UN Shounen Jump Editors Apologizes For Comments - Historical context

www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2018-06-19/shonen-jump-editors-apologize-for-eiichiro-oda-comments-in-one-piece-manga-89th-volume/.132969


The editorial department of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine posted an apology on Thursday related to One Piece manga creator Eiichiro Oda's comments in the series' 89th compiled book volume (seen right), which shipped on June 4. The statement cited a "lack of consideration" in Oda's comments and said that both the editorial department and Oda are reflecting on the situation.

Oda's controversial comments appear on the inside flap of the front cover of the manga volume. In the comment, Oda described eating together with a group of people when only One Piece of karaage (Japanese-style fried chicken) was left on the serving plate. Someone decided to name it "Sergeant Yokoi" as if to say, "Sergent Yokoi is left behind! Someone end the war!" Oda then advised young children to look up the reference. He closed his comments by saying, "With embarrassment!! Volume 89 begins!!!"

Oda's remarks appear to reference Shōichi Yokoi, a sergeant in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. He was one of the army's last holdouts after the war ended in 1945, and he was discovered living in the jungles of Guam in 1972. After returning to Japan, he famously said, "It is with much embarrassment that I return."

Although some online commenters believe Oda's comments were innocuous, many people said they think his remarks were insensitive and inappropriate. Some commenters believe the comments were inconsiderate and disrespectful to Yokoi because he was a soldier who decided to remain loyal to Japan as he was instructed, rather than return to his home country in shame. Some commenters think Yokoi's determination is commendable and he deserves pity for living in hardship for nearly 28 years for the sake of his country. Commenters are criticizing Oda for making a joke that they believe mocks and disparages Yokoi.

On the other hand, certain commenters said recent reactions to creators' personal comments are leaning towards suppression of freedom of speech. Some people referenced the controversy related to MINE and his [New Life+] Young Again in Another World (Nidome no Jinsei o Isekai de) light novels, which led to halted shipments and cancellation of a planned anime.

 

[Eto]

I don’t see any harm in tossing a joke about a sergeant who spent about 28 years in the jungles of Guam. Consider it a way of teaching the youth something interesting about their country and its prominent figures.

On a related note, holy shit that is some dedication.

 

[Lunete]

Some people just need to take the stick out of their asses and learn to take a joke.

 

[Sinner's Sandwich]

Mangagate in japan - when?

 

[Red Sun]

>only One Piece of chicken remaining
>Someone decided to name it "Sergeant Yokoi" as if to say, "Sergent Yokoi is left behind! Someone end the war!" Oda then advised young children to look up the reference.

This is an intricate, multi-layered piece of humor that includes both a cheap pun and a somewhat obscure historical reference. The people employing him as a professional writer should be patting him on the back for it.

edit:

Some commenters think Yokoi's determination is commendable and he deserves pity for living in hardship for nearly 28 years

Have they even read about Japan? That guy would probably commit seppuku if he thought people were pitying him.

 

[OhGoy]

Mangagate in japan - when?

"it's about ethics in shounen jump"

 

[Dysnomia]

https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/in...or-controversial-tweets-novel-content/.132479

In light of the upcoming anime adaptation of MINE's [New Life+] Young Again in Another World (Nidome no Jinsei o Isekai de) light novels, some depictions in the series and some of MINE's comments on Twitter created a controversy. Certain net commenters believe that the original work and MINE's posts contain inappropriate content, insults, and discriminatory remarks directed at China and South Korea. Commenters stated they believed the decision to adapt MINE's novels into anime was inconsiderate and inappropriate.

MINE responded to the controversy and issued an apology on Twitter on Tuesday. In the first of a series of tweets, he said, "Regarding some of my past tweets, I made many people feel extremely uncomfortable, and I give my deep apologies for writing inappropriate remarks." He said he is "deeply reflecting" for posting "without accurately understanding all the facts" and without giving deep thought to his words. MINE added that he does not expect to receive forgiveness from the people he upset, but he wanted to give a "heartfelt apology."

In addition to deleting all his tweets, MINE plans to delete his Twitter account in the near future after the apology spreads.

With regard to [New Life+] Young Again in Another World, MINE noted his "poor writing" and "rash remarks." As a result of recognizing the inappropriate content in his work, MINE will discontinue offering the novels on "Shōsetsuka ni Narō." He plans to discuss with the publisher about the possibility of correcting the relevant print versions of the novels.

according to Wikipedia the main character, before dying of old age and being reincarnated as an 18 year old, participated in the second Sino-Japanese war and killed 3000 Chinese. The author also made some anti-Chinese tweets a few years back. when all of this came to light the VA's started resigning and the anime was cancelled. The author is going to edit the story to remove the offending content so it might be reprinted in the future.

Personally I feel that you should not have to edit your work to spare some feelings. If people don't like your writing they shouldn't read it. Regardless of how racist or offensive it may be.

>only One Piece of chicken remaining
>Someone decided to name it "Sergeant Yokoi" as if to say, "Sergent Yokoi is left behind! Someone end the war!" Oda then advised young children to look up the reference.

This is an intricate, multi-layered piece of humor that includes both a cheap pun and a somewhat obscure historical reference. The people employing him as a professional writer should be patting him on the back for it.

edit:

Have they even read about Japan? That guy would probably commit seppuku if he thought people were pitying him.

B-but my modern feelings! Everyone is so damn sensitive now. You can't make any sort of joke, even one that is supposed to inspire kids to look up historical references. Because someone's feefees might get hurt.

 

[Sinner's Sandwich]

But Kotakuinaction told me glorious Nippon is the land of free speech and censorship doesn't exist there.

 

[Pokemonquistador]

"Some commenters think Yokoi's determination is commendable and he deserves pity for living in hardship for nearly 28 years for the sake of his country. Commenters are criticizing Oda for making a joke that they believe mocks and disparages Yokoi."

So I take it the proponents of Outrage Culture in Japan are not SJWs. Pretty much every aspect of Yokoi is a slap in the face to everything SJWs stand for (patriotism, self-sufficiency, having a healthy weight, hard work, hunting animals, etc.)

 

[millais]

The man makes a fried chicken joke and the American POCs and their SJW allies are not up in arms about it? Is it a slow day on the Twittersphere or what?

 

[PS1gamenwatch]

The man makes a fried chicken joke and the American POCs and their SJW allies are not up in arms about it? Is it a slow day on the Twittersphere or what?

Because fried chicken isn't completely American.

 

[Fleshy Sanik]

If this blasts their butts wait until they find out how he depict trannies

 

[Kari Kamiya]

If this blasts their butts wait until they find out how he depict trannies

Long-running series or not, it honestly would've happened by now, but One Piece is a juggernaut and its fandom isn't something to mess around with without consequence, so any butthurt folks offended by the Okama wouldn't have traction for very long before being BTFO'd. Helps that at least two of the Okamas are actual kick-ass characters who don't take shit from nobody and are very much adored by the fans, so already any arguments they'd make are invalid.

 

[Red Hood]

Maybe this is common knowledge in Japan, but it seems like a gloriously obscure reference to an interesting piece of history. That would be like some Netflix show (or what have you) making an unelaborated-on reference to Jacob Parrot or something. An inquisitive mind thinks, "Oh, I should look that up."

 

[Hatoful Dandy]

If this blasts their butts wait until they find out how he depict trannies

Oh, I've seen reeing about it on SA's One Piece thread, among other places. A recently debuted character sent a couple of them into a huff about okama being treated as a 'joke' and they even tried guilt others into agreeing with them by using BLACK PANTHER of all things as the standard for how you should treat other cultures respectfully XD

 

[Xanax]

"it's about ethics in shounen jump"

#WeStandWithOda

 

[XYZpdq]

Make jokes about this is nothing new.

Keroro Gunsou (Sgt Frog) used the "with much embarrassment I have returned" line in the opening song of the show for a while, then they eventually had a one-off alien based exactly on the idea of Japanese soldiers that kept fighting after WWII.

 

[Alec Benson Leary]

Mangagate in japan - when?

I misread that as "manganate" and thought you meant there would be a coup by radical manga artists.

 

[Haramburger]

What a complete non-issue. I mean even moreso than normal! It's interesting how WWII is still a touchy subject for them.

 

[Oddjob OTP]

according to Wikipedia the main character, before dying of old age and being reincarnated as an 18 year old, participated in the second Sino-Japanese war and killed 3000 Chinese. The author also made some anti-Chinese tweets a few years back. when all of this came to light the VA's started resigning and the anime was cancelled. The author is going to edit the story to remove the offending content so it might be reprinted in the future.

The details I heard are probably more damning in both racism and an intolerable amount of edginess even for an isekai. He killed 3000 chinks in the war with a katana in 1937. After the war he then went on to kill 2000 more after the war with glorious nippon steel. Then, according to the plot, he kicks God (who is a loli) in the face when he sees her in the afterlife when he dies of natural causes at 97 years old. She basically gives him a bunch of powers and no real responsibilities and shoves him into another world, which he only agrees to because they have exotic-to-him food there.

Keep in mind that China/Worst Korea are a huge market for anime/manga/LNs and why the fuck would any sort of platform holder stick their dick into that bee hive willingly. If he wants to write an edgy LN with backstory about how his Mary Stu killed entire villages full of chinks that's fine, but no surprise when no one wants to die on that hill with him. I strongly doubt rewriting out his characters genocides will un-fuck his career at this point.