Sexism In Anime

Isn't that, along with using "softer" terms for relationships, pretty much because then you can pretend it's not there and ignore it, as if it's not real (well, it's fictional, but you get the point)? I mean, it can't really be a romantic, homosexual, and most importantly serious relationship. Basically, a way out to save face if necessary.

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Uugh so being wishy-washy essentially?

Well, since this thread has been re-started, I have this to ask: Is it sexist when you're writing a fictional female Ace Pilot, and that her moniker is "Gray Butterfly?"

It very much depends on what the dudes' nicknames are. I mean, if one of the most feared male pilots of the war is the 'Pink Bunny', then...

What's precedent ever done for us?

Thanks

Also, can we please resume our PM conversation?

"Gray Butterfly" honestly sounds like a good nickname for a woman who is both capable and cares about her image. Butterflies are beautiful and fragile, but none are gray (if only because they would be moths), so it's an oxymoron that suggests the animal stereotype is not done straight. It brings to my mind something pretty, dull-coloured and flying, but quite possibly dangerous.

Military names can be odd. Remember Enola Gay carrying Little Boy?

Stories don't tell us monsters exist; we knew that already. They show us that monsters can be trademarked and milked for years.

Technically, I said "Gray" because what she pilots is colored gray.

Butterflies have unpredictable flight patterns that make them hard to capture even in spite of their bulk and conspicuous colour.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

To spell out my previous posting a slightly more serious way, if all the female aces have feminine nicknames and all the male ones have masculine ones, that's an indicator of sexism on the part of your fictional military. If you don't want that, go for an even spread of masculine and feminine nicknames for both - which is also more in-keeping with the weird shit that real-world soldiers come up with. See also, Cute as a Bouncing Betty.

What's precedent ever done for us?

Okay, what about assigning a female ace with the moniker "Red Ghost?"

Red Ghost works, although the character would probably have to actually be like a ghost to have that.

Most Color X style Red Barons are named by their opponents and it's usually intimidating and quite gender neutral as they really don't know exactly who the pilot of the machine is. The White Devil come to mind.

If it's an ally naming it it is usually heroic and can be gender specific. Like The Red Knight

Then there is the ones where the name is based off their specific special skill like The Red Comet who is in a red suit and moves fast like a comet.

Other common ways they could be named is have their title attached to the name like 'The Lightning Count' or a name based on the battle or location they made their name like 'The Nightmare of Solomon'

edited 3rd May '15 8:34:27 AM by Memers

I think when it comes to monikers and sexism, it's usually somewhat insignificant compared to how the character and name are treated by the story, unless maybe if the name is offensive in and of itself. Otherwise, sure, it could be sexist, but if that's the worst of your problems, you're doing pretty well.

That's also not accounting for portraying a Watsonian type of sexism.

edited 3rd May '15 8:28:16 AM by AnotherDuck

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I know this is old, but the incest discussion scares me, I do understand that incest is really appealing due its trasgressive nature but some of the posts here gave me the impression that some might actually pursue incest IRL. Im probably making a mountain out of a molehill but I want to to be corrected on this. Im a bit scared to tell the truth.

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I doubt that anyone in the thread would.

The incest in fiction fetish is more of a self-insert thing where they would self-insert themselves as being someone else's relation instead of actually looking at their own relation.

It's primarily the emotional attachment while growing up with a person is the reason for incest being so unlikely and also why Childhood Friends so rarely get involved unless there is a large gap where they wernt in contact.

edited 3rd May '15 9:29:49 AM by Memers

I love you. I never thought anyone in the thread wanted to do IRL incest. Self Insertion in media is more about doing something you would never do IRL after all.

Discord: Waido X 255#1372 If you cant contact me on TV Tropes do it here.

@ Memers and Another Duck The reason for the moniker question is that, in my Infinite Stratos fanfic Senjou no Kodoku na Shounen, the backstory has the world using the mecha in the fanfic, Kinzoku Hoheis (Metal Infantry), after the Japanese forces successfully decimated Chinese forces in the Battle of Kuba-shima, and below are the pilots who received their monikers after the battle:

Megumi Gekkouyama earned the title "Gray Butterfly (Giniro no Cho)" due to sinking five ships, while adhering to the Gekkouyama's fighting principle of striking fast, while leaving an eternal impression on the enemy, like a butterfly, and that her KH-02SSGNH Ashigaru Nishiki Shoki Seisan-gata no Henkei (Common Footsoldier Type 2 Early Production Variant) was colored Gray.

The identity of the Red Ghost is one Touko Yasuda, who sank four ships by sneaking in the rear of said ships before sinking them without being noticed.

The Blue Shooting Stars [Aoi Ryusei (Shout-Out to Blue Comet SPT Layzner)], comprising of Shinobu Kuroki, Nami Mizuki, and Hinata Sakazaki, earned this moniker when they sank the Liaoning, wherein Admiral Dai Guan (going by Western order for East Asian names) saw the sinkers as "blue shooting stars."

edited 3rd May '15 11:21:28 AM by HallowHawk

I got as far as "Infinite Stratos" before I dismissed it as a minor issue compared to anything else in that universe as far as sexism is concerned.

But yeah, those are fair monikers. And if you think "butterfly" is sexist when applied to a woman, Muhammad Ali would like to to have a word with you.

edited 3rd May '15 11:43:12 AM by AnotherDuck

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I would be more concerned with 'gray' as iirc all the mass produced units in the series were gray. If color is truly special make it a more unique color.

And yeah butterfly symbolism isn't really sexist. It does have an image of umm beauty, grace and perfection though. I can think of at least 3 male characters, 2 of which Japanese, that have a Butterfly motif. Heck Choji in Naruto is one.

Japanese superstition though, butterflies represent a person's soul. A single butterfly enters your room from an open window means the person you love the most is coming to see you. While large numbers mean ill omens, like you are going to die.

edited 3rd May '15 12:14:01 PM by Memers

One thing, Hallow, it's been difficult to follow your logic in this and several of your other 'is this sexist?' questions in this thread. Would you mind explaining in future why you think something you're bringing up might be sexist, please?

What's precedent ever done for us?

Agreed, context really means pretty much everything here.

edited 3rd May '15 12:10:12 PM by Memers

Thanks

For safety reasons, to not offend certain people. Also, for the question I asked which started this, the beef to the taco that is answer I have been looking has been answered by Another Duck and Memers.

I'll have to explain that to you via PM, since we've gone off-topic.

edited 3rd May '15 12:15:07 PM by HallowHawk

I wonder how everybody feels about the heaps of sexism accumulated in Ore Monogatari!!. This show feels as if it was adapted from a manga that was running in the seventies or earlier. It feels so out of place in the current age.

I think it scored points in a quiet sort of way with the recent 'purity' arc, showing that women can express physical desire and this is perfectly OK. We are at least getting a good dose of what the delicate, beautiful girlfriend sees in her big, ugly boyfriend - I mean, apart from Takeo basically being the nicest guy on the planet, we pretty much got some Female Gaze shots of him this latest episode.

What's precedent ever done for us?

Haven't read the manga version yet, but watched the anime version, how do we rate the treatment of either sex in Seikon no Qwaser/The Quwaser of Stigmata?

That show is unwatchable!

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.