リトルマーメイド実写版論争に見る日本の人種観（英語）
こんにちは。
今回は初の試みとして、私が授業で書いたエッセイの中で、公開しても面白いかもしれないと思ったものを公開してみます。
本編の前に
いくつか注意点があります。
この文章は秋学期の「人種と人種差別」という授業で、私が昨年10月に課題として書いたものです。
（一部加筆修正の上）英語で書いたものを翻訳せず記載しています。ただし想定している読者は日本人です。
このエッセイはOpEdといって、いわゆる社説のようなスタイルの文章です。そのため強めにスタンスを取りやや感情的に書いています。100％私の個人的な主張/表現方法と一致はしませんが、大枠は私の思っていることです。
それではどうぞ。
Opinion | Navigating the Waters of Racial View: The Little Mermaid Controversy in Japan
It was not even human beings who brought the discussion of race to Japan, a topic that has not been easy to discuss.
The live-action adaptation of the famous mermaid story was finally aired in Japan in August, now stirring up controversy among Japanese youth. The debate centered on Halle Bailey's portrayal of Ariel and her skin color. Some Disney fans voiced opinions such as, "This Ariel is different from the one I know," and "Ariel should be played by a white actress." Japan boasts a passionate Disney fan base, especially among young women in their 10s and 20s. I believe that these views among Japanese Disney enthusiasts highlight our insensitivity to uniquely skewed beauty standards and the role of Disney.
When Japanese Disney fans are confronted with accusations of racial bias, their first reaction often entails one argument:
"I just want the character's skin color to match the original animation; I don't intend to promote racial discrimination. Besides, I am Japanese, not white, so why would I perceive whites as superior to blacks?"
黒人差別とかあり得ないよ。そうではなくて逆を考えて欲しいんだけど、もしも実写版「アラジン」のジャスミンを白人が演じたら違和感あるのと同じなんだよね...
— i (@i_8sai6) June 9, 2023
「リトルマーメイド」のアリエルは白人がやらなきゃいけなかったと思う。
差別ではなくて、ただ原作に沿った人選をしてほしかった。
First of all, they are mistaken. "The Little Mermaid" did not originate as an animation but as a fairy tale by Andersen. While Andersen may have been white, there is no valid reason to assume that the mermaids (essentially mythical creatures) in his tale possess any specific skin color. The animation itself was a reinterpretation. It is an interesting assertion that although they acknowledge the existence of imaginary mermaids, they cannot tolerate their skin color.
However, the issue goes deeper than distinguishing mermaids from humans. The young critics fail to recognize that the Japanese people's desire for a white heroine is a result of our skewed standards of beauty.
Consider our beauty ideals in our childhood. The immensely popular Japanese Barbie-equivalent "Licca-chan（リカちゃん）" had blonde hair and fair skin. Sailor Moon（セーラームーン）, another icon that many girls once emulated, also featured blonde hair and fair skin. After childhood, we were exposed to the concept of "bi-haku,"（美白） or "beautiful whiteness," as the ideal standard of beauty. Cosmetic companies effectively capitalized on this longing for Licca-chan's and Sailor Moon's fair skin to further amplify it.
We observe the presence of the “unspoken hierarchy" associated with skin color in our daily lives. Subconsciously, we have set white individuals as role models, leading to the avoidance of darker skin tones. Before we express "personal" opinions on X (Twitter), such as "Halle is not the princess I know," let's take time to consider how biased our idea of "the princess I know" is.
Nevertheless, you might argue, "I don't seek political correctness in 'The Little Mermaid.' I watch what I like. That’s it." I certainly respect your movie choices, but I would like to ask: "What made you 'like' The Little Mermaid?"
As all Disney fans would agree, Disney has a profound impact on children, offering hope, inspiration, and joy. Disney's ability to produce captivating works establishes it as an opinion leader, influencing children by embedding ideals of love and beauty.
In 1989, when the animated "The Little Mermaid" was released, about 80% of the U.S. population were white. Since then, the ongoing diversification of racial groups has reached the stage where white people are less than 60% of the population and less than 50% among children under 15. In other words, it is not that people have recently started caring about people of color, but rather the actual numbers indicate that non-white children have proportionally become a majority. Disney's business strategy no longer makes sense if it exclusively favors white princesses. Ultimately, a groundbreaking 72 years post-"Snow White", Disney unveiled a black princess in "The Princess and the Frog."
However, let's not reduce Halle's casting to mere business decisions of Disney. Halle brought hope to children who had never seen a princess with the same skin color as theirs.
PLEASE TAKE TIME AND WATCH THIS VIDEO:
Children’s reactions to “The Little Mermaid (2023)”
This video is truly heartwarming, but behind the surprise on their faces lies the fact of over 70 years of underrepresentation.
In Japan, which lacks racial diversity, the concept of racial representation might be difficult to grasp. Then, consider this: Imagine that when you were a child, most of the protagonists in the dramas and movies you watched were black or brown. Disney animated films featured black characters as the main heroes, and you took that for granted. Then, at the age of 20, you opened a trailer for a live-action Disney movie on YouTube to find out that the protagonist looked like you. Can you imagine not feeling joy when you finally saw a Japanese protagonist after growing up thinking it was the norm to see protagonists of a different race?
Didn't your "love" for Disney animations stem from the hope and inspiration it provides to children (and adults)? If so, then the yearning to share that hope and inspiration across racial, economic, social, and all boundaries should also reside within you.
"The Little Mermaid" is a love story, portraying the universality of love that transcends species boundaries, between humans and mermaids. If you discovered beauty in this story, you should have already crossed the much smaller barrier of skin color within the same human species.
October 10, 2023
少しでも響くところがあれば幸いです。
ではまた。
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