Message: "Re: Names and stereotypical characters"

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[Opinions] Re: Names and stereotypical characters

by erb816

5/8/2023, 8:15 AM

If a piece of media (literature, movie, etc.) is from East Asia, or simply about East Asian characters (especially Chinese), and they want to reach a Western audience... the main female character is called Mei.

I have encountered this in books (particularly YA books), and most recently in the movie Turning Red (as a nickname for Meilin). Heck, even in House of Flying Daggers, Zhang Ziyi's character was called Zhao Mei (or just Mei in the English dub). It's like outside of Mulan, people don't think Westerners (particularly English-speakers) will identify with a female Asian character unless her name sounds like a common English one (Mae / May).

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- Higuma (Higuma Kanora)

5/9/2023, 1:29 AM

Oh god I've noticed that too and I hate it! Such a lack of creativity and lowkey insulting in my opinion, that they couldn't even bother to try a little harder.

It happens in other Asian cultures too. I've watched a lot of anime and if there's a female Chinese character they're almost always named Mei (or "Mei Mei") and always wearing some form of traditional dress 🙄

- Belphoebe

5/8/2023, 10:07 PM

I must admit that I can struggle with books that have mainly non Western names, however if it's just one or two character then I have no problem with characters named Goro and Arastoo.

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