I Get It
Oldest Son loves Japanese culture. When he was two years old, our favorite sushi chef at our regular haunt called him "Sushi Boy." He grew up eating sushi--all kinds--and miso soup is a staple in our house. When he got old enough to get into books, he eventually took to manga. All the cartoons he watches are anime.
Me? I tend to be somewhat oblivious. As long as he's reading, that's good enough for me. When he added watching Japanese game shows, those crazy obstacle course shows, I sat down and watched a couple, laughing harder at the commentary than the actual show.
But . . . again . . . it was "his" thing. Then one of his teachers decided that reading manga "didn't count." Didn't count. Couldn't use it for his reading points. It was, to the school, as if he hadn't read at all--even if he read for three hours straight. Which he often did.
Culturally ignorant? Yes.
Oppressively close-minded? I think so.
So I decided to sit down and read one. First, I had to read it from the back of the book. Toward the front. Different. But OK. Then I read the "catch up" pages. Because a lot of manga is continuing storylines, I had to read the "at this point in our story, our young heroes have discovered . . . " Then I had to familiarize myself with the "world." There are often super powers, demons, love affairs, girls disguised as boys so they can better infiltrate certain Ninja ranks. The whole nine yards.
And I have to say . . . WOW. I get it. BIG themes. COMPLICATED themes. Characters having to make agonizing choices. Loyalty. Friendship. Doing the right thing. Girl characters as powerful as boys. Trust. I get it.
The school doesn't. NEXT year, if it "doesn't count," I will go to the school board and file it as cultural discrimination. But I hope it doesn't come to that. I just hope the teachers pick one up and READ it.
Which brings me to this movie. Or this one. I grew up with all girls . . . and parents who never went to the movies. The only use I had for G.I. Joe was as a groom for Barbie. And superheroes weren't part of my view of the world. Nor were comics. Now that I am all grown up . . . I get it. I really do.
Thoughts? If you were a superhero, what would your special power be?
Mine would be "Able to control Demon Babies with a single glare."
36 comments:
Super power? All I want is Mary Poppins' carpet bag that cleans up on its own. :) Oh, and I'll take that umbrella too.
Able to control Demon Babies with a single glare
That's some superpower!
Ignorance. Compounded by contempt prior to investigation. Sad, very sad.
I'm glad you picked one up and gave us such a great description of it. I have not read any yet. I have read translations like Master and Marguerita, which I'm sure I'm botching the name, and the cultural differences are fascinating.
Best of luck with challenging the school board. I think they need challenged regularly to keep them forcibly open-minded.
My brother got to read Sports Illustrated for his Senior English. Well, he would've if we'd stayed in NJ and not moved to Louisiana where education was nearly the worst in the country. At the time, NJ was ranked 4th in the nation and allowed seniors to pick their own reading material.
My superpower? I was asked this recently (at a restuarant on our honeymoon) and I said Insta-Nap: the ability to get a full night's sleep in a few seconds.
My son also loves everything that is Japanese. Last year he was begging me to let him be a foreign exchange student over there.
Superjude would be able to fly. He would utter certain expletives and extend a certain digit as he glided past the gasoline stations. Parental discretion would be advised.
Amy:
Oh, yes! Mary's powers would, indeed, be useful. Especially that "snap" and the chores are done.
E
Sarah:
The Insta-nap. YES! And I would also like Insta-shower. I have thick hair and having to dry it afterwards takes a while. So showered and dressed in an instant.
As for the manga books . . . I actually really enjoyed the one I read. Reminded me of a younger version of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (which I adored).
E
Jude:
Thanks for that. Made me laugh out loud.
E
Hey Erica, shame on that reading point's scale. They need to broaden their view a bit.
Let's see, I'd love to see auras as a superpower. That way, I could see in an instant the essence of a person, instead of the energy-feel thing that takes a little more time.
ladonna:
That would certainly be interesting. Sometimes I meet someone and think--ooh, if they were a color of an aura, they would be blackness or something dark and evil.
E
(Prepare for devil's advocacy ... what am I good for if not occasionally lively opposition?)
Now don't get me wrong, I'm into Japanese culture as much as the next guy. OK. Probably a lot more. I have a minor in Japanese language, I regularly travel great distances to see taiko drumming, I'm a Kurosawa and Miyazaki fan, and I enjoy the manga comic sometimes (as long as it's not the kind where samurai rape women before cutting their heads off -- and believe me, those exist).
BUT ...
My question here is: do they allow American comic books in this program/class/curriculum? If they do, then I agree, there's a problem and it's fair to bring it up with the teacher. If they don't, then why should they be expected to allow Japanese comics?
And for the record, I don't disagree about the quality of story-telling, in either American or Japanese comic books. It's often wonderful, with huge themes, awesome plots, cool characters -- the works. But a comic is a comic, and if they don't allow comics, then as a very wise woman once said, to me, it is what it is.
JVZ
JVZ:
Well . . . I look at it more from a . . . mangas are book-like versus a lot of comics I know, but I have no idea if they allow "graphic novels" which I consider a closer corrollary. And they SHOULD allow them. But I guess if I was going up against a school board, I'd like to pin it on something I think has a snowball's chance of winning. But I agree--Gaiman's stuff is brilliant for example . . .or Constantine . . . loved that--why not that too (and I don't know the answer to that by the way in terms of graphic novels). But I feel it's an ART form and should be allowed either way.
And my point, overall, was less about schools being narrow-minded. Most are. It was that I gained a greater appreciation for what's out there in terms of different storytelling.
E
JVZ:
Oh, and my other issue is . . . my guess is the teachers HAVEN'T read them and lump 'em as comics. And I think that's doing manga an injustice, and comics and injustice. My guess is some of them are thinking "The Archies" and not the comics and graphic novels out today.
E
JVZ:
And what about YOUR superhero power? I would like to make a thinly veiled reference to a certain . . . ahem . . . thing you enjoy. But I will refrain.
E
I've yet to read a Manga, but I'm willing to try after that endorsement. :)
And a super power? Ability to summon maid service in a pinch.
I hear you on the graphic novel/comic book thing. And totally agree. I think a lot of schools and teachers haven't completely caught up on the graphic novel movement and don't appreciate these things for what they are. They're pretty amazing -- I read Arkham Asylum recently and found it to be one of the creepiest reading experiences I'd had since The Shining. It's awesome stuff, and sometimes much more thematic than regular novels.
So, if I was going up against a school board on this particular issue, that's the angle I'd take. Get current, I'd say. Deal with the kids on their own turf.
As for my superpower ... hmm. A green thumb? No. I think I'd go with teleportation. Lot of potential there. After all, why fly when you can blink?
JVZ
p.s. Superpower I would NEVER want: the ability to see the future (takes away all the fun) and x-ray vision (eeeew!)
No real comment on the Manga except to say I'm not a huge fan, but I try to stay open-minded. In that I have one kid who's an avid reader and one who isn't, I feel like anything that gets the non-reader to read is a good thing, no matter what it is.
As for super powers, I think teleportation would be very cool.
Heather:
If you get that power, can you send her over here? By jon's teleporter.
E
Jon:
All good powers. I hate airplanes, so that would be cool.
E
Mark:
I agree. Reluctant readers who become avid fans of something like that should be encouraged. My kid WILL read "real books" and he likes The Uglies, for example. But manga really engages him in a way nothing else does.
E
I've never read manga but you've piqued my interest. I had no idea the story lines were so in-depth.
I think that getting them to read should be the priority, especially in the case of Mark's child who may not like other types of literature.
As for a super-power... lately I've wished I could cook meals my husband actually likes, so I'll go with Super Cook.
FF here, Bewitched Samantha's nose. Twitch your nose and the room is clean. What I could do with that!
LOL... I love our learning institutions. So much free-thinking and open listening...
There is a difference between Comics and Graphic Novels. I'm not sure where your son's interest or reading lie within that spectrum, but I thought I might mention the distinction.
That your son is reading is the real point. I may not think of "comics" as "literature", but the point is to get kids reading - and if that is how they can put themselves into that activity I think it is wonderful.
You should start an online petition and have writers sign it as a protest against the school/board/etc.
Infiltrating Ninja Ranks, ftw!
It would be SO kickass if you went all supermom on them for being culturally retarded. That's awesome. You should hide a minicamera and document it cause you know they aren't going to count manga next year either. And I totally want to watch you kick some ass.
As for superpowers. I always wanted the power of teleportation. It seems to me about the most useful skill to have. And the most convenient. Rome for lunch, anyone? Gas prices? WHat are those?
Melanie:
The storylines are really awesome. Lots of heroic figures.
E
FF:
Oh, if only a little nose twitch could handle the mess around here.
E
ewoh:
He doesn't read comics. He strictly reads graphic novels/manga as far as that's concerned. And like JVZ was saying, that Arkham Asylum was terrifying!! It's just simply storytelling. Pure and simple--adn what all writers aspire to do.
E
Zoe:
I am definitely a kick-ass mom when it comes to narrow-minded people. I don't feel I have to be nasty about it--but I do dig in my heels.
E
My special power would be to defeat Jude Hardin in political debates with one arm tied behind my back.
Wait a minute. I can already do that. I'm a superhero!!!
(Sorry, Jude, I couldn't resist; you rule. Now if only you blogged.)
I'd want to be able to magically and instantly heal. 'Course, ALL superheroes are kick-ass strong, too, right? That'd be cool. I'd like muscles and a skinny waist. :-)
stephen:
LOL! You also handily defeat Johannes. ;-)
E
spy:
You're right. All of 'em are pretty kick-ass.
E
Erica, hope your school district can back up their claims. Sounds to me as if they can't grasp change and are discouraging global thinking. Screw them.
If I could have a super power it'd be the power to change all gas prices on every pump in the country back to $.50 a gallon and then make the CEO's of big oil companies man all the pumps. Screw them too.
Kath:
You are one hostile Superhero. ;-)
LOL!!!!
My Oldest Daughter works so hard. If I made her pay for her gas, it would be the ENTIRE paycheck of driving to her part-time job. It's pathetic.
E
I was trying to think of a good comeback for Stephen, but then I remembered I need to respect my elders...
but then I remembered I need to respect my elders...
I'll dance on your grave, you little whippersnapper!
>>My Oldest Daughter works so hard. If I made her pay for her gas, it would be the ENTIRE paycheck of driving to her part-time job.<<
We've been doing the same thing with our daughter.
LOL on the volatile super-hero. But then again, I love the strangely dark hero - great paradox!
kath:
It's really frightening, to my oldest, how deep the recession is getting. When you're a teen on a limited budget, and everything is going up, up, up in price, it's scary.
E
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