View Full Version : Racist Halloween Costumes... In JAPAN!
BeTheReds
10-26-2003, 12:58 AM
I went to a department store the other day to look for a halloween costume for a halloween party. Mostly the basic Dracula, Frankenstein, Satan, and Scream ghost costumes could be easily found.
Then I noticed one surprising costume that sent off buzztones in my head. It wasn't a scary black man mask or a thick lipped rapper like most of you would expect from Japan. It was...
A buctoothed Fu Manchu costume, that I thought is a million times more racist than the Chinese Take out costume that has been circulating on Asian-American websites.
I don't have any pictures of it but it was bad! He's balding, has teeny tiny eyes, and crooked bucked teeth. If sold in America it would be a nightmare. The kicker.. on the back of the mask it prominently says in plain English.. MADE IN JAPAN!
Some people would make the case that it is made by Asians for Asians, so we shouldn't feel alarmed about it so much, but I feel differently. I have noticed that in Japan people tend to look in admiration to the USA and Europe and consider Africa and Asia as backward and uncivilized. I only wish I had a picture.
that's messed up man...guess this goes to support the idea of there not being any pan-asian identity.
achtungbaby
10-26-2003, 01:56 AM
Got a picture?
teaz0r
10-26-2003, 03:51 AM
they're selling bin laden and dubya masks in thailand.
ModernLogic
10-26-2003, 06:05 AM
Question: Do you think the Groucho Marx eyeglass-nose is offensive to Jews? I mean, it's not the most attractive thing in the world....
I guess my point is that this Fu Manchu costume is not an attack on the Chinese race in general, but just a parody of Fu-Manchu-like carricatures. Just like the Grouch Marx eyeglass-nose is not an attack on Jews but a parody of a beloved Jewish comedian.
http://www.lorettalaroche.com/str_images/products/tn_gl1.jpg
kimpossible
10-26-2003, 08:22 AM
A buctoothed Fu Manchu costume, that I thought is a million times more racist than the Chinese Take out costume that has been circulating on Asian-American websites.
I have stupid question; is it a 'Chinese' costume? Is the actual name [of the costume] Fu Manchu?
nonamerasian
10-26-2003, 08:53 AM
that's messed up man...guess this goes to support the idea of there not being any pan-asian identity.
Why would there be a pan-Asian identity in Japan?
stunninglyAsian
10-26-2003, 10:19 AM
Why would there be a pan-Asian identity in Japan?
Exactly. Culturally, the Japanese have no need to unite with other Asians. If the Chinese are being made fun of, they'll find it funny. This "pan-Asian" identity only exists in places where Asians are a minority, like America. Here we have to stick up for all Asians because society perceives all the same. And it doesn't help us if we say, "I'm Chinese, fuck the japs and gooks." We do it to gain strength as a group. But if your race is the majority, why bother with the problems of other races?
nonamerasian
10-26-2003, 11:11 AM
Exactly, SA. At least, that's how I see the subject.
mr. x
10-26-2003, 01:13 PM
when i was in japan, i remember seeing a action figure of a vietcong chick. u sure as hell wont see that in heehaw county, georgia
Why would there be a pan-Asian identity in Japan?
umm...my point was there isn't.
kimpossible
10-26-2003, 02:23 PM
umm...my point was there isn't.
yeah, that's what I thought you were saying...
nonamerasian
10-26-2003, 02:24 PM
. . .But there shouldn't be much reason to suspect there would be.
kimpossible
10-26-2003, 02:50 PM
Right, and I took Tao's comment to be a casual observance of confirmation as in he's heard the argument of pan-Asian identity, he didn't really buy into it and this costume for sale in Japan is proof. Unless I totally misinterpreted what he wrote... Tao?
nonamerasian
10-26-2003, 02:54 PM
Oh. That's probably what he's saying, but I never heard the argument of there being a pan-Asian identity in Asia so, "Where the hell did that idea come from," instantly popped into my head.
Right, and I took Tao's comment to be a casual observance of confirmation as in he's heard the argument of pan-Asian identity, he didn't really buy into it and this costume for sale in Japan is proof. Unless I totally misinterpreted what he wrote... Tao?
yeah basically, your the only one who understands me HH :(
but seriously, I've heard the phrase "pan-asian unity/identity" thrown around. And I also remember BTR saying that he believed there isn't any since different asian countries have different cultures and what not. So basically I was commenting on how this case would support BTR's arguement.
mr. x
10-26-2003, 06:37 PM
i remember reading an article on the okinawa military rapes in Time Magazine and they were talking about how some japanese women have black fetish ("cocoa-ing" their skin for example) and they showed a picture of a shop selling a bunch of mammy, blackface figurines like it was nothing.
BeTheReds
10-26-2003, 07:00 PM
yeah basically, your the only one who understands me HH :(
but seriously, I've heard the phrase "pan-asian unity/identity" thrown around. And I also remember BTR saying that he believed there isn't any since different asian countries have different cultures and what not. So basically I was commenting on how this case would support BTR's arguement.
Well, I don't think anyone will contest that there is no Pan Asian Identity in Asia, however, simply because a Japanese company made a mask degrading the Chinese doesn't prove that there is no strong solidified pan-Asian-American identity in the USA. While this case doesn't really do much to support my argument it is still agonizing.
ChinaLama
10-26-2003, 08:10 PM
I agree that the Japanese costume is an outrage, but my question is, what can Yellowworld DO against something in Japan? If YW simply can't organize an effective action in Japan, then it's NOT inconsistent for YW not to take action against these Japanese Halloween costumes but to have taken action against Kung Foo, if that was one of the things that someone's gonna say.
BeTheReds
10-26-2003, 08:40 PM
I agree that the Japanese costume is an outrage, but my question is, what can Yellowworld DO against something in Japan? If YW simply can't organize an effective action in Japan, then it's NOT inconsistent for YW not to take action against these Japanese Halloween costumes but to have taken action against Kung Foo, if that was one of the things that someone's gonna say.
Well, here's the thing, I have not tried to do anything about it, but I could. However being that I am not chinese, I don't know where chinese people gather, It would be very very difficult to drum up support for anti-chinese racism when I myself am not chinese.
I also am under the impression that chinese people in Japan don't even care.
Ogumo
10-27-2003, 12:08 AM
I also am under the impression that chinese people in Japan don't even care.
Bingo. This is the reason that nothing will be done about this and things like this will countinue. If the chinese annoyed the companies this would not happen again.
BigLew
10-27-2003, 12:46 PM
I wonder if really extreme Christians ever complain that a Satan costume is offensive.
Napoleon Chynamite
10-27-2003, 01:18 PM
I'm not anti or pro-pan-Asian identity, but the absence or presence of pan-Asian identity in a certain nation doesn't really mean shit. Are there Asians who believe they are part of a pan-Asian identity and see other Asians as their brothers and sisters? Yes. Are there Asians that don't? Of course. Simple, no?
achtungbaby
10-27-2003, 03:51 PM
I guess my point is that this Fu Manchu costume is not an attack on the Chinese race in general, but just a parody of Fu-Manchu-like carricatures. Just like the Grouch Marx eyeglass-nose is not an attack on Jews but a parody of a beloved Jewish comedian.Do you think the kids who dress up in such costumes make that distinction?
achtungbaby
10-27-2003, 03:54 PM
Can someone please explain to me what the hell this costume has to do with Pan-Asian identity?
kasia
10-27-2003, 04:25 PM
thank goodness this isn't in america...
i was about so say...kung fool part II? i don't know if even the Mafia could pull off a successful campaign in less than 4 days =p
we should have a project anti-disguise anniversary party. i love you guys.
mr. x
10-27-2003, 07:40 PM
obviously the japanese and chinese dont see each other as "brothas" but the reason the chinese would probly be less inclined to care is cuz another asian is still less likely to do the squinty eyed shit even if he dont like chinese etc.
ChinaLama
10-28-2003, 06:45 AM
forget chinalama, she will always go defensive on the japanese and would do so by leading you to other horseshits.
That's pretty clearly a personal attack. Since you like to do this almost every few days, I recommend that you be eunuchized (technical term in YW). Second, the next time I see anything remotely like a personal attack in your post, I may just delete your entire post, no matter how good your point is.
oh btw, RB, how am I going defensive on the Japanese if I had said, "WHILE I AGREE THESE COSTUMES ARE AN OUTRAGE..."
ChinaLama
10-28-2003, 07:10 AM
Sorry, removing a post where you call me a Pussy isn't reckless. And I'm not sure if I've ever removed any other posts of yours.
I have put up your conduct for discussion among the administrators and moderators. they'll decide if i'm a poor moderator, not you. in the meantime, why don't you play it safe in your posts? One COMMON SENSE way of doing that is by not bringing in other YW'ers' names where it's not absolutely necessary.
ChinaLama
10-28-2003, 07:31 AM
I agree. We're not discussing you or me here, but I am serving notice it IS being discussed somewhere.
Now, back to the original topic.
SunWuKong
10-28-2003, 09:26 AM
give me a break, will ya?
how can that possibily be interpreted as personal attack or "remotely like a personal attack"??
anyway, judging by your reckless removal of my previous posts, i'm starting to question your ability as a moderator.
next time i see such groundless accusation from you, i'll send my feedback to the webmaster with no hesitation.
radiobum, while there are guidelines for posting, in the end, the mods reserve the sole right to judge what is considered inappropriate content. the reason for this is to allow for the mods to have fluidity of actions, so as to prevent any attempts to "loophole" the written guidelines. this is one of the basic rules you'll have to live with if you want to continue posting on YW.
achtungbaby
10-28-2003, 07:39 PM
give me a break, will ya?
how can that possibily be interpreted as personal attack or "remotely like a personal attack"??
anyway, judging by your reckless removal of my previous posts, i'm starting to question your ability as a moderator.
next time i see such groundless accusation from you, i'll send my feedback to the webmaster with no hesitation.We can all debate about issues until the cows come home; what's not left up to debate is how we moderate discussion.
Ogumo
10-29-2003, 05:31 AM
the costumes exist in your country not because of the companies that produced them. they exist because there is a market for them in your ogumo world.
and indeed, these things will continue. it is your national pysche.
Yes and no. They exist yes because there is a market for it. (I do not know how well this ridiculous costume will sell). But they also continue to exist because the chinese do not fight it. Perhaps if they did fight it the company would become annoyed with them and stop producing these costumes. Also do not feed me your ridiculous theories of the japanese mind.
ChinaLama
10-29-2003, 07:21 AM
it would also depend on just how significant a market the Chinese can serve in Japan, or how much Chinese can get NON-Chinese to care. To give an extreme example, let's say there are only 10,000 Chinese in all in Japan (my numbers are probably wildly off-- this is just hypothetical). Even if 5,000 of them boycott a product, no one would care, if the product is instead reaching an audience of say 10 million and few of the non-Chinese cared.
it would also depend on just how significant a market the Chinese can serve in Japan, or how much Chinese can get NON-Chinese to care. To give an extreme example, let's say there are only 10,000 Chinese in all in Japan (my numbers are probably wildly off-- this is just hypothetical). Even if 5,000 of them boycott a product, no one would care, if the product is instead reaching an audience of say 10 million and few of the non-Chinese cared.
that brings up a good point....would people and/or politicians in japan care as much as liberal whites and politicians here in the big US cities care about political correctness and "diversity" and tolerance?
vBulletin® v3.7.0, Copyright ©2000-2009, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.