http://mysticdragon3.deviantart.com/art/my-1st-USUK-sketch-283368529
original journal entry from 9:04 AM 4/11/2011 modified on 10:48 PM 2/4/2012
Over the weekend, I was surprised to read in my old journals, an irritated comment about the "sexist cliche" of the "helpless female character with mysterious powers, that everyone is after", in reference to Zoids. But it could also be applied to Elemental Gelade, Rave Master, Scrapped Princess, Tokyo Underground, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Eureka 7, and even Kingdom Hearts I.
This was a surprise, because, by this time, I am so enamoured with mythic motifs, that I no longer see this cliche as sexist. For the longest time now, I see it, and get excited about the reference to mythic motifs and Universal Mother Goddess figures. *Of course*, she's a helpless female being pursued by everyone because of her mysterious powers! So is the Earth itself! The Earth is a passive thing we all have to protect by recognizing as a living thing, rather than just a set of desireable resources and mysterious powers to pillage for our own gains. But more than that, that same type of respect for all things/beings is a path to being a more psychologially sound human being.
By now, whenever I hear comments from other girls about how sexist this "helpless-myserious girl" motif is, I feel a little sad that they're not aware of the truer, mythic meaning. But after seeing that I had the same views, before my introduction to Joseph Campbell, I have to consider that maybe this motif still is a little sexist.
I mean, just because females are the traditional and more instinctual symbol of life and Earth, doesn't mean it's the only symbol to convey the same ideas. There has to be examples of humans' relation to earth/life, that isn't in danger of chauvinist undertones. The Third comes to mind. That series had a character with all the mysterious and passive traits, usually associated with Universal Mother Goddess figures, but in a male character (Iks).
The other interesting thing with that series, was that the main character, playing opposite to the Universal Mother Goddess figure, was already highly in tune with respecting nature and all life, as neither good nor bad. Usually, the point of the Hero/goddess myth is to teach people to develop that type of sensitivity/respect towards the earth/life, by watching a hero _develop_ it. But Sword-dancer already had it. Then again, Renton in Eureka 7 already had a sensitivity to the "mysterious power" (machines, omnita drive, lifting waves, etc.) at the beginning of the story too. In fact, it separated him from the usual inhabitants of the world, differentiating him as a Hero, and ready to accept/accompany the Goddess (Eureka) when she appeared. I think even the Hero of Zoids was unusually sensitive towards his zoid (mysterious power) from the beginning of the series. So, it may be a faultering of my memory to say that a story must demonstrate the development of respect for the Goddess/earth, through a Hero who starts without that respect, then grows into it.
But the truth of the matter is that there are many more Hero/Goddess series with "sexist" undertones, than series like The Third (or even Utena, to some extent). It simply can't be denied that there are a set of cues which are more successful because they more closely reflect some primal subconscous, some more instinctual symbolic language. Which is to say that it is easier for the intended themes to be conveyed through a Universal Mother Goddess figure who needs constant protection from the (male) Hero and is pursued for her power. Rather than some more roundabout, less natural, symbolic portrayal. And it couldn't be more natural than to understand the symbol of "female" as a representation of life, or something which one desires to protect: All humans are born to a female mother. The connection between symbols and meaning are hard-wired into our brains, and if not our own, then at least our species' millions of years' worth of biological instinct.
Yet, even if the symbol of a female key to power, in need of protection, is the most effective or most natural symbol for the themes of respecting life, there is a way to portray it without being sexist against women. It is not only possible, but also necessary in our evolving culture and current world, where eliminating sexism is highly valued. If a myth/story doesn't evolve to reflect that local value, then it won't be able to be successful for our time. And there are pleasant signs that the Universal Mother Goddess is evolving to fit our times.
Code Geass, for example, has a Goddess representation which does not need or ask for protection by the Hero. Neither is she meek nor frail. C.C. is competent, commanding, powerful, intelligent, mature, and apparently studied in martial arts. Rather than being physically protected by the Hero Lelouch, she is protected emotionally. Which actually conveys the important themes more directly; unfortunately, themes are more effective on the human mind, when conveyed through the emotions, via indirect symbols (to become an experience, rather than just words). So it's amazing that Code Geass was able to do this effectively.
But part of the reason for Code Geass's success, is that it was effective on a storyteller level. In the technichal aspect of storytelling/writing, is is necessary to establish empathy for main characters. Code Geass achieves this through appealing to local, current values, such as Strong women. This may be why they were able to get away with veering from the usual cliche of the "passive, frail, meek" Universal Mother Goddess. Her passivity in most, past anime, is usually used as positive traits to develop empathy towards her character: humility, purity, kindness, goodness, etc. But in our current world, that would merely be disregarded as a "sexist portrayal of womenn as weak". C.C., on the other hand, avoided that pitfall and used another route to portray a sympathizable character: Strength/admiration.
Despite all of C.C.'s Strengths and independence, she still had failings which were answered by the Hero. She was emotionally detatched, cared little for her own survival, and really was in need of a Hero to save her. Yet, she did not ask to be saved...Because she didn't realilze she needed to be saved. (This ignorance seemed to also help her appeal to the local/current value of Strength in females, because it allowed her to maintain an independent demeanor.) When the Hero of Code Geass, Lelouch, did save her in the end, by reviving her ability to "experience living, rather than just survival", even code Geass's Hero/Goddess dynamic was able to achieve the same themes as the usual, past, cliche portrayals of this same dynamic.
So it seems that mythic anime is evolving to fit our times. Many older anime may be looked upon now, by our culture, as sexist with its meek Universal Mother Goddesses, but that simply means those old series are obsolete to our times. There are even anime from that past era, which were not applicable to that time, but are seen as appealing to the current ideal of empowering women. Like many old martial arts anime, with female fighters. And perhaps there are unpopular anime now, which will appeal better to the next generation's evolution in our culture, while our favorites become obsolete or "offensive" in some way. The culture's values may even evolve back towards old values, then cycle back to our values, then the next, again. So even if an old anime may have some slightly offensive aspects that reflected the currently obsolete values, of an older state of culture, I think it's more enjoyable to just ask, "Is the series fun (for me)?"
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