Western Influence on Anime

Both Western and Eastern forms of entertainment have had a significant influence on each other when creating stories and characters for Films and TV series. In this case I will list anime found to be similar to some western created Films and characters.

Revy

Revy is the main female protagonist of the anime series Black Lagoon (2002). She wears a tank top and shorts, wields two pistols (9mm sword cutlasses) and has long hair in a pony tail with a parted fringe. These are attributes very similar to the main character, Lara Croft, in the Tomb Raider games (first created in 1996). They are even presented as very attractive young females. However, Revy is more rough, violent and threatening in her personality as she has a tattoo on her right shoulder, smokes, swears a lot, can be very offensive and really enjoys killing people. Another difference is that Revy is a modern day Pirate whereas Lara Croft is an Archaeologist. However, Hollywood's idea of "archaeology" wouldn't go down well on Time Team!

Lara Croft

Parasyte

The Thing

The anime Parasyte (1988 manga released) is a science fiction horror anime series about alien parasitic creatures. They descend from the sky and take control over the bodies of higher animals, preferably humans, by eating the brain. If successful the parasites try to blend in with humanity through their quick learning ability. Once they have a human host they hunt down people on their own or lure them to a secluded area in order to kill and eat them. They can easily manipulate the head to create deadly weapons, usually tentacles with razor sharp blades.

The description of parasites in the anime Parasyte are very reminiscent of the alien parasitic creature(s) in the film The Thing (1982). Both are about alien creatures that use human hosts as a disguise. The Thing even has enough intelligence to pretend and blend in with the other humans. The Thing can also manipulate the body of its host in order to kill prey and defend itself, but in a more severe way than Parasyte.

If anything the parasites in Parasyte are a dulled down version of The Thing, which spreads like a plague.


SAO

The Matrix


SAO (Sword Art Online, 2009 light novel) is an anime series which is set in a future where virtual reality gaming exists. The technology used to do this directly connects to the user's brain and leaves his/her body motionless while he/she plays in the virtual world. However, the players find out they can't log out and are told by the creator that they can only get out if they complete the game. Also, if they die in the game they die in real life.

Dying when killed in virtual reality is a concept recognised in the film The Matrix (1999). Even the process of how the characters in SAO connect their minds to the virtual reality world is similar to The Matrix,
i.e. physically plugging themselves into the system while leaving their bodies motionless.








Finally, these are two similar characters I don't like:
Goku (1984) is too similar to Superman (1933) in terms of backstory, role and abilities. In terms of who is the strongest, it dawned on me how ridiculously influenced Goku's character is by Superman. Similarities include:

- They both escaped their home planets as babies when it was destroyed.

- Goku crash landed on Earth and was found and raised by a Farmer. Superman crash landed on Earth and was found and raised by a Farmer and his wife.

- Surviving members of each other's species come to Earth to destroy humanity.

- They can both fly.

- They can both shoot lasers.

- They are both immensely strong and immensely fast.

- They both became protectors of Earth.

- They both have unique abilities exclusive to their own species making them far superior.

Besides personalities, Goku is very similar to Superman. Some of their abilities may differ slightly, but they have abilities exclusive to each other's species which is uncannily similar.

I am thankful that Dragon Ball Z paved the way  for the shounen genre and characters. However those influenced have far more unique plots and backstories. We are invited to be inspired by these characters with phrases like "work hard and you can achieve anything". However, that's easy for them to say because the main reason they always succeed is due to their abilities as powerful aliens. As humans as we can never achieve what they can. Goku and Superman inadvertently tell us that we are inferior and should depend on them to save us from great danger all the time.

That's why I prefer a character like Saitama who is human. As you can see from his outfit he parodies Superman i.e. a colourful full body suit with a cape. By just being human Saitama is more relatable than Goku and Superman. Saitama is written to be immensely powerful telling us that we are capable of great things ("human beings are strong because we have the ability to change ourselves" - Saitama). Even the way Saitama is drawn tells us an average and simple looking man can be amazing. His look also goes towards mocking the majority of superheroes for looking all handsome and chiseled. With a bald head this mocks anime characters like Goku who have big spiky hair. It also illustrates Saitama's dull personality.