So, I've been thinking lately cultural differences in reading the manga, and how that colors our interpretation. And there was some off-topic discussion about it in a few threads, so I thought I'd start a new home to share thoughts on cultural differences in reading the manga or viewing the anime, and in traditional storytelling in general.
I'll be the first to admit that Hinata becoming the love interest rubs me the wrong way. But I've been wondering lately if there wasn't more to it than just the dislike of secondary character paired with the main hero over the the main heroine.
Hinata is the long-suffering, passive and empathetic character who's love for Naruto just grows while her personal development remains small. Sakura however has tremendous character growth and comes to see the relationships around her in a different way.
The world changes around Hinata, but she doesn't, and keeps her goal fixed on a single point. Sakura changes her world, which then changes her goals and her relationships.
Hinata's a passive character, while Sakura's an active one.
(And unfortunately, Hinata is such a minor character she's not even a proper foil for Sakura. Her comparison has only been brought about in the end by making her a more important character than she's been shown to be throughout the whole story. So it's not like Naruto/Sasuke, hero/anti-hero or love interest vs. love interest. Hinata has only become some sort of foil to Sakura in the end, when they've diminished Sakura's role in favor of more time spent on Hinata. But even then, Hinata is still passively supporting only Naruto while Sakura is actively fighting to save Naruto and everyone else.)
So I've been wondering, is my discomfort with this turn of events simply because of the way the story is written...or are there deeper cultural differences at work here that allow Japanese readers to accept an NH and SS relationship, even appreciate it, where I want to rail against it?
My theory is that Sakura, and NS, represents a modern-day girl and a modern-day romance. And Hinata, NH and consequently SS, represent a more traditional Japanese romance, with a passive, empathetic, long-loving, always forgiving female, and an active, dark and brooding (Sasuke) or even neglectful (Naruto) male counterpart.
This may explain why Japanese readers primarily thanked Kishimoto instead of wanting to burn books and feeling cheated. Because maybe this pairing happens much more often than I, a non-japanese reader, realize.
A few other things that factor into my thoughts:
- The recent yelling-down of a female politician in Japan, in public office and on camera, telling her to go home and raise her children. This wasn't by one other politician, but by many.
- The very prominent images of passive, empathetic, kind and gentle (or sweet and child-like) girls and women in current Japanese marketing, bands, talk shows, etc.
So it's a culture that's got a lot of modern women being active and breaking rules and roles and barriers, but it's also glorifies passive girls/women.
Anyway, I think since we are a wonderfully multicultural site, all reading a manga that is thoroughly Japanese and written by an author who has more than a few times said he's surprised how popular Naruto is internationally, I thought it would be interesting to get other opinions on this.
How much does Japanese culture, both modern and traditional, play a part in the manga?