So, in order to prompt myself to post actual, like, content more often, I'm inaugurating a new series of anime/manga reviews, with a particular analytical viewpoint
( Read more... )
Here via MangaBlog.netrenagrrl7July 13 2007, 17:34:15 UTC
I found your analysis thoroughly refreshing--it seems too often that people just read/watch Bleach (or any other anime/manga for that matter) because everyone else is and don't take the time to think about what they're observing. I agree that it is more well-developed than most shonen manga, but it's no where near where it could be.
Of course, Bleach still suffers from what you observe as the "woman in peril" archetype, or what I call "the Mary Jane complex," modeled after Mary Jane Watson from Spiderman. She's female and must be rescued at all costs, and, of course, by a male, preferably the protagonist. Additionally, I agree with your orphaned leads observation--just look at other mangas, especially shonen titles, like InuYasha or Naruto, for example. But, I'd have to agree with laurabryannan: I think it's done more for expediency and avoiding the "How does your mother allow such behavior?" question than for any other reason (although a saintly mother does prompt the "save the world" mentality, even when that isn't the lead's main motivation
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It's interesting that you specifically mention the orphaned-characters thing--especially as the next series you're doing (I can't wait!!!) is Saiyuki, in which only one of the four leads may even possibly have a living parent (Gojyo's never-seen youkai father) and one has no mortal parents at all. And, of course, we've both been through total immersion in Samurai Champloo, starring another gang of orphaned heroes. It does bear wondering about: maybe just an easy way to give them (a) angst and (b) no inconvenient family ties? maybe I just haven't given it enough thought. Hmm.
(We won't even get into the Disney movies and their downright disturbing absence of mothers...)
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Of course, Bleach still suffers from what you observe as the "woman in peril" archetype, or what I call "the Mary Jane complex," modeled after Mary Jane Watson from Spiderman. She's female and must be rescued at all costs, and, of course, by a male, preferably the protagonist. Additionally, I agree with your orphaned leads observation--just look at other mangas, especially shonen titles, like InuYasha or Naruto, for example. But, I'd have to agree with laurabryannan: I think it's done more for expediency and avoiding the "How does your mother allow such behavior?" question than for any other reason (although a saintly mother does prompt the "save the world" mentality, even when that isn't the lead's main motivation ( ... )
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(We won't even get into the Disney movies and their downright disturbing absence of mothers...)
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