IT’S TIME AGAIN !!
Were back again, it’s Owls April blog tour before I go into our topic for this month. Please go check out my fellow members Matt, Venus, Naja, Rai, Arria and Remy’s posts that are already out for this month. Now on with what our topic is for this month “Colors”:
“We are all part of one race, the human race. “Colors” refers to people of color in anime. For this monthly topic, we will be discussing how people of color or characters of different “races” (a literal alien race) are represented in anime. Some topics we are considering is the dangers of stereotyping, bi-racial characters, and the importance of racial inclusion.”
My fellow members already so far have done a splendid job addressing the topic colours in different forms, stereotyping, white washing in foreign films for example. All we would want ever in this life or anyone wants is human equality, to not judge others before we even know them. Each person is their own, no matter the colour of their skin, where they are from, but those who do not think like me or you for example, spread this toxicity of hate. That do not share the same ideals I may have or you may have, it is this prejudgment hate that can get ugly, poisons other’s mindsets and this chain carries on.
This ever on – going change screams out in the series Gundam Seed, This series will make my point across of the endless mindsets of those out there who never wished to look deeper. Gundam seed is not the happiest of watch at times, full of strained relationships and war, the centre of how the war that goes on started with racial divide and ignorance. The war is between Coordinators (genetically altered humans) who are capable of doing things the average human can’t, vastly smarter, pilot mobile suits. Then we have the Nautrals (regular humans).
Tragedy “Bloody Valentine” was how the war initiated between the plants and earth forces, where a power station known as Junius 7 was struck by a nuclear bomb. Killing millions, Now that you have a mild understanding of the roots of the war. Leading into the actual story of Gundam Seed, Plants finding out earth forces had created new mobile suits for war, enraged the plants where one of our focal characters Kira and others become involved.
Youthful Impact
Does anyone ever ask the consequences of negative racial actions that can have on the young? Kira for the longest time was living peacefully on earth, hiding the fact he was a coordinator as he knew full way people finding out would spark chaos. When the secret got out, everything turned upside down for Kira, from being forced to pilot a mobile suit, learning of how things were outside his calm bubble. All the time after Kira felt conflicted within himself of his identity as a person, and his friendships with people from earth. The greatest impact it had on him was his friendship with Athrun, both coordinators but their beliefs completely opposites till up to a certain point.
One scene is Athrun and Kira are in battle, Athrun keeps asking Kira why he protects the earth forces ship arch angel and everyone on board there, the enemy. From living among the people he never saw as just naturals, but just friends, facing Athrun calling them the enemy only confused poor Kira. It’s a such dismal atmosphere that such a innocent friendship had become tainted, weighed down by racial hate. You need to think of how our world is now a days, negative racial action is worse than ever in my opinion, especially for the younger generation. Athrun along side Kira struggled just as much as what to think anymore, he suffered that consequence from his father Patrick Zala. Losing a mother, wife in the bloody valentine tragedy fueled Athrun’s father with such hate towards coordinators, it drove him mad up until towards the end of the series. Athrun hardly questioned his father at the start but the cracks began to appear of how much he hated coordinators, this was a heavy brunt put on Athrun’s mindset.
Both Kira and Athrun’s mind sets and friendship suffered greatly. It was hard to meet each other half way to come to an understanding of how their beliefs were very similar in the end. Kira and Athrun just lost their way through all the racial hate that the war and others around them impacted. This did way more harm than you could ever think about, as I said before in this day and age now it’s even worse. The power of social media as big as it is than say 10 ten years ago, the younger generation full bore on this. The amount of horrid racial comments I have seen on the internet, makes me think Will it just escalate even more? Yep.
You Have A Choice
At Kira’s lowest point one of the refugees, Flay who had lost her father leader of the Atlantic federation for the earth forces, stated her indifference, hatred towards coordinators. When she found out Kira was one, she took full advantage of Kira as truly she wanted to see every coordinator dead. I hate to say it but Flay examples of people I’ve known who have race issues with various people, they are as scary as she was. Kira and Athrun never deserved the burdening thoughts of others around them, questioning their opinions and identity as a person. Coordinators viewing from afar you wouldn’t even be able to tell they have been genetically enhanced. The naturals, humans were just jealous, that turned into hate eventually, that coordinators could do more than a human could. This reactive chain just went from one person to another, it’s like a disease.
Everyone blind sighted by this wall of jealously and hatred lapsed onto Flay, Kira and Athrun young minds. Burdening them with unessacry racial negativity effecting them individually. We ourselves all have a choice, a choice to not listen to those around us, or add to the negative chain. I’m not saying all this race negativity will ever stop for good but each as individuals make our own judgement in the people we get to know, be friends with. What not matters the colour of their skin, their traditions, what they believe in. Where is the right in judging someone upon these kinds of reasons?
Lacus was a strong lead in Seed as this beacon of hope of sorts. For others like me she believed that there was no indifference between coordinators and naturals. She followed through till the end in her beliefs that this senseless war would come to an end somehow. There she saved Kira’s mindset, She is a character I admired greatly for these reasons and should be seen as a inspiration in that you have a choice to not be one of those people who add to the negative change. We are all human doesn’t that signify enough that we are one in the same in someway, the younger generation of now shouldn’t have to be burdened with racial negativity that is around us. It’s important for any of us to set an example for them, we can’t stop it all but we can do our part in not letting their mindset. Be like others out there who are set in their ways of judging upon someone they don’t deem like them.
Hope you guys enjoyed my post for Owls April Tour. Click here to check out the schedule of my other members which will be posting their posts till the end of April. Make sure to go check out the ones that are already our, they are listed above.
If your interested in joining our group and what we do please go check out our Blog and Twitter !!!
I’ll see you guys in the next post !!
LitaKino
litakinoanimecorner.wordpress.com 
Gundam sister! Yay! Indeed, this was often a hard anime to watch because it’s heavy. There were many times in while I was watching that I wanted to reach through the screen and slap Flay across the face, but I also understand her hatred. Understanding, however, does not mean that I think her attitude is justifiable. She’s projecting her hatred to the Coordinators who killed her parent to Kira and all other Coordinators. The Naturals are afraid and jealous of the Coordinators because of their enhanced abilities. Similarly, the Coordinators hate the Naturals for persecuting them. It’s become a cycle of hatred. Very similar to what’s happening to our real world right now where a certain leader is pushing away a certain group of people because of their religion out of his country. This is one of the reasons why we love Gundam. It doesn’t shy away from portraying the ugly side of humanity but at the same time, it shows us that there is hope as long as we open our minds. Good job, Lita dear, on this tour post. I’m very happy that you wrote about G Seed. Cheers!
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Wonderful and so true! The way hate spreads and divides is very scary. I think once we start celebrating people’s differences instead of condemning them the world will be a much better place. I haven’t watched this series but from your posts I like the issues that seem to be brought up because of each characters struggle. I also agree that people’s hatred can really cause young people to lose their way and question themselves and their place in the world. Everyone wants to belong and feel like you can’t or you don’t is just the worst.
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From the live stream, you’re right—our posts are kind of alike, in that we tackle other races besides the norms. But your views on Gundam . . . powerful and passionate as always, you are. Will the cycle continue? Absolutely. It will go on for a long, long, tragically long time, until it finally goes too far and our own existence is threatened by, God, who knows what. That’s why I like the sci-fi genre and all of your thoughts on this wonderfully open realm of ideas and possibility.
Unlike the other posts, which mentioned physical and cultural differences above all else, you tackled mindset, and THAT is the single most important factor in establishing Colors—it’s our viewpoints that establish what we think and how we do it. And by finding that seemingly elusive middle ground, we can somehow manage to hold out for another day, even if it’s another painful one.
To combat all of this, we must change how we think in order to help usher in a new age of youth that isn’t rooted in division, but inclusion. It’s the choices we make and the people we impact, and that’s wonderful stuff, Lita, really. By far my favorite post from all of your previous OWLS ones!!! And that title is POWERFUL stuff: Genetic Hate. Dangerous, yet impactful. Beautifully worded. Oh, and thank you for the kind things you said about my Symphonia post this month. I never thought of myself as poetic, so your words really meant a lot to me. I appreciated your energy for my post even if you hadn’t seen the anime/game, so thanks again very much!!
I need to talk to you about the Gundam franchise sometime soon, specifically about where YOU think a new viewer like me who doesn’t have the time to watch all of the franchise wants to explore it nonetheless. I pick you because, well, to be honest, I’ve known you the most and longest as a blogger, and I have confidence in your love for this franchise that you cherish. :3
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