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Dark skinned characters in anime: Identity and controversy under cultural differences
Japanese manga artist Osamu Ogawa has been criticized by some European and American netizens for discriminating against black people due to his illustrations of the character Iida in the game “Spira Dun”, on the grounds that the character’s skin color is considered too “diluted”.
This incident quickly escalated on social media, sparking heated discussions about the definition of skin color and race for anime characters. Should anime characters with dark skin be considered black? There are significant differences in this issue among audiences from different cultural backgrounds.
Cultural Differences: Different understandings of dark skinned characters
There are often significant differences in the definition of dark skinned characters in anime between Japanese and Western audiences.
Many characters in Japanese works, despite having darker skin tones, may not have been set as black characters in the creative context. On the contrary, European and American audiences often tend to associate dark skinned characters with black identity due to cultural and historical racial sensitivity.
This cultural difference has sparked controversy around certain roles on a global scale.
Classic role cases discussed by netizens
In the discussion sparked by the Ogawa incident, netizens listed multiple classic dark skinned characters and analyzed the identity differences of these characters in the eyes of Japanese and Western audiences:
The Magic War “by Miguel Odor
Japanese audience: African, Black
American audience: Black people
The background setting of this character is relatively clear, coming from Africa, so both Japanese and Western audiences unanimously believe that he is a black character.
Sword and Blade Domain “by Andrew Kilbold Miruz
Japanese audience: African Americans, blacks
American audience: Black people
Akil’s African American background is reflected in his works, so he is widely regarded as a black character.
Jade Market “by Joey Mochimaz
Japanese audience: Australian Americans (Austronesian)
American audience: Black people
Japanese audiences usually consider Joey to be an indigenous person from the South Pacific region, but in the United States, due to skin color issues, she is often seen as black.
Code Geass Rebel Lelouch by Lakshatta Chala
Japanese audience: Indians
American audience: Black people
The setting of this character is Indian, but some European and American audiences believe that she is black, reflecting differences in racial cognition.
BLEACH: The Grim Reaper Tea Crossing Tiger
Japanese audience: Japanese, Latinx
American audience: Black people
The setting of Chadu Tiggo is Japanese Mexican, but among American audiences, some classify him as black due to his dark skin and strong appearance.
Detective Conan “by Hiraji Hattori
Japanese audience: Japanese, born with dark skin
American audience: Black people
Hattori Heiji was set as a Japanese person with naturally darker skin color, however, in the United States, darker skin color is often directly associated with black identity.
Don’t bully me, classmate Nagase “by Nagase Hayase
Japanese audience: Japanese, tanned
American audience: Black people
The character is set as a Japanese girl with tanned skin, but some European and American audiences still see her as black.
One Piece “Green Pheasant (Kushan)
Japanese audience: Japanese, curly hair
American audience: Black people
The appearance and curly hair of the green pheasant are often considered by European and American audiences to be characteristic of black people, but in Japanese settings, he is considered Japanese.
Slam Dunk: Akagi Gangxian
Japanese audience: Japanese people, gorillas
American audience: Black people
Akagi Gangxian is mocked as a “gorilla” in Japan, but his dark skin and physique make some American audiences see him as black.
BLEACH: The Grim Reaper – Night One at Four Maple Court
Japanese audience: Death, non-human
American audience: Black people
As the Grim Reaper of Sifengyuan, although not human, he is widely regarded as black by European and American audiences due to his dark skin image.
Dragon Ball “Bick
Japanese audience: Aliens
American audience: Black people
As a native of Namik, Bick does not have a human background, but in American culture, his dark skin and voice acting style often make him a symbol of black people.
Why do differences arise?
The emergence of this divergence mainly stems from different cultural sensitivities to “skin color”. In Japan, anime characters often have unclear racial backgrounds, especially in fantasy and science fiction works, where the color of the character’s skin may only be a design choice and not related to a specific race or cultural identity.
In the United States, skin color has always been at the core of racial issues, so European and American audiences are more likely to judge a character’s race based on skin color.
In addition, the pursuit of political correctness is more common in European and American culture, and any issue related to skin color may trigger discussions about racial discrimination. Even in anime, European and American audiences tend to associate dark skinned characters with racial identity and expect creators to clarify or respect this.
Cultural Understanding and Cross Border Anime Discussion
The illustration incident of Ogawa Akira not only exposes cultural differences, but also reflects the different perceptions of anime characters among audiences with different cultural backgrounds in the era of globalization. The answer to whether dark skinned characters should be considered black is not absolute. This controversy may continue in the future, and the key is how to establish more understanding and respect in cross-cultural communication.
Both creators and audiences need to be aware of the existence of differences in interpreting characters from different cultures. This is the only way to avoid misunderstandings and conflicts caused by cultural differences while appreciating the works.