[Trans] Kame Camera - Vol.14 Manhood

[iside89]

Highlights:
-What is the difference between manhood and femininity for Kame.
-Kame's sudden transformation into a woman (?)
-Kame's model of manhood (I bet you can guess who's he talking about).
-Kame's type of woman.
-...and more xD

KAME CAMERA
What's the scenery of the bottom of the heart that Kamenashi Kazuya's lens reflects?

Vol.14 男らしさ

Comments

[scorch66]

I love this Maquia so much fhdsjkfhdskj It's like everything we know and have talked put in Kame's own words.

feminine outward appearance can’t be born with a mere natural body. Since it is also born from a “creating process”
I like how he says this, how 'femininity' is a construct. It's not the be-all-end-all for women but something society has created and a category anyone can fall into if they try.

Probably talking like this there are people thinking “you aren’t manly. Although you’re a man”, but I don’t mind. I simply want to enjoy what I like, both cars and beauty, as I please. I always want to be neutral towards stuff I find wonderful or interesting, without paying attention to how people see me
YOU GO, BB. so much love and admiration for you ♥♥♥♥

I am charmed by women that have a serenity that doesn’t mind little things, who have the steadiness of someone who carries a burden or an independence that doesn’t require to be spoilt like a child.
Love, love, love.

One of my favourite Maquias so far. Thank you so much for translating this, Isi ♥

[iside89]

LOL I wonder why the one that may probably become my least favourite has become the favourite of so many people? XD;;;
I think that "feminine=outward appearance" is limiting female possibility. I consider "real women" those mothers who can skillfully carry on both family and work, who devote themselves to their beloved ones. I was kinda disappointed that he made these values fall under only the "manhood" label. Yes, he sort of changed that point toward the end and I appreciate that he prefers exactly those women I'd call Women (with "W"). Still the first declaration kinda left me a bitter taste... :/ As I said, I know why Kame said this. But it kinda made me sad that he didn't make the following step in his reasoning :( he says he likes that kind of women, but it makes it sound like those women have a "manly" side, while I'd consider it the "real" femininity. Well, can't blame him for his cultural background~
/SO at the end I'm forgiving him as always~ xD/

I'm rambling~ xD Well, this is what I like about Kame camera issues, they make you think about many stuff through Kame's words... in a way or another :)

[scorch66]

I think it's because the words hold diff meanings for us. he says he likes that kind of women, but it makes it sound like those women have a "manly" side, while I'd consider it the "real" femininity.

To me, femininity =/= being a women, it's only an generalized association. I'm a woman and I don't consider myself very feminine. I hate it when guys go 'girls have to be xx or else they're not feminine' as if being pretty and delicate is are our essence, because that's how society views femininity. Kame, however, is saying that femininity is a creation and not something someone is naturally born with; it's not gender specific. Men can be feminine just as women can be masculine and in the end, we're all a bit of both. Psychologically, we're androgynous and he's fascinated by ppl who embrace that.
Feminine and masculine both have other conotations, but imo they are also both based on physical appearances in the end. They're both stereotypes and while Kame delves deeper on the masculine aspect without going deeper on the feminine, I think that's more because he can identify himself with the first; it doesn't necessarily mean he's discounting the latter. And I choose to belive this simply because, just as you said "I consider "real women" those mothers who can skillfully carry on both family and work, who devote themselves to their beloved ones." -> I've heard Kame say variants of this before, esp in regards to his mother.

/rambles back hfjdskdk

[iside89]

At the end, we share the same opinion; and as you explained, I/we share Kame's point of view at the end of the story, just I guess we simply disagree on the way Kame put it :) Indeed, the theme was "manhood" (or, for a literal translation, "what is man-like/what is considered proper of a man") so of course he had to end the comment about "what is considered proper of a woman" in just some lines. If you see the word translation like this, he was just following the theme. One of the reasons I admire him is exactly because he shows respect for every human being independently from gender. This is why I was :( at the first lines because as you said, knowing other declarations by him, I'd have expected him to say something like "everyone think this is 'femininity', but I think it's not". He simply confirms it, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt because indeed the theme is man, not woman, and he's talking as a man carrying a (partly) different PoV from all other Japanese men.
This doesn't mean that I love Kame less or I think he's mysogyn, LOL, because it would be false and it would be a wronge reading: the final message is "Men can be feminine just as women can be masculine and in the end, we're all a bit of both. Psychologically, we're androgynous and he's fascinated by ppl who embrace that". Just, when I started reading I was expecting a certain development of the topic that it didn't appear :) I would also be wrong if I discarded this essay just for this reason, lol~ I am not so naive yet.

Beside that, in fact, I deeply admire how he continues on his path, liking whatever he wants just for his own satisfaction, independently by other people's opinion. And I love him for keeping giving such a strong message in every Maquia: live for yourself, never be afraid of other people's stereotyped opinion, just feel in peace with yourself.
i should collect all these messages and read them every time I feel depressed, lol~ xD

*hugs*

[scorch66]

*nods* The way he's using the word feminine is the way the world uses it, not in the transformed way women are beginning to use but in the stereotypical way, yet at the same time, he's extending that stereotype for both genders which men rarely do lol and I love that. "One of the reasons I admire him is exactly because he shows respect for every human being independently from genre." basically this ♥
And good point about the topic, since it was focused on 'manhood' this still makes me laugh #prudeclub it makes sense he would expound more on that aspect while touching briefly on the feminine part. I think all men are misogynists, one way or another (being raised in a sexist world, it's difficult to expect otherwise), but I srsly doubt Kame's level of discrimination is high. He's too contradictory and complex to think in black&white.
Love yourself~♪ -> his motto (after 'live freely' ofc xDD)

♥♥♥