on recognizing and EXAMINING nationalistic symbols (especially from the wwii era?)
like this song for example
is a catchy and iconic vocaloid piece, one that struck me as as imperialistic even as a 12yo with very limited knowledge on japanese imperialism. and yet, even today, a lot of ‘western’ vocaloid fans are completely oblivious to the pretty obvious nationalism in the senbonzakura video: the rising sun background? the fact that most of the vocaloids are in military uniforms?
even the opening lines: “Bold and fearless, a white-collared revolution / Forbearing and rustic - a pacifist regime / Rolling two-wheels, with a crest of the Rising Sun / Begone, evil spirits - ICBM [intercontinental ballistic missiles]”
like guys, i don’t know how we’re going to dismantle our perpetuation of imperialism if this is somehow under our radars LOL.
as another note, don’t treat japanese nationalism like it exists in another universe from white supremacy. they are on the same planet and thus there are instances at which they intersect. even DURING wwii, while japanese soldiers were brutalizing korean comfort women, white people were brutalizing japanese-americans.
i’ve seen some questionable takes and jokes recently on platforms like tiktok, especially as younger internet users learn more about east asian history. one of the more troubling jokes is the idea that a british-japanese biracial person would be “the ultimate colonizer”– alarming because it assumes some sort of nationally-inherited colonizer point system that can be added to or subtracted from depending on a person’s genetic makeup. when of course, white and asian mixed people face their own struggles due to white supremacy.
so yeah basically just think critically, both about colonialist symbols and white supremacy ^_^
turnnoffyourmind
yousharknotpass
theartofmadeline
stormborns
