Asian American portrayals in Asia

[Faithless]

Came across an interesting article while trying to search for an episode log on a NHK TV drama, currently showing in the US.

http://www.jamco.or.jp/2004_symposium/en/yano/

The focus of the article is on Sakura, a supposedly 4th generation Japanese American from Hawaii, teaching in Japan.

You think Americans tend to leave out details about Asians, so can Asian films.

- Sakura can't speak English worth a damn. I think she' supposed to be teaching English in Japan.
- Neither can her daddy.
- She (Sakura) is totally more Japanese than American -- which is possible, but for a fourth generation JA? Hm.
- Mixed reaction on how well they researched aspects of different JA generations.
The fact that NHK did make an attempt to talk with "'real' fourth-generation kids" and still ended up with this inaccurate portrait suggests the degree to which this linguistic aspect of the Nikkei picture either did not matter much to producers or was ignored for Japanese audiences.

This commentary reported that Nikkei's weren't happy over the portayals.

http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/waiwai/0210/021002soap.html
Sakura," a TV drama about a fourth generation Japanese-American from Hawaii who returns to her ancestral land to help teach English, may have been a ratings winner for government broadcaster NHK but most Nikkei loathe the show, calling it "insulting," according to Josei Jishin (10/15).

"It's simply not possible for a fourth generation Nikkei to arrive in Japan and speak flawless Japanese. Third generation Japanese-Americans don't even speak Japanese. And why does (Sakura), who's supposed to be American, speak English with a British accent?" House of Representatives member Taro Kono writes on his website. "NHK's lack of awareness of Japanese-Americans is extremely disappointing. I thought the Japanese-Americans who visited me in the spring would see 'Sakura' as being totally normal. Now that I realize that's not the case, I feel a bit silly."
...

[SunWuKong]

HK media's portrayal of overseas Chinese (from a western country) is really lacking, too. they're often played by people who can't pull off English with no accent. the characters are always very rich/successful and either aloof or plain arrogant, because they're from a western country. and the most annoying thing is that they always have to throw in a couple of random English words in their conversations, to show how westernised they are.

[golden_buns]

Korea has shit laod of korean-americans as singers, actors/actresses, and models, so I doubt we'll bump into that problem, the problem is that nobody would be interested in a soap opera about Kyoopos

[Tao]

and the most annoying thing is that they always have to throw in a couple of random English words in their conversations, to show how westernised they are.


hehe, from the sounds of it, they can just cast local shanghainese business men. they do that shit all the time.

[mr. x]

Korea has shit laod of korean-americans as singers, actors/actresses, and models, so I doubt we'll bump into that problem, the problem is that nobody would be interested in a soap opera about Kyoopos
but arent those guys/girls always going out of their way to prove how korean they are instead of american?

[Faithless]

Well, Sakura finally ended in the San Francisco Bay Area for those who watched it on KTSF, channel 26.

Watched this last episode, and wasn't impressed. I think there was a bit of social politics going on. In the end, the supposedly Japanese American character from Hawaii, Sakura, ended up with the Japanese man and moved to Japan to be with him. :rolleyes:

Here was this third or fourth generation Japanese American woman, and I'm thinking that she would have the attitude to demand more affection from her men. She had that with the white dude she was dating in Hawaii.

But she chose the macho, inaffectual samurai-attitude Japanese guy.

She left her family in Hawaii in haste to return to Japan (where she had been teaching) with an appologetic note to her father, explaining her guilt. But did the man that she madly love embrace her, excitedly, and give her a passionate kiss? No, he barely gave her a descent hug.

Did she at least wake up with him the next morning? No. Did he, that morning, greet her with any sense of passion, then? No. Not even a hug.

Believable love story from an American perspective? No. Did Japanese audiences really go for this? :frown:

[mrazntre]

HK media's portrayal of overseas Chinese (from a western country) is really lacking, too. they're often played by people who can't pull off English with no accent. the characters are always very rich/successful and either aloof or plain arrogant, because they're from a western country. and the most annoying thing is that they always have to throw in a couple of random English words in their conversations, to show how westernised they are.

This is the same with filipino TV. Don't ask how I know, I just do.

Well, Sakura finally ended in the San Francisco Bay Area for those who watched it on KTSF, channel 26.

Watched this last episode, and wasn't impressed. I think there was a bit of social politics going on. In the end, the supposedly Japanese American character from Hawaii, Sakura, ended up with the Japanese man and moved to Japan to be with him. :rolleyes:

Here was this third or fourth generation Japanese American woman, and I'm thinking that she would have the attitude to demand more affection from her men. She had that with the white dude she was dating in Hawaii.

But she chose the macho, inaffectual samurai-attitude Japanese guy.

She left her family in Hawaii in haste to return to Japan (where she had been teaching) with an appologetic note to her father, explaining her guilt. But did the man that she madly love embrace her, excitedly, and give her a passionate kiss? No, he barely gave her a descent hug.

Did she at least wake up with him the next morning? No. Did he, that morning, greet her with any sense of passion, then? No. Not even a hug.

Believable love story from an American perspective? No. Did Japanese audiences really go for this? :frown:

are the producers white? or are they just stupid?

This is just typical, pure blasphemous and totally stupid. WTF? Sometimes I wonder what the fuck these people eat before the go to work. I'm thinking they eat shit, but who knows.

[hooligan]

haha, we're marginalized on both sides of the pacific rim.

[DragonKnight]

Yeah, I was watching this series until my DVR machine in the SF Bay Area broke (currently getting a new one up so I can drop it off at my parents' place next weekend). The main character got really annoying with her fruitless efforts on trying to speak supposedly flawless English. :rolleyes:

[Kuchana]

Well, Sakura finally ended in the San Francisco Bay Area for those who watched it on KTSF, channel 26.

Watched this last episode, and wasn't impressed. I think there was a bit of social politics going on. In the end, the supposedly Japanese American character from Hawaii, Sakura, ended up with the Japanese man and moved to Japan to be with him. :rolleyes:

Here was this third or fourth generation Japanese American woman, and I'm thinking that she would have the attitude to demand more affection from her men. She had that with the white dude she was dating in Hawaii.

But she chose the macho, inaffectual samurai-attitude Japanese guy.

She left her family in Hawaii in haste to return to Japan (where she had been teaching) with an appologetic note to her father, explaining her guilt. But did the man that she madly love embrace her, excitedly, and give her a passionate kiss? No, he barely gave her a descent hug.

Did she at least wake up with him the next morning? No. Did he, that morning, greet her with any sense of passion, then? No. Not even a hug.

Believable love story from an American perspective? No. Did Japanese audiences really go for this? :frown:

Maybe it's a cultural thing? It might well be that the Japanese man wasn't expressive in his affection as one would expect from an American view?

I have to admit if I was with such a man, I'd be very dissatisfed with the relationship. Doesn't sound believable to me but others may see it differently from their own perspective.

[YuheiCarreau]

are the producers white? or are they just stupid?

This is just typical, pure blasphemous and totally stupid. WTF? Sometimes I wonder what the fuck these people eat before the go to work. I'm thinking they eat shit, but who knows.

It's a Japanese show. The producers are Japanese, I'd expect; but since Japanese people in Japan have about as much awareness of other cultures as White people in the US do, you're not too far off...

[lethal]

Maybe it's a cultural thing? It might well be that the Japanese man wasn't expressive in his affection as one would expect from an American view?
That might be true, but why would a 4th generation Japanese American woman go for such a man then?

[Faithless]

Maybe it's a cultural thing? It might well be that the Japanese man wasn't expressive in his affection as one would expect from an American view?

I have to admit if I was with such a man, I'd be very dissatisfed with the relationship. Doesn't sound believable to me but others may see it differently from their own perspective.
Well, I admit that I did not watch each episode, but checked in once in a while.

My folks watched this show as much as they could.

Sakura, supposedly started out expecting more from the Japanese suitor (her coworker / fellow teacher at this high school?). But she, for some reason, lowered her expectations to meet his inaffectualness -- you know, "oh, well, this is how he's going to be".

It is totally unrealistic for me to believe that a bright, world-at-her-feet American woman (or any head strong woman for that matter) would give up everything (she supposedly had a prestigious position waiting for her at the University of Hawaii) for love, that may be true, but isn't totally expressive. I mean for all I know, a woman wants to feel that total sense of love coming from a dude before she's going to commit herself.

Now, the producers are most likely Japanese, but the question is, were they entirely male?

[DragonKnight]

I've been keeping track of this series for sheer curiosity's sake. But it the main female character has a major thing for her Japanese heritage. Then there was the high tension between her and her former fiance with their long distance relationship, his job that ultimately pit them against each other in regards of the restaurant that she and other foreigners frequent and have grown to love (I think the former fiance works in his dad's hotel business and wanted to develop a hotel resort in the location of that restaurant), and finally the argumentive 'chemistry' between the main female character and the Japanese suitor.

Throughout the series there was a slow but true drawing attraction between Sakura and her Japanese suitor, Katsuragi (gawd I hope I remember his name right). The thing about Katsuragi from what I gathered is that he was playing the 'typical' Japanese man who always had to hide his true feelings. How a 4th generation Japanese girl found this attractive, I don't know. But I'm guessing with her hardcore 'dedication' to her Japanese heritage, she probably found this attractive somehow.

That's my take. Wished I could've seen the last 15 episodes or so (around that time Sakura and Katsuragi were starting to fall for each other). I did catch the 2nd to the last one on my previous trip up in the SF Bay Area last weekend.

[BigLew]

No way she leaves a guy who is sensitive and affectionate for an asshole!? That never happens in the America!! :rolleyes:

Come on yall.

[mr. x]

No way she leaves a guy who is sensitive and affectionate for an asshole!? That never happens in the America!! :rolleyes:

Come on yall.
yeah but they are the white rockstar types, not quiet asian dudes

[SunWuKong]

Well, Sakura finally ended in the San Francisco Bay Area for those who watched it on KTSF, channel 26.

Watched this last episode, and wasn't impressed. I think there was a bit of social politics going on. In the end, the supposedly Japanese American character from Hawaii, Sakura, ended up with the Japanese man and moved to Japan to be with him. :rolleyes:

Here was this third or fourth generation Japanese American woman, and I'm thinking that she would have the attitude to demand more affection from her men. She had that with the white dude she was dating in Hawaii.

But she chose the macho, inaffectual samurai-attitude Japanese guy.

She left her family in Hawaii in haste to return to Japan (where she had been teaching) with an appologetic note to her father, explaining her guilt. But did the man that she madly love embrace her, excitedly, and give her a passionate kiss? No, he barely gave her a descent hug.

Did she at least wake up with him the next morning? No. Did he, that morning, greet her with any sense of passion, then? No. Not even a hug.

Believable love story from an American perspective? No. Did Japanese audiences really go for this? :frown:

this is a TV drama right? if Japanese TV drama is anything like HK TV drama, it's not going to be especially physically passionate, so i wouldn't be surprised if they didn't get very physical at the end when she returned to Japan. plus, i know a lot of HK actors and actresses object to even kissing, even for movies. i don't know if that's the same for Japanese actors and actresses though.

anyway, there's just no logic behind these Asian romance soap dramas. so it's just pointless to try wonder why the main characters do what they do.

[Faithless]

this is a TV drama right? if Japanese TV drama is anything like HK TV drama, it's not going to be especially physically passionate, so i wouldn't be surprised if they didn't get very physical at the end when she returned to Japan. plus, i know a lot of HK actors and actresses object to even kissing, even for movies. i don't know if that's the same for Japanese actors and actresses though.

anyway, there's just no logic behind these Asian romance soap dramas. so it's just pointless to try wonder why the main characters do what they do.
I realize all that.

But, I guess it's the Japanese interpretation of an American woman (American ways) that probably is particularly irksome -- and then to present it to the Japanese viewing audience.

I've seen some of those HK dramas, too. Don't have to understand the language to understand that you get a whole lot of drama and not much nookie action happening. :biggrin:

[seanp]

this is a TV drama right? if Japanese TV drama is anything like HK TV drama, it's not going to be especially physically passionate, so i wouldn't be surprised if they didn't get very physical at the end when she returned to Japan. plus, i know a lot of HK actors and actresses object to even kissing, even for movies. i don't know if that's the same for Japanese actors and actresses though.

anyway, there's just no logic behind these Asian romance soap dramas. so it's just pointless to try wonder why the main characters do what they do.

you reminded me of the japanese drama GTO, a live anime action. They showed briefly the porn stuff that the guy was watching, i literally can see her boobs in a sec. And the sound of orgasm was freaking loud too :biggrin: