Jun 4, 2021
You knew this was coming. We love it, you love it. There was no way we were not going to talk about the global phenomenon that is anime. For the last half century, anime has gone far beyond the borders of Japan to reach audiences all around the world. That includes black people, so much so that anime has become a valid part of black American culture. And as anime stories evolve and diversify, so have anime characters. However, some portrayals are obviously better than others. Today we’re going to talk about how anime has portrayed black people and the ever-changing relationship between black viewers and anime.
Timestamps
00:00:14 Intro
00:00:45 Why the Popularity of Anime?
00:01:57 Examples of Bad Portrayals of Black People in Anime
00:05:42 But What About Mr. Popo?!
00:07:28 Black Characters in Asian Media (Live Actions Included)
00:09:45 Examples of Good Portrayals of Black People in Anime
00:20:27 Black People Having Electrical Powers Trope
00:23:56 Gray Area Portrayals and How to Improve Character Designs to Become A Good Portrayal
00:39:02 Examples of Black Culture and Anime Influencing Each Other
00:45:32 The Line Between Influence, Appreciation and Appropriation
00:52:50 Final Thoughts
00:53:29 Outro
Links