How to go about making race/nationality without being offensive

That's a good way to put it. I know I can't expect to please everyone and there will always be someone that will criticize and question a scenario or idea with their own argument against it but like you said, if there was nothing to question or argue about then it could make my story seem more boring for being so flawless. I'd like to think of it that way but at the same time I want it to be likeable with reasons behind why these situations exist for. Sometimes misguiding someone's beliefs on what's an appropriate possibility or in the least doesn't make much sense can cause a downfall which I want to try an avoid.

 

For the record, @TheRealStegblob, none of what I'm saying is directed at you. I think we're more or less coming from the same angle? I'm just having a hard time expressing myself lately, lol.

 

Yeah, we're mostly saying the same thing. I just wanted to clarify that if it seemed like I was implying there was some kind of 'samurai fighting style', I was only speaking about what someone might consider as generic Japanese 'sword fighting', which they'd call "samurai stuff"; just in case you had taken what I said as me talking about there being some kind of samurai-specific combat style.

 

Hey guys, sorry to bring this topic back up but I just have these last few questions. If I truly want to keep from appropriating and misinterpreting a culture (just to be on the safer side of things and avoid the white "cliche" hero) would it be best for the MC to be half white half Japanese, white with some Japanese heritage or just go ahead and be ok with him being just white? I could make him white with some other ethnic mixed backgrounds like latino maybe. I have the villain down pretty good now but would it not make sense for him to include or allow firearms into his arsenal of bushido swords fighting society? Would having both swords and guns for use in battles make him more sinister or just a sword melee society would add more uniqueness? And if I do decide to have him conquer the world into samurai swords/melee weapons fighting, would it make sense to allow other forms of melee weapons in the story like knights swords,vikings swords, broadswords, scimitar swords, etc?

Thanks.

 

Well anything can 'make sense' in the context of a fictional story, so you don't have to worry about that. I think you're okay with making the MC white, if you're white yourself it may be best to just have him be white because you avoid any possible situation of having to explain the viewpoint of any other race.

I'd imagine in a world like the one you're making, the bad guy would probably have an armed militia of henchmen who use modern firearms, so that any rebellions can be easily crushed (the rebels don't have guns, he does). Of course I think that's the plot to the Hunger Games (never read/watched them so I dunno but I think that was the gist of that whole story), but it'd make for an interesting world. One where everyone is forced to use weapons that aren't modern firearms, so they revert to swords and clubs and axes and primitive bows and warrior cultures begin to redevelop, be them bushido cultures, cultures of knight's honor, cultures of rapier duelist, etc. It'd be like an IRL for-real LARP session, except you kill people.

 

Why should it matter if the nationality of your character meets the comfort of everyone? Being offended is completely subjective, as what offends one may not offend another. There will always be someone who will be offended no matter what you say or do, so if I were you I would write based on what you think suits your character who is in your story.

Tldr; Don't care about what other people think. It's your story, not theirs.

 

To answer the initial question. I'd say it depends on the setting, in a far off future it could be very possible that this character is mixed race or caucasian. What you should be asking is, what does his race add to his character? And after that question I feel having him be from a mixed background would be a facinating chance to explore your character, their sense of identity and their values. It would probably be my first choice.

If I were writing I personally wouldn't make him caucasian, I feel using japanese themeing and culture but not having your mc be asian is almost as if you want to use japanese culture as an aesthetic without wanting to actually fully commit to creating actual representation. I think it would feel like you were taking a shortcut for fear of misrepresentation if you just wrote him as caucasian. Be willing to go outside your comfort zone and if it fails it fails, that's what rewrites are for.

 

As long as my MC being white doesn't deteriorate with negative feedback than it could work out just fine, though there is a possibility I might give him a little ethnic mixed background, (like maybe a quarter Japanese?) I mean I've seen how people reacted to 47 Ronin cause the main character was not Japanese and was using samurai swords. I don't wanna risk that happening.

Yes most definitely. The main villain would have an armed militia with firearms along with more connections like corporates, authorities and other powerful organizations. He may even use some melee to fight as he could have any weapons he wants. I don't really follow much of Hunger Games myself but I get what you are saying and the same goes for larping which I think works perfectly! These bushido cultures, knights, etc .. there could be both good and bad ones right? I know it's may sound like a dumb question.

It shouldn't but that seems to be one of the biggest criticisms these days if not done carefully. I know I should not give in to what negative viewers may say, so if I can deliver a good reason and backstory for why than hopefully it shouldn't be a problem. My story and character will be the key.

Well it would take place in the near future, not sure yet how far I want to take it but at least a couple of years ahead of where we are now. If I do make him mixed then I would probably have the MC being half Japanese or a quarter. I would have his father being another villain in my story and for this to be more plausible should the father be of Japanese decent having connections to a corrupted bushido group or keep the father white and the mother with the Japanese decent and her father(the MC'S grandfather) being connected to a bad bushido group?

 

You could just not really mention nationality, or you could turn the table and say that in your future, discrimination and separation by nationality is so minuscule that nationality isn't really a thing anyone recognizes and/or cares about anymore.

 

Write your write sincerely, and if you are an offensive person then live, or muse, on that that fact. If you make a mistake and you recognise your mistake as an error, then apologise and accept the error.

 

I think the race of the MC of 47 Ronin was just one of many problems with that movie. AFAIK, the original story really took place, but the moviemakers decided to add a random gaijin, gods, demons, and a shit-ton of CGI that they ripped off from 300 (another one that shredded history). That was like a class in how not to do a movie.

 

That's a possibility. But how could I go about doing that? Especially since this future is supposed to be a violent place.

Not offensive, I just don't want to disrespect any other cultures that's all but I can relate to what you're saying.

So it seems the plot fell short big time. I also heard that the 47 Ronin real life actor Keanu Reeves is actually half Asian.

 

Depends on how its done. If the character is flying solo I could take offense with a character going in a way that's typically associated with my own culture but it if he's put into context and its explain how this "outsider" came to be part of the culture that I am part of, I probably wouldn't have as much problem with it. So perhaps he could interact with a Japanese community that puts him into context and you can have Japanese characters that are also samurai and perhaps act as a kind of mentor to him?

I also noticed there was some discussion regarding a villain in this story.

The way I personally tend to go around this is to balance negative characters from a culture that's not my own with a positive character. So for example if I have an ancient Egyptian as a bad guy then I'll probably throw in ancient Egyptians acting more positively with some references that none of them are a representation for all ancient Egyptians but that they are people and that ancient Egyptians, like all peoples are all over the wall in terms of different personalities and traits.

In this special example given the way I personally would go about it is to have some characters of Japanese origin who act in a positive way and that the villain isn't the sole Japanese in the story. To me these characters don't need to overtly interact with the hero but there could for example be a Japanese community that the story partially takes place within and most people there are honest and honorable with some shady types, and the villain being a really bad apple. But don't go to far over in the other extreme and make these Japanese people perfect or to exotic either.

I realize its a tough thing to make this right when dealing with living cultures but I think it can be done. And this is how I would do it.

 

That's a great way for me to look at it, since I will have supporting cast and friends in the story that would come from the same race and culture as the bad guy. I'll have to decide now if I want the dad being more of an antagonist with the mom more on the lenient good side or the mom more of the antagonist and the dad playing the more lenient side.

 

I haven't read that one yet but that's a really good example of a mixed character. I'll keep that in mind, thanks. I wonder how it was received.

I think the reason why so many question my use of the word "samurai" is because it has such high roots linked to Japanese noblemen and Japanese culture of the past that having someone represent a samurai that's either white or non Japanese set in the future, could be what's causing heads to spin.

I'm still pursuing my storyline, and I'm sure if I present it well, it should work out just fine. I'm wondering though, If I just made up a style and fighting class similar to samurai would that be of less concern by others?