I've gotten kinda tired and bitter over the years is all. Since I'm a black man it kinda hits too close to home when they're agressive or "barbaric" or overly large and in charge taking the innocence of a cute small, pale, feminine, weaker, ect guy which is how most dark skinned and tan tops are. It unfortunately gave me an aversion and a preference. Nothing wrong with them other than stereotypes but it's just bot for me.
I totally agree & see why you would say that. It’s not even just in manga…it’s also in anime or any Asian animation lol. Another thing I’m not too fond with is how the darker skin character always has to be some foreigner from an African tribe and their family live in the wilderness. While that’s obviously the reality for Africans…for a lot of other darker skin poc it’s not the case …why can’t there be a dark foreigner from American. Someone who doesn’t need to be taught the language or shown how to engage with technology & the “modern” world around them. This manga depicted it very well with him being up to date with everything (because most foreign countries are intune with modern times).
Yes! I recently was thinking about that actually. The disregard for existing cultures I'm sure it's a mix of wariness, laziness, and too much work that goes into learning a different culture, but it's the specific choice to make someone with darker skin agressive or needing help to be essentially colonized. It's a tale as old as time and real shitty either way. Of course this character would be up to date and I'm glad for it. Often times the only image we get of Africa is the poverty when they were in fact the richest country both in history and resources. But were fed media about them that fits a certain narrative. Just like India and the middle east and China and the list goes on. It pushes an odd narrative that we often forget they're in the same time period as us, but have a different way of doing things that suit their nature. And I don't see many mandala willing to challenge that steroetype
I'm not a fan of darskinned tops but I absolutely love this for the showcase of their love and culture it's very cute and the art is gorgeous. I'll just skip the smut parts. I thought his hair was locs at first because that hair texture doesn't really make sense for africa(I mean from a evolutionary point. 4c hair is meant to protect the scalp from the sun and yknow help eith heat) but it's whatever he looks cute.