Shortcomings is a graphic novel by Adrian Tomine. It was originally published as three issues of his Optic Nerve comic series — its first multi-issue arc — before being compiled and released as one graphic novel in 2007.
The story follows Ben Tanaka, a cynical movie theater manager whose relationship with his girlfriend Miko, a politically-minded film festival organizer, is going through a rough patch. When Miko temporarily moves to New York for an internship, Ben considers pursuing the kind of woman he thinks he wants, and questions his Asian-American identity and the identities of others around him as a result.
A film adaptation with Randall Park at the helm debuted at Sundance in January 2023. It stars Justin H. Min as Ben, Ally Maki as Miko, and Sherry Cola as Alice.
Tropes for the Graphic Novel:
- The Beard: The lesbian Alice brings Ben along to a Korean church in order to hide her homosexuality. She mentions that her family might not like the Japanese, but seeing her with a Japanese boy is better than seeing her with a Korean girl.
- Bigger Is Better in Bed: Ben and Alice discuss the stereotype that Asian men are not preferred partners because they tend to be less well-endowed than white men.
- Bittersweet Ending: The comic ends with Miko breaking up with Ben and Alice, his only friend, leaving him to stay in New York. Ben flies back to California alone and with no plans for the future, but has accepted that he needs to work on himself.
- Groin Attack: Alice gets suspended for kicking another woman "in the pussy".
- Masculine–Feminine Gay Couple: Sasha is rather feminine and she describes an ex-girlfriend of hers who looked like a handsome young man. Ben questions why a woman who likes women would date someone boyish since to him it seems like it defeats the purpose.
- Mighty Whitey and Mellow Yellow: After seeing Miko with Leon, a white-passing man, Ben (who is Japanese) comments that seeing an older white man with a younger Asian women has gross connotations, while the gender inversion is much less common and much more pleasing. However, Meredith turns it on him, asking if his fixation on white women is a manifestation of his desire for assimilation. She then points out that he makes moralizing generalizations to make himself feel better.
- No Bisexuals: Sasha is disparaged as a "fence-sitter" for dating both men and women.
- Race Fetish: Played for Drama. Miko and Ben are a Japanese-American couple. Miko knows Ben has a thing for white women, and is immediately suspicious of his new white coworker. She's upset when she finds his lesbian porn stash and all the women in it are white. She accuses him of settling for her when what he really wants is the Western beauty standard.
- Racial Face Blindness: Alice jokes that to the self-hating Ben, all Asian girls look the same.
- Really Gets Around: Alice is very promiscuous. Ben bonds with Sasha at a party over being two of the few people there that she hasn't ever gotten with.
