Ask John: Is Anime Sexist?

Question:
I was recently asked if I felt anime was sexist, and I’m now seeking out others’ answer to that question. So, do you think anime is sexist?

Answer:
Basically, no. I do not believe that anime is sexist. Japan itself is frequently cited as a nation that extends women certain rights, and even control over certain aspects of daily life such as family finances, but does not advance universal equality between men and women. Contemporary Japan is a sexist, male dominated society. But I do not believe that anime itself either condones sexist attitudes or represents sexist values. In fact, just the opposite; I believe that anime is one of the most feminist of cinematic genres. In fact, contemporary anime may actually be a reactionary response to the sexism evident in everyday Japanese society.

The argument that anime is sexist or that anime fetishizes and commodifies the female is grounded in superficial cursory examination without critical analysis or evaluation. At the most superficial level, it can be argued that the examples of anime best known to Western critics are those made by male animators for male viewers. These anime often feature sexy and attractive young female characters specifically designed to foster idolization by male viewers. Anime titles including Tenchi Muyo, Love Hina, Maburaho, Steel Angel Kurumi, Sister Princess, Eiken and Hanaukyo Maid Tai even promote male sexual fantasies by literally illustrating the male fantasy of being surrounded by adoring females.

Such arguments and examples may seem valid upon first presentation, but lose some of their ironclad credibility under close scrutiny. Especially in examples such as Maburaho, Hanaukyo Maid Tai, and Love Hina, the male isn’t surrounded by women that are characterized as sexual objects or trophies. In fact, in these shows it is the females who wield power over the pitiful male. Kazuki Shikimori of Maburaho, Mifune Densuke of Eiken, and Keitaro Urashima of Love Hina are weak willed and easily manipulated males who almost totally subvert their own egos to women. Hanaukyo Taro of Hanaukyo Maid Tai is used as a plaything by Ichigo and her sisters. And he’s allergic to women, making him helpless in a house filled with women. Taking that concept one step further, the men of Vandread are held captive by women, and shown as incompetent and buffoonish in their attempt to defend themselves against an attack by more competent females.

Representing the sort of empowering embrace of femininity promoted by feminist theorist Camille Paglia, anime frequently illustrates women who are equal to men in ability, influence and power without compromising their feminine sexuality. One of the best examples is the classic Dirty Pair, dating from 1985 to 1990. The original Lovely Angels were always mindful of female concerns like dating, clothes, and their looks. And they chose to wear revealing bikini-type uniforms. But when it came to work, the original Kei and Yuri were never at a disadvantage to men. The original Dirty Pair, despite their eager advocation of femininity or sometimes because of it, were always equal or superior to every male they encountered. Ghost in the Shell’s Motoko Kusanagi is another example of a progressive feminist role model. Motoko is the leader of Section 9’s field team, commanding the other five male members of the force. Although she is female, Motoko is faster, stronger, and smarter than her male counterparts. These two examples are only two out of a multitude of female anime characters who are smart, competent, the equal of the men in their society, and who are unashamed to exert their femininity.

Coming at the discussion from a second angle, it’s impossible to say that anime promotes sexism by offering only exploitive wish fulfillment fantasies to young males because of the massive amount of existing anime created for female viewers. Dating as far back as at least 1967 there are examples of anime like Ribbon no Kishi (Princess Knight) created for female viewers. The massive Japanese success of girls’ shows including Kodomo no Omocha, Marmalade Boy, Minky Momo, Creamy Mami, Sailormoon, and Ojamajo Doremi should effectively prove that anime targets viewers of both genders and doesn’t exclusively pander to the primal desires of men alone.

Finally, the staff behind the scenes of anime furthermore contributes to the argument that anime is neither a male dominated field nor a genre that exists to subversively promulgate male dominance. The prominence of powerful female artists including Rumiko Takahashi, Naoko Takeuchi, Yuu Watase, Inomata Mutusumi, Akemi Takada, Atsuko Nakajima, and director Mitsuko Kase validates the anime industry as one that allows females equal opportunity as male artists, and establishes a significant female influence in the creation of anime.

In summation, as a commercial art intended slightly more for male consumers than females, it’s inevitable that anime would include some female exploitation and fetishization of the female as sexual object. But, I think that a responsible evaluation of anime and its creative industry reveals that there are too many examples of powerful, uncompromising women in anime to allow for the generalization that anime is sexist and either male dominated or propagative of patriarchal stereotypes and paradigms. In fact, I think that evaluation of anime and the Japanese animation industry will reveal that both are far more liberal and supportive of expressive femininity and feminism than typical Japanese society is. Perhaps because anime deals with fictional idealizations and alternatives to real life Japanese society, created by liberal thinking individual artists, anime may actually be a sort of sub-conscious, left-wing, anti-establishment movement pointing out a desire for greater equality between the sexes in modern Japanese culture.