What is the ‘shoujo’ and how does it often function in anime?
Shoujo is a subgenre of anime. The term Shoujo translates simply to "little female". It is generally limited to girls around the ages of twelve to thirteen. Metaphorically, Shoujo refers to 'coming of age', the transition between infancy and maturity. These females are often portrayed as lightly erotic, and are becoming familiar with sexuality.
Basically, a Shoujo anime story will be set in a dreamy, magical fantasy world. It's a big contrast to the dark and dreary war-time and sci-fi type plots commonly explored in other areas of anime.
Japanese find this subgenre fascinating and entertaining because it is
all about the transition from "childhood to adulthood, powerless to
power, innocence to awareness". Suprisingly, this subgenre is as appealing to males as it is females. Napier states that although female teenagers addicted to "kawaii" (cute) characters and plots would be the assumed target audience, adult Japanese males make up a large portion of the Shoujo fan base.
In regards to Princess Mononoke and Miyizaki, the female characters most definitely fall into the Shoujo archetype; due to their age and appearance. However, there is one large difference. Generally, Shoujo characters are portrayed as passive, in a "timeless dreamland". In contrast, Miyizaki's characters are strong and active. They are tough, curious and courageous. They have even been referred to as "youths wearing Shoujo masks" - meaning they look the part, but most definitely do not act it!
In his film Princess Mononoke, the female characters are anything but soft, passive, and typically pretty. Miyizaki has done this on purpose. He wanted to beat the Shoujo stereotype; he was determined for his female characters to represent more than just an attractive young women, something he describes as "play toys for Lolita complex guys" and "pets". As we discussed in an earlier lecture, Miyizaki did this for political reasons. He wanted his viewers to re-evaluate the female anime stereotype.."to turn something on it's head".
I think he did so successfully.
Princess Mononoke is completely different to that of any other Shouji anime characters, there was never anyone invented quite as different to the Shoujo stereotype as the feral and wild Princess Mononoke!
Reference:
Typical Shoujo female characters Miyizaki's Princess Mononoke
I agree to your post and it clearly shows that the character San is not a typical shoujo character that attracts men attention. Obviously she's drawn with a pretty face but her personality and her actions are like a boy rather than a girl. Not showing her weakness but actually showing the strong side of her have lead many people to like the film. Sometimes it gets too boring if the girl character is a typical pretty , weak teenage girl.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with you. San may be pretty and cute but this was not to get attention from men. She is strong and wild and more like a man's characteristic.
ReplyDeleteI agree with May Kim about boring stereotypical girls. Remember that San also represents the animal side of human nature. She is wild and feral, associated with the powers of nature in contrast to Oboshi who is associated with the power of gunpowder and technology and civilization. Of course, the idea that strength and wildness is a male characteristic is itself a social constructed idea...
ReplyDeleteHi, Jess! You have clearly described the difference between typical shoujo female character and Miyazaki's princess mononoke. Unlike typical shoujo, San is wild and strong girl as you said, but she is also childlike when she was with her wolf mother. I think it was little similar to typical shoujo charactor.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Mike - the idea that strength and wildness is a male characteristic is most certainly a social constructed idea. This is something we have all been brainwashed to believe ... just look at the past problems with gender roles..many of which still exist today. We only have to look at Buffy to see an example of a female character challenging this idea. And clearly, Miyizaki wanted to challenge this idea too, he wanted to break the mould, and prove that girls can be wild and strong, just as much as boys, if not more!
ReplyDeleteI think that Miyazaki has taken a more feminist-type of approach to his films with their artwork and character development. He certainly did "turn something on its head."
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