Oh, the Hypocrisy! On Racebending and Representation

Yet another vlog post about Racebending in Avatar: The Last Airbender, but this time focusing more on the hypocrisy that's exemplified by issues of casting and the treatment of the original material by film execs and the Director himself, on matters of race and representation.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• avatar:the last airbender
• racebending
• representation
• arts
• minority representation
• racial issues
• critique

[iNESADRIenne]

the original avatar: the last airbender cartoon was written by two white guys who had the spine to do research. the movie last airbender was directed by an asian. so ur rite on the dot.

[Sapphonouveau]

@iNESADRIenne Ah. I was under the impression that one of the writers was of asian descent. Mea culpa. Hopefully my general point remains.

[Sapphonouveau]

@Picafuli Hey, embarrassing BS isn't restricted to one race by any means so don't feel too bad!

[hotwhire]

@Seraphimal I understand, its just if they can be openly racist about blacks then I can care a little less that their culture is either bastardized or white washed (Kung fu panda/Yin yang yo) I dont agree with hollywood's take on avatar but. Its not like they're saints about it either.

[Sapphonouveau]

@hotwhire Yes that's one thing that makes me more than a little uncomfortable when watching anime, I have to admit!

[Seraphimal]

@hotwhire Haha, yeah, I've definitely seen it. I was merely trying to make a point, by the Lord of the Rings analogy. I don't intend to be overtly stereotypical by saying the following: but I've noticed it a lot in Japanese movies. Granted, the point of the movies I was watching was supposed to be disgusting and reproachable, but I think they may have still reflected Japanese attitudes towards the Negro being unintelligent, ugly, repugnant, and so on and so forth.

[tallkevin01]

Thank you so much for speaking out and having a voice. Writers who think it is not their responsibility to write for minority characters, and say "go write your own," is like a sports star telling a fan to go start a street team. Indie writers would have nowhere near the visibility.

[hotwhire]

@Seraphimal Asians poorly represent Blacks in their films as well, they base their black friends on PURE stereotype and call that "funny" so. I should hear no crying, the movie still sucked.

[Seraphimal]

Its funny how nobody cares that all of these Asian cultures are represented by White people, but could you imagine the backlash if all of the Germanic cultures in Lord of the Rings were played by Black people?

Denzel Washington as Frodo.

Morgan Freeman as Gandalf.

Paula Patton as Arwen.

And the only white people in the cast are orcs or servants of Mordor. Damn, White People would pitch a fit.

[riderstein]

one hundred voices happens with the start of one voice