Oh great, it’s open. Anyone have any thoughts on the problem and my suggestion?
I like the Trope Transplant idea, although I agree the new suggestion is inadequate. Does ~Memers have a suggestion?
Link to TRS threads in project mode here.I think that the primary name of the supertrope should be Foreigner Fanservice, just because it's ever-so-slightly clearer, with Foreign Fanservice being a redirect. For the new subtrope name, I'd suggest one of:
- Land of the Free, Home of the Sexy or E Pluribreast Unum, although they would imply restriction to the U.S.
- Butts, Boobs, and Burgers
I would be good with Foreigner Fanservice as the title. We should probably move the Foreign People Are Sexy redirect from Everyone Looks Sexier if French to the supertrope as well if we decide to make it.
The only one of those suggestions I really feel is the first one, but of course that would involve making the trope America-specific. I'm not actually that opposed to this, considering the majority of the good examples on the page are already about Americans, but I'm fine with the trope as currently-described too.
I support the supertrope idea, under the current name. I don't think Foreigner Fanservice has any clarity improvement over Foreign Fanservice, and it will be more work to move.
For the current definition, Occidental Eye Candy? Western Fanservice Character? I don't think the name needs to be America-specific (though Butts Boobs And Burgers is a fun name), I've seen examples of for European characters. I think the key is that the character's Caucasian physical traits (like height, fair skin, large breasts etc) are often what's being fetishized, so it could work equally well for other white people. This is in contrast to something like Everyone Looks Sexier if French, where the accent and some idea of French culture is being fetishized.
"It's just a show; I should really just relax"Not much to add here besides to making a supertrope and doing a transplant.
Currently Working On: Incorruptible Pure PurenessI like both of your suggestions. I lean towards Western Fanservice Character because I think it’s slightly clearer, but either one is good.
The Busty western or half-western fanservice character is an anime stereotype. I would say our current list is a bit limited to what actually exists though.
The blonde it often will fly counterpoint to the small Yamato Nadeshiko beauty, occasionally even in fantasy works where its like a checklist of stereotypes.
Super trope to country specific fanservice would work Kimono Fanservice and Flag Bikini would likely go on that.
and why call me out?
Edited by Memers on Feb 6th 2019 at 3:16:12 AM
This sounds like the Japanese version of Orientalism, where non-Western characters are heavily feminized and sexualized. An example would be the stereotypical depiction of harems, especially in older media.
Could we make a case for there being an Asian variant of Orientalism? In that case, that would also suggest there is a super trope for such stereotyping.
Optimism is a duty.I could see that.
Occidentalism? Not a particularly common term compared to its counterpart, but it may be a good starting point.
I agree the "Foreign Fanservice" name is not representative of what the trope actually is. Occidental Eye Candy is pretty catchy, but I don't know if its meaning would be clear to those unfamiliar.
Edited by mahidevrans on Feb 21st 2019 at 10:29:39 AM
That would seem to be a good counterpart, with the overarching trope perhaps being exoticism?
Optimism is a duty.I agree that Foreign Fanservice works better as a supertrope name either way.
Patiently awaiting the release of Paper Luigi and the Marvelous Compass.But orientalism, and I assume occidentalism as well, are more than just fanservice.
Optimism is a duty.I meant the name works for a supertrope to tropes like the ones mentioned in the first post. I neglected to take Orientalism into account, but if it's being grouped under the new supertrope, then the supertrope needs a different name.
I agree that a rename is needed for the trope this thread was originally for, either way. Western Fanservice Character sounds pretty clear.
Edited by GastonRabbit on Feb 21st 2019 at 5:22:26 AM
Patiently awaiting the release of Paper Luigi and the Marvelous Compass.The problem with ‘Western Fanservice Character’ is that the stereotype can be used in fantasy works as more of a checklist of stereotypes but not be actually western. Same for fantasy works inserting a Not!Japan in and having a sexy Yamato Nadeshiko in eastern wear character or Kick Chick occasionally as a counterpart to the Western analog.
Edited by Memers on Feb 21st 2019 at 7:07:11 AM
Tropes Are Flexible. It could still be used for Fantasy Counterpart Cultures.
Patiently awaiting the release of Paper Luigi and the Marvelous Compass.I agree, if it's fantasy and you can still tell a country is supposed to be based on Japan, it would be because it is using Japanese stereotypes.
Optimism is a duty.I agree that Foreign Fanservice should be a supertrope to Latin Lover et. al., as well as the replacement trope for "sexy westerner" as appearing in non-western media. While there is a degree of overlap with concepts of Orientalism and Occidentalism — more so with some examples than with others — I don't think one should be the the sub- or super-trope of the other.
The overarching theme of Orientalism and Occidentalism would probably be "the Other" and how it is perceived and projected on by outsiders. Exoticism and eroticization are aspects of that, especially in Orientalism, but it would be reductive to call it the "overarching theme" of those concepts.
Count me in in the camp of making Foreign Fanservice a supertrope about fan service using foreigners.
+1 to make Foreign Fanservice the supertrope to the more specific types.
Supertrope it. Making tropes Japan-specific is almost always a bad idea.
"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"I also support the supertrope.
Crown Description:
Foreign Fanservice is being made into a supertrope for the concept of objectifying foreign cultures. What should its current definition, "Western/White fanservice character in a non-Western (usually Japanese) work", be called?
This trope is supposed to be about the portrayal of Westerners in Japanese/Japan-adjacent media as tall, curvy, and generally more sexually forward than the native cast. However, the title gives the impression that it’s the supertrope for tropes such as Sensual Slav, Spicy Latina, etc. Almost every non-Japanese example reflects this misinterpretation.
21 good examples, 16 borderline or poorly-explained examples, and two non-examples.
No good examples and one “nuke on sight”-tier example.
No good examples, one example that is almost definitely not an example, and four bad examples.
Doreah: If he wanted the Dothraki way, why did he marry you?
One arguable example and one bad example.
One arguable example and four bad examples.
No good examples and one bad example.
Six good examples, 19 poor or borderline examples, and four bad examples.
One good example and one borderline example.
Two borderline examples and two non-examples.
No good examples and one bad example.
No good examples and 27 bad examples.
Overall, there are 28 good examples, 41 examples with various problems, and 47 examples of misuse, making the ratio of good to bad examples 69:47 at the very best, which includes things I’ve tagged as “almost definitely not an example.” Nearly half of the examples are bad. However, the anime and manga and video games sections have much better use to misuse ratios, probably because they contain the most Japanese media.
My suggestion is to reuse the name Foreign Fanservice for an index of tropes about fetishized characters who are foreign to the main cast or target audience, which would include this trope, Everyone Looks Sexier if French, Latin Lover, etc., and rename this trope to something like “Anime Wanton Westerner”. But probably not that, because it sounds kind of stupid.
Edited by NothingUnusualHere on Feb 1st 2019 at 2:56:32 PM