In a recent turn of events, a fan-created illustration of the popular manga series “Dandadan” has ignited a heated debate, particularly in japan. The artwork,created by Twitter user “@/Lynn6Thorex,” depicted the series’ protagonists,Ken Takakura and Momo Ayase,as people of color. This depiction, frequently enough referred too as “blackwashing” online, involves altering canonically white characters to appear Black, often under the guise of promoting inclusivity or critiquing the lack of diversity in anime.
While such fan-art is not uncommon and frequently enough fades from public attention, the situation took an unexpected turn when AJ Beckles, the voice actor for Ken Takakura in the english dub of “Dandadan,” chose to use the illustration as his Twitter profile picture. Beckles,who is a person of color,publicly thanked the artist for the artwork,sparking a wave of reactions from fans and critics alike.
The move by Beckles was seen as a bold statement of support for the fan-art, but it also drew sharp criticism from some Japanese fans. One Twitter user, “@/r230614_shin,” took to the platform to express their outrage, stating:
“The voice actor of the international version has expressed his support for the ‘desecration of the original work by transforming characters into black people and excluding Japanese, which is racism.’ He has changed his profile image on his Twitter account to an ‘image of hate that symbolizes the exclusion of Japanese and the transformation of characters into black people.’ With this,he has declared his contempt for the original work of ‘Dandadan’ and his discrimination towards the Japanese. This is an international problem. we request that the responsible authorities immediately remove this voice actor.”
The controversy has since escalated, with discussions around portrayal, cultural sensitivity, and the role of voice actors in shaping public perception of characters. While some argue that fan-art should be embraced as a form of creative expression, others believe it crosses a line when it alters the original intent of the creators.
as the debate continues, it remains to be seen how this situation will impact the perception of “dandadan” and its international cast. For now, the conversation serves as a reminder of the complexities surrounding representation in media and the fine line between artistic freedom and cultural respect.
Key Takeaways:
Fan-art depicting “Dandadan” protagonists as people of color sparks controversy in Japan.
Voice actor AJ Beckles supports the artwork, using it as his Twitter profile picture.
Critics argue the depiction is a form of racism and disrespect to the original work.
Debate highlights tensions between creative expression and cultural sensitivity in media.
Stay tuned for updates as this story unfolds.
is the fault of white people》
In the context of hatred towards the Japanese and the transformation of characters into black people: White people in the west have for years spread the hate hoax that “Japanese people hate their own unattractive physical features and draw anime characters modeled after beautiful white people.” that they admire.” Without consent, the Japanese have been portrayed as “worshipping white people.”
As you can read, the Japanese have taken this action as “racism”, an extremely controversial expression when someone mentions it on the Internet. Actually, they consider that the fact that the original characteristics of the characters in “Dandadan” are eliminated is an act of racism towards the Japanese. And if you think this is an exaggeration or an isolated case, you better know that this publication has had a reach of tens of millions of people on Twitter.
And now that AJ Beckles has gone into the lion’s den on his own, it didn’t take long for them to find some publications from a few years ago that reflect his double standards and hypocrisybecause he applauds when a black person voices a white character, but criticizes when the opposite happens:
«Every time a black actor is cast in a role in a fantasy story where the original character has lighter skin, there is always someone who has something to say about it. It’s so exhausting.It doesn’t affect the character at all, it’s fine».
«The reason why, in most cases, white people should not play characters of color is not a question of color, but of culture. Speaking for Black people: We know what a barbershop sounds like on Sunday,what a hot comb smells like when it runs through our hair. it’s not about the color, it’s about the culture».