The influence of The Boondocks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I3YErkaTvA - 0:37
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDEu-6xg0lI - 5:52
In my previous post, I attempted to give an answer as to what anime actually is. The answer I
ultimately came to is that it is more of a subjective experience that is based on what people see (you
will know it, or anime, when you see it). It has never really been an issue that has come up in my
anime classes, nor is it an issue I intend to resolve or even bring up in these classes, but there have
been some cases where students have attempted to justify certain shows as anime, which I guess is
what is really important here.
The Boondocks is one of these shows. This is most likely due to the fact that most of the
students in the school I work in are African American and/or from the inner city. Despite the fact
that every student is supposed to present a different anime, I had two students (one from each section
- I figured that could work) do a presentation of The Boondocks last year (the two videos I use for
this reflection are from both presentations - one from each). I let this happen because I figured The
Boondocks was important to these students, and people like these students, even if it is not what is
considered anime (whatever that means).
The first video in this reflection is a short video of anime influences in The Boondocks. I know
there are other fight scenes in this series (one example is on the martial arts blog I contribute to -
examples of martial arts in westernized anime post: Samurai Jack is another one, which I will discuss
in my next post on this blog). I also know that other things happen in this series as well, so there
could also be other anime influences seen in this series. However, what I would like to focus on here
is the influence The Boondocks has on its own, which is discussed in the second video of this
reflection.
In the second video of this reflection, the video talks about The Boondocks as a powerful critique
of Black culture. From having certain characters representing the kinds of Black people in Black
culture to using other Black media influences, such as music, in the show, The Boondocks
provides an analysis of the details of Black culture in a creative way. This creative way may not
exactly be the best way, or the one that people would be most comfortable with, but if it can generate
discussion that needs to happen, then I would say that it is not only effective, but also influential.
For example, one of the ways The Boondocks attempts to create much needed discussion about
the history of Black people, where that history is now, and where it should be headed is the use of the
word 'nigga,' which I know from experience is a word that causes issues. White people using the
word is usually questionable and frowned upon by Black people, which I have seen as a student at
the school I work in of mostly inner city African Americans (we usually have some White students
there, as well as a mix of other races and cultures). However, I really don't get why Black people
would be so comfortable with using the word either since the word was originally used to demean
and belittle them. Does changing the ending of the word change what the word means ('nigga/er')?
Anyway, what makes The Boondocks important is its influence. Hopefully, this influence is
important enough to create discussion of the history and progress of Black culture (and of whether or
not it can be considered anime, which I think can be).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDEu-6xg0lI - 5:52
In my previous post, I attempted to give an answer as to what anime actually is. The answer I
ultimately came to is that it is more of a subjective experience that is based on what people see (you
will know it, or anime, when you see it). It has never really been an issue that has come up in my
anime classes, nor is it an issue I intend to resolve or even bring up in these classes, but there have
been some cases where students have attempted to justify certain shows as anime, which I guess is
what is really important here.
The Boondocks is one of these shows. This is most likely due to the fact that most of the
students in the school I work in are African American and/or from the inner city. Despite the fact
that every student is supposed to present a different anime, I had two students (one from each section
- I figured that could work) do a presentation of The Boondocks last year (the two videos I use for
this reflection are from both presentations - one from each). I let this happen because I figured The
Boondocks was important to these students, and people like these students, even if it is not what is
considered anime (whatever that means).
The first video in this reflection is a short video of anime influences in The Boondocks. I know
there are other fight scenes in this series (one example is on the martial arts blog I contribute to -
examples of martial arts in westernized anime post: Samurai Jack is another one, which I will discuss
in my next post on this blog). I also know that other things happen in this series as well, so there
could also be other anime influences seen in this series. However, what I would like to focus on here
is the influence The Boondocks has on its own, which is discussed in the second video of this
reflection.
In the second video of this reflection, the video talks about The Boondocks as a powerful critique
of Black culture. From having certain characters representing the kinds of Black people in Black
culture to using other Black media influences, such as music, in the show, The Boondocks
provides an analysis of the details of Black culture in a creative way. This creative way may not
exactly be the best way, or the one that people would be most comfortable with, but if it can generate
discussion that needs to happen, then I would say that it is not only effective, but also influential.
For example, one of the ways The Boondocks attempts to create much needed discussion about
the history of Black people, where that history is now, and where it should be headed is the use of the
word 'nigga,' which I know from experience is a word that causes issues. White people using the
word is usually questionable and frowned upon by Black people, which I have seen as a student at
the school I work in of mostly inner city African Americans (we usually have some White students
there, as well as a mix of other races and cultures). However, I really don't get why Black people
would be so comfortable with using the word either since the word was originally used to demean
and belittle them. Does changing the ending of the word change what the word means ('nigga/er')?
Anyway, what makes The Boondocks important is its influence. Hopefully, this influence is
important enough to create discussion of the history and progress of Black culture (and of whether or
not it can be considered anime, which I think can be).
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