from the people who brought you Little Black Sambo

[MrUltimateGaijin]

[Tsuru]

That Debito guy also has a parody on his website... I thought it was pretty cool :P

http://www.debito.org/chibikurosanbo.html#parody

[Taro Toporific]

That Debito guy also has a parody on his website... I thought it was pretty cool :P

http://www.debito.org/chibikurosanbo.html#parody

I never heard about the other problem book til now, but boy does it bring back memories of my childhood.

Zuiunsha's also publishing The Five Chinese Brothers, another anachronistic view of a foreign land that should stay a historical relic.
Is it any wonder why China views Japan with mistrust?

[MrUltimateGaijin]

debito lacks artistic ability. it doesnt even look like a book

[Tsuru]

debito lacks artistic ability. it doesnt even look like a book

Maybe that's not the point

[james]

i'm going to disagree with debito about "the five chinese brothers". for two reaons:

1. first of all the *only* remotely stereotypical (i won't go so far as to say it is racist) aspect of the book is that the five brothers look alike. the book says they are brothers, it does not say it's because they are chinese. other characters in the book (such as the judge and the mother) are given distinctive physical features. sure, the people in the book all dress alike, but i don't think portraying people of the same race, living in the same region and time period as dressing alike to be an absurd thing. the pictorials (of the clothing etc) in the book are neither outlandish nor the point of focus. nothing about them says "hey, look at those chinese people, they dress funny!". i've seen much more outlandish portrayals in old chinese kung-fu movies.

also, i really don't think it attempts to portray the chinese in a bad light or as being inferior. these five brothers all have a "superpower" and use them to save the first brother and prove his innocence.. it's a fun book and one i still enjoy. the book has been challenged based on it's portrayal of stereotypes and having a violent plot. to be quite honest, my students routinely jabber on incessently about much more violent things than an alluded-to public execution.

2. and most importantly, the book is based on an old chinese tale!.. did debito even research the book before finding another racist bone to pick?

my two cents anyway. any chinese people here with a view on the book?

[Mennon]

I love the five Chinese Brothers. It was my favourite book when I was a kid. I don't think it did me any damage, but boy those chinks are hard to kill, eh?


Come on. Let's stop za outrage!

[kakkoii]

Ok, I read chibikuro sanbo for the first time today. Those pictures are so stereotypical that it's unbelievable. But, for a moment, take away the pictures and what do you have, a funny, albeit incredibly stupid story. I mean, the name Sambo is pretty bad as well. But if I had kids, this idiotic story would be something I would read to them. I think the reincarnation of it with different pictures was a good idea, and I think the names were put in there not to be racially charged but because it sounds funny and little kids would laugh at them. I dunno, tho. The chibikiiro jappu was a funny parody.

[gomichild]

Kakkoii sweetie you need to use BBCode not html in your sig link.

/web geek

[kakkoii]

touche, salesman. I'll get on it when I can. Thanks for the heads up.

[Kurofune]

I've always liked Debito's conviction, but I don't think the Chibi Kiiro Jappu parody will affect many Japanese. They'll see their fondness for Sambo as well-intentioned and innocent, and Debito's parody a hurtful slight that makes too much of nothing.

[Samurai_Jerk]

I've always liked Debito's conviction, but I don't think the Chibi Kiiro Jappu parody will affect many Japanese. They'll see their fondness for Sambo as well-intentioned and innocent, and Debito's parody a hurtful slight that makes too much of nothing.

Not only that, but it's pretty poorly done.