Japanese creators have been making complex heroines for a long time, while the Western world continues its discourse on representations of women in film. These women are more than just tropes; despite the fantastical elements of the work that they exist in, they are lifelike people bouncing off of the screen and relatable in their internal struggles and aspirations.
Take Taeko from Isao Takahata’s 1991 animated film “Only Yesterday.” Tired of her life at her tiny apartment and uninteresting job, she goes on a trip to the countryside to visit her cousins while her middle school self unexpectedly tags along for the ride. Her trip results in self-discovery in this moving, reflective, and poignant film.
Heroine Suzu from 2022 animated film “Belle” has a completely different internet presence in comparison to her real-life self. Online, she is a sensational pop diva in the world of U, while in real life she’s just an awkward “country bumpkin” high school girl. However, she struggles with the trauma of her mother’s death. She resents her mother for dying to save “a kid whose name she didn’t even know” and even leaves behind her musical talent because of her mother’s association with it. The resolution of the film occurs when she performs as herself rather than her larger-than-life internet persona, which resonates with the abused boy Kei.
Although the Japanese anime industry was once considered to be very male-dominated, and animation directors are still typically men, women have moved into roles like production assistants, writers, and musicians. They make an impact on the way women are represented in media.
O-Ei from “Miss Houkusai” by Keiichi Hara is based off of the real-life daughter of the printmaker Katsushika Hokusai. Hara, a woman who worked on the film, described the contributions that women made in the story: “I have no direct experience of O-Ei’s state of mind: I can only guess. But co-producer Keiko Matsushita, actress Anne Watanabe (who provides O-Ei’s voice) and singer-songwriter Ringo Sheena, who are very strong-minded, creative women pursuing their goals with great determination, may have related to O-Ei at a more personal level. The film reflects the love and dedication they put into it.”
Take Taeko from Isao Takahata’s 1991 animated film “Only Yesterday.” Tired of her life at her tiny apartment and uninteresting job, she goes on a trip to the countryside to visit her cousins while her middle school self unexpectedly tags along for the ride. Her trip results in self-discovery in this moving, reflective, and poignant film.
Heroine Suzu from 2022 animated film “Belle” has a completely different internet presence in comparison to her real-life self. Online, she is a sensational pop diva in the world of U, while in real life she’s just an awkward “country bumpkin” high school girl. However, she struggles with the trauma of her mother’s death. She resents her mother for dying to save “a kid whose name she didn’t even know” and even leaves behind her musical talent because of her mother’s association with it. The resolution of the film occurs when she performs as herself rather than her larger-than-life internet persona, which resonates with the abused boy Kei.
Although the Japanese anime industry was once considered to be very male-dominated, and animation directors are still typically men, women have moved into roles like production assistants, writers, and musicians. They make an impact on the way women are represented in media.
O-Ei from “Miss Houkusai” by Keiichi Hara is based off of the real-life daughter of the printmaker Katsushika Hokusai. Hara, a woman who worked on the film, described the contributions that women made in the story: “I have no direct experience of O-Ei’s state of mind: I can only guess. But co-producer Keiko Matsushita, actress Anne Watanabe (who provides O-Ei’s voice) and singer-songwriter Ringo Sheena, who are very strong-minded, creative women pursuing their goals with great determination, may have related to O-Ei at a more personal level. The film reflects the love and dedication they put into it.”
