Posted August 25, 2017 at 1:00 am

I didn't want Susan to apologize for what she said, because apologizing for raising a concern that, to her best of knowledge, was perfectly valid (and, in many cases, definitely would be) didn't sit right with me. Acknowledging that she isn't entirely sure about it, needs more information, and to get to know Hanma better first felt appropriate to me.

And if it doesn't feel appropriate to anyone else, I'm sure they'll let me know and be super polite about it and maybe give me prizes and cake (in all seriousness, just about everyone sharing their opinions with me thus far have been plenty polite).

Something that feels like it shouldn't need to be said (but totally needs to be said to some people) is that cultural information from anime will not give one a clear picture on actual Japanese culture and people in, from, or with ancestry in Japan. There's going to be stuff inspired by real things, certainly, but it's like trying to get all your cultural information about America and its people from Spaghetti Westerns.

Which, to be fair, I suspect some people from other countries have done on occasion, but still.

Point is, probably a good idea to do additional research before assuming anything based on something seen in a cartoon, and to remember that every person is going to be different and unique in their own ways, so assuming things about them before getting to know them personally probably isn't the best move in any case.

Granted, there'll be scenarios in which one should or shouldn't do something based on generalized cultural expectations if one doesn't want to offend, but this commentary would go on literally forever if I got super specific about every potential scenario and what I would consider polite and sensible in all of them.

And now, because I'm feeling like I'm on some manner of soap box, please allow me to step down for a random anime hypothetical: Whatif Super Saiyans in Dragon Ball could only go super for a limited time and had a cool down afterward? I think that'd be cool, cause then you'd get this huge power up, but you'd have to use it quickly and at just the right time, and if it ran out, you'd have to get all clever about beating your opponent, and it couldn't just be about power and junk? I think that would've been better, but Dragon Ball is HUGELY successful, so what do I know.