★ The Anime & Manga Industry is Becoming More Diverse!

Hey everybody! I hope you've been doing well! I had a little cold while I was recording this so I hope you dont mind the sniffly sound! Also, I hope you like my new little PNG Avatar!
I wanted to make a video to discuss the current landscape of the industry. I think we can all sense the shift in the air... and I believe that fans and creators from overseas have a huge part in that! Let me know what you think of the current state of manga and anime! Do you think its changing to become more inclusive?
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[@tomasdqwx2781]

DIverse characters are cool and all. Diversity shouldn t just be main focus of story like modern movies often do. Pushing it on people just for the sake of pushing it is not the way. Story gets worse because of that. Manga being popular globally is great. Problem may occur in future where everything is global and nothing is unique. Even now we get ton of isekai because it isn t hard to make and people are reading it. I watched radiant and it was awesome show. I didn t even notice that it was diverse. I am from Europe and even if characters in manga have different skin color or just think different way than me i can relate to them. That because message of manga is universal for everyone. I just hope that it won t be destroyed in future.

[@ThanatosZero]

I agree wholehearthingly.

[@RodneyKing-kz3ym]

Manga was not a universal message for everyone. That is the romanticized version of it. Manga was heavily influenced and sourced in Euro American comics and culture. They wanted to “modernize” and adopted Euro American culture, that is the start of the connection between modern manga and “western comics”. Japan was occupied by America post WW II, and Japanese media was censored to fit in with the messages from the west. That culture at the time was very antagonistic towards certain demographics. This is why we see so many people of Euro American descent (white) or at least their features present in manga and anime. It was from the influence. This is also undoubtedly a reason why people of color and indigenous people were depicted the way they were in manga and anime. That is what the Japanese saw as an example from the media they consumed. Euro American media was full of these caricatures. Katsuhiro Otomo, creator of Akira, even stated in an interview that he never thought about an audience outside of the Japanese, when asked how he felt about the global impact. He also said he makes his characters look Japanese on purpose, probably in response to the Euro American depictions common in Japanese culture? 🤔 Many are not pushing or forcing diversity, they are responding to a desire to not have a controlled narrative. Which there was a controlled narrative and it did not reflect what the world looked like or how it was.

[@Jackie_Staar]

Just playing a friendly devil's advocate here - to help bring in a different perspective I agree with you that it should not be the main focus of a story - but is pushing for diversity really a bad thing? Diversity doesn't just mean skin color or having a different way of thinking - it's also about different cultures too If all anime took place in Japan, don't you'd think it get kind of boring after awhile? Having an anime take place in Africa or Brazil for example - that would be interesting to see because you'd get to see a brand new culture. A lot of Japanese managka feel like Western diversity is interesting. That's why a lot of their characters appear western or European. I think if people never pushed for diversity, black and brown characters would never be in anime or manga. So is pushing for diversity still a bad thing? Just a friendly food for thought :)

[@RodneyKing-kz3ym]

This is so true! The Japanese have a love for hip hop and basketball, two things not from their country. They youth have embraced both of these things with open arms. It shows how much we can learn from each other as people if we just give ourselves the chance. The cultural exchange and interpretation is really exciting to see. 🤩👍👍

[@RodneyKing-kz3ym]

“The youth” not “they youth”. Auto correct ☹️. Why does my smart phone think it’s smarter than me?! 😭😩😩

[@henninghidalgo782]

As long as a story is well written and full of creative passion im all for it !

[@Jackie_Staar]

Awesome! ☺️

[@RodneyKing-kz3ym]

1) Glad Japan is sparking an interest in the global comic market for a new crop of readers. I only hope people don’t lose their own originality or culture in the process. No one can “out Japanese” the Japanese. Nor are Japanese tropes or characteristics inherently better than those of a non Japanese author’s home country. 2) Your art style rocks. Seriously. 3) Saturday AM did good in helping artists in their company and outside of their company believe that they could do comics (manga) too. Please make more videos, if time permits (I know your team is busy). It’s always cool to see new YT uploads from Saturday AM in my feed. I’m sure others appreciate it as well.

[@Jackie_Staar]

I agree with you 100%-! Culture is apart of what makes anime and manga set in different places so interesting. Whether it is from Japan or not 😊 Thank you for leaving behind the thoughtful comment! ❤😍 Will definitely do my best to upload more!

[@hairscrunchieltd]

I wouldn't be sure most of these are actual manga/anime. More like manga/anime-inspired. I think the title is misleading since Japanese Manga and anime are just about the same, but new people are creating in that style. That said, each should have a name of its own.

[@Jackie_Staar]

I probably would have agreed with you if I was asked that question about a decade ago - because i didnt really think shows like Avatar the Last Airbender was an anime. Turns out the term "anime" and "manga" literally just means "animation' and "comic" in Japanese respectively. A Japanese person would look at an American Spiderman comic book and call it "manga". They don't have any other words in Japanese to describe these things and we do not in English either. I think more and more people are slowly starting to accept this new understanding of the words. Not really caring anymore about labels or trying to invent a new word for manga and anime outside Japan. Just calling it anime and manga if it looks like anime and manga - is working out okay Thanks for leaving behind a comment and sharing your thoughts! ❤️ I love hearing what everybody thinks

[@winginitpodcast]

Nice vid. Keep up the good work.

[@Jackie_Staar]

Thank you for watching! And for the sub!! 🙏❤️

[@winginitpodcast]

@@Jackie_Staar I love the vibe, keep it up.

[@KatallinaVT]

This is so cool to hear about. As a writer who grew up with stuff like Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball Z I've been told on several occasions that reading my stuff gives off vibes like someone is watching an anime. I've always been nervous about embracing this outside of writing fan fiction. That kinda storytelling has a distinct flavor and while I adore it, I wouldn't want someone to feel like I'm trying to swipe from stuff that came before me. Given how unique manga and anime are, the idea that people of a variety of backgrounds and life experiences are experimenting with them as an artistic medium is great. Sorta like how something can be a clay pot, but the shaping and design will be unique to the creator. As people with different world views and ideas embrace new mediums and make them their own, we create a wider and richer array of options for people to be able to experience. That's one of the truly great possibilities orf the internet.

[@Jackie_Staar]

I think you said that beautifully! Thank you for the comment! So much of manga and anime has actually been inspired by western culture. Just take the very first anime to appear in America, Astro Boy. the creator Tezuka was inspired by Walt Disney and the early Mickey Mouse cartoons. I think people forget that a lot of the shows that we watch today - get their inspiration outside of Japan... Please continue pursuing your idea and your story. And don't let anyone tell you any different! You can add something unique to this medium, too! ❤️

[@user-sj6ky2uw8m]

I am all for Diversity in Manga and Anime. As an African-American man from US I personally love this unity of Diversity in one of world's largest global franchise itself. I myself have created my own personal rewrite of Dragon Ball and I am currently working on my own original version of My Hero Academia which stars an African-American character protagonist. #Diversity Matters.

[@Jackie_Staar]

Awesome! ❤ I hope the process has been fun. Thinking about the series that we love in a different light - has a way of igniting new ideas 💡 Keep fueling that imagination tank! ⛽️ 😆 👍

[@RodneyKing-kz3ym]

Love to hear it! The mantle of superheroes has always changed throughout history. Reimagined interpretations have existed and should exist, just as different kinds of people and artist (writer) interpretations do. There have been many iterations of the Flash, of Robin, of Batman, etc. When these “swapped” characters were all a set and same demographic it wasn’t a problem, but when said character is poc or a woman, etc it’s a hot button issue? Ok 😏 “Thor can’t be a woman, why is Thor a woman?…it’s the agenda.” Ummm… Jane Foster first made an appearance as Thor (Thordis) back in the 1970s, 1977 I do believe. Maybe they’re just adapting material from the comics? Being “comic fans” you think they would know this. 🤔😏 “But uhhh…bad writing…it’s a bad movie, the writing…” ok 👍 let’s not act like everything created in the past was objectively good. Furthermore, let’s let the movie come out first. Dudes are raging over trailers and cover art lol 😂. In any case, good luck to you on your projects. I’m sure you have an interesting story to tell! I wish you success! 🙏😎

[@user-sj6ky2uw8m]

@@Jackie_Staar Thank you, Jackie. I truly appreciate it. I have always loved art since I was a kid in the 90's.

[@user-sj6ky2uw8m]

@@RodneyKing-kz3ym Thanks man.

[@ThanatosZero]

I love diverse characters and diversity as part of world building. However if WOKE ideologies are mixed in, as enforcing their views on us, it will be a rather sour experience for many of us. And I hope that Saturday AM doesn't become a victim of those agenda.

[@Jackie_Staar]

Not trying to argue with you here when I say this, but if you were a manga artist and you had a story to tell, wouldn't you want people to be open to your message? Regardless of whether you were left, right, or in the center politically. I am conservative and I have gotten asked that question before. I used to think the term WOKE was acceptable to use. But it's not. It's labeling a group of people in a negative light. Just like if someone labeled a conservative a bigot or if someone used a racist slur against someone else. These words are negative at its core - they are meant to cause harm. And we should be trying to love each other, ya know? Just trying to make it make sense in a different light :)

[@RodneyKing-kz3ym]

“WOKE” is typically a way to dismiss a message. It is typically an ad hominem. We see this as people struggle to define what it actually means. “Bigot” is a well defined word. When said “bigot” presents themselves we can easily identify them. It’s a free market. People are free to shop where they wish. Imagine going into a burger place and saying “I hope they don’t try to sell me a burger today”. You can consume what you want. The discussion I believe as a whole is disingenuous, and quite frankly kind of corny. People existing should never be political. Saying something is “WOKE” and taking issue because “x,y,z type of person is in it” kind of makes you sound by definition…a “bigot”. I’m just saying lol 😂. No disrespect to anyone, those are general statements I made. You don’t have to argue Jackie, keep being great and servicing your audience. There will be those who can and will appreciate Saturday AM.

[@RodneyKing-kz3ym]

No one can force anything on you, it’s a free market. Just as no one forced you to watch the video. Imagine going to a burger place and saying you hope they don’t try to sell you a burger. You can go to the pizza joint if you choose. People existing is not political, and those who try to make it that way are more than likely just uncomfortable with seeing something different than their status quo. They’ve somehow managed to infiltrate the psyche of people, because this is really a non issue. Again, the pizza place is up the street, and burgers will always exist. I say that respectfully, and not in a dismissive way towards you. If you are approaching the conversation from a genuine place, I would urge you to be careful on what you listen to. “WOKE” is a way to politicize the existence of people and call in to question seeing them represented. We shouldn’t do that.

[@RodneyKing-kz3ym]

You don’t have to argue with anyone Jackie, keep being great and your audience will appreciate you for it. 😊

[@RodneyKing-kz3ym]

People existing is not an agenda. The word “woke” is. People existing should never be political. They exist in the world, so they can and should exist in media without having to justify or explain that existence. Also, people are free to shop where they wish. Imagine going into a burger joint and telling the workers you hope they don’t try to sell you a burger. You can always go to the pizza place. Pizza is available and burgers will always exist. My point in saying that, is not to be dismissive of you. I say that respectfully. I also know there are messages floating around that are not genuine. This is shown by how difficult it has been proven to define “woke”. Again, seeing people exist isn’t an “agenda”. Be careful of those messages, especially when they’re unrelenting because they may have the real “agendas”. If Saturday AM has identified their audience they cater to then let them. Is “shojo” an agenda? Is “Shonen” an agenda? How about “seinen”? No? So why is “diverse”? Saturday AM is just identifying their target market, on face value. I don’t think reading overly deep into it is fair. Besides, they have great stories.

[@Infamous1892]

When people say Diversity, I hear segregation. As a Black man I relate to Goku, Naruto, Ichigo, kenshiro, Thor Finn, etc. never once thought I needs more Blacks in this. Anime and Manga is Japanese. So all the characters are actually Japanese. That's very diverse in America. I think if the Story is Good people will watch it. You don't need Colored people to write good characters. You need Good writers to make good characters who happen to be non white or non Japanese in this case.

[@Jackie_Staar]

With respect, diversity is very important to a lot of people and it's an important part of history. If the black community never pushed for diversity and equal rights then there would be no equal opportunities. Black people could not vote, could not have certain jobs, could not appear on video alongside white people. I could go on and on. And Diversity doesn't only mean the black community. It means everyone. Latino, Native American, Middle Eastern, American, etc... It's not supposed to segregate anybody. Secondly, Japan takes a lot of inspiration from western countries in anime and manga - A lot. If you think characters like Naruto who are blonde Haired and blue eyed are Japanese, then I'm sorry to tell you - they are not Japanese. They are western ethnicities. Thirdly, of course story and plot matters. But to a lot of folks, seeing themselves in their favorite characters is very important too. I hope what I'm saying helps. There are lots of toxic folks here on youtube who are trying to cause racial divisions. When we should be supporting each other to succeed

[@sugarzblossom8168]

One race isn't diverse

[@RodneyKing-kz3ym]

When people say diversity, you hear “segregation”? What in the Asgard does that even mean? (Respectfully) Diversity and segregation are antithetical concepts. 😊 No, all characters in manga and anime are not Japanese. Through the narrative they even explicitly say this at times. There are literal Americans in the plot of Akira (manga). Who said anything about “needing colored people to write good characters”? There is an author in Saturday AM who isn’t black that writes a good black character (imo). Furthermore, if a company wants to bring a “colored person” to write a character who is from that demographic that isn’t an issue. That also doesn’t mean that they are the expert in all cases, they are writing the character from their perspective and for the task at hand. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad…that’s the same with all writing. The company is bringing in an informal “field researcher” who they think may be able to better capture what they are going for. You see this in all writing and publications. You sometimes want to go to the source, that’s ok. It sounds like some people in the comment section are projecting ideas they got from other places or channels (respectfully). There is nothing wrong with what this video is talking about. We have more access to people and ideas in the digital age, so to think stories and concepts won’t expand or “diversify” is a silly hill to stand on. It’s called globalization, hence “global manga”, “international manga” (which are terms used by the Japanese) or “diverse manga”. And no, diversity by definition does not mean segregation (respectfully).

[@chunga689]

we👏love👏to👏see👏the👏westernization👏of👏japan👏

[@Jackie_Staar]

Yes! And vice versa! Great to see more Westerners embracing Japanese culture ❤️❤️