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I've been thinking about a post that's been circulating here about the subtle racism present in Western/white danmei fandom (which is definitely there, whether one realizes it or not). And it reminded me a lot of 1990s anime fandom.
First, for the record, I'm white. Just so we're clear. Okay, moving on:
The DIC dubbed version of Sailor Moon was broadcast when I was 13, in 1995 (and I jumped right on it too). Around that same time, the SciFi channel was showing a handful of animes in rotation on Saturday mornings. There were a few dubbed anime and even fewer subbed anime on VHS at Blockbuster. 9 times out of 10, no one ever really knew how to pronounce "Neon Genesis Evangelion" or "Urusei Yatsura." And the general perception of "anime" in general was that it was raunchy at the mildest and only got progressively more pornographic from there.
But as these things started to appear in the US and be available to a wider audience, all these racist stereotypes of Japan and Japanese people started to surface too. To quote someone from the time, "Isn't manga the kinky stuff Japanese businessmen read on the train?" That was the perception: it's all dirty. (Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball, Ronin Warriors and some other early arrivals helped with that some, because they were clearly children's cartoons. But then we had to deal with the whole "children's cartoons" issue when looking at NGE and Miyazaki's movies. But I'm digressing and glossing over whole decades of localized anime.)
tl;dr: in the early and mid 90s, if you were a fan of anime you were very much a consumer of a "foreign" product.
So we loved it but there was a very steep learning curve when it came to actually understanding what we were watching, especially as the internet got bigger and better and we learned that, wait, there are outer senshi? There are whole other storylines?
And there was an entirely different visual language and cultural foundation to these shows (and later movies and manga and so on). Why the heck does she have a giant drop next to her head? Why is she holding that piece of paper? What does it mean to work at a shrine? A shrine to what? What's the deal with the cherry blossoms? Why does he have an expression like that on his face? What does it mean when the characters do this? And this was in the 90s, so the internet then is not what it is today. We had to fumble our way around and learn the details of these "foreign" cartoons, while contending with the stereotypes other people (usually adults lol) had about Japan, anime, and Japanese people. But we did learn! We'd read, we'd hit up the internet as much as we could, we'd talk to one another, we'd go to events and conventions and just try to pick up as much as we could. Because we were curious! We wanted to know!
We were lucky because within a few years we had Princess Mononoke in movie theaters (not many, but some) and Cowboy Bebop popped up and Gundam Wing came along and the internet got better and anime stopped being such a fringe interest and now there's better information and understanding (at least a little).
That's a long story to say that the Western danmei fandom needs to do the same thing: get down into the cultural source and learn stuff.
You have got to acknowledge that you are engaging with works from a culture that is not your own. You can't just slap Western concepts onto it and try to shove an entirely different culture into the framework of your own culture. That's not going to work. And, no, you won't understand everything right off. There's layers in here and you have to acknowledge that and start learning.
You're engaging with concepts and worldviews that are almost certainly not the same as your own, my fellow white danmei fans, and you have got to realize that. Step back from your notions and your expectations and, yes, your racism and stereotypes, and start looking at the complexity of an entire culture out of which a character you love has arisen.
Once upon a time, someone here on Tumblr wanted to do a presentation about how "magical girl" characters like Sailor Moon and Sakura Kinomoto were inherently feminist. The problem was that this person never even considered the ways "feminism" might look or be discussed in Japan. This person was imposing Western feminism on characters that were created entirely outside that worldview/mindset. Don't do that. It's unfair to the creator, it's unfair to the creator's culture, and it actually kind of stifles your opportunity for learning.
Will I ever understand Japanese culture as well as a Japanese person? Absofuckinglutely not. But I know more than I once did, which means I can enjoy more aspects of animanga than I used to. I can get more of it and I'm less likely to misinterpret the creator's intentions. I'm not that great at it and I love a good translator's note, but I can get more of some of it.
So dig in to the cultural foundations and stop shoving Western cultural concepts onto works that weren't created in that milieu. (Yes, I said "milieu!") Get curious! I am begging you to stop assuming and get curious! Ask yourself "why?" and then get to researching!
For your first assignment, stop writing fanfic where Lan Wangji sounds like a robot. He uses short, perfect, referential phrases because he's elegant and educated. In English, the most elegant characters use elaborate language. Not so in many Chinese works: the fewer and more perfectly chosen the words, and the more meaning lying within those words, the more refined and educated the character is. It's like he's so good with language that he doesn't even need to use it anymore.
At least, that's my superficial understanding at the moment. I've got tons more to learn.
So let's get learning and stop shoving our expectations, assumptions, worldview, stereotypes, and cultural baggage onto works that exist and were created outside all of that. Let the works stand on their own and learn their foundations.
#noises from issy#western danmei fandom#oldtaku#just some thinky thoughts#also i accidentally minored in asian studies#because i just got interested in japan and japanese culture#so you never know what might come of some learning#get curious#start learning
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#learn how to burn cds !#start using your parents vcr !#get a dvd player for $10 at a garage sale !#make mixtapes for your loved ones !!#buy a laserdisc player !!!!!!#levis greatest hits
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Jason refusing to admit that Bruce and him are alike, while Bruce being oblivious to their raging similarity is the funniest case scenario ever.
Tim, waking up after a nap, and seeing a familiar big figure standing with his back to him: Hey, Jason.
Bruce, turning around, confused: Jason left an hour ago.
Tim: ...Sorry, you look like twins
Bruce, sighing: I wish. But we are not, really.
Tim: ??????
Some goon, shivering from fear: B-Batman, please, spare me!
Red Hood, leaving the shadow, even madder than before: Do I look like fucking Batman to you, man?
Goon: I-I mean, when you are standing in the darkness with your arms on your chest, and say "Now, talk"—
Red Hood, irritated: One word, and I am putting a bullet in your empty head.
Goon: Yesss, sir.
Damian, staring as everyone in the house first put cereal in the bowl, and then add milk, while Jason and Bruce demonstratively (and obliviously) do it in the opposite order in the perfect synchronisation: Why do they—
Alfred, shaking his head: Please, don't point it out, Master Damian. Either way, they will start arguing, and Master Jason will instantly teach himself to do it in the opposite way.
Damian, rolling his eyes: Whatever.
Dick: So, do you all know that Bruce and Jason refuse to admit that they are alike?
Everyone: (nod)
Dick, smirking: I fucked up Bruce's files and Jason's guns in the span of a minute...
Everyone: Why would you do that—
Bruce and Jason, from the opposite sides of manor, in the same furious voice: RICHARD JOHN GRAYSON
Dick: ...Just to demonstrate to you THIS. Now, if you don't mind, I'll go get back to Blüdhaven.
#Bruce was oblivious in the beginning then he learned the more he acts clueless the more everyone tells him that they are alike#and he is happy#Jason gets flustered about it more than mad once their relationship start fixing#Dick gifts them a shirt with “twinies” written on it once#Jason flies from the country with Outlaws for month after that#jason todd#red hood#dcu comics#dc universe#batman#dcu#bruce wayne#batfamily#batfam#dick grayson#tim drake#damian wayne#alfred pennyworth
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rough seas
#gravity falls#stanford pines#stanley pines#ford pines#stan pines#gravity falls fanart#fanart#disney#uh uh uhhhhh idk i started drawing the sea on magma and then i was like what if i put stan in there#and THEN i hated it but then i was like hey what if i redid the comp and added a companion ford#and that was fun#so idc if it's ass anymore I LEARNED THINGS!!!!!#mfw pushing myself out of my comfort zone teaches me new things about art#woahhhhh bro#okay anyway.#my art#mods art#mods draws
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Guess who is back in their gravity falls phase! (After it being dormant for almost a decade!)
#gravity falls#dipper pines#mabel pines#stanley pines#stanford pines#pines twins#pines family#the pine brothers#bill chiper#the book of bill#billford#yes i read the book#yes i went thru the webite for hours straight#yes i rewatched the show#yes i just got journal 3 and rhe comic bc this fixation is consuming my life again#yes im learning to decipher the codes too now#yes ive been crying nonstop for like two or so weeks straight bc I love this show sm my bags are really bad im starting to look like Ford#book of bill is so toxic old yaoi and i was so along for the ride thru and thru lmao#did i mention that i really reallly love this show?
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chinese comrades have our back ❤️🇨🇳
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He works alone.
#batman#bruce wayne#nightwing#dick grayson#robin#tim drake#damian wayne#red hood#jason todd#batgirl#cassandra cain#stephanie brown#dc#my art#decided to finally start learning digital art#had a brilliant idea to spice up the light study with some blorbos#bc why not#¯\_(ツ)_/¯#this was fun actually
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Hi Guys👋,
I am excited 😊 to share this with you. I challenged 🤝 myself to learn python in 50 days and share the daily progress report with you Guys.
As I already know some basics of python, so don't waste much I jump to conditional statements in python.




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don't think I'm not still obsessing over 7-12
#art#twisted wonderland#twisted wonderland spoilers#twisted wonderland episode 7 spoilers#twisted wonderland book 7 spoilers#twisted wonderland episode 7 part 12 spoilers#twisted wonderland book 7 part 12 spoilers#sorry it's even scribblier than usual :') hopefully my chickenscratch is legible#anyway come here and join me in the corner where we go to be embarrassing about anime characters#just. between riddle and trey's dreams i've been thinking a lot about how#trey knew this kid for like two months when he was nine and then never really got over him or how their friendship ended#which. honestly. understandable given the circumstances#and then when they finally met again riddle acted like they'd never met before and neither he nor trey ever intended trey to be his vice#but every time riddle talks about his childhood post-incident it's basically#'oh yeah i constantly thought about trey and che'nya and fantasized about still being friends with them! this is fine and normal'#(there's a bit in one of his birthday cards where he talks about crossword puzzles and shit man that one got me)#idk. i can't put this into words very well#just...the implications that riddle was actively resisting trey's friendship#(presumably because it ended SUPER badly last time and he's learned that if he shows he wants something it gets taken away from him)#and trey had to work REALLY hard to just to get to the point they were at by the time canon starts#that was progress somehow#y'all can call him boring all you want but trey's defining feature really is that he keeps being like#'everything's fine :) this isn't a big deal :) i don't care that much'#(trey on the inside: THIS IS THE BIGGEST DEAL THAT I CARE SO MUCH ABOUT AND I WILL NEVER LET IT GO)#anyway i continue to be absolutely murdered by the timing of riddlepunzel directly after this#riddle's line about not wanting to keep standing in front of a door that's never going to open...#hey. hey silly gacha game about anime disney boys.#you are not actually allowed to do this to me#oh shit oh damn i'm out of tags and i haven't even talked about cater yet. NO BUT I HAVE LOTS OF FEELINGS THERE TOO --#(i am crushed under a falling safe looney tunes style)
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you can easily return to the past, but no one is there anymore ⏰
#my art#started this in may but i just cleaned it cuz i dont fw it anymore it was a good learning exp tho hope i can do better narratives next time#dave strider#homestuck#mspa#godtier dave#knight of time#fanart#painting#hs2#andrew hussie#hs#homestuck beyond canon#illustration
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HOT, SINGLE, UNSTUDIED SPONGES. 3000 NAUTICAL MILES AWAY. Come sail the distance and read Tiger Tiger!
#tiger tiger#ludovica bonnaire#remy bonnaire#jamis arlesi#This comic has been on my radar for *years* and I only recently - finally - sat down to read it. And by god is it amazing.#I don't want to spoil anything! But if you like amazing art and character writing *and* high seas adventure? READ TIGER TIGER.#If you asked my who my favourite character is I could not tell you. I truly like them all!!!#I even like the sleezeball who has less charm than a dead rat. He's *my* darling little rat man. With every disease.#A special shout out to my lad (he is the lad of all time) Jamis Arlesi.#Who - upon walking into frame makes me go 'Sir! Is your bosom too heavy? Do you need a new bra? My hands are free on Thursdays!'#And Ludo! My lass! I love her dearly! Every page made me more fond of her.#Book smart and uses it in very good ways! Naive enough to think it is all she needs! Learns a lot and stays kind through the horrors!#I could go on and on but...you...the person reading this...you *are* going to read it - aren't you?#So I'd hate to spoil you any more! Go read Tiger Tiger! Do it! For the sea sponges!#Rumour has it they are also freshly divorced. It was messy. Sea sponge needs a distraction. That could be you. Distracting that sponge.#You wont know until you click that link and start reading!
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YAYYY YIPPEE WAHOO・゚:*☆ヽ(^▽^)人(⌒◡⌒ )ノ☆*:・゚
#trigun#trigun maximum#vash the stampede#milly thompson#millyvash#or is it#vashmilly#what i have learned is that if you want millyvash you are going to have to do it yourself. so i'm doing it myself#this all started from that post where i was complaining about artists drawing vash and ww dancing like WW WOULD NOT KNOW HOW 2 DANCE…#milly would though!!!#wherefore art thou
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january month of yuugi
#yugioh#ygo dm#yugi mutou#idk what was in the water on 2025 opening but it really got me thinking hm. I will finally draw yuugi#ygo has been in my dna for like close to a decade at this point and yet. I have never attempted to draw anything for it#until now. my audacity has finally reached quota#wishshipping saved my ass this lunar new year and its not even an exaggeration. thank you kazuki takahashi for the boys. rest in peace#mutou yuugi I love u.... u r my son#not mentioned in this stack but dsod's decision to thin yuugi's choker is the funniest shittiest character design decision on earth#like as a detail its so nothing. when u zoom out it just looks like a shadow dropped wrong somewhere. I have come to terms with#the other fashion choice for him in that movie but the tiny ass choker I don't accept. that's stupid. big it#I rly like the vision of older yuugi being like. obnoxiously polite and cheerful#specifically in a way that's not like ceding space for everyone else. like it's clear at all time that he's Like That#and nobody will be able to stop him from being Like That#and also tbh I can never imagine him leaving domino for long (<- definitely not projecting my city slicker ass on him)#I think the game shop's been where he's safe to be himself for so long that he'd want to keep it running and extend#that shade to other kids in the city too. his loyal customers are so scared of disappointing him for no reason#.... typed huge wall of text abt jou leaving domino for tournaments etc frequently but always coming back to hang out with yuugi#I am actually ill abt them huh.... maybe ygo was the progenitor honestly maybe it started me on the two blokes who do fuckall ships#yuugi is so cute but I do know in my heart tho he does Not cook. that kid has never learned and will never manage#I know he doesnt even have water in his office whenever he works. scared of spilling#its a good thing hes got friends galore now people are blowing his phone up wasting their sms toll telling him to drink water#(slowly tipping into mania) I just think he's so neat. love that boy he's so cute
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🌿 DAY 21
Yoinks
#moomins#moominvalley#snufkin#park keeper#i might as well start to learn perspective and color baalnce while doing these daily#i might even move out of the ms paint brush too#i havent slept in. i dont know i think more than a day..??#im sleeping now. i have 7 am classes tomorrow#also just so you guys know. i read your tags. highlight of my day /pos#off topic i feel like im forgetting somethjng.#okay i shiuld stop the munning in the tags. good night lads
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Lois didn’t expect Clark to actually listen
(Based on the Archie Comics panel!)
#clark kent#lois lane#clois#superman#dc#dc comics#my art#this makes more sense with kal and I originally started this drawing with him in mind but clark is too cute to resist#so now you’ve got lois shouting at smallville#clark is down BAD#lois learned something new about herself that day#actually they both did
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