Non Japanese characters in Anime
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32748)
Calgary, Alberta
April 11, 2011 10:50am CST
Usually ANime's are set in Japan (except from those old 70's drama anime genre known as world theather) They usually have Japanese protagonist but for some reason, many anime always try to insert a random American character in the story, They were stereotyped to be Caucasians with blond hair and blue eyes, They were usually drawn to have smaller eyes, while every Japanese characters have huge eyes ( some kind of reversal)
In Anime Americans characters were also stereotyped to have the American flag in their outfit.
Usually this American character is a friendly rival to the protagonist and they randomly say English words in the Japanese dub.
They love to say, "Yeah" and "hey"
Europeans are stereotyped to still wear Victorian/Medieval clothing and they act snobbish and aristocratic.
Arab characters are still pre-islamic culturally in Anime, I guess the writers just want to draw a belly dancer sexy chick. ]
Russians and germans are usually villains in Anime and they always have military outfits.
Chinese characters usually wears Kung-fu outfits and if she is female, there is a big chance she have Chun-li hairstyle.
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do you still remember some Foreigner (non Japanese character) stereotypes in anime?
2 people like this
4 responses
@rinakitto (111)
• United States
13 Apr 11
Yes, I do believe that there are many stereotypes on nationalities in Japan. Especially in "Axis Powers: Hetalia", there is much racism going on because, well, the characters are all countries and the don't particular get along.
Here are some description of the other countries and more:
Italy is a wimp and always waves a white flag
America get fat and eats lot of hamburgers
China uses the prefix "-aru" after ever sentence in the original version and "Ai-ya!" in the English Dub.
France laughs with a "hon-hon-hon-hon" and is Romantic
That's only a few of the 40 countries introduced in Hetalia.
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32748)
• Calgary, Alberta
13 Apr 11
I havent seen much fat Americans in anime by far, most of what I see are soem blond haired rival/friend to the protagonist. Kinda like Ryu and Ken of Street Fighter.
Oh yeah I know the hon-hon-hon thingie they have with french people and they still wear traditional french outfits.
Indians are over tan and skinny in most anime. I'm not aware of the aru thingie they have with the Chinese but I notice Chinese characters always wear Kung fu outfits in anime,
1 person likes this
@rinakitto (111)
• United States
13 Apr 11
Well, America from Hetalia isn't really "fat" but the other countries do call him fat, even though he doesn't look like it to me.
@secretbear (19448)
• Philippines
23 May 11
Hi!
Yes, that's true. It's probably because these characteristics are the trademarks of these different nationalities. For example, Chinese characters will have Kung-fu outfits because Kung-fu is from China and therefore a trademark of China. Chun-li is a Chinese and she got popular in Street Fighter so she can be considered a minor icon of China. People can easily tell that a character is Chinese if they see those trademarks. Another example would be the typical black baggy pants worn by Chinese men. I think this was worn by Wufei in Gundam Wing.
One common stereotyping is that foreigners are usually represented as black people with thick lips and braided hairs. I saw a lot of these gaijin in the anime Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad.
Cheers. 
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32748)
• Calgary, Alberta
23 May 11
I think Chun-li is so iconic there are hudnreds of anime characters who happens to be Chinese that shares her hairstyle. Ten ten of naruto dresses more of a chinese kung fu fighter than a Ninja and she is obviously Kung fu fighter inspired. I remember Wufei's Gundam have soem, dragon motiff which is very Chinese. Thanks for being the first person to get what my discussion is about. You saved me from moments of facepalms. 
1 person likes this
@secretbear (19448)
• Philippines
23 May 11
LOL You're welcome.
Yes, Ten-ten! She's one of my favorite characters in Naruto when I was still watching it. Just by looking at her hairstyle makes you think she's Chinese. And let's not forget Lee and his master. Their fighting style is like that of Bruce Lee don't you think? And Bruce Lee is Chinese.
Yes, Ten-ten! She's one of my favorite characters in Naruto when I was still watching it. Just by looking at her hairstyle makes you think she's Chinese. And let's not forget Lee and his master. Their fighting style is like that of Bruce Lee don't you think? And Bruce Lee is Chinese.1 person likes this
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32748)
• Calgary, Alberta
23 May 11
Bruce and Chun-li inspired characters are is like a prototype for Chinese anime characters. By far there are only 3 anime characters from my country and all of them have tan skin. The Arabian anime characters are kinda weird since they were pre-islamic in outfit, Jews seemed not to exist in anime yet. American Aniem characters always say random English words in their lines and most most of them are blonde haired Caucasians. Black anime characters always have afro and thick lips.
@rad140 (52)
• Canada
26 Apr 11
To me, it seems that all characters in anime are not Japanese.
How many anime have you seen where the character looks Asian or has Asian features?
Most of the time, they look more Caucasian than anything, if Caucasians had crazy hairstyles in rainbow colours. I'm generalizing, but you know it's true.
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32748)
• Calgary, Alberta
26 Apr 11
I dont know if you are aware of this but in anime its the Asians who have the big eyes and its the Caucasians who have the small eyes. The only reason why some anime characters have multiple hair colors is to avoid confusion.
1 person likes this
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32748)
• Calgary, Alberta
26 Apr 11
I dont know but Naruto still look Asian to em despite of blond hair, I cans till name many anime where the art style looks Asian. Caucasians are often tanned in anime, Asian characters tends to have feminine features, and have black and brown eyes. Plus not all Asian have yellow skin. Plus there are many Japanese people with Caucasian features. As in pointed nose, brown eyes, thin lips and big eyes and they were not even mixed.
It still depends in art style. the only reason they go big eyes is the expressiveness. Plus anime art style have different categories.
@cratermon (76)
• Philippines
14 Jun 11
It is a lot easier to portray different characters without exerting too much effort by using stereotypes
Also there are some animes that you won't even realize that they're from a different race, like in Gundam 00 each gundam meister came from a different race, the main protagonist coming from the middle-east (though having a japenese name with a middle initial -_-a )
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32748)
• Calgary, Alberta
14 Jun 11
Really weird though that some of the stereotypes don't exist anymore. Maybe the character you're talking about have a Japanese name because he is mixed race.I mean Keannu Reeves is half Chinese and nobody knows it unless People read his Biography.
