...he's every woman...
Mar. 12th, 2005 05:48 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
reenkaYou know what lets you know you're reading a Japanese comic? Throw-away introductory lines in Yamato Nase's manga like, "I'm a pretty ordinary member of the masses". (Um....)
Come to think of it, the Japanese seem to have a fixation on ordinariness (and extraordinariness too, but always in contrast). The 'common man', the uber-ultra-normal guy, the brilliantly average student, the girl with barely-noticeable looks, barely-there cleavage and barely-discernible personality. I keep coming across these types, always portrayed as the shoujo heroes-- in a really positive way. Well, this is if you leave out the 'magic girl'-type shoujo where the uber-normal kid gets a make-over with sparkly wands and fragrant shampoo.
The thing I don't get is-- do these super-ordinary people really exist? It really makes me feel like I'm painfully American, with my typical focus on individualism, strong will and perseverance. Come to think of it, it's just that in manga, it's these 'common' types who persevere, while remaining quite group-oriented-- that's usually their one outstanding quality. No matter what happens, they 'never give up'! They have their dignity and moral center! They know right from wrong!
In Western-type ideal, we usually try to have the protagonist be both 'common' and extraordinary, right? Like, Harry Potter grew up 'common', but was secretly extraordinary. Does he persevere because of his 'everyman's resilience' or something deeper and more mysterious? It's just resilience, isn't it. Plus, he's both self-reliant and works well in (small) groups. He's sort of like an everyman except he's forced to stand alone, and therein lies his angst. Where am I going with this again...?
I just think it's cute how in manga, there's all this ordinariness being used as a badge of specialness that makes one stand out as genuine and true in a field full of arrogant, uptight assholes (well, or a private High School). That's sort of Harry's bone to pick with Malfoy, as well, isn't it? It's the ultimate common-boy-with-a-good-heart vs. uptight-uber-glib-rich-kid showdown. Except in manga, the common boy would show the uber-rich-loser-kid the One True Way, so that in the end the rich loser could open his heart and realize he should become kinder and play better with others. (Nevermind that Harry's the one with the bigger issues playing with others).
I think what it all comes down to is that I totally understand why so many HP doujinshi have Harry be with Ron and Draco have an unrequited crush-- the archetypes sort of line up that way in the Japanese sense, don't they? Of course Harry'd pick Ron since one always picks one's best childhood friend. But if it wasn't for the Friend, then one could start reforming the rich and disaffected....
Come to think of it, the Japanese seem to have a fixation on ordinariness (and extraordinariness too, but always in contrast). The 'common man', the uber-ultra-normal guy, the brilliantly average student, the girl with barely-noticeable looks, barely-there cleavage and barely-discernible personality. I keep coming across these types, always portrayed as the shoujo heroes-- in a really positive way. Well, this is if you leave out the 'magic girl'-type shoujo where the uber-normal kid gets a make-over with sparkly wands and fragrant shampoo.
The thing I don't get is-- do these super-ordinary people really exist? It really makes me feel like I'm painfully American, with my typical focus on individualism, strong will and perseverance. Come to think of it, it's just that in manga, it's these 'common' types who persevere, while remaining quite group-oriented-- that's usually their one outstanding quality. No matter what happens, they 'never give up'! They have their dignity and moral center! They know right from wrong!
In Western-type ideal, we usually try to have the protagonist be both 'common' and extraordinary, right? Like, Harry Potter grew up 'common', but was secretly extraordinary. Does he persevere because of his 'everyman's resilience' or something deeper and more mysterious? It's just resilience, isn't it. Plus, he's both self-reliant and works well in (small) groups. He's sort of like an everyman except he's forced to stand alone, and therein lies his angst. Where am I going with this again...?
I just think it's cute how in manga, there's all this ordinariness being used as a badge of specialness that makes one stand out as genuine and true in a field full of arrogant, uptight assholes (well, or a private High School). That's sort of Harry's bone to pick with Malfoy, as well, isn't it? It's the ultimate common-boy-with-a-good-heart vs. uptight-uber-glib-rich-kid showdown. Except in manga, the common boy would show the uber-rich-loser-kid the One True Way, so that in the end the rich loser could open his heart and realize he should become kinder and play better with others. (Nevermind that Harry's the one with the bigger issues playing with others).
I think what it all comes down to is that I totally understand why so many HP doujinshi have Harry be with Ron and Draco have an unrequited crush-- the archetypes sort of line up that way in the Japanese sense, don't they? Of course Harry'd pick Ron since one always picks one's best childhood friend. But if it wasn't for the Friend, then one could start reforming the rich and disaffected....
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no subject
Date: 2005-03-12 04:24 pm (UTC)As for me, I tell myself that I'm ordinary all the time, because it makes me feel better. Although I suspect that there are many ways in which I personally am different from your average person (if there is such a thing), if I tell myself that I am your ordinary, average person, that makes me feel that much gladder for everything that I've done or any qualities I have that I feel may be somewhat unique. On the other hand, if I kept trying to tell myself, "I am the coolest person ever! I am the king of the world! RAHH!", I would feel that I have that much more to prove. The coolest person in the world would probably know five languages and be speaking them all fluently after one week; for your average joe, knowing just two, planning on learning a third, and being able to read third-grader's drill books or talk with a teacher about her curriculum in the second language after a year is just fabulous.
I also have to echo what
no subject
Date: 2005-03-14 12:49 am (UTC)I think the reason I never wanted to be ordinary was basically 'cause I'm not a 'people person' and I don't like identifying with groups. Since I thought most people were frustrating and stupid on some level (...well, this is more generalities than individuals), I always clung to being different 'cause even if I was worse or more messed up, at least I wouldn't be like them. But then, I have no performance anxiety either, per se, 'cause I think on some level I'm just full of myself no matter what my objective accomplishments are ^^;; (...At least I'm self-aware...?) Like, there's no need to be 'the coolest' for me 'cause that'd still be ranking myself within the context of a group, I guess...?
...Something tells me that while I love the Japanese, they wouldn't necessarily love me :>