westerners only. Not applying it to those of mixed descent and only to those who would “look” like the characters on screen. By doing so, they brush off the diversity of those who are from a diverse background and use this to add to the stereotype that all Asians in Asia are dressed the same way, or celebrate the same things. Relative to Fusco and Gomez-Pena’s performance (Couple in a Cage), Westerners would either understand that this is a culture and not the Asian race as a whole, or be quick to accept it and quickly say to the next Asian person that they have “a beautiful culture like in the movies they watch” which excludes mixed descent and minority groups. 

My selection of this TV series represents the Chinese East-Asian background. While Chinese culture is the most common knowledge, Chinese culture has a lot of diversity to it as well. This TV show takes place between the Northern and Southern dynasties in China, which was a time of cultural and ethnic diversity. The setting provides a backdrop for discussion on how historical dramas represent complex ethnic backgrounds of China - including the Han Chinese and minorities like the Xianbei people. 

We are able to see the main character (Xin’er who becomes Princess Weiyoung) portrayed as a character of mixed ethnicity. She is a princess from Xianbei who adopts the Han Chinese identity. This displays the blending of cultures as well as the challenges faced by individuals of mixed heritage in maintaining their cultural identity while assimilating into another culture. Diversity can be found through clothing, language, and customs depicted throughout the show for their authenticity and representation of different ethnic groups. The global popularity of "Princess Weiyoung" highlights the cross-cultural appeal of Chinese dramas. It invites discussions about how Chinese media is received internationally and how cultural products can serve as a bridge for cross-cultural understanding and appreciation. While the series is in Mandarin, its international distribution involves translation and sub titles which can touch on language barriers and small details that can be lost in translation.

Sources

Fullbeck - Hapa Project: 10 years laterA Savage Performance’ by Guillermo Gomez-Pena and Coco Fusco's "Couple in the Cage" Author(s): Diana Taylor - https://youtu.be/gLX2Lk2tdcw

Images - Pinterest

Weiyoung Poster - https://www.pinterest.com/pin/155303888080148761/

Changru - https://www.pinterest.com/pin/362469470008258352/

Princess Xin 'er - https://www.pinterest.com/pin/2462974787864392/

Prince Nan 'an - https://www.pinterest.com/pin/72831718970378169/

Clothing - https://www.pinterest.com/pin/562175965980362074/

[paperplanes121]

Abbott elementary

Subject and summary:

Abbott elementary follows the daily life of teachers in an underfunded Philadelphia public school. The show starring Quinta Brunson (creator) and her fellow teachers and coworkers dives headfirst into issues that many people of color face through the lens of comedy. Dealing with themes of social status, race, appropriation and gender and the impact of race in education, the shows serve to create an image that is felt within many public schools today.

Abbott Elementary follows a lot of the themes and topics that were present during the course regarding African American culture and what it means to have a pass that culture through a medium. As we have previously talked about in the course with how African Americans are depicted and what is means to have a platform that is written by POC. Take, for example the picture that we examined of Sojourner Truth (Mirzeoff), who was able to take back a medium that didn’t showcase African Americans in a positive light and often with negative undertones. Or, as Deborah Willis said, “it was the first book I had ever seen with “colored” people int it- people that I recognized, people that reminded me of my family.” (Willis). The social impacts of having a show with a majority black cast imparts a sense of representation to those of similar communities, that are of a positive tone. In much of the same ways that HAPA and Godzilla served to combat the stereotypes of Asian Americans, Abbott Elementary brings to African Americans what we’ve all know, there isn’t a single word to describe us as a community as we are all multifaceted. The series highlights the years of systemic polices that only act to hinder minority education is episodes such as “Wrong Delivery” and “William R. Abbott” where they must fight against better funded and supported institutions and come to terms with the racist past that the institution is named for. Abbott elementary goes out of its way to show how multifaceted the African American community can be from having the principal be a black woman, to even how different each character is from one another yet are able to all come together under the common goal of educating the black youth. Just as we examined with the Harlem Renaissance the show, as an art piece, serves as a lens to understanding what black identity is. And embodying this idea of intersectionality can be seen with Barabara Howard. As a senior teacher, she deals with gender, race, and her professional identity; being in a position of “power” with her coworkers by serving as a mentor and mother. And with that authority comes the negative stereotypes she must combat being a minority woman in a position of authority.

Overall Abbott Elementary is a wonderful example of taking difficult subjects and diverse characters and creating a compelling story that allows the viewer to be both entertained but, in many ways, also educated.

Works cited:

“Abbott Elementary.” Wikipedia, 7 Apr. 2022, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbott_Elementary.

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Fusco, Coco, and Brian Wallis. Only Skin Deep. ABRAMS, 1 Dec. 2003.

Willis, Deborah. Picturing Us : African American Identity in Photography. New P.,U.S., Jul 96, Biblios, 1994.

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“Abbott Elementary Wiki.” Abbottelementary.fandom.com, abbottelementary.fandom.com/wiki/Abbott_Elementary_Wiki.

National Gallery of Art. “Harlem Renaissance.” Www.nga.gov, National Gallery of Art, 2022, www.nga.gov/learn/teachers/lessons-activities/uncovering-america/harlem-renaissance.html.

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[annamulticulturalamerica]

Multimedia Journal #1

I chose to do my multimedia journal on the television show Jane the Virgin. It follows Jane Villanueva, a young Venezuelan American woman who was accidentally artificially inseminated and now is expecting a child. Jane was desperate to break the cycle of single parenthood started by her mother, and now must navigate co-parenting with a rich man. The show is filmed and edited like a telenovela, something that is popular in the Villanueva family. 

Photo from IMDB

Jane the Virgin uses themes popular in telenovelas, as well as showing a lot of Venezuelan and Latine culture. Jane tries her best to be a good daughter and granddaughter, follow the rules, and be a good Catholic. This is very similar to the stereotypical “Grace Lee” in The Grace Lee Project. I am unable to add a clip from The Grace Lee Project, but I want to compare the scene at minute 40.26 with the scene at the beginning of the trailer of Jane the Virgin.

Both scenes compare virginity to something that can be destroyed and is important to protect and save. The parallels were interesting, since Latine culture and Asian culture are very different. But it shows that the expectations that immigrant parents and grandparents have are high. They want their daughters to grow up to be gentle, and to assimilate. Jane the Virgin also tackles topics such as immigration and xenophobia. We see the journey the grandmother, Alba, must take to become a US citizen, and the obstacles that stand in her way. I found the obstacles similar to the anti-immigration laws to prevent Chinese people from immigrating that we read about in A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America. Immigration laws were put in place to keep the US majority white, and regardless of race or culture, non-white people were affected and still are to this day.  

In Jane the Virgin, Jane’s baby is mixed-race. This means that Jane and her baby’s father must navigate the blending of cultures and cultural differences. They have many disagreements due to cultural and class differences. I think this show can generate conversation about race, gender, and class differences. Jane grew up in a lower-class Latina household full of women, and now has to coparent with an upper-class Italian man. I feel like the blending of cultures relates to The Hapa Project-10 Years Later, where we learn about the identity journeys of mixed-race people. Mateo, Jane’s baby, may have to face a similar journey in navigating the two very different cultures he was born into. 

Photo from “Rafael to Find a Job in ‘Jane the Virgin’?”

To summarize this entry of my journal, Jane the Virgin is a show based in Latine culture. Many aspects of Latine life in America are demonstrated through this show, including immigration, xenophobia, and religion. Other topics discussed are gender, and class differences. This show relates to many concepts in our course, especially surrounding immigration laws, intersectionality with gender, and xenophobia to immigrants or non-assimilating Americans. If you have not watched the show, I would encourage you to. There is a character that speaks only Spanish, which is atypical of an American television show. It is a very thought-provoking, as well as entertaining and dramatic show. 

Works Cited: 

Fulbeck, K. (2006). Part Asian, 100% Hapa. Chronicle Books. 

“Jane the Virgin.” IMDb, IMDb.com, m.imdb.com/title/tt3566726/episodes?season=3. 

Japco, Sally. “Rafael to Find a Job in ‘Jane the Virgin’?” International Business Times, International Business Times, 29 Nov. 2020, www.ibtimes.com/jane-virgin-season-4-spoilers-rafael-find-job-move-jane-2542878. 

Lee, G. (Director). (2005). The Grace Lee Project [Film]. 

Takaki, R. (2008). A different mirror: A history of multicultural America (1st new ed.). Back Bay Books.