What is black in anime?
There are many anime online to watch and many characters to choose as your favorites. Most often these characters are light skin because most anime comes from Japanese and is often based on their culture. As a child growing up I did not really see many anime characters that looked like me. When I did see actual “Black” or “Black looking” characters they were often times have deep black stereotype that paint dark skin people in a bad light. Furthermore, their facial features would have a racist tone and would look like they belong on a Minstrel Show.
Back Ground info
Here is small piece of info on the matter By Shani Deason "It’s characters like the ones above that display anti-Blackness & further the idea that Black people as a whole are less than human beings. Especially when the representation of Black people treats them as if they’re animals. It’s because they emulate Minstrel Show-like caricatures. These caricatures were created during & after slavery. It was a way to remind Black people of how inferior they are. The Minstrel Show itself was a popular art form in America. Minstrel shows emerged as brief burlesques &comic entr’actes in the early 1830s in the Northeastern states. They were developed into full-fledged form in the next decade. By 1848, blackface minstrel shows were the national artform, translating formal art such as opera into popular terms for a general audience."
Why are most black people in anime racist stereotypes?
It’s simple. There aren’t barely any Black people in Japan. Since most of them don’t interact with Black people they will get their information from the internet, TV, or some other form media. Think about the music industry. Most Black people in music (rappers like xxxtentacion, Lil Uzi, Lil Wayne. Nikki) don’t portray themselves as normal people and sadly their actions and craziness form their ideas on Blacks. They may watch music videos and see that Black people love the thug and gangster culture so they must sag their pants, live in the woods, and etc. They see it and believe that it applies to all Blacks.
Of course not all Japanese people are like this. They do research and go out of the country. They go to places like the US, Europe, and Africa. Where they can interact with people of color.
Of course not all Japanese people are like this. They do research and go out of the country. They go to places like the US, Europe, and Africa. Where they can interact with people of color.
Here are some representation of Black Anime Characters:
Mohammed Avdol (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders)
Kilik Rung (Soul Eater)
Afro Samurai