Last year I wrote a blog post on Okazu about Maria-sama ga Miteru, Bodacious Space Pirates, The Bechdel Test and portrayals of women in anime that were genuinely strong (as opposed to the “strong woman” trope of body-suited chick with big gun). The article has now been published in an academic online journal on feminist studies, labrys. It’s been cleaned up so there is less presumption of knowledge of the series discussed for non-fan readers, so please feel free to share the link with media and feminist studies folks.
It’s a Woman’s World: Maria-sama ga Miteru, Bodacious Space Pirates, “strong women” and the Bechdel Test
It’s also been added to the Yuricon Essays page. If you’ve written something that belongs there, please let me know, we’re always looking for Yuri scholarship to add!
It was a compelling essay, so congrats on getting it published and read by more people!
I read your essay after reading online reviews of Hollywood movies which don’t have the strong rounded female characters you find even on American television, and it hit home with double force. Hollywood is an industry so hidebound and incestuous that portrayals of genuinely strong women who aren’t “men with sex changes” are apparently impossible within that reality bubble, or at least get past senior studio executives. Don’t get me started on fanservice anime (the product of another impenetrable reality bubble).
Since television tends to be superior to movies lately anyway, I consider it no coincidence that Bodacious Space Pirates and Maria-sama ga Miteru were adapted into TV shows, which can take their time to develop characters deeply.
P.S. I noticed those typos too… (Alas, I am cursed with Spelling Bee Loser Syndrome…)