As of late, I have been rather disturbed with the way that characters with disabilities have been played in the media. Considering I technically fall under the general term “disabled” because of my multiple learning disorders and my school accommodations, I for one have had enough.
For those of ya’ll who don’t know GANGSTA. is a Japanese comic (called a manga) that has recently been adapted into an anime. If you know anything about Japan or manga, you know that disability and diversity don’t play a large role (or more often than not, no role) in manga. In fact, the last manga that I remember having diversity and various disabilities is Black Jack by Osamu Tezuka. And considering that most of the diversity and disability was cut out when it was adapted into films and series, it is most surprising that almost all the content of GANGSTA. made it into the final cut.
So, let’s get the elephant out of the room, shall we. The main character is Deaf. Yes, Deaf with a capital “D” meaning that no hearing remains. I love the way it is introduced. It comes as a shock to most of the readers. At first it seems that Nico (his name) is just another “strong and silent” type of character, aloof from the world, generally kicking butt and taking names. When he is talking with the police, his friend, Worick, translates his question. Up into that point, there was no reason to expect that your main character had any type of disability. Masterful, and above all, it was a tactful way to introduce the topic of disability.
Many people that you come into contact every single day have disabilities. But regardless of what Hollywood says, disability is not what defines those people. When trying to describe Nico I think of many things other than his disability. I would describe him thus:
Nico is an assassin-for-hire who love kicking butt and taking names. He carries a wicked sharp and rather large sword, which he uses like a beserker. He is short, and somewhat sensitive about it. He has faced incredible hardship that has molded him into the rather cynical and slightly overconfident man he is. Oh, and he’s Deaf.
The fact that he is Deaf does not affect his character. If Nico did have his hearing completely in tact, I believe that his character wouldn’t change in the slightest. That is disability represented correctly. So many of the characters with disabilities in various shows lack personality. Their entire role revolves around the fact that they have some kind of disability. They are expected to be some kind of role model and inspiration for the rest of the mortal world. Seriously?
I see this in my own life. At school, at the beginning of each year, I hand teacher a paper detailing the kind of accommodation that I need. From that moment on, many teacher see my as that “dyslexic” kid. They have been astounded when I do well in class. Many of my papers and writings have been shared with the whole class. I have been praised for my ability to see the “forest before the trees,” something essential, and often lacking, in health care.
On the opposite end of the scale, many of my (new) friends don’t know I’m dyslexic until I text them or try to read something. I’ve even had people not believe me because I seem “not disabled” (whatever that means). Here’s the thing about disability: It may describe us, but it does not define us. I have many friends with disabilities. There are a thousand and one adjectives I would use to describe them before I mentioned their disabilities. That is what GANGSTA. does right! Many other characters in the series also have disabilities, but as with Nico, they don’t define the characters, but rather describe them.
Now to the diversity part! Japan is a lot of things, but it is not diverse. When I was in Tokyo, the city that has the most foreign persons, I was still treated like some kind of roadside attraction. Many manga mock foreigners, especially people who are black. Women are portrayed as overtly sexual, lacking any kind of personal moral code. Men are often portrayed as incompetent or generally failures. People of color are often portrayed as less intelligent. Overall, it seems that Japan has a rather negative and incorrect view of others.
As you can imagine, this would also bleed into their comics. In Black Jack, it was considered too controversial to have a main character (who was Japanese) have had a skin transplant from someone who was black. For many of the original movies, and a few of the older series, the main character is portrayed with a blue patch of skin because blue skin was considered less controversial. Draw your own conclusions.
The fact remains that I can only recall two previous manga that accurately represent foreigners before GANGSTA.: the aforementioned Black Jack, and the psychological thriller known as Monster that takes place in Europe. And that is what surprised me most about GANGSTA. While your main character is Asian, almost everyone else is a different race. Worick is while, and Alex (a character introduced in the first episode) is mixed race, but the show still considers her beautiful. Some characters are black. It has the diversity you would see walking down the street in New York.
Now being a “gangster series,” naturally almost all the characters are criminals. Nico makes money being an assassin-for-hire. Worick helps Nico with his work, but is a gigolo on the side. Alex originally made her money being a prostitute after she came to the city as some kind of refugee. Despite this, neither Worick nor Alex is overtly sexual towards other people, nor does their profession (or previous profession in Alex’s case) define them.
But the best part about the diversity, is that like with disability, it does not bring attention to itself. Characters are themselves, completely independent of what their skin or hair looks like. When you read manga, you usually notice foreigners by their largely drawn noses, over-the-top rudeness/ “friendliness,” and the fact that the speech bubbles go left to right instead of top to bottom. GANGSTA. does none of these things. People are drawn as realistically and racially accurate as possible. I felt almost as if I was reading a Marvel, D.C., or Dark Horse comic. For Japan, it is a step in the right direction.
So, do I recommend you read this series? Yes and no. I recommend that you read the first chapter or so. Almost all that I have talked about comes from the first chapter. But after you read that…I’m unsure if I should recommend the rest of the series. While your main cast of characters (Nico, Worick, and Alex) are unique and tastefully written, the rest of the manga isn’t. It seems more like a cheap imitation to many other gangster films, series, and books—and one that is rather unclear about the point. While the protagonists are outstanding, the world they live in, and people they interact with are not. However, some people love it, others don’t care for the storytelling.
In addition, I feel obligated to warn you that GANGSTA. is rated M. And there is a reason. For rating manga, “M” translates to “R.” GANGSTA. is often violent, and does detail the lives of assassins and prostitutes. It takes a realistic look at life on the streets, and because of this if often hard to read. Despite all my praise and criticism, I recommend that you, with an open mind, sit down and begin the story of GANGSTA.
If To Live Is Christ... 