Colonialism?

[Jim Harper]

I should have made myself clearer; I was under the impression that the name change was thanks to a DVD company that was keen to make the name sound a little more westernized. I wasn't disputing for a second the free will of someone to call themselves what they want; I'd be quite happy for Iida to release his next film as Bilbo Baggins, as long as it's his choice. In this example, I mistakenly thought it hadn't been.
 
The tendency towards 'asymmetrical multiculturalism' is not present in my case. I'm not so blindly shallow that I have to complain when a Japanese name doesn't sound Japanese enough for my tastes or when a white waiter brings me my Indian food.
 
Jim Harper.

Jason Gray <loaded_films at yahoo.co.jp> wrote:
It doesn't make sense, in my opinion. Jasper Sharp and I
interviewed Joji Iida and he himself uses George (see his
official site, where he even uses the nickname "Geo"). In
my original post I wasn't talking about kokusaibu workers
being careless with romanization, which I agree could
cause problems -- Aaron's points are logical. But this
isn't Japanese film people being forced to take a
westernized name so that they're more "marketable" -- it's
free will of someone to call themselves whatever they
like, Japanese or not. 

I've always sensed a tendency, especially among western
fans of asian cinema, to want only the "purest" forms of
their drug of choice -- and anything that flirts with
westernized elements is considered "cut". It's nothing to
do with colonialism, but reminds me more of "asymmetrical
multiculturalism" 

http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/politicsphilosophyandsociety/story/0,6000,1540242,00.html

Anyway, I wouldn't want to be the one to tell Joe Shishido
"Shishido-san, why don't you just drop that 'e' from your
first name and make it easier on all of us, huh?" 
You might get shot, or worse! Everyone can write in their
books on Japanese cinema "Shishido Jo (aka Joe Shishido)",
and you'll stay alive.


jg




		
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