User blog comment:KatDWolf/I wonder..../@comment-1271618-20100516185745

Yeah! I'm not sure how big or existent an Armenian fanbase is for this series, but I can imagine some fans would already have concern and issues about Turkey. And OCs like that? Brrrr.

Something that also comes to mind besides controversy* is also convoluted nature of some countries. Take South Africa. I'm trying to wrap my head around how they could even appear in a single strip, what they would be like and all. I can't say I really agree with them being solely represented by a white person, I think it's not just a matter of PC but when you look at the history and cultures within...it's something rather different than a huge place like the US where "just one" is usually enough to personify (though some fans' mileage varies, naturally!). A single "Native America" doesn't feel like it would work either, which is why I tend to feel a little odd about historical fanworks that use that and just base them off of ONE of the tribes in general or make them some generic hodgepodge Native stereotype like we see in cartoons and media.

I've seen a kinkmeme fill with Molossia vs. Prussia (due to the "war with East Germany" thing), but I think it was unfinished. A shame too! If you want an example of a dead micronation that was sort of like Sealand, there is Rose Island. It's a rather interesting story, and it was created around the late '60s (and destroyed rather fast) too.


 * Which is debatable because, and I say this without trying to offend, authors CAN be rather short-sighted or downright bloody offensive if they have personal biases already or get the wrong information. Japan itself still has ways to go when it comes to minority rights and other things, though at the same time it irks me to see Americans patting themselves on the backs acting like the US has no flaws 'cause we're "bigger". The news on Thailand today made me wonder more if it would be "too soon" to see any strips on Thailand too, even if the characters represent the people more than the government, they also at times represent bits of that and the armies in general too.

And yeah, I find it funny while we're sitting there ranting about what makes us mad about the fandom, a non-fan comes in to rant, seems understandable at first...then loses all that credibility with their name-calling and hints at trolling. L-lol. I've seen people that accuse others of sucking up to Himaruya or acting as his apologist if they don't like criticism of him, but I think there's a fine line between crit and outright bashing. I see a lot more of the latter, and that's a sad part. Misplaced nationalism definitely does play into things if they begin generalizing all Japanese because of him too, or going "Of course he's offensive, he's a Jap" (ugh). It IS possible to criticize the author or call him on things without blasting an entire nationality or race. But this is the internet for you.