LJ ranting, Itoshi Kimi e, Yukan Club, KAT-TUN & Kame, random photographs

[winterspel]

Ordinarily I like to take care of housekeeping first before I post, but I've realized that it's probably going to take me a lot longer to sort out my tags issue, so I might as well just post and tags be damned for the time being.

Comments

[acchikocchi]

Darting in quickly - as far as American stereotypes go, what about the common occurence of hiring any non-Asian actor or actress to play Americans, or at least English speakers? So many times the actor is clearly of European or other descent, yet apparently anyone with pale skin is American. I know many times Japanese assume that if you look Caucasian you speak English, but I could go on for ages about that one... *g* The point is, obviously the discrepancy between a Taiwanese actor and an Arab prince more immediately noticeable to us, but is it really <>that much better than casting a Russian actress, say, as an American heiress?

Of course this is exactly what gets to me in American television/movies reversed: apparently all Asians are interchangeable. *rolls eyes* If we say dark hair and dark eyes are enough to qualify you as a native of anywhere from Korea to Cambodia I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that they'll do the same (as I imagine that was about the director's thought process - "Arab? Okay - dark hair, dark eyes, foreign, comic potential - of course, Mike He!").

This may be slightly off track as I don't immediately recall this particular phenomenon, at least, happening in Hana Yori Dango. *g*

[ginzarhapsody]

I know many times Japanese assume that if you look Caucasian you speak English, but I could go on for ages about that one... *g*

Once, I was attacked by a middle!aged!sarariiman in Shibuya because he wanted me to speak English to him. And I'm not Caucasian. I dunno. I just felt like sharing that. *giggle*

Hana Yori Dango 2 didn't miscast Americans because they actually USED Americans when they were in New York, but they did "hype up" some stereotypes.

I agree with your points about how Japanese dramas tend to miscast Americans as well, but I think I had qualms with Mike He because well, he's MIKE HE. He's a huge star in Taiwan and stuffs (and I don't know about his fanbase in Japan, but I'm sure he has one) and so it was like, "OOH! BIG STAR! Let's stick him HERE!" as it always tends to be with Johnny's. ;) So like you pointed out, the fact that perhaps a little less thought than should have gone into the casting process added onto the ridiculousness of it all, bothered me. But I still liked the episode for Jingrish. :D :D

[acchikocchi]

Hee! Despite standing out about as much as I possibly could (red hair, very pale skin), I have to say random approaches didn't happen much in Nagasaki! I guess they're shyer in the country. ;D I got all the little kids saying "Haro," though. *g*

Anyway, just wanted to clear one more thing up! I hope I didn't sound like I was huffy over other nationalities portraying Americans and, I don't know, getting it wrong or something - I was thinking of more of how irritating it might be for people from other countries, actors or otherwise, to be constantly pushed in the American/English speaker pinhole regardless of where they are from. I mean, if for example one was a French visitor to Japan who spoke excellent Japanese and so-so English, how frustrating it must be to be constantly approached in English.

Of course I adored the Jingrish. His West Coast accent! *giggles* Oh, Jin! ♥

[ginzarhapsody]

I hope I didn't sound like I was huffy over other nationalities portraying Americans and, I don't know, getting it wrong or something - I was thinking of more of how irritating it might be for people from other countries, actors or otherwise, to be constantly pushed in the American/English speaker pinhole regardless of where they are from.

No, you're totally right. That WOULD suck. I mean, it's bad enough that some Japanese will refuse to talk to you in Japanese despite your ability to communicate it. The conversations get all gocha gocha and it's just weird. o.o

AND YES. <3 It sort made me stupidly proud that he managed to adopt the Southern Californian accent. Despite being from Northern California myself. *giggle*