Racebending and other Asian-Americans speak up against Akira whitewash
- Thread starter Dusty Ayres
- Start date
Re: Racebending and other Asian-Americans speak up against Akira white
Good for them.
Good for them.
Re: Racebending and other Asian-Americans speak up against Akira white
Interesting. On the heels of the discussion we had here a few months ago about how The Hobbit could be well-served by casting that didn't necessarily match the racial tradition of the source material, we now have protests against a film ... not necessarily matching the racial tradition of the source material. It'll be interesting to see the how consistent the comments are. Do you cast the "best actors available" regardless of source material? Or do you cast the "best actors available that most closely match the source material"? Personally, I agree with the petition. Fidelity to the source material is preferable to false political correctness.
Interesting. On the heels of the discussion we had here a few months ago about how The Hobbit could be well-served by casting that didn't necessarily match the racial tradition of the source material, we now have protests against a film ... not necessarily matching the racial tradition of the source material. It'll be interesting to see the how consistent the comments are. Do you cast the "best actors available" regardless of source material? Or do you cast the "best actors available that most closely match the source material"? Personally, I agree with the petition. Fidelity to the source material is preferable to false political correctness.
Re: Racebending and other Asian-Americans speak up against Akira white
I can understand Hollywood execs not wanting to have a completely Asian cast, but just about every major city in the US has a large Asian population, and they happen to be very visible in the street motor-sports scene. There is no reason why at least a few of the main characters can't be Asian, if not strictly Japanese. Import a few huge stars like Rain or the like from Japan and Korea and you can pretty much assure any loss of interest from the American public will be made up by those two markets.
Asians are clearly under-represented in entertainment media though, to argue anything else is simply untrue.
What was the last American-made movie you saw with an Asian star? Or even a strong supporting role? How about one that didn't have "martial artist" as a defining trait? Hell, the only decent Asian character on TV right now that I can recall off the top of my head is Cho from The Mentalist and half the writers on that show seem to ignore him.
I can understand Hollywood execs not wanting to have a completely Asian cast, but just about every major city in the US has a large Asian population, and they happen to be very visible in the street motor-sports scene. There is no reason why at least a few of the main characters can't be Asian, if not strictly Japanese. Import a few huge stars like Rain or the like from Japan and Korea and you can pretty much assure any loss of interest from the American public will be made up by those two markets.
Asians are clearly under-represented in entertainment media though, to argue anything else is simply untrue.
Re: Racebending and other Asian-Americans speak up against Akira white
Hopefully this will be every bit the outstanding success that the Airbender piece of crap was, and similarly affect the careers of those involved.
Hopefully this will be every bit the outstanding success that the Airbender piece of crap was, and similarly affect the careers of those involved.
Dusty Ayres
Commodore
Re: Racebending and other Asian-Americans speak up against Akira white
I say that they're right, which is why I objected to the casting of Idris Elba in Thor and the idea of any casting (as mentioned at the original article's site) of women of colour as Lois Lane due to similar backlash/protest from fanboys and the population at large. If it works, or can work without people having adverse reactions to the concept, I'm all for it. But it rarely works outside of theater.
QFT.
I say that they're right, which is why I objected to the casting of Idris Elba in Thor and the idea of any casting (as mentioned at the original article's site) of women of colour as Lois Lane due to similar backlash/protest from fanboys and the population at large. If it works, or can work without people having adverse reactions to the concept, I'm all for it. But it rarely works outside of theater.
QFT.
Dusty Ayres
Commodore
Re: Racebending and other Asian-Americans speak up against Akira white
So then, why don't the Japanese make this and other anime properties into live action movies?
This reminds me of the movie Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, and why (for the life of me) it wasn't made in Canada, by Canadians, but made in Canada by a British film director and an American film company (Universal). It seems that Canadian directors and writers, so used to making every dismal imitation Sundance style movie, can't make a movie like Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World since their sensibilities can't grasp it in any way. Perhaps the Japanese have the same problem (although they've made live action movies out of Casshan [as Casshern], Initial D, Devilman, and Space Crusier Yamato, so it's not been totally bad-but doesn't explain why they haven't made a live action version of Akira.)
AS for the 'rape of anime' can you be any more of a drama queen?
So then, why don't the Japanese make this and other anime properties into live action movies?
This reminds me of the movie Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, and why (for the life of me) it wasn't made in Canada, by Canadians, but made in Canada by a British film director and an American film company (Universal). It seems that Canadian directors and writers, so used to making every dismal imitation Sundance style movie, can't make a movie like Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World since their sensibilities can't grasp it in any way. Perhaps the Japanese have the same problem (although they've made live action movies out of Casshan [as Casshern], Initial D, Devilman, and Space Crusier Yamato, so it's not been totally bad-but doesn't explain why they haven't made a live action version of Akira.)
AS for the 'rape of anime' can you be any more of a drama queen?
Re: Racebending and other Asian-Americans speak up against Akira white
There's a show that takes place in Hawaii that has a couple of Asian leads and many guest stars.
There's a show that takes place in Hawaii that has a couple of Asian leads and many guest stars.
Re: Racebending and other Asian-Americans speak up against Akira white
Yup. Forgot to Mention Grace Park (Boomer from NuBSG) and Daniel Dae Kim (Crusade and LOST) in Hawaii 5-0
Re: Racebending and other Asian-Americans speak up against Akira white
Pretty much.
Akira may be a big fat flop like The Last Airbender but it won't be because the audience gives a frak about the race of characters they've never heard of before Hollywood shoved it in their face, and won't care about five minutes after they walk out of the theater.
This argument reminds me of all the Star Trek purists who continue to have heart attacks over the terrible stuff JJ Abrams did to their beloved franchise. The audience for Trek XI was not made up of fanboys who care about continuity, what universe anything takes place in, or what color the nacelles or Kirk's eyes are.
The paying audience doesn't respect the source material because they don't know the source material. So why should Hollywood bother to respect the source material? It's not going to impact the box office.
Pretty much.
Akira may be a big fat flop like The Last Airbender but it won't be because the audience gives a frak about the race of characters they've never heard of before Hollywood shoved it in their face, and won't care about five minutes after they walk out of the theater.
He's an alien. He can be any race he wants. And here again, the audience for Thor will not be comprised chiefly of fanboys who know the source material, or even who can correctly identify "Norse mythology" as having anything to do with the continent of Europe.
This argument reminds me of all the Star Trek purists who continue to have heart attacks over the terrible stuff JJ Abrams did to their beloved franchise. The audience for Trek XI was not made up of fanboys who care about continuity, what universe anything takes place in, or what color the nacelles or Kirk's eyes are.
The paying audience doesn't respect the source material because they don't know the source material. So why should Hollywood bother to respect the source material? It's not going to impact the box office.
Re: Racebending and other Asian-Americans speak up against Akira white
TV is a different beast compared with movies, but the same thing happens there. The casts of TV shows are definitely not representative of American society. Here's a little "racebending" example for ya: Edward James Olmos' character Bill Adama in Blood & Chrome was cast in his younger years by a non-Hispanic actor. In all of LA, a city that is at least 50% Hispanic, if not moreso, they couldn't find one Hispanic actor to fill that role, huh?
Hispanics, like Asians, are woefully underrepresented in TV. However, I'm not so worried about the PCness of the casting as I am that the kid they cast won't be able to pull off the necessary bad-ass-ness.
I'd be far more confident in some kid from East LA.
TV is a different beast compared with movies, but the same thing happens there. The casts of TV shows are definitely not representative of American society. Here's a little "racebending" example for ya: Edward James Olmos' character Bill Adama in Blood & Chrome was cast in his younger years by a non-Hispanic actor. In all of LA, a city that is at least 50% Hispanic, if not moreso, they couldn't find one Hispanic actor to fill that role, huh?
Hispanics, like Asians, are woefully underrepresented in TV. However, I'm not so worried about the PCness of the casting as I am that the kid they cast won't be able to pull off the necessary bad-ass-ness.
I'd be far more confident in some kid from East LA.Re: Racebending and other Asian-Americans speak up against Akira white
It involves tentacles.
It involves tentacles.
Re: Racebending and other Asian-Americans speak up against Akira white
There's also Ming Na in Stargate Universe, and The Event's Ian Anthony Dale.
Re: Racebending and other Asian-Americans speak up against Akira white
As an Asian American, sure it would be nice if there were more Asians front and center in Hollywood and sure it would be nice if they cast actual Japanese actors and not just of Asian decent but full on Japanese actors for Akira. Personally I don't have any qualms about it, just so long they cast quality actors and if the overall product turns out phenomenal. That's pretty much been my take on it.
As an Asian American, sure it would be nice if there were more Asians front and center in Hollywood and sure it would be nice if they cast actual Japanese actors and not just of Asian decent but full on Japanese actors for Akira. Personally I don't have any qualms about it, just so long they cast quality actors and if the overall product turns out phenomenal. That's pretty much been my take on it.