The term “culture vulture” might be a modern creation, but it feels increasingly apt in today’s world, particularly as Japanese media, such as anime, continues to expand globally. Almost every week, a new example emerges of certain individuals inserting themselves into these cultural spaces under the guise of promoting “representation.”
The latest controversy surrounds the popular manga Dandadan, written and illustrated by Yukinobu Tatsu. The series has become a flashpoint due to an edit of its anime adaptation, reimagining characters to fit a supposed ideal of diversity. This so-called celebration of inclusivity has instead sparked widespread backlash, reigniting debates about the Blackwashing of Japanese media and the glaring double standards that accompany such actions.
The illustration in question reimagines Dandadan protagonists Okarun and Momo Ayase with features typically associated with Black individuals, such as darker skin tones, thick lips, wide noses and textured hair. Shared on Twitter, the piece quickly went viral, garnering both praise and criticism.
The term Blackwashing, modifying or reinterpreting light-skinned fictional characters as dark-skinned became central to the ensuing debate. While activists view these depictions as a positive push for inclusion and diversity, others see them as unnecessary or even disrespectful alterations that disregard the original creator’s artistic intent.
This controversy underscores a broader issue stemming from the globalized consumption of Japanese anime and manga. Dandadan has been caught in the crossfire, especially with its Fall 2024 anime adaptation licensed by Netflix a platform notorious for attracting progressive Western viewers eager to reshape foreign franchises to suit their values and worldview.
In this case, such people have taken it upon themselves to impose their racial identity onto Japanese characters under the banner of “representation.” This reveals an unwillingness to create or resonate with original characters, instead demanding foreign media conform to their personal expectations, a striking display of entitlement.
The hypocrisy, however, is glaring. The same vocal social media users who push for such edits are often the first to attack artists depicting characters with darker complexions that don’t align with their perception of Blackness. For these individuals, skin tone is absolute, if a character with a tan or darker skin isn’t explicitly as dark or even darker, they accuse creators of erasure.
Conversely, if an artist produces an interpretation where the character’s skin appears lighter, they are bombarded with accusations of Whitewashing and threats.
This double standard continues to fuel division in online spaces, with the debate over Dandadan exemplifying the ongoing clash between cultural authenticity, global fandoms, and the often overzealous push for representation in Japanese media.
A similar controversy befell Bkub Okawa, the renowned manga artist behind the hit series Pop Team Epic. Bkub created an illustration of Marina, a popular character from Nintendo’s Splatoon. However, his artwork quickly became the target of ridicule and outrage from self-righteous critics who accused him of Whitewashing.
Their grievances stemmed from Marina’s skin tone in Bkub’s style appearing marginally lighter than it does in the game, sparking yet another round of online harassment directed at an artist for perceived offenses against their imagined standards.
This led to a flood of inflammatory comments on Bkub’s post, with numerous individuals taking it upon themselves to “fix” his creation. These “fixes” involved swiping Bkub’s original artwork and adjusting Marina’s skin tone to appear darker, a practice that many see as a flagrant disrespect for the artist. Hijacking an artist’s work to impose personal agendas is not only disrespectful but also one of the most insidious ways to undermine their vision and insult them.
Such incidents are far from isolated. A similar uproar occurred when progressive activists attempted to orchestrate a boycott against miHoYo, the developer of popular gacha games like Genshin Impact.
The controversy revolved around claims that the game’s Natlan region update, which introduced tanned characters, was guilty of cultural appropriation and Whitewashing. Activists argued that these characters weren’t “dark enough” and launched a social media campaign to highlight the alleged offense.
In a now-familiar pattern, these individuals took it upon themselves to alter the characters’ appearances, darkening their skin tones under the guise of “fixing” them and “giving them the melanin they deserve.” This deliberate reimagining, framed as an act of justice, instead sparked widespread criticism for its disregard of artistic integrity and its imposition of their racial fixations onto fictional characters.
This is one of the inherent problems of Japanese animation and games like Genshin Impact reaching a global audience: they inevitably attract rogue activists who thrive on perpetual outrage. These individuals, fueled by entitlement and a self-imposed sense of moral superiority, often victimize themselves to justify imposing their worldview onto the media they consume.
Their inability to distinguish fiction from reality leads to an incessant push to reshape creative works to align with their personal narratives, regardless of the original intent or cultural context.
To these racists, forcing their identity and race onto foreign characters and the creations of others is seen as entirely acceptable. However, if an artist depicts a character who isn’t explicitly Black or of another specific race but appears tanned, and then creates an interpretation where the character’s skin tone is lighter, they are swiftly labeled as racist.
Yet, when Black individuals do the exact same thing to Japanese characters, it’s conveniently dismissed as harmless or even celebrated as representation, exposing the blatant double standard at play.
These individuals routinely impose racial stereotypes onto characters who lack any inherent racial identity. Take Mina Ashido from My Hero Academia as an example: despite having no clear racial markers, given that the character has pink skin this is justification to push headcanons asserting a Black identity solely for the sake of representation, even when such interpretations are contradicted by canonical details.
Japanese netizens are increasingly voicing their frustrations over this trend, especially when their cultural creations are deliberately raceswapped to cater to Black audiences. Many have taken to Twitter to express their concerns about what they see as the erasure of Japanese culture and the glaring double standards surrounding Blackwashing.
For these critics, the practice feels less like inclusivity and more like an imposition that disregards the original context and artistry of their work.
The controversy only intensified when the creator, Lynn, doubled down by producing more raceswapped versions of characters, including Lucy from Fairy Tail, depicted with dark skin and a blonde weave, a hairstyle stereotype often associated with real-life Black women.
Adding fuel to the fire, American voice actor A.J. Beckles, who voices Okarun in the English dub of Dandadan, briefly changed his social media profile picture to the Blackwashed rendition of the character. However, he quietly reverted it days later, likely in response to backlash. Similar behavior has been observed by English voice actors of Genshin Impact supported the “Natlan isn’t Black enough” boycott.
These actions only amplified tensions, further polarizing discussions around race and representation in Japanese media.
The belligerent entitlement of certain Black “fans” of Japanese animation who insist on seeing themselves reflected in these works, even at the expense of racial accuracy or respect for the source material, continues to exacerbate racial tensions. Their outrage and hostility toward artists accused of “Whitewashing” characters starkly contrast with their enthusiastic praise for deliberate Blackwashing, revealing a hypocritical double standard.
Such behavior not only alienates other fans but also fosters resentment, with many pointing out that these actions tarnish the image of an entire group. The term “culture vultures” aptly describes this phenomenon, as it reflects the relentless imposition of personal identity politics onto foreign creations.
It’s unlikely this pattern will end anytime soon. The cycle of harassment against artists over alleged “Whitewashing” and the persistent creation of raceswapped artwork for “representation” shows no signs of stopping. Each incident further inflames racial tensions and solidifies negative perceptions against Black people by fans of Japanese anime and manga, highlighting the damaging impact of these divisive practices have outright.
