What’s Wrong With This Picture?

Having watched the first five episodes of Fight Ippatsu! Jyuden-chan, I understand that it’s a lighthearted comedy, but I can’t escape the feeling that there are ironic and, more importantly, worrying issues beneath its surface humor; issue which also relate to the show’s public distribution. While all of the series’ episodes are infused with the same fundimental themes and imagery, episode 3 is especially troubling. Episode 3 clearly extols young man Sentou Oumi as an admirable role model character. But the same episode also reveals Sentou as a man who seemingly enjoys beating women into unconsciousness with a baseball bat. If the ennobling of an abusive male wasn’t disturbing enough by itself, the episode furthermore illustrates young woman Arresta with a personality similar to that of a battered spouse. She develops a perverted fondness for being physically abused by Sentou, and consciously chooses to not report his abusive behavior to appropriate authorities. Arresta is depicted as attracted to and protective of the man who routinely beats her.

The fact that the Jyuden-chan anime lionizes a man who habitually abuses women, and presents female victimization as comedy is, by itself, ethically troubling. The situation becomes even more surreal when taken in conjunction with Crunchyroll’s July 2009 public statement that the website wished to, “allow all audiences to watch and enjoy Charger Girl Ju-den Chan.” Setting aside the show’s prevalent and very adult oriented sexual innuendo, itself arguably not intended for nor suitable for “all audiences,” I can’t refrain from questioning the moral responsibility – or lack thereof – of the show’s efforts to idolize a male character who enjoys beating women, and the efforts of the show’s American distributor to promote this reprehensible imagery to young, impressionable viewers. I do comprehend that the Jyuden-chan anime is supposed to be perceived as a satirical comedy. But at the same time I can’t avoid thinking that it’s just morally wrong to depict women being beaten unconscious by a man as a laughing matter. And it seems morally wrong to advocate a man who abuses women as an admirable role model.