These people look white to you? The you're either being dishonest or you really are an idiot.There is a film that makes its way to theatres this weekend. The film is called Dragonball: Evolution. This...movie is "based" on the manga/anime, Dragon ball/Dragonball Z, created by Akira Toriyama. It is based on the Chinese folktale, Journey into the West (here's an abridged interpetation). The property has a large fan base that are worldwide and has been following one or all of Dragonball's differing incarnations for over 20 years. However, like all things, if it doesn't exist in the U.S. (kinda ironic how that spells "US", as in opposed to "THEM"), it doesn't exist or isn't popular. Like soccer. Hence, this prologue.
Now for what I'm on about.
When something DOES become popular in the U.S., no offense when I say this, white people here are compelled to co-op it, or just outright "take it". There is a Dave Chappelle/Paul Mooney bit about this on Chappelle's Show, I'm sure you've seen it. We've seen this sort of thing before, people (slavery), colonialism, music, you get the drift. Did you know the banjo was originally an African instrument? Use that little chestnut next time you go south or to the Appalachians. If you do, can I have your stereo? You may not need it anymore...since you won't be coming back, but I digress. The latest example of this is the subject of this blog entry, a white Gokou. The actor playing Son Gokou, Justin Chatwin, is caucasian. And that is just flat out incorrect.
Hey! You're racist!
I'm not racist. Just real. We're talking about a Japanese property based on a Chinese fairy tale and you mean to tell me the "best" person they (20th Century Fox) could find to play the heavy in this clearly Asian story is a white dude??
Well...Son Gokou in this interpetation is an alien, so it doesn't matter.
No. It does matter. Superman is an alien, too, and you don't see Hollywood chopping at the bit to make a non-white Superman, do you? So do they feel the need to take Asia's "Superman" and make him white? How would most white people react to say...Tony Jaa putting those fruity blue spandex tights? That's what I thought.
Umm, well....white people wouldn't see it otherwise...
That's not true either. If the movie is good, the people will come. I think Slumdog Millionaire and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon prove otherwise.
"Forbidden Kingdom" did okay, that's probably because there was a white person in it.
Wrong. People just wanted to see Jackie Chan and Jet Li finally pair off against each other. The kid in that movie was superfluous.
Well the creator of Dragonball, Akira Toriyama, gave his blessing so...
I take it you mean this little chest nut:
As the original creator, I had a
feeling of "Huh?" upon seeing the screenplay and the character
designs, but the director, all the actors, the staff, and the rest are nothing
but "ultra" high-caliber people. Maybe the right way for me and all the
fans to appreciate it is as a New Dragonball of a different dimension.
Perhaps, this might become a great masterpiece of power! Hey, I look forward to
it!!
The Japanese can be so polite. Read between the lines. ;)
But...
Stop. This movie is offensive and indefensible and should be boycotted. We may as well bring blackface back to the fore.
The End. Roll Credits.
[BTW: The live action version of Avatar: The Last Airbender is set to debut around soon...watch this space.]
