Yeah... This side of the coin is very sad, I think. Another thing also, I've heard single women in their 40's can get judged by people in Japanese society for being single, as women are mostly expected to be married when they are at that age. People wonder what the reason behind them not being married is, and make false assumptions which creates a social stigma that makes it harder for some single women in their 40's to get work. I know of a person who is in such a position.HungFist wrote:Japanese girls are very submissive. It's because traditionally they've been in a very inequal position - and they still are - so they've come to accept it. Many of them can't even imagine any other way, and some are completely helpless alone. And many of them still take it as a "fact of life" that their boyfriends or husbands will cheat on them at some point and they should just forgive them cause it can't be helped. I've been telling many girls to respect themselves more and not take all that shit from the guys...
HungFist wrote:Of course, the coin always has two sides, and I really like the other side: Japanese girls are very polite, modest and shy in a cute way. And cuteness is the greatest thing it the world! I love strong, cool kick-ass girls in movies, but in real life I could never have imagined myself dating one (if you get what I mean).
I feel you on this. I agree, these qualities you mention are beautiful female traits - and I think being modest, polite and sensitive, are strong qualities in a person to be cherished.
Aw, that's cute.HungFist wrote:...My dream girls (right after my girlfriend who is cuter than any of them)...
Yeah, I am not like super into the Gravure Model thing. I just think Yukie Kawamura is a beautiful woman and a photogenic Mumin Troll.HungFist wrote:That being said I have absolutely no problem with other people liking gravure idols. Just not exactly my thing because they fall somewhere between my interests.
I don't really have a preference (in lack of a better word) when it comes to women. I like all kinds of girls. I always had a crush on Meiko Kaji - but she is just waaayyy too classy for me. Yeah, Meiko Kaji carried herself with professional integrity, and she elevated a lot of B-movies with her acting presence. That movie, 'Blind Woman's Curse', during that final showdown - maaan, she is too pretty. And I don't mean this in a sexist, degrading kind of a way - I am just saying, there is nothing wrong with acknowledging a woman's beauty, as long as it doesn't demean her stoic character. That battle between the 2 women, with the backdrop in the background, is well made, in my opinion. Kaji Meiko is one my favorites!
It's true, many of those movies are often exaggerated and stylized. It's a very Japanese trait, I think, this stylized excess - like the aesthetic of paintings brought to film. Do you know of that Tsukioka Yoshitoshi painting? It looks like this, and depicts some sort of violence against a woman, it seems.HungFist wrote:AV isn't my thing either, but if we extend the question to movies, I don't have a problem with the treatment of women in Japanese cinema. Of course I'm a bit worried that if some dumbasses are actually infuenced by that, but as for me personally, I don't see any difference between Road Runner and violet pink films like Rape! 13th Hour. Both are equally ridiculous fantasy to me, and I enjoy their political incorrectness. But I do know many other people do see a difference between Rape! 13th Hour and Tom and Jerry. I don't.
I guess it's honor culture related, somehow. I should be careful here, as I am not an expert on this at all... Edit: Yes, I am definitely not an expert here. Will dive into this deeper...
It is a painting from the 19th century, after all... But this excessive style... I haven't gotten into it, but it's true that even in modern Japan, this aesthetic is still more or less present, in various forms. Same with movies that draw visuals from manga, like Lone Wolf & Cub, Hanzo the Razor, etc. etc. The movies seems to still draw upon these cultural artifacts.
Thanks for the tips. I might look into this.HungFist wrote:Moving on to AV, it's really surprisingly mainstream in Japan. You just gave a perfect example with Sora Aoi, but she's not the only one. Mihiro is another good example. She released a top selling book about her life, which was adapted into a pretty good theatrical mainstream movie "Nude".
This year at the Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival three former or current AV stars were directly or indirectly competing for the best movie of the year award... Maki Mizui as a director for her abduction drama Kept (based on her own life), Asami as an actress for Gun Woman (for which she was also awarded as the best actress), and Shoko Akiyama as an actress for the awesome indie comedy Fuck Me to the Moon. Although Yubari isn't exactly a mainstream film fest, it does give good indication how promiment AV stars have become in Japanese genre cinema and even indie dramas.
There's lot of other examples, too. Mihiro was also in Yu Irie's past Yubari Winner Saitama Rappers. Aino Kishi was first in the splatter film Samurai Princess, in which she was terrible, but then she took everyone by a surprise with an excellent performance in the indie drama comedy Rubbers, in which she stars with Hiroshi Yamamoto.
Yeah, I've read this stuff is a part of the daily fare. I understand that sex shops are more in the open in Japan, as opposed to, say, America, where you have to go to the "Shady" neighborhood to get 'em. I mean this more as an expression, as most people probably get their stuff online these days...HungFist wrote:Actual AV has also become quite mainstream. If you go to any Tsutaya (Japan's biggest video rental store chain) they'll have an AV section bigger than most people's apartment... People aren't especially ashamed to go there either, and people in general (girls also) seem to think that "of course guys watch AV". Well, I guess most guys everywhere do watch AV, but here it's much more openly acknowledged. Also, if you go to shops in Akihabara in Tokyo, typically the first floor is video games, the next two are manga, then comes one floor for movies, and then is two floors full of AV. Or if it's just a small store they'll certainly have an AV section + plenty of idol videos (including junior idols...)
Edit: That Yoshitoshi painting is a depiction of a women being murdered. Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muzan-e
Man, I am so out of it right now, lol... Must be the lack of sleep, because I surely don't do any drugs...