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Japan’s G7 host city under fire for 'obscene and sexist' mascot

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mrklaw

MrArseFace
Obscene? LOL ok and I don't even mean that in context of "there's worse stuff out there" like I just don't see how this remotely reaches that threshold.

However, for a mascot supposed to represent a group of older female divers, this seems like a complete mismatch. I can understand why they want it changed and it seems weird to me that this was ever created to represent them. Like clearly someone just straight wasn't thinking. This is stupid and a total mismatch so I think its cool they want it changed. Calling it gross and obscene is a pretty big stretch and feels click-baity unless I'm missing something here.

its not meant to represent older female divers. It is supposed to represent female divers. The fact that many of them are older is due to fewer younger women joining the tradition. But there are some younger ones too.
 

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Up next, a cattle ranching town in Japan will get Nikumi from Shokugeki no Soma to be their mascot.
 
First glance I thought she was a miko, not a diver of any sort. I'm not sure who in the diving profession would regularly wear that outfit when not diving, and it's definitely closer to what a fashionista or idol might put on. Not a representative mascot in general, not that she needs to be ugly or some bean with eyes, a smile, and appendages. The backstory is worthless and presumptive of the demographic, both divers and people not fawning all over their memories of high school.
 

andymcc

Banned
Few japanese women arguing is not the wishes of japanese women.
I cannot stand SJW.

These are the women that the drawing is supposed to represent.

People that get mad about Social Justice seem to get more offended than the initial offense. lmao
 

Stet

Banned
its not meant to represent older female divers. It is supposed to represent female divers. The fact that many of them are older is due to fewer younger women joining the tradition. But there are some younger ones too.

It's specifically meant to represent the subset of female divers who are 17 and looking for a boyfriend uguu~
 
First glance I thought she was a miko, not a diver of any sort. I'm not sure who in the diving profession would regularly wear that outfit when not diving, and it's definitely closer to what a fashionista or idol might put on. Not a representative mascot in general, not that she needs to be ugly or some bean with eyes, a smile, and appendages. The backstory is worthless and presumptive of the demographic, both divers and people not fawning all over their memories of high school.

Well, it's what they wore to dive. It's a traditional outfit.

And one of the point the group of divers criticises about that mascot character that she doesn't represent the modern diver.
 

collige

Banned
Oh, this is part of the Cool Japan initiative, and the company that created her was deliberately targeting "moe": http://maribon.jp/

I don't think moe is itslef is the problem here, it's the lack of any relevancy to the subject matter here. Why does she have to be looking for a boyfriend? Why not have the moe mascot actually wear diving gear?
 
Oh, this is part of the Cool Japan initiative, and the company that created her was deliberately targeting "moe": http://maribon.jp/
Ayup. Moe doesn't have to be pigeon-holed as only anime girls, but that's what the creative team would think. The Japanese public's much less interested in that vs. TV personalities and other kinds of mascots.

Re: traditional diving vs. modern, I suppose that providing outfit variants for both old and new diving would be the quickest compromise, along with removing character details/backstory and leaving those up to one's imagination.
 

Sylver

Banned
These are the women that the drawing is supposed to represent.

People that get mad about Social Justice seem to get more offended than the initial offense. lmao

There is nothing worse than Social Justice Warriors they are the cancer of modern culture.
 
Ayup. Moe doesn't have to be pigeon-holed as only anime girls, but that's what the creative team would think. The Japanese public's much less interested in that vs. TV personalities and other kinds of mascots.

Re: traditional diving vs. modern, I suppose that providing outfit variants for both old and new diving would be the quickest compromise, along with removing character details/backstory and leaving those up to one's imagination.

I don't think her background story is even a problem in Japan. The is also looking for a boyfriend is basically just a side note to all the wants to be like her grandmother antics.

But yes, most likely they would find a middle ground. It doesn't really appear like a black and white discussion there.
 
BTHUmHz.gif

Wow, how old is this GIF? Jeff looks like ten years younger?
 

Zoe

Member
I don't think moe is itslef is the problem here, it's the lack of any relevancy to the subject matter here. Why does she have to be looking for a boyfriend? Why not have the moe mascot actually wear diving gear?

They're attempting to give the character a personality. That line in her profile says "searching (lol)" and her best friend's profile (the ninja) says "it's a secret".

They probably should have stuck with the design they used in her Line set, but the city's official mascot wears the traditional outfit as well.

xipfHvkl.jpg
 

Forkball

Member
Wow, how old is this GIF? Jeff looks like ten years younger?
A ten year old gif yet it still speaks truth. Gerstmann was ahead of his time.
They're attempting to give the character a personality. That line in her profile says "searching (lol)" and her best friend's profile (the ninja) says "it's a secret".

They probably should have stuck with the design they used in her Line set, but the city's official mascot wears the traditional outfit as well.

xipfHvkl.jpg

I like this design better. It's more distinctive for sure. The prefecture mascots are a pretty interesting idea and a lot of the designs are clever. Not quite sure what the hell is happening here though:

EioaiuE.jpg
 

D4Danger

Unconfirmed Member
I like this design better. It's more distinctive for sure. The prefecture mascots are a pretty interesting idea and a lot of the designs are clever. Not quite sure what the hell is happening here though:

EioaiuE.jpg

it's half a hard boiled egg in a top hat? what's not to understand
 

Kettch

Member
The mascot doesn't seem that bad, but they really should have just discussed this with the divers being represented to begin with and come up with something mutually acceptable.
 
Yeah, I didn't notice that part at first. Such a weirdly specific and arbitrary thing to include. I can see why that in particular would raise eyebrows.

It's probably a combination of Japan's shame-culture of shaming single women and how Otakus would rather have their anime moeblobs remain boyfriend-less so they can self-insert.
 

jstripes

Banned
Why in the world would they have such an Otaku-oriented mascot for an international business meeting?

Makes zero sense.
 

Josephl64

Member
If they changed her backstory she'd be the perfect mascot...for so many things that are not this.

You'd think they forgot to mention the mascot had to do something with diving to whoever designed her.
 

Zoe

Member
If they changed her backstory she'd be the perfect mascot...for so many things that are not this.

You'd think they forgot to mention the mascot had to do something with diving to whoever designed her.

Her profile has more mentions of admiring her grandmother who was a famous diver than it has mentions of looking for a boyfriend.
 

watershed

Banned
That's a mascot? A 17 year old with big breasts? They couldn't find the nearest local fruit or fuzzy animal? Otaku stuff is taking over Japan.
 
Yeah, she seems more like she's wearing a more traditional outfit. I'd say the issue is more the sexualisation and not that she's not wearing a wetsuit.

The issue is more that she trivilises the profession.

Trivializing the ama profession, said Utsubo, belies the real-life danger the divers face.

“Ama in our city are all risking their lives to dive. In the past, some have died. It’s that serious, being an ama,” said Utsubo. “It’s for the honor of those who died that I’m fighting. My mom is angry, too.”

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20...e-city-mascot-demand-withdrawal/#.VczJcvR2Mxg

Most stuff talked here is basically NeoGaf original content.

So, Japanese women offended by portrayal of their own profession are SJWs now? K.

Only that the Japanese women we are talking about don't protest for the SJW aspect.
 

Kinyou

Member
The issue is more that she trivilise the profession.



Most stuff talked here is basically NeoGaf original content.



Only that the Japanese women we are talking about don't protest for the SJW aspect.
Ah I see. In that case it really makes it questionable if they should have picked that profession at all. I can't really see a mascot paying proper respect, since they're usually all about t being happy and cute
 
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