Is The Hand an offensive stereotype?

[MichaelC]

Lady Deathstrike was cool, but I couldn't help but notice that Kelly Hu doesn't get any lines, which seems like a waste.

[t hedge coke]

Lady Deathstrike was cool, but I couldn't help but notice that Kelly Hu doesn't get any lines, which seems like a waste.

Most of those are minor no-dialogue or one line roles. If not all those named.

[numberthirty]

While I guess I can try to understand the premise, what are The Hand a stereotype of?

Ninja cults?

[Mark]

I mean, a bunch of evil Japanese ninjas who worship a demon?

What isn't an offensive stereotype to at least someone these days?

[bad_trotsky]

I feel the hand are a slightly bit offensive but come one the MU needs a ninja group. And they have the ability to raise the dead. Sure you are evil now but that can be over come.

[Immortal Weapon]

Finding the hand offensive would mean I would be offended by ninjas. I find that impossible.

[Kieran_Frost]

I mean, a bunch of evil Japanese ninjas who worship a demon?

I'd say: no. Like others have said, if it's a comment or implication across all Asian characters, then yes there is an issue. But a group of Japanese warriors who happen to be evil and worship a demon? No; Japanese characters can be villains too. And anyone in the world can worship a demon. Only when it's the majority of Asian characters do we have an issue. If a writer only has Asian characters show up when they are evil and worshipping demons, then YES there is very much an issue.

[Of Atlantis]

Let's make something into something it's not.

Yeah, let's not do that, please.

[MyriVerse]

I mean, a bunch of evil Japanese ninjas who worship a demon?

Nope. Especially considering how often this trope is used by Japanese, themselves. And there are more than enough "good" Japanese characters to even it out.

As far as Marvel's Japanese characters, the two biggest things that bug me:
- I wish that Silver Samurai fella would have acted more like a Samurai.
- Some of Sunfire's activities just don't fit with the times anymore, if they ever did.

Would you say the fact they're used as canon fodder for white martial arts heroes is offensive?

No. They just suffer from a case of more being less effective, which is a typical trope of most fantasy fiction. Hand could be replaced by AIM or Hydra soldiers, Mole Men, Brood, Skrull, etc. The same happens to them. Eyerolling, sure, but nothing offensive about it.

[Darthkostis]

I just want to say that in Deadpool's last visit to Greece, the book contained:

1)Deadpool saying: "Greeks sure are a superstitious and cowardly lot": Basically everyone was dumb in the whole book.
2)At least one reference to the debt.
3)A giant Minotaur statue in the middle of the square.
4)People still believing in the 12 gods of Olympus and saing stuff like: "Gods of our fathers protect us" which is idotic, since Hellas has been an Orthodox country after its liberation from the Ottoman Empire.
5)The city was named "Papakonstantinou" which is a surname, not the name of a place.

It's as if the writers watched "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" once many years ago, and then they crammed every offensive stereotype into one book.Yet, not one person said: "Hey, isn't this kinda wrong? Maybe the writers should tone it down a bit". But nope, zombie ninjas is where the racism's at!

[brettc1]

I mean, a bunch of evil Japanese ninjas who worship a demon?

No.

Not all Japanese in the Marvel Universe are evil demon-worshipping Ninjas.

Next.

[Trident]

The Hand, like others have stated, isn't a offensive stereotype. Do some actual research on the origins of Ninjas and you will quickly see why they don't fall into that category.

[Tazpocalapse]

I find it offensive to ninjas that the hand ninjas get their butts handed to them so easily. They don't strike fear into anyone.

[kuraikawa]

Normally, I'd say yes. But come on, there are plenty of non-ninja based Japanese characters (like Sunfire), and Japan isn't depicted as a country still ruled by daimyo. That and comics fall on lots of other cultural stereotypes. New York is full of criminal maffia groups. AIM are stereotypical mad scientists. Characters from the American south tend to be friendly, polite, and at least moderately Christian.

You should totally submit this question to the podcast, Yo, is this racist?

[Joe Acro]

Since the main contributors of the thread have decided they don't want to discuss the Hand, and would rather discuss items far and away unrelated to the topic at hand, their thread derail has been deleted and this thread has run its course.