# Why are japanese people fixated on white people? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 16, 2003, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-japanese-people-fixated-on-white-people/175772 "2003-05-16T21:31:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![intarweb\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a3d4f5/32.png) [@intarweb\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/intarweb_man)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-japanese-people-fixated-on-white-people/175772/1 "2003-05-16T21:31:14Z")
I’m a big fan of anime stuff and I never see chinese or japanese people in the cartoons. Why is that? ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-japanese-people-fixated-on-white-people/175772/2 "2003-05-16T21:48:27Z")
What makes you say that all anime characters are white? Has it occurred to you that they might actually be Japanese? ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Magic8ball](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Miss\_Magic8ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Magic8ball)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-japanese-people-fixated-on-white-people/175772/3 "2003-05-16T22:05:49Z")
I understand what he’s getting at… I’ve noticed that the people almost always look “white”. of couse, chinese people are white also, but anime characters almost always never have the almond shaped, slanted eyes. Doesn’t mean they’re not chinese, though… ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-japanese-people-fixated-on-white-people/175772/4 "2003-05-16T22:45:31Z")
It might also be the hair color that’s throwing him off. Even though Sailor Moon has blond hair, she’s still Japanese. Right? ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-japanese-people-fixated-on-white-people/175772/5 "2003-05-16T23:27:41Z")
I’m sure someone who knows more about this than I will come along shortly, but my vague memory is that anime was originally based on a lot of Western cartoons that were imported into Japan, beginning with Betty Boop (outsized head, big eyes, tapered legs). The evolution of the “typical” anime look went in a more Japanese direction, but they retained some of the features and developed a distinctive look for the genre. I wish I could remember where I read this. I think maybe it was in an article by Matthew Sweet. ---
**Author:** ![that\_darn\_cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/59ef9b/32.png) [@that\_darn\_cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/that_darn_cat)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-japanese-people-fixated-on-white-people/175772/6 "2003-05-17T02:36:54Z")
I seem to remember reading that the drawing of Anime characters is delibrately generic and done in such a way that the viewer tends to identify charaters as their own race. So Japanese viewers tend to identify the characters as Japanese, Americans as Americans, ect. You’ll also note that the characters often have pretty fanciful haircolors, that don’t fit any ethnic group. Just my WAG. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Magic8ball](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Miss\_Magic8ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Magic8ball)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-japanese-people-fixated-on-white-people/175772/7 "2003-05-17T02:46:45Z")
I personally love the anime drawing style. And I admit, I’ve read some anime Webcomics, that have been based in Japan with Japanese words spoken by the charecters(I can’t remember the comic, otherwise I would provide a link) and they have looked very un-oriental(was taht politically incorrect? If so, I apologize) And it used to puzzle me, but I’ve gotten so used to it that I think that if I ever saw anime with Japanese charecters, I might be a little taken aback. In case anyone mistakes this as “racism” or somesuch, rest assured that its not. I’m simply not very eloquent. You can never be too careful… ---
**Author:** ![Capcha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Capcha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capcha)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-japanese-people-fixated-on-white-people/175772/8 "2003-05-17T03:24:33Z")
i agree with That\_darn\_cat. I have noticed the following: The younger the characters are, their features are a little exaggerated (eyes and hair color) but if there is an older character, they tend to draw them as asian ( almond eyes) either way, i love anime and building a collection 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-japanese-people-fixated-on-white-people/175772/9 "2003-05-17T04:28:05Z")
> [@](#): > > The younger the characters are, their features are a little exaggerated (eyes and hair color) My understanding is that it’s typical of anime to give ‘innocent’ characters, including most children, large eyes. It contributes to the look.