Why are Japanese people wannabe Whites?

[Wichtige]

Japanese people often claim to be white. Watch this video for example:

If you have ever seen any anime then you could have noticed that most anime characters are blue eyed, white skinned and have different natural hair colours apart from black, although IRL Japanese possess neither of these features. Why do they have an inferiority complex because of their race? Why can't they accept being Asian and be proud of it just like Chinese and Mongolian people?

[TheSpartan]

Japan, especially under the Takugawa Shogunate of 1603-1867, was a greatly isolationist society with minimal Western contact. Only a few European trade posts existed, and these were limited to Shogun-run supply posts intended to import firearms for the loyalist samurai. This system worked up until 1854, when the American Commodore Matthew Perry forcibly opened up Western trade with Japan. This changed Japanese history forever.

After this point, the Japanese government embraced everything Western. The isolationist (sakoku) voices of the Takugawa Shogunate become weaker, as they proved militarily unable to oust the Western troops. As a result, the daimyo (feudal lords) began looking to the Emperor, whom at this point held only honorary power over Japan. The Emperor Koemi, noting the primitive nature of Japanese technology and society, sought to modernize the military. He bought Western guns, Western canons, Western fashion, Western ships. and, most importantly, he brought in Western military advisers to modernize Japan's samurai class. The Shogunate and the samurai, obviously, did not approve of this sudden change to Japanese culture, leading to a clash between traditionalists and modernists.

This clash manifested in the short Boshin War of 1868-1869. Emperor Meiji, whom suceeded Emperor Koemi, abolished the Takugawa Shogunate in 1867. The Shogun, whom had ruled Japan for over 200 years at this point, refused to step down, launching a rebellion called the Boshin War. The Shogunate, however, could not withstand the reformed military of Emperor Meiji, whom commanded legions of gun-wielding samurai, modern canons, and even gattling guns! The Takugawa Shogun was quickly ousted.

What happened next would change the course of Japanese history. Emperor Meiji, after restoring the power of the Emperor in the Meiji Restoration of 1868, sought to emulate the West in every way. Though the heart of Japanese culture did not change (Shinto remained the predominant religion in Japan), Western-style everything was adopted: Western food, Western clothes, Western military tactics, Western government, Western uniforms, Western professional military organization, Western industry, etc. In less than twenty years, Emperor Meiji modernized Japanese society by adopting Western culture--even going so far as to abolish the Samurai class in 1873.

As a result, Japan, to this day, seeks to embrace European culture and society ("whiteness") in ways other Asian countries don't.

[TheSpartan]

This is obviously ignoring the reinvigorated Japanese fascination with Western culture during the military-governorship of Gen. MacArthur, whom rebuilt Japanese society and government from the top-down using the American example between 1945-1953.

[anonman32]

lol you are mistaken. you see in anime people try to make their characters very diverse because its fun to watch. if all anime characters would look like actual Asians then they would all be boring and everybody would look alike too much. also Asians want to implement their beauty ideals in anime and they consider big eyes to be beautiful, thats why they dont exactly look Asian.

[Wichtige]

Japanese have small eyes.

[anonman32]

thats true, and one of their beauty standards is big eyes. you see this in anime.

[LittleSally]

Hmmm, but isn't it ironic then that they are very elitist when it comes to their bloodline, their nationality, and all foreigners are forever foreigners to them no matter the fact they might've been living there for most of their lives, and even kids who are half Japanese and half any other nationality will not be well accepted...
And they, themselves, 'wish to be white'...

media4.giphy.com/media/l14qxlCgJ0zUk/200_s.gif

[Starrk]

Japanese people do not view anime characters as being white. They picture them as being Japanese. If you haven't notice, those anime characters speak Japanese, go to a Japanese School, live in a Japanese town, and partake in Japanese customs. The only people who view anime characters as being white are those who live in a country where being "white" is the default setting. However, in Japan, being Japanese is the default, so all characters made within their country are assumed to be Japanese UNLESS they are given a racially stereotypical look (Ex: Black people = Dark skin, muscular, Afro/Curly hair, big lips. White people = Blonde hair, Long nose and Blue eyes.)

When it comes to drawing a non-Japanese person, the Japanese people make sure to draw them differently from the rest of the characters. For example, white people tend to have a long/pointy nose in Japanese anime while the nose of Japanese characters are much smaller.

This website talks more about it.
thesocietypages.org/.../

[Wichtige]

Japanese people have no blue eyes or blond hair.

[Starrk]

@Wichtige

And white people don't have blue Afros and yellow skin, but everyone can agree that Marge Simpson (from the Simpsons) is most likely white. There are many examples of American cartoon characters possessing features that don't correspond with their race or hell humans in general.

When Japanese people draw anime, they do not draw them with white people in mind, if they did then they wouldn't base the anime in Japan.

[Anonymous]

Oh that explains why Asian girls are obsession With dating a white guy. Iv'e never seen a race more obsessed with getting a white guy more than Asian girls

[sylarvox]

Because white is clearly awesome.

[IvoirianGirl20]

It's called colorism. And it's everywhere

[TheSpartan]

Not quite. Read my answer below.

[IvoirianGirl20]

@TheSpartan I'm not going to argue with you on this as a Black girl ✌

[Anonymous]

People want what they don't have