The new film Belle, directed by Mamoru Hosoda, is based on his 5-year-old daughter and aims to confront Japanese culture’s devaluation of women and girls.
The portrayal of female characters in anime has long been criticized, but director Mamoru Hosoda hopes to alter that with his new film Belle.
In a recent interview with The Washington Post, Hosoda said, “I believe that women characters in Japanese animation are frequently portrayed through a lens of desire, leading to their exploitation, and too much is shrugged off as a freedom of expression.”
Breaking perceptions of what it means to be strong and attractive
The filmmaker went on to explain how Japanese animation has had a negative impact on women’s and girls’ perceptions of what it means to be strong and attractive.
“Such exploitation has been excused by the idea that it is taking place in a fantasy world rather than in reality. However, I believe that such beliefs are inextricably linked and will affect our reality “he said.
The classic tale Beauty and the Beast is retold in Belle. Suzu, a timid 17-year-old who is self-conscious about her appearance and uninspired to perform music after her mother dies, is the protagonist of the tale.
She takes on the identity of Belle, an alluring pop diva with flowing pink hair, after entering the virtual realm known as “U,” and soon acquires a large following.
Hosoda said how the film and its message of utilizing technology as a tool for female empowerment and a force for good were inspired by his 5-year-old daughter.
“She’s still in preschool and is very shy,” the filmmaker said, “so I envisioned how she’d cope after she got on social media and started having all kinds of online connections.”
“For the younger generation, living in both worlds will be the norm, and both worlds will be their realities,” he added. “And the Internet plays a critical role in allowing them to raise their voices and reach out to the rest of the world.”
Hosoda has recently sparked debate in the anime community by criticizing how other filmmakers depict female characters in their works.
Others applauded the efforts, others questioned
Others have applauded the director’s efforts, while others have questioned if his characters are really different from those he criticizes.
Hosoda is credited by Yokohama National University’s Professor Akiko Sugawa as one of the people trying to change Japanese culture’s devaluation of women and girls. The lecturer said, “Anime has the ability to establish and shatter gender preconceptions.”
Professor Sugawa believes that although initiatives like Belle are a significant step forward for the anime business, there is still much space for development and that the industry needs to acknowledge more diverse voices.
“More positive representations of LGBTQ people, themes, and works that raise concerns about social issues are now available. And, with the emergence of more diverse directors and anime decision-makers, there is reason to believe that more change is on the way,” she clarified
Belle is set to hit cinemas in the United States this winter.
Image courtesy of スタジオ地図 / STUDIO CHIZU/YouTube