Veteran animator Terumi
Nishii has taken to social media to express her frustration
at what she perceives as unreasonable demands for political correctness in
anime production. Nishii, who has worked as an animation director on several
anime such as “ Jujutsu Kaisen 0 , ” “ Jojo's
Bizarre Adventure ,” and “ Death Note ,”
shared her experience in a series of tweets.
Nishii recounted an incident in which a foreign
client requested that black characters in his work have defined noses to
properly distinguish them from other characters, who typically lack detail in
the nostrils. She argued that this request would upset the visual
balance of the characters and create an inconsistent level of realism
within the same series.
« None of the other characters had
nostrils, so if only the black characters had a different level of realism, it
would look unbalanced. In the end, it turned into a conversation about how it's
safer to make hair colors something like lime green or purple so you can't tell
what race they are, " Nishii wrote.
Nishii highlighted the cultural divide ,
noting that the Japanese approach of indicating race by a simple brown skin
tone does not align with foreign expectations of realism. He emphasized
that Japanese animation does not traditionally prioritize racial
representation . He expressed frustration that foreign producers, who
often lack a deep appreciation of anime, are pushing for these changes.
Additionally, he criticized the idea that
Japanese animation must conform to Western notions of political correctness .
She argued that anime thrives on its unique style and that giving in to outside
pressures would diminish its appeal, citing that neither she nor domestic anime
fans want such changes.
« Because of this, I don't feel any
attraction to incorporating political correctness and creating works for a
foreign audience, and local anime fans don't want it either. If we did that, it
would take away the appeal of the anime, and we would lose quickly. So I want
to continue doing things according to Japanese standards ,” said
Nishii.
The entertainer also addressed the broader economic
and demographic issues facing Japan. She emphasized the need to address
the country's declining birth rate to revitalize domestic demand
for anime . Even if Japan was experiencing a baby boom now, she noted
that it would take at least a decade before the industry could afford to ignore
foreign market demands.
He expressed concern for the future, hoping that
steps will be taken to ensure the freedom of the next generation of animators.
« Even if we have a baby boom now, we would still have to adapt to
foreign sensitivities and make changes for at least ten years, so I personally
won't see it in time. But I hope something can be done for the sake of the
freedom of the next generation. The decrease in the birth rate. In other words,
economic policy », Nishii concluded.
Source: AnimeHunch
