It was reported on a popular comment forum in Japan that the community in the west has coined a term to refer to the fact that “Japanese anime can’t represent people of color”specifying that the few characters of color in the industry “do not have the correct physical characteristics.”
To understand it better, they state that the so-called “colored characters” in the anime are actually just like any other character, but painted with black skin. In the words of the West, to be “true characters of color” it is not enough to have skin color, but they have to comply with other physical features such as curly hair, a wide nose and full lips.
Let’s review the explanation:
- «BSWY, an acronym for “Black-Stained White or Yellow,” is a term coined in the West to refer to the way anime, manga, and light novels in Japan depict people. people of color. “In Japanese manga, the physical features of people of color are completely discarded, and they are just “white characters painted black”.».
- «This term was coined by online communities of people of color in Europe and the United States, who pointed to the situation as a representation issue. In fact, many franchises like “Nadia: Secret of Blue Water”, “Berserk” and “Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury” they include people of color, but apart from the skin color there is no difference from a normal Japanese character, something that does not correspond to reality».
- «To conclude, review the comparison shown below. On the left is an anime character that faithfully represents someone of color, while on the right is a “BSWY” character, who is simply any character painted in color».
Anyway, it’s not the first time that fans in the West have complained about the “zero representation” of people of color in anime, but now the Japanese had something to say:
- «If they drew them correctly they would say it’s racism».
- «Hmmm, so just because we’re slightly tanned automatically make us people of color?».
- «Representing them faithfully would lead to unattractive characters to look at.».
- «Aren’t we supposed to be in a modern world? The traits that define people of color no longer exist».
- «Don’t complain, they see everything as illegal».
- «First of all, most of the tanned characters you classify as if they were colored. They are just as annoying as those on the LGBT agenda».
- «They are so sensitive that they will surely be offended if the anime depicts them as they really are.».
- «So you want them to make people of color ugly?».
- «Isn’t this automatically racism?».
- «Says the same people who asked Mr. Popo to be blue».
- «The way in which they discriminate against the Japanese in the West by calling us “yellow” is terrible.».
- «These idiots don’t know what they’re talking about.».
- «We do it this way because we produce anime for ourselves».
