FabSwingers.com forum: Shang-chi and Asian Representation

By *angbangFantasy OP Woman
over a year ago

London

So I've just watched the latest MCU cinematic release: Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings.

The first Marvel movie with an Asian (Chinese) lead and predominantly Asian cast.

I was really excited about watching this and my sister was too as her son is half Chinese (we're Filipino) and he would have a superhero that looked like him to look up to.

I rather enjoyed the movie and I suppose it felt like what black people felt when Black Panther came out. A form of representation that mattered to us.

Anyway, I know we shouldn't read the Daily Mail comments, but was curious what they had to say.

And a lot of the comments were the same comments I saw when Disney released Raya and The Last Dragon:

" Chinese propaganda"

"Disney pandering to their Chinese overlords"

" Hollywood can only make superhero movies to appease their masters in China"

You get the picture.

It upsets me that when I get excited about these types of representations and enjoy movies like Crazy Rich Asians, that somehow, us having a moment is a moment too long for some people who have grown tired of seeing our kinds of faces on the big screen for a second.

In the past I've been disappointed with films that were adapted from comics, anime or cartoons, where the characters that were clearly Asian had been white-washed and portrayed by Caucasian actors instead.

I don't think I'm being overly sensitive if that's what some of you may think, as representation matters a lot because it impacts our psyche and the way in which we see ourselves from a very young age.

All I'm really saying is, can we not just have this moment to feel seen and recognised in a positive light and counted in too?

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By *asmeenTV/TS
over a year ago

STOKE ON TRENT

Yes

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By *angbangFantasy OP Woman
over a year ago

London

"Yes "

Thanks

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By *asmeenTV/TS
over a year ago

STOKE ON TRENT

"Yes

Thanks

Xxx

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I haven't seen the movie yet, but I will. I will watch it with 'fresh eyes' as a movie enthusiast and enjoy the movie for what it is.

My problem with it is if it gets weaponised in some form as being 'Asian' or 'breaking the mold'. It's either a good movie, or it isn't. Stereotypes won't influence my opinion on that.

The issue I had with Black Panther is that as far as I understand, an awful lot of racial abuse against persons of colour can be in the form of monkey chants and similar inappropriate behaviour. Attacks of differing nature against perceived tribal behaviour. And yet, this flag waving/banner carrying movie that was Black Panther did nothing to stop this abuse. Because in the movie, you had tribalism. In the movie, you had primeval chanting that lacked syllabilic structure. You had all the things that you get offended at as persons of colour when you receive these kinds of racial abuse aimed at you, and yet you chose to champion them anyway in the movie because they came from persons of colour in a movie designed to dispel the racial abuse you receive.

For me the whole 'this is a Black superhero movie for black people' stopped working for me as soon as I read that headline when Black Panther was in production. Take all that away, and Black Panther is fundamentally the same as all the other Marvel movies. Hero gets challenged. Hero loses. Hero finds a way with the help of some friends to regain his position whilst learning about humility, friendship and compassion along the way.

I really hope Shang Chi isn't that, just with some fancy PC spin about Asians and equality. I don't care what origin the story's characters are from. It's either a good movie and/or a good story. Or it isn't.

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By *angbangFantasy OP Woman
over a year ago

London

"I haven't seen the movie yet, but I will. I will watch it with 'fresh eyes' as a movie enthusiast and enjoy the movie for what it is.

My problem with it is if it gets weaponised in some form as being 'Asian' or 'breaking the mold'. It's either a good movie, or it isn't. Stereotypes won't influence my opinion on that.

You really are Marmite aren't you?

Because reading what you wrote tells me that you, a white man, couldn't care less if Shang-Chi was about a POC or a white person.

In what way would it be weaponised if it was labelled "Asian" or "breaking the mould"? Not sure what you mean by this.

As a Filipino woman, the lead character being Asian does matter to me and to my nephew who sees himself in the hero.

You can't not see the movie and it's actors with colorblind vision.

With regards to Black Panther, I don't know if you understood the movie fully, but tribalism isn't necessarily a bad thing and "primeval chanting that lacked syllabilic structure"?

That's offensive.

Representation that includes cultural aspects of who we are as POC shouldn't offend your sensibilities, but I feel like it does in your case.

If a movie had a cast that is predominantly POC, it's more than likely to have itself rooted in the culture of those people and to showcase it in some form or other.

Why is that an issue for you?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

" You really are Marmite aren't you?

Because reading what you wrote tells me that you, a white man, couldn't care less if Shang-Chi was about a POC or a white person.

In what way would it be weaponised if it was labelled "Asian" or "breaking the mould"? Not sure what you mean by this.

As a Filipino woman, the lead character being Asian does matter to me and to my nephew who sees himself in the hero.

You can't not see the movie and it's actors with colorblind vision.

With regards to Black Panther, I don't know if you understood the movie fully, but tribalism isn't necessarily a bad thing and "primeval chanting that lacked syllabilic structure"?

That's offensive.

Representation that includes cultural aspects of who we are as POC shouldn't offend your sensibilities, but I feel like it does in your case.

If a movie had a cast that is predominantly POC, it's more than likely to have itself rooted in the culture of those people and to showcase it in some form or other.

Why is that an issue for you?

I actually screenshot your reply so that I can refer to it on another screen as I type, because this forum format is super lousy for keeping tabs on what you want to respond to if it is over 2 lines long

First of all, you immediately made it an argument about race against me in your opening lines. Calling me "a white man". It might be a true fact that I am Caucasian, but it makes zero difference to the argument I make. I didn't mention my ethnicity once in my previous post.

Secondly. You talk like the asian community has no movie representation of it's own prior to now. You definitely do. You allude to the fact that you are of Chinese descent. The Chinese movie industry has made many excellent movies in the last few years alone that outclass anything coming from Hollywood in terms of the production, budget, and overall experience. I also know that the Filipino movie industry, although not as financially rich, makes some excellent movies also. So it's not like this is the first ever movie ever made featuring 'a majority asian cast'. It is just the first one that Marvel might have made.

You seemed confused about the idea of this movie being 'weaponised'. Well yes. Because everyone else is jumping on the Political Correctness bandwagon and social media is very quick to form a mob-like mentality and try to crush out everyone who thinks different to them. I could watch Shang Chi and think it's rubbish. I would think that because I am an avid movie critic, and whatever cast was in it would make zero difference if the director was rubbish and the producers had no clue. Yet I will instantly be called racist and anti-Asian immediately by the millions simply because I didn't like the movie, because it is supposed to be some magical asian miracle. Not true at all. Maybe it is just a crap movie no matter who made it or was in it.

You take offense to my description in words of some of the chants performed by the characters in Black Panther. How else would you describe the moment, in words, when they are standing with their spears stabbing their hilts in to the earth? What terminologies do you use to describe such sounds? Because they don't easily translate into written words at all from my perspective.

I am not offended by any cultural representation, beliefs or demonstrations when they are genuine and are done by the people who live them. I frequently watch movies from all over the world, as it helps me keep a balanced opinion on everything and not be quietly subdued in to a narrow way of thinking caused by the constant incoming noise about what I should think and what I should be offended by.

If Shang Chi is a good movie, so be it. I will happily say so. But I will not give it any extra credit just because it has the right actors playing the right roles for the story it wants to tell, because that's what directors and producers should be doing anyway. And they should have been doing it all along.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I stand corrected, you didn't allude that you were of Chinese descent, I didn't have your first post to hand when I wrote my last comment. But it was relevant for your nephew (if I understand correctly). I apologise for the error.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I haven’t heard about this film really but I’m gonna keep an eye on it! It’s nice to see there’s some good Asian representation when it comes to super heroes and it’s not relegated to the Asian being just the extra character that none cares about… or that one that is represented as the studious stereotype… if u know what I mean.

Can I say that I really enjoyed Crazy rich Asians, but also another one I thought was ace was To all the boys I loved before… which obviously was a love story between the girl who had Asian roots and a white boy.

Incredibly nothing I’ve seen before with that sort of meaningful roles as they could have made it into another white girl white boy romantic film…

Also high five, even tho I’ve been brought up in a very “white washed” family , my mama has Filipina heritage so … I get some of her good genes in me x

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

" You really are Marmite aren't you?

Because reading what you wrote tells me that you, a white man, couldn't care less if Shang-Chi was about a POC or a white person.

In what way would it be weaponised if it was labelled "Asian" or "breaking the mould"? Not sure what you mean by this.

As a Filipino woman, the lead character being Asian does matter to me and to my nephew who sees himself in the hero.

You can't not see the movie and it's actors with colorblind vision.

With regards to Black Panther, I don't know if you understood the movie fully, but tribalism isn't necessarily a bad thing and "primeval chanting that lacked syllabilic structure"?

That's offensive.

Representation that includes cultural aspects of who we are as POC shouldn't offend your sensibilities, but I feel like it does in your case.

If a movie had a cast that is predominantly POC, it's more than likely to have itself rooted in the culture of those people and to showcase it in some form or other.

Why is that an issue for you?

Let’s be honest tho being in the west , none really cares about films that are produced by studios in China that might not even be translated into English…

Because they don’t create representation , they just are films meant mainly for Asia and the Asian market only …so that part is quite invalid.

I get what OP means as it does feel odd to see the usual representation over and over, of the Asian character as being the side kick, and usually very nerdy and a lot of the time a loser... and for the ones who are example, born with orientale origins, might be left wondering, but that’s not how we all are.

So it’s refreshing to see some western films with Asian leads popping up here and there

Sorry to twist it around and shift from Asian/oriental to say transgender, I was incredibly refreshed to see some representation on certain tv shows or films. Particularly what comes to mind is Jules (hunter shafer) from Euphoria being portrayed so well, that it starts to resonate because guess what. She’s just a normal girl with her life story but isn’t portrayed as the usual “prostitute” or “man in a dress” type…

So yes to seeing more diverse leads and main characters that people might be able to identify with!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

To the OP, try watching '47 Ronin'. Yes it stars Keanu Reaves, but the whole thing is about him being the outsider, learning the things that matter and being taught by the people in Japan about their culture, their ways and their beliefs, which ultimately lead the story where it goes.

His character would have been nothing had he not been educated and trained by those around him. If you seek role models, then look to the characters and what makes them in their stories, not the individuals so much that play them. And superheroes definitely aren't good examples of how to be a good human being. If they were, they wouldn't need so many redemption-type movies made about them

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Let’s be honest tho being in the west , none really cares about films that are produced by studios in China that might not even be translated into English…

Because they don’t create representation , they just are films meant mainly for Asia and the Asian market only …so that part is quite invalid.

So it’s refreshing to see some western films with Asian leads popping up here and there

So yes to seeing more diverse leads and main characters that people might be able to identify with!

Flip that on it's head. How many movies made in Asia (I am talking about the generally acceptable geography here:, India, China, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia etc), how many of those movies stereotype 'Caucasians'? How many movies have none at all? It's all relative.

You want inspiration, look at the characters and their development. Not the ethnicity of the actor/actress portraying them.

We are supposed to be a global society one day. Besides. It isn't like there aren't any superheros that don't belong to Marvel

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Let’s be honest tho being in the west , none really cares about films that are produced by studios in China that might not even be translated into English…

Because they don’t create representation , they just are films meant mainly for Asia and the Asian market only …so that part is quite invalid.

So it’s refreshing to see some western films with Asian leads popping up here and there

So yes to seeing more diverse leads and main characters that people might be able to identify with!

You want inspiration, look at the characters and their development. Not the ethnicity of the actor/actress portraying them.

We are supposed to be a global society one day. Besides. It isn't like there aren't any superheros that don't belong to Marvel

But that’s only because western films end up in Asia

so they still get to have the white wash treatment. It’s more common for Asian people to get white western films than the other way around.

How can people relate to an all white rich cis character when they come from a different background that genuinely doesn’t represent them??

So it actually becomes a.. I wish I was her, or I wish I was white but i know I can’t be her because I’m not.

And this is coming from someone who always thought of herself as mainly white because of my upbringing and my surroundings… when I am aware that technically I do have mixed genes but I can’t relate to my Asian/Latina roots because even my mum, white washed herself in the first place…

Just saying

Sometimes it’s nice to be able to ACTUALLY resonate with someone, I did the example of Jules that is for example very fitting to me …

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By *ty31Man
over a year ago

NW London

I wouldn't read too deeply into Daily Mail comments if I were you, many seem to be typed by trolls seeking attention or controversy!

Right now there is a certain level of alarm amongst some owing to increased Chinese belligerence (mainly towards Taiwan), growing Chinese economic power and the treatment of certain minority groups/alleged human rights abuses. As such they will use any excuse to form a bias against anything of Chinese origin whether that is a cheap lawnmower or the latest Marvel film.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

It is a great movie with a great cast.

I look forward to seeing more of Shang Chi in the marvel universe.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

1. Daily Mail Readers are Trolls

2. China is not very likely to release the film as:

A. Simu Liu called it a 3rd world country

B. Fu Manchu (Originally Shang-Chi’s dad in the original comics in the 1970’s portrayed very racist stereotypes, though he’s been removed in the comics now and in the film, people never forget).

3. It’s a film, from the Marvel Comic-books catalogue, which is extensive. Marvel started with big hitters that every one knew like Iron-man and Hulk, then brought in lesser knows in the first part of the infinity saga, that only the more avid comic book fans would have known of, before getting into comics that only the die-Hards read. We’re now starting to go into the deeper stuff with the Eternals as opposed to the Avengers and Shang-Chi is included in that.

4. As you mention Black Panther did a lot for black people in representation (though Wesley Snipes as Blade seems to be forgotten about being the first black superhero) and being from Wakanda, a fictional country, he could represent any black person and kids could say, “hey he looks like me” which if anything is what a comic book is about- the beliefs that you could be a hero (hey it worked for me and power rangers- kids from all different ethnicities and backgrounds coming together to save the world, made me want to do what I can to help others so I joined the military when I grew up). So I’d say be happy that someone of Asian heritage is being portrayed as the good guy (for many years they were always the bad guy and even worse being played by white actors), and that your family has seen what I assume to be a great film with a character that has a great moral compass to follow and screw the Daily “Heil” bottom writers!

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By *olly_chromaticTV/TS
over a year ago

Ilkley

Not seen it yet because still staying away from cinemas. But glad you enjoyed it OP, and yes absolutely it is great that at last there is a film giving you a feeling of representation. Just so tragic that there is so little of this, to the extent it becomes an event when it happens, when it ought to just be part of life.

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By *angbangFantasy OP Woman
over a year ago

London

"To the OP, try watching '47 Ronin'. Yes it stars Keanu Reaves, but the whole thing is about him being the outsider, learning the things that matter and being taught by the people in Japan about their culture, their ways and their beliefs, which ultimately lead the story where it goes.

I've seen 47 Ronin and I don't think that has anything to do with what the topic is about.

You're basically telling me to look beyond the race of the actors and look at the characters they portray, when the overwhelming majority of Hollywood leads are Caucasian actors...

Me seeking role models?

So my nephew, who is a child, I have to tell him not to look to superheroes as role models? Is that what you're telling me?

So if an Asian actor played Superman or captain America, you're telling me that it would be okay because the character is what matters and everyone should and would be okay with that?

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By *angbangFantasy OP Woman
over a year ago

London

"Let’s be honest tho being in the west , none really cares about films that are produced by studios in China that might not even be translated into English…

Because they don’t create representation , they just are films meant mainly for Asia and the Asian market only …so that part is quite invalid.

So it’s refreshing to see some western films with Asian leads popping up here and there

So yes to seeing more diverse leads and main characters that people might be able to identify with!

You want inspiration, look at the characters and their development. Not the ethnicity of the actor/actress portraying them.

We are supposed to be a global society one day. Besides. It isn't like there aren't any superheros that don't belong to Marvel

So basically now you're flipping it on it's head to say, what about us???

Seriously?

Tell that to my nephew and his peers.

It matters to us.

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By *angbangFantasy OP Woman
over a year ago

London

"Let’s be honest tho being in the west , none really cares about films that are produced by studios in China that might not even be translated into English…

Because they don’t create representation , they just are films meant mainly for Asia and the Asian market only …so that part is quite invalid.

So it’s refreshing to see some western films with Asian leads popping up here and there

So yes to seeing more diverse leads and main characters that people might be able to identify with!

You want inspiration, look at the characters and their development. Not the ethnicity of the actor/actress portraying them.

We are supposed to be a global society one day. Besides. It isn't like there aren't any superheros that don't belong to Marvel

But that’s only because western films end up in Asia

so they still get to have the white wash treatment. It’s more common for Asian people to get white western films than the other way around.

How can people relate to an all white rich cis character when they come from a different background that genuinely doesn’t represent them??

So it actually becomes a.. I wish I was her, or I wish I was white but i know I can’t be her because I’m not.

Just saying

Sometimes it’s nice to be able to ACTUALLY resonate with someone, I did the example of Jules that is for example very fitting to me …"

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By *hetalkingstoveMan
over a year ago

London

All I'm really saying is, can we not just have this moment to feel seen and recognised in a positive light and counted in too?"

You definitely should be able to!

It's a shame that even in this thread some pretentious person is trying to tell you you're wrong for enjoying representation.

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By *wisted999Man
over a year ago

North Bucks

Hope you enjoyed it OP. I feel the same when some cinema comes out around my heritage. Which is now a more frequent occurrence.

I love watching the written bile when they complain about having to watch a film with subtitles. How dare they film it in another language.

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By *annaBeStrongMan
over a year ago

wokingham

I don’t care what ethnicity he is, I’m personally not that into it because the idea behind the super hero doesn’t excite me and the golden age of marvel movies with iron man is over

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By *annaBeStrongMan
over a year ago

wokingham

" Let’s be honest tho being in the west , none really cares about films that are produced by studios in China that might not even be translated into English…

Because they don’t create representation , they just are films meant mainly for Asia and the Asian market only …so that part is quite invalid.

So it’s refreshing to see some western films with Asian leads popping up here and there

So yes to seeing more diverse leads and main characters that people might be able to identify with!

Isn’t that part of the problem? If you want Asian representation in movies, and there’s a huge market of Asian inspired filmed, but you choose to ignore it, whose fault is it?

I agree that we probably need a tiny bit more diversity in the west, and I hope it happens naturally, not forced.

But if your choosing to ignore the huge movie markets of the east, then that’s on you. No ones stopping you.

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By *annaBeStrongMan
over a year ago

wokingham

Black panther was awful too.

A super advanced civilisation hiding in Africa, and they still choose their leader via battle to the death? What kinda style of government is that?

Makes no sense.

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By *ea monkeyMan
over a year ago

Manchester (he/him)

I went to see it yesterday with my kids who both loved it, that’s a secondary issue to the point of the post though.

Representation matters, it absolutely does and it’s something that mainstream media (cis, het, white, male) is still slowly waking up to and audiences are struggling with even more.

Look at the kick back aimed at Captain Marvel, at Black Panther, at homosexual characters, at transgender roles, mainly from the demographic that has dominated roles (and still does).

So often the response is ‘why do I need to see this?’ ‘Stop ramming it down our throats!’ When it’s been rammed down every minorities throats for decades.

Seeing yourself represented on screen matters, it’s not just about that person seeing it, it’s about society seeing it too and wider acceptance.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I loved the film though I understand what you mean, the characters portrayed as westernised and Shang Chi hiding his culture....But Marvel is as Marvel does and on the whole it does it well.

I love Asian films though, films like Ip Man and Initial D I could watch all day.

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By *asmeenTV/TS
over a year ago

STOKE ON TRENT

"Black panther was awful too.

A super advanced civilisation hiding in Africa, and they still choose their leader via battle to the death? What kinda style of government is that?

Makes no sense. "

Then you write the next script

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

" Let’s be honest tho being in the west , none really cares about films that are produced by studios in China that might not even be translated into English…

Because they don’t create representation , they just are films meant mainly for Asia and the Asian market only …so that part is quite invalid.

So it’s refreshing to see some western films with Asian leads popping up here and there

So yes to seeing more diverse leads and main characters that people might be able to identify with!

Isn’t that part of the problem? If you want Asian representation in movies, and there’s a huge market of Asian inspired filmed, but you choose to ignore it, whose fault is it?

I agree that we probably need a tiny bit more diversity in the west, and I hope it happens naturally, not forced.

But if your choosing to ignore the huge movie markets of the east, then that’s on you. No ones stopping you. "

I do watch Asian films sometimes , do I love them? Sometimes.

But we are talking particularly representation when it comes to Orientals or mixed orientals in the West.

Not someone living in Tokyo. How’s that gonna represent the oriental/Asian community in the west??

Seriously

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I went to see it yesterday with my kids who both loved it, that’s a secondary issue to the point of the post though.

Representation matters, it absolutely does and it’s something that mainstream media (cis, het, white, male) is still slowly waking up to and audiences are struggling with even more.

Look at the kick back aimed at Captain Marvel, at Black Panther, at homosexual characters, at transgender roles, mainly from the demographic that has dominated roles (and still does).

So often the response is ‘why do I need to see this?’ ‘Stop ramming it down our throats!’ When it’s been rammed down every minorities throats for decades.

Seeing yourself represented on screen matters, it’s not just about that person seeing it, it’s about society seeing it too and wider acceptance.

Exactly! And that’s where I think mentality changed when they started depicting homosexuality in everyday tv shows like Emmerdale and Coronation street and people actually started to think and see it’s normal for two people of the same sex to be in a relationship.

Something sadly for example trans issues are still not really represented in everyday shows..

But u hit it there

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By *heVonMatterhornsCouple
over a year ago

Lincoln

Of course! We recently saw it ourselves and loved the fact that it was so based in Chinese culture, personally I even enjoyed that there was a lot of subtitling going on rather than forcing everyone to speak English all of the time

LvM

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Black panther was awful too.

A super advanced civilisation hiding in Africa, and they still choose their leader via battle to the death? What kinda style of government is that?

Makes no sense. "

I kinda agree with you here.

I walked out of black panther and I love him as a character. They just chucked in every black stereo type IMO.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Black panther was awful too.

A super advanced civilisation hiding in Africa, and they still choose their leader via battle to the death? What kinda style of government is that?

Makes no sense. "

We live in a country that chooses it's head of state via an ancient birthright ritual and with archaic ceremony. Which makes no sense either, but we see it as normal.

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By *annaBeStrongMan
over a year ago

wokingham

"Black panther was awful too.

A super advanced civilisation hiding in Africa, and they still choose their leader via battle to the death? What kinda style of government is that?

Makes no sense.

We live in a country that chooses it's head of state via an ancient birthright ritual and with archaic ceremony. Which makes no sense either, but we see it as normal.

While that’s true for the royal family, we still have a democracy

And no one fights to the death in a pit either

It just ruined the idea of wakanda for me

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By *ty31Man
over a year ago

NW London

"Black panther was awful too.

A super advanced civilisation hiding in Africa, and they still choose their leader via battle to the death? What kinda style of government is that?

Makes no sense. "

Maybe this is how we should start electing our MPs, Prime Ministers and Presidents?

Might be an improvement over the current lot!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Black panther was awful too.

A super advanced civilisation hiding in Africa, and they still choose their leader via battle to the death? What kinda style of government is that?

Makes no sense.

We live in a country that chooses it's head of state via an ancient birthright ritual and with archaic ceremony. Which makes no sense either, but we see it as normal.

While that’s true for the royal family, we still have a democracy

And no one fights to the death in a pit either

It just ruined the idea of wakanda for me "

More's the pity. The Rees Moggs might have less power.

If it ruined it for you fair enough.

I find myself being really defensive of that film. I live in a very multicultural area and that character had a marked impact on the kids I see in the street. They adore that film. Yet the endless online comments about everywhere in Africa being a failed state and Wakanda is implausible because of that fact. Etc etc. Ruin it for me.

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By *ensualMan
over a year ago

Sutton

It is a regular thing to "whitewash" Asian characters, it almost happened on the now forgotten Hellboy reboot but Ed Screin stepped down because he was supposed to play a character that in the comic was Asian.

The most famous case is Ghost in the Shell with Scarlet Johansson playing a clearly Asian character.

In regard to Marvel, one studio cannot change the history and effects of institutionalised and cultural racism. But of all the studios it has worked hard to be inclusive in regard to its characters.

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By *angbangFantasy OP Woman
over a year ago

London

" Let’s be honest tho being in the west , none really cares about films that are produced by studios in China that might not even be translated into English…

Because they don’t create representation , they just are films meant mainly for Asia and the Asian market only …so that part is quite invalid.

So it’s refreshing to see some western films with Asian leads popping up here and there

So yes to seeing more diverse leads and main characters that people might be able to identify with!

Isn’t that part of the problem? If you want Asian representation in movies, and there’s a huge market of Asian inspired filmed, but you choose to ignore it, whose fault is it?

I agree that we probably need a tiny bit more diversity in the west, and I hope it happens naturally, not forced.

But if your choosing to ignore the huge movie markets of the east, then that’s on you. No ones stopping you. "

So for me an Asian person in a western country to feel representation, I have to only look at Asian movies produced in Asia?

Basically, stick to watching Asian actors in Asian films, made in Asia.

I honestly don't think I can make you understand how condescending that sounds.

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By *angbangFantasy OP Woman
over a year ago

London

Who said I ignore countries made in the East??

You think as an Asian person I don't watch movies from that region too? Just as people from Western counties watch them to feel "cultured"?