More teeth!?

I was hoping to write a follow up to last week's post about anime with a discussion about children's media, but I'm going to have to postpone it until next week. My baby's second tooth is coming through and she's so sensitive about her teeth. Things have been a bit sleepless around here and I've had my hands full with a very grumpy baby.

It is story day though, so you can find a new short story here. It is called "There's Always a Way Back" and you can also find it by clicking on the Short Story link to the right. It was written in response to a challenge to write about addiction. It's fairly heavy fantasy but you may be interested if you, like me, grew up trying to walk through the backs of wardrobes...

As for a quick update on my writing and submissions: things are going very slowly. We're still dealing with frequent night time wakings and I'm obviously dedicating a lot of time to keep things running at home and giving Emmy as much of my attention as possible. I'm finding it challenging to keep up with submissions while editing and doing market research. Especially when I'd rather be writing.

So I'm going to try to redirect my energies more towards the actual writing. That's why I always try to make time for my blog every week, even if I don't end up writing the post I intended. It keeps me writing, it keeps me thinking, and allows me to explore topics I find valuable by presenting them as clearly as I can to my audience. I find it to be a great weekly exercise.

My next project is to write and collect some children's stories for Emmy as a birthday gift. I've got an amazing notebook, now I just need to get to work. So you may see some children's stories on content days in the future.

Please feel free to comment or even make suggestions for future posts. You can also feel free to throw me story challenges as long as they are fairly vague (i.e. broadly descriptive and not a story starter). Some challenges I've undertaken in the past: addiction, giving one's life for another, the impact a couple of words can have on a life, master and apprentice. If I have time, I might just give it a go.

Thanks for reading and pop by next week for my thoughts on things being "just for kids"!

Why I'm proud to say I watch Anime

Like a lot of people from my generation, I grew up watching popular, often Americanized (read: poorly dubbed and censored) anime TV shows. Dragonball, Sailor Moon, Cardcaptor Sakura, Pokemon, Digimon and others. Back then, though, I didn't really have a concept of the animation and storytelling style that is anime. I loved the art styles and the rich, magical worlds these shows presented, but I was too young to appreciate the depth that often accompanied the genre.

Image Source: http://sciencefiction.com/2014/07/06/tv-review-sailor-moon-crystal-usagi/

As I got older, I began to understand that anime was a distinct style. I was drawn to the beauty of it, but I didn't know how to approach it. I was also beginning to grasp that there was a stigma associated with anime and the people who enjoyed it.  The shows were bizarre and the people eccentric. I mean, they even dressed up as their favourite characters and went to conventions. In public. Though I shouldn't have, I felt too afraid and intimidated to look much further. (Looking back now, I really don't see the difference between cosplay and painting yourself in the colours of your favourite sports team to attend a game.)

Then two things changed all of that.

The first was that a family friend purchased Spirited Away as a gift for my Disney-loving autistic brother. When we watched it as a family that night, I lost myself in the mystery, the excitement, and the dream-like quality of the world and its inhabitants. When it ended, I was surprised to find myself back on the old couch in my parents' dimly lit basement. I had been immersed in a way I had never known before. Afterwards, I got my hands on every single Hayao Miyazaki movie I could find but, like many people, I didn't really associate these Disney-distributed feature length films with the expansive world of anime.

Image Source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0245429/

The second event, which solidified my love for the genre, came at the beginning of high school. I was home with a cold and flipping through my family's film collection for something to pass the time. I came across a blank case in a stack of DVDs borrowed from one of my father's friends. The images on the disc were animated and the title said "Escaflowne: The Movie". It looked intriguing, so I put it on.

Again, I lost myself in the world, the characters, the animation, the music. The story was complex and didn't give any obvious answers or explanations. The lead was a teenage girl that felt lost in the world in a way that was painfully familiar. The villain wasn't obviously evil and the hero was sometimes villainous. There was beauty and madness and violence and mercy. The moment it ended I played it back from the beginning and lost myself all over again. I rarely rewatch movies, I watched that movie several times over the course of the next week.

Image Source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0138919/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

From then on I was hooked on anime. And thankfully when I met my husband he introduced me to The Vision of Escaflowne - the show on which Escaflowne was loosely based. If you have a chance, I recommend watching the show rather than the movie.

Since high school I've watched literally hundreds of anime shows and movies. I've been to Anime North and loved it. Unfortunately I didn't cosplay, but I definitely would if I had to skill to make a half decent costume. Maybe one day I will.

Now I want to help break down that stigma that prevented me from enjoying anime for so long. I want people to not feel ashamed for watching anime and I want to encourage people who are interested in starting. Here's my reasons for why anime is a legitimate and mature storytelling medium in the same way that we believe Western television is and why it's worth checking out. (If you don't like movies or television, obviously this post will not appeal).

1.) Animation is not just for kids.

Griffith and Gats from the anime Berserk
Image Source: http://geek-news.mtv.com/2010/10/06/berserk-is-back/

 
I think there is a level of immaturity associated with watching anime. You tell people that you watch anime and they picture you sitting on the living room floor eating your Cheerios while watching Saturday morning cartoons. Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with enjoying stories written for children (more on that another day). Regardless, many anime shows are directed at a more mature audience even if the characters are younger than we are accustomed to.

I don't understand why the same story told through film would be any different than when told through animation. We think CGI special effects are acceptable, why not fully animated pictures?

If you check out shows like Attack on Titan, Tokyo Ghoul, Darker Than Black, Berserk, Monster and many others... you will quickly realize that they raise adult-level questions about morality, violence, and relationships while providing believable and deep plot lines that are worthy of any Western show like Game of Thrones or the Walking Dead.

2.) Stories and characters often break out of the tropes we are used to in the West.

Lady Eboshi from Princess Mononoke
Image Source: http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/princess-mononoke/picks/results/297140/think-lady-eboshi-good-bad-person

If you watch American television and films, I'm sure you've seen the same character or situation repeated many times over. The dastardly villain. The redeemed hero. The backstabbing friend. There is also an emphasis on catharsis and "satisfying" endings. The story does not end until the villain gets what they deserve whether it be a painful death, an embarrassing character reveal or the loss of their attractive significant other to the hero (ugh).

While Japan has their own tropes and memes, they are often refreshingly different from our own. I believe there's some enlightenment to be had in the way they handle their antagonists in particular. Often, the villain is simply misguided and truly believes in the actions they are taking. Folken and Emperor Dornkirk in Escaflowne, Amon in Tokyo Ghoul, Lady Eboshi in Princess Mononoke and Angel in Angel Beats are all excellent examples.

Furthermore, there is often a lack of catharsis or satisfaction in the way that antagonists are handled within the plot. Instead of killing the villain or revealing their horrible conniving plans to the entire school, the protagonist often accepts the character as the person they are. They befriend them or leave them be. While this can be frustrating as an audience member who is accustomed to the "taste of your own medicine" ending, I find it to be much more meaningful. Especially in a world where morality is hardly as clear cut as good and evil. We frequently forget that the people in our lives have done terrible things and amazing things and everything in between. A person's view of the world and what they deem "good" can be totally dependent on the events that formed them. Not to mention our own selves. We are not defined by a single choice or personality trait.

And often, there are no clear solutions. I'm trying very hard not to give any spoilers and so all I'll say is watch pretty much any Hayao Miyazaki movie and you'll understand what I'm talking about. The antagonists in Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Nausicaa and the Valley of the Wind, and Howl's Moving Castle are all poignant examples of this.

3.) Anime is weird.

Kaneki Ken from Tokyo Ghoul
Image Source: http://shewhospeaks2dragons.tumblr.com/post/91364283048/tokyo-ghoul-ending-art

That's right. I think anime is great for that same weirdness that once intimidated me. It breaks the boundaries that I think storytelling so often clings to in the West. It also treats bizarre occurrences and unique circumstances like they are the status quo. As a viewer, you don't spend your time focusing on how odd the story or the world or the characters are, but simply enjoying the experience. This allows for unique premises without making them seem like shallow gimmicks.

Spirited Away is a wonderful example of this. The protagonist of the story, a little girl named Chihiro, becomes entangled in the spirit world. The fact that the spirit world exists is no big deal. The fact that the cast of characters range from anthropomorphic frogs to ladies that are more nose than body isn't harped upon but accepted. It is comfortably odd and foreign while focusing on the universally human qualities of the story.

In fact, I would argue that anime often examines humanity so effectively and honestly because of its unique premises. Miyazaki examines our intimate ties with our planet and our exploitation of its resources. He does this with the use of demons and gods, post-apocalyptic landscapes and corrupted magic.  Angel Beats gives an emotional glimpse into our relationship with death and our obsession with pain by looking at an afterworld where people can fight to live forever. My new obsession, Tokyo Ghoul, tackles issues of empathy and the act of taking human life. It does so by creating a world where ghouls, human-looking creatures that can only survive by consuming human flesh, live disguised amongst humans. In order to survive, the ghouls must kill humans but to protect themselves, the humans kill ghouls. As the only known hybrid, the main character must act as mediator between the two worlds, even when they don't want to listen. The premise is bizarre and otherworldly but creates a unique scenario perfect for examining these issues.

4.) Anime makes anything exciting.

Kuroko's Basketball
Image Source: http://myanimelist.net/anime/11771/Kuroko_no_Basket

 
Like seriously. Anything. I have absolutely no interest in sports but I can't wait for season three of Kuroko's Basketball. Hundred Poets is a Japanese poetry memorization game that I know very little about, and yet I couldn't wait for an episode of Chihayafuru each week.

My husband says it has something to do with the emotional intensity that is portrayed through the exaggerated qualities of anime characters' bodies and faces. It places an emphasis on emotional involvement present in every aspect of a character's life. While Western shows often focus on material cause and effect (e.g. losing a game means losing a scholarship), anime is about emotional investment. Seirin High School's basketball team is so emotionally invested in every game that it is akin to a battle of life and death.

Some might call this melodramatic, but I think there is something valuable in the way that anime acknowledges the human struggles we face in the most mundane of our activities. The exaggerated emotions of anime characters suggests passion and dedication in all elements of daily life. When someone is openly passionate and enthusiastic about something, as banal as it may seem, it draws our attention. We become invested in their pursuit as well, which is why a show about basketball can appeal to someone uninterested in sports.

I think that we often associate someone being "emotional" with being "overemotional" or "dramatic". I think we could all benefit from being more wholehearted and impassioned with our pursuits, whether our interest lies with saving lives, painting a picture or baking a cake.

I could add even more to this list - exposure to other cultures, watching subtitled content, the art style, the music - but I think these are the most important. And the fact is that I'm writing on borrowed time here (Daddy is on baby-duty at this very moment).

I do want to make a quick comment on fan service. Some of the bad reputation anime gets is due to "fan service"; this is mostly hypersexualized content that is irrelevant to the actual story or characters but appears to please a portion of the viewership. It can ruin a good show and it can make selecting an anime to watch a discouraging task. I appeal to those of you just starting out to bear with it. Just because one anime includes gratuitous or offensive material, it doesn't mean they all do. Many anime shows - Gintama is my favourite - use fan service to poke fun at the other animes who seriously use it to try to boost their ratings.

Kill la Kill - the source of much fan service vs plot debate
Image Source: http://www.thewebsiteofdoom.com/articles/reluctant-anime-reviews-kill-la-kill/

To be fair, I would argue that our own culture isn't much different, though it tends to be more subtle. Women wear revealing clothes in unnecessary situations, gratuitous sex scenes interrupt legitimate plot development, nudity appears at inappropriate and illogical times. I don't have a problem with sexual content, as long as it is relevant and beneficial to the plot or character development.

If you're scared you're going to start watching a show just to find out it is rife with fan service - give me a shout in the comments and let me know the genre you're looking for. I've honestly seen way too much anime and would be happy to make recommendations.

I also highly recommend watching subbed anime as opposed to dubbed (much is lost in translation) but if it makes the difference between watching a show or not, then do what you feel most comfortable with.

Let me know in the comments if there's an anime that really got you hooked on the genre, or if you really can't get into anime - what is it that turns you off?

Thanks for reading!

The Used, Abused and Forgotten

I've noticed some frustrating, and sometimes disturbing, trends in the books that I've been reading lately. It's something that is a problem in film, television and gaming. Unfortunately I think it's often overlooked in books (although comics have been getting some attention lately). 

Women are not being written well. They are not being represented equally. They are being presented, at best, as a romantic interest for the male protagonist, at worst, a piece of meat to be flaunted, used and abused for the male protagonist's sake.

I'm going to talk primarily about mainstream fantasy/sci fi/ horror and not young adult. For whatever reason, it seems to be a lot more acceptable to have female protagonists and female authors in the YA genre.

I know I'm a novice when it comes to writing, but I am an experienced reader. I also have twenty-five years experience as a female. I think I'm qualified to discuss this issue in depth.

I grew up loving fantasy. I read Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit, Chronicles of Narnia, and the Sword of Shanara. I watched Willow, Legend, Dragon Slayer and the Magic Sword. I played with plastic swords and bows and arrows.

I told my husband a while ago that when I played imaginary games by myself they often had a reoccurring plot. I was a strong princess who was in love with the white knight and gave my life for him. My purpose was to die dramatically so he could save the world.

That's kind of a messed up ambition. And self-sacrifice was something I clung to in an unhealthy way until I was an adult. 

Because what role do women take in many Fantasy stories? The dutiful wife? The healer? The sacrifice? The romantic interest? The damsel?

Even the women who accomplish something heroic seemed to do it despite their identity as a female. Or by abandoning/concealing that identity.

Arya Stark from Game of Thrones
Photo source: http://gameofthrones.wikia.com

Don't get me wrong - Eowyn, Arya, and Brienne are all great characters, but where are the woman that are just heroic without having to mediate this quality with their gender? I know they exist, but they seem to be the minority. Many people respond with "well it suits the era that the story takes place in" or "it's in keeping with the setting." These can be legitimate arguments, but this is fantasy we're talking about. You are creating a whole new world. Why do most of these worlds have the same patriarchal society as our own?

All I'm asking for are worlds populated by believable characters. Male AND female. Femaleness is not an additional quality tacked onto a character. What I mean is that if one of the defining features of almost all your female characters is that they are female, you are doing it wrong. 

I understand some characteristics are limited to women - having babies, menstruating... and... well... not much else really. Although being raped, leered at, desired and seen as attractive are often "qualities" attributed solely to women. Men can also be raped. They can also be objectified, desired and be romantically involved, but they are rarely defined primarily or exclusively by these plot points.

Want to check if you're writing a world influenced by your gender stereotypes and biases? Try switching the genders of your characters as an experiment. If it works for most, you're probably doing a good job. If not, you might want to examine why.

Females do not exist for the sake of males. They do not die so (typically white and violent) men can avenge them. They do not get kidnapped so men can save them. They do not exist for men to fawn over. They do not exist to be rewards, motivation or inspirations for men. They do not (in normal circumstances) have sex solely for the male's pleasure. They absolutely do not get raped so that men can avenge them and/or fix them and/or show them that men aren't really that bad. So don't write them that way. 

Well how do I write them then? Get inside their heads. Ask "how does this affect the character?" instead of "how does this affect an associated male character?" Think "how would I react or feel if I were this character?" instead of "what reaction or feelings from this character would further my male character's plot or character development?"

Would you write something similar about a male character? Would you write about a man being kidnapped and falling madly in love with his rescuer? Would you write a man that only thinks about finding the right woman to marry despite the chaos in the world around him? Would you write about a man who is constantly surrounded by the threat or reality of sexual abuse? Would you write about a man who would sacrifice his sexual autonomy to accomplish a goal? 

I'm not asking you to dismiss a story because it contains one of these elements. There are books I love that contain damsels, female healers, self-sacrifice and rape. I'm asking that you think critically about what you read and write because it does affect what you think. Look for trends, motivation and believability in all of your characters. Most importantly, try to engage in critical dialogue about the books you read - both those you love and hate.

I'll give an example of a book I love:  Stephen King's The Stand.

Image Source: www.goodreads.com

Here's a list of female characters and their roles in the novel (of course some spoilers are present):

Mother Abigail - leader with visions from God

Frannie - pregnant, threatened to be raped, romantic interest for male protagonist

Dayna - sexual tension for male protagonist, gives up her sexual autonomy by sleeping with the enemy while acting as a spy (note: there are two other male spies and neither resorts to sexual tactics)

Nadine - obsessed with her virginity, seduces protagonist, becomes pregnant with antagonist's child

Lucy - takes over mother role for young male character, is pregnant, romantic interest for protagonist

 Susan - fairly minor character who is raped and later killed

Julie - fairly minor character whose role is primarily to be obsessed with sex and sleep with one of the protagonists

I'm pretty sure that's nearly every named female character of note in the book. All but one are defined by their identity as mothers, or their sexuality. Every other character that acts without reference to rape or pregnancy is male. (Once again, this is a problem because there are plenty of male characters without qualities that make them "necessarily" male and that are therefore not strongly defined by gender.)

Frannie, Lucy and Dayna are strong women, but it does not change the fact that their femaleness is one of the most important aspects of their character.

I have found this trend in many of King's books. Once again, I'm not saying he doesn't write great stories. I'm saying it's important to analyze and discuss these things. A good portion of King's audience is female - what do these characters tell women about their value and identity? What do they tell men about women?

I'm tired of being deterred by boring, offensive and cliche depictions of women. I expect more. For myself. For my daughter. For all men and women. I'm tired of being told I think too much and that it doesn't matter. We are surrounded by rape culture and a society that is still fighting for women's equality. It matters. 

If you get as frustrated as I do, and are looking for some engaging, relatable, believable female characters, here's a short list of book suggestions. Click the images for their Goodreads page including synopsis and reviews: 



Any great female characters you've read lately? Share your suggestions in the comments!