Age Gaps--A Double Standard and Culture

Hey visitors,

The main topic for this week is regarding age gaps and I've read a few here and there, some small, some large, older, younger, etc. Over the years I've come to terms about the double standard as well as how the modern age culture has come to terms with regards to age gaps (does this mouth of words makes any sense?) Basically, double standard and cultural tolerance towards age gaps is what I'm saying/addressinghere.

First of all, cultures today are disapproving of age gap relationships hence the whole minors protection against pedophilia, statutory rape, and child porn.  However overtime, if people notice age gaps are more tolerable, mainly after you are out of compulsory schooling aka at least age 18 I guess. Why that is is kind of strange but when I think about it, what I think is that it's because people think that a minor doesn't understand love so much hence all those child love terms like "puppy love" and "crushes". However love is also a more modern concept since for quite a long time, people have married out of duty and sake of living (procreation, separation of labor, raising one's social position, power, etc). Side note: I'd like to point out one example of how love might have been a more modern concept; from Bokura no Kiseki (spoilers for people who haven't read it)-Manami said that as Veronica, even though people thought she and Glen were an item, he says they weren't because in those days, there was actually definition of what love was. Hence something so complicated and abstract that is also quite irrational at times, I think things like true love is a more modern concept.

Ok so I've kind of trailed off in another direction so back on track...What I'm getting at is that culture today has changed. What society defines as child has also changed of course since back then it was more acceptable worldwide to have marriages between youth and between a youth and an elder. But really, that's why when reading mangas that take place in the past (historical fiction or stories along the lines of fictional with more factual), if there are age gaps such as in Otoyomegatari, readers should realize that they're stepping into another culture that is different from the one they are raised in at the present. Age gaps were more socially acceptable back then especially since the concept of love and marriage weren't ideas that were put together until more present means. The purpose of marriage was more for purposes of social/status mobility, economic stability, political, etc (love wasn't usually first in line is what I'm saying). Anyways, for age gaps in historical context, not weird. Don't judge harshly on cultures by comparing it to your own. You can ask why but don't force it since you should know that the world of today isn't the world of yesterday as well as what is one culture's norm even in the present isn't another culture's norm. 

Next I'd like to note one double standard of age gaps which is the seemingly progression of age correlating with more tolerance towards age gaps. (I noted it above but I didn't expand on it since I got more into cultural aspects.) This is a more modern thing that goes on since age gaps in the past weren't such a huge issue and as I noted above, it could very well be the way people today view youth. Another reasoning would be the the accumulated intellect and life experience we have after adolescent that somehow qualifies people to have age gap relationships? The way I've put it sounds ridiculous but people do say "what do you know? you're still a child". As noted before, another example is terms like "puppy love" which label a person for ignorance who is usually a child but over time no one uses such a term especially when one is an adult deemed ready to commit to a relationship to life's end. Of course maturity is necessary to maintain a relationship so it makes sense.

Although life experience is good, the appearance of a child seems to be important as well.This is another double standard I've realized. I've noticed that in age gap relationships in mangas, those who appear child and adult are heavily questioned and criticized whereas if the child appears adult, there is less criticism. One clear example would be the popular yet controversial to today's societal principles, Kore wa Koi no Hanashi Of course if you appear adult and are mature in mentality for what is to say, a typical child, then readers probably won't criticize. But then you can go the other way where you have the appearance of an actual older gentleman or gentlewoman (I haven't seen older woman often in mangas of any genre) i.e. you actually look past your 40s or 50s. What I'm getting at is that appearance is extremely key in mangas for age gaps-at least that's what I've gathered after reading different age gap mangas. Frankly it is really annoying when the story is amazing despite the age gap. Though I suppose everyone wants to share their opinions whether they are uncomfortable or simply enjoying the situation at hand. To summarize this point, if a character appear child-like and in fact is a child, then s/he will receive much more criticism for a relationship with an obviously older person (or vice versa older pursues younger); if a character appears mature/adult-like and is a child in age (mental maturity doesn't really play into it as much from what I remember) s/he will receive less criticism for pursuing a relationship with an older person (or vice versa older pursues younger). I'm not that surprised since as humans, we've come to rely on our vision to determine survival as well as what appeals to us but yeah...the look of a couple, if socially approved of will be more socially accepted.

Well that's all I can think of right now. I've actually thought about this topic quite a lot since some of my interested mangas have been and currently are about age gaps; especially when people are arguing in the forums about being for or against the age gap relationship. In reality, I'm not sure how I feel about it. In mangas I've always been pretty open minded about age gaps-love for all, you know? That is as long as you are the couple I'm rooting for =d But realistically, I kind of understand the challenge of social norms today about age gaps.

I hope you've enjoyed reading. I'm glad I've finally written about this topic. I might add on later on but that's all for today =)

Until next,
tohukyo

P.S. Although I don't mind age gap relationships, it doesn't change the fact that I really don't favor teacher-student mangas. The way it's written usually just really gets to me. There's only been one (completed) that I've actually liked because of it's somewhat open ended and quite a confusing ending that a lot of people didn't like nor understand, "Beautiful Fascination is Better Than Love."

(Last updated 10-28-2013)

Transitioning From One Medium to Another

Good day blog visitors,

It's Sunday evening as I post this but this time I started writing my post earlier in the week (despite posting it up so late). I hope it's more well thought out in doing so but if not...oh well, I guess that is something I'll have to work on =p

So today, my post will be about when we transition a story from one medium to another. What I'm referring to is like how you transition or transport (however you want to put it or if there is a more official term, do tell) a story from the original medium such as a manga to another medium such as an anime or drama.

For me, I've never but been in favor of mangas that become animes/dramas and vice versa. Why? Well there's the whole factor of how the story line or original plot is altered like for mangas to animes, things are often censored no? At least that's what happens when things get to America but I'd never watch anything now that's dubbed (unless it's maybe Sailor Moon, Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh~animes I grew up watching, yu-gi-oh being the last one I think). BUT I DIGRESS.

Back to the topic, so I used to have this huge massively strict rule for myself where I do not, absolutely do not watch anything that I've already read in the form of an anime or drama/movie and absolutely nothing I've watched in the form of a manga/hwa/hua/web comic. The reason has always been the same, because the story line is different, because it's not the same, because sometimes/often times ruined in the transition from one medium to the other.

As for why I never actually liked to watch anime that was adapted from a manga, here is the reason. Similar to when you see one of your favorite books being turned into a movie, you have high expectations. When you read something, it is you and your imagination at play. In a book, you imagine the characters and the landscape based on what you read and there you have an image you conjured up yourself about the characters. Now for books adapted into movies, the image and appearance is key. However when reading mangas, since images are readily present, what is left for a reader to imagine is the voice and I believe the voice is also very representative of the character themselves. It doesn't really occur to me how the voices sound out loud but in my mind, it's like perfection. I'm not sure if I'm making any sense but in any case, often when I see an anime adaptation of manga, the voices don't seem to fit well with the character as imagined. Now note I say often and not always. It kind of just ruins the story for me in some way because now when I read the manga (if it's ongoing) or if I reread the manga, all that pops in my head will be the voice that has been presented to me in the anime because unlike imagination, it's been played out before me so in a sense it's more solid in reality. Because of that, my ideal is somewhat erased and I associate the recorded voice with what I read. Maybe I could forget it but so far, it hasn't really happened for me yet....This actually applies as well if I happen to read the manga first even though it's been adapted from the anime. The story lines are different but I guess which ever I'm exposed to first seems like the original.

Next is the vice versa in which I watch the anime/drama first and then read the manga. The reason is actually more simple. For me, since my first exposure to the story is with the anime/drama, I don't like to reread it as a manga. I'm not entirely sure why but for me, I just don't do that.

Now.I said "used to." so I've actually loosened this rule for myself because there are some exceptions and the exceptions have been worthwhile. For example, I think I may have first watched Gakuen Alice and for those who've read it, the anime seriously doesn't do justice for the manga so I'm quite thankful that I picked up the manga from the beginning. As for an example of a manga, Snow Queen by Wann was turned into a drama and it was absolutely amazing since Wann's story had a quickness with missing parts to the story that did leave it up to imagination, allowing the reader to draw on the clues from the story the drama was more well rounded since it told a more full story. In this case for the Snow Queen, both manhwa and drama were a delight for me. But of course there are some I'll never read because I watched the anime and I think the number one anime would be Air. I watched the anime and the movies and every single time, I cried like there was no tomorrow. The overwhelming sadness and the flood of tears, I don't think I can ever touch on it ever again.

There are many anime adaptation I'll never watch because it seems kind of pointless to when often the story line is lacking when transitioning to the screen from the page as well as the fact that since the stories are very much the same. Why go for motion picture that is 30 minutes long and isn't the original story when I could get the same story in a shorter amount of time as the original story through the manga? That's also another way I put it when I weigh my options. (As well as the fact that I have to read subtitles anyways in order to watch a 30 minute episode of an anime).

Well that's my take on manga to anime adaptations. I have loosened this rule for myself because sometimes I get bored and it's actually pretty hard to find some good animes to watch so I opt for mangas I've read since I do know the story line...So anyways, I'd love feedback and personal opinions as well as maybe some good anime recommendations. However I particularly do not like harems and reverse harems for mangas and animes so if you recommend those, I will absolutely not watch them (unless it's convincingly worth watching).

Cheers!
tohukyo