Honors Thesis Draft

[laurbits]

Here it is! My blood, sweat and tears. Still very much a draft since I haven't included the input from my professors yet. Feel free to let me know what you think! I could certainly use the feedback. Also, if you guys have some idea which journals to submit this to, let me know.

Mutilating the Maidens:
Problematizing the Dismemberment
of Female Bodies in CLAMP's Manga X

Re-uploaded: 03-25-2011. The link shouldn't expire anymore!

Please respect my wishes and do not distribute/use this for any other purpose besides personal reading. Thanks!

x-posted to manga_talk here.

Comments

How do you open it?

[groovy-guava.livejournal.com]

I've downloaded it, it's in pdf format and Word and Reader won't recognize it. :< It also says raw it's already being used by another user or program....

Re: How do you open it?

[psychoe.livejournal.com]

Eh?! Let me see if it works nga...

Re: How do you open it?

[psychoe.livejournal.com]

No problem here. Either upgrade to the later Adobe Reader and/or close other programs you are using.

[retsuko.livejournal.com]

This is GREAT. Seriously, this is excellent work. I am so impressed!

Just one nitpicky note before I ask a few questions: I think substituting the word 'mother' for 'mom' will make your work sound more formal. Since it is an important thematic word, the more formal, the better. Also, I do not understand your use of the word "vampirella".

First of all, I am curious as to your perception of the male gaze in conflict with shoujo manga. Is yaoi manga, or homoerotic undertones, the only instance where we see it denied or subverted? Do you think there's a possibility for a "male gaze free" manga product? (I think this sort of speculation could have a place in your conclusion.)

Second of all, your analysis of the dismembered female bodies and the priveleged male bodies is right on. I hadn't even noticed this until you pointed it out--that the male characteres are more likely to die with an arm through the chest than have their bodies dismembered. (It's interesting to contrast this with Hokuto's death in Tokyo Bablyon, then, since she dies in a male fashion in taking her brother's place.) In fact, this seems to be an anime-wide trend. I was noticing this in FullMetal Alchemist recently; although the hero, Edward, has lost two of limbs, his death is caused by an arm through the chest, rather than the loss of any more of his mobility. Female bodies personify chaos, but male bodies hold together.

Finally, the distinction between utsukushii and kawaii is a fascinating one, and one that is particularly interesting with regard to CLAMP's works. It also fits in well with your Claude Levi-Strauss analysis at the beginning of the essay (although you might want to mention that just one more time to strengthen the connection.)

As for places to publish... well, the Journal of Popular Culture was always my holy grail. You might also try some of the Asian Studies journals, possibly ones with an artistic emphasis.

[chibicharibdys.livejournal.com]

I am very fond of Fullmetal Alchemist, mainly because I do not see the same sort of 'priviliged male bodies'/ male gaze in it, so I'm a little confused by your comment.

[retsuko.livejournal.com]

Re: FMA, what I mean is that is Edward's body, although it has come apart, never comes apart the way their mother's body does as a Homoculus (the visions of her resurrected form before she becomes a full Homoculus are horrifying) and that the female Homoculi's body are capable of physically reforming themselves in the ways that the male Homoculis' are not. When Edward "dies" in the climatic battle with Envy, he is killed through Envy's arm through his chest (and can I get an EEWWWW here?) rather than losing any more parts of his physical self.

I should say here that I have only seen the anime, so cannot speak for the manga version.

[chibicharibdys.livejournal.com]

Ah, okay; I noticed that a lot of the character's roles seem a bit subverted in the anime; forex. the thief girl not only outruns but also outwits Edward in the manga, whereas in the anime, Edward has to teach her a lesson (or something like that). As a result, I much prefer the manga; the gender roles seem more equal, and there is a very strong sense of the country as a whole, working outside of the limitations of the plot; i.e. ordinary people living (or doing their best to live) ordinary lives despite war. The anime seems to be lacking a lot of what I like in the manga.

[psychoe.livejournal.com]

Mother>mom: ACK! My professor caught that and I forgot to edit it out. Thanks!

I felt Vampirella came out of nowhere too. I should really talk about it a little more.

First of all, I am curious as to your perception of the male gaze in conflict with shoujo manga. Is yaoi manga, or homoerotic undertones, the only instance where we see it denied or subverted? Do you think there's a possibility for a "male gaze free" manga product? (I think this sort of speculation could have a place in your conclusion.)

It probably isn't the only case but for the scope of my paper I guess this is what I focused on. There were some material about shoujo-ai I didn't include because I thought it would deviate too far from my particular emphasis for the paper, but it would probably be great to footnote. Male gaze free manga products? I'm not sure what the ration of male/female artists in Japan but I think given that the most popular stories are shonen- read by both men and women- the dominant view is definitely male. This probably makes "male gaze free products" hard to come by. (I'm just speculating here.)

(It's interesting to contrast this with Hokuto's death in Tokyo Bablyon, then, since she dies in a male fashion in taking her brother's place.)

Bingo! I did notice that too. Hokuto is very masculinized. (If that's even a word. XD) Not only does she have short hair, more outgoing/outspoken than Subaru, she was also paired up with Kakyou who is definitely more feminine. She's still one of my favorite characters despite her ridiculous sense of fashion. XD You are also correct to notice the anime-wide trend, but it also goes far beyond that in the history of representation.

I wasn't allowed to include these notes (since they are far too tangential for the topic) but ever since the Renaissance, the female body was seen as inferior to the male body and has since been represented in a particular way. Drawing from sources like Aristotle and Plato, the female body was designated as cold, moist, unruly (which is why it's "Mother" Nature), and empty/abstract. This is why female bodies are used as signifiers (for example when painting the allegories of Poetry, Liberty etc. etc.) Male bodies couldn't represent these virtues because they were seen as active, concrete subjects instead of objects.


Finally, the distinction between utsukushii and kawaii is a fascinating one, and one that is particularly interesting with regard to CLAMP's works. It also fits in well with your Claude Levi-Strauss analysis at the beginning of the essay (although you might want to mention that just one more time to strengthen the connection.)

I was pretty happy to come across this distinction fairly late in the process but it did certainly apply. I hadn't even realized how differentiated the women were until I read my source material. My purpose for actually quoting Levi-Strauss was to implicate myself in my research so I'm not sure I understand what you mean here. (Etic-emic being the insider-outsider discussion referring to myself as both an anime/manga fan and an art historian/scholar)

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll check these out.

[retsuko.livejournal.com]

Finally, I can reply to this! Our internet went on vacation for a few days. >:\

Male gaze free manga products? I'm not sure what the ration of male/female artists in Japan but I think given that the most popular stories are shonen- read by both men and women- the dominant view is definitely male. This probably makes "male gaze free products" hard to come by. (I'm just speculating here.)

I wish there were some commercial figures to give context here. It would aslo be interesting to see who has the ownership of both shonen and shoujo manga enterprises. They're both huge cash cows.

Hokuto is very masculinized. (If that's even a word. XD) Not only does she have short hair, more outgoing/outspoken than Subaru, she was also paired up with Kakyou who is definitely more feminine.

Yes! Her fashion sense notwithstanding (although it is outrageous and CLAMP-tastic), the pairing with Kakyo is a fascinating one; he exhibits all the characteristics of a female character (even in the dream world where they can talk freely) and she is definitely a masculine one, particularly in her view of her place in the world and her role in deciding her own destiny.

[chibicharibdys.livejournal.com]

I agree with retsuko. :) This was a fascinating read. I do have a few questions; does yaoi manga subvert or redirect the male gaze, as the characters portrayed therein tend to look and act feminine? You discussed that in the thesis, but I was left a little confused.

[psychoe.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I did leave that hanging didn't I? Mainly because I was up for 30+ hours to meet the deadline. XD

It is however a very important question. I think it provides a space for subversion for the gaze because of a reversal of gender roles but it does not totally contradict or erase it completely.

I mean for instance, the nature of the gaze is quite different. Whereas a male gaze would desire a female body represented, desire for the male body may or may not be the case in the gaze of the female.

Thank you for your comment! I'll be sure to address this in the revision.

[chibicharibdys.livejournal.com]

Ah, deadlines. I had the same crunch time in my printmaking. Sleep? Who has time for that? (although apparently I have time for the internet. :/ )

The other interesting thing is that through history, boys often seem to be considered in the same light as women (i.e. objects of adult male lust) in many different cultures (the samurai apprentices, romans, etc.), so instead of subversion, it could be supporting the same 'male gaze?' Although that's the subject of another thesis, I suspect. XD

[psychoe.livejournal.com]

The other interesting thing is that through history, boys often seem to be considered in the same light as women (i.e. objects of adult male lust) in many different cultures (the samurai apprentices, romans, etc.), so instead of subversion, it could be supporting the same 'male gaze?'

Yes, I agree this is related to the work! However, given my scope of time and energy I was not able to bring this in. Young boys (from what I learned in Western cultural representation) can be represented as mediating between male and female. If you've seen Donatello's David (http://ca.encarta.msn.com/media_461518984/David_by_Donatello.html), the homoerotic nature of this statue is absolutely blatant AND it was made for a male audience. For this paper, I was limited to addressing a female audience because I was working from the limited knowledge that X had been originally published in a magazine for a female readership. But I believe male readers could desire male bodies and this could be an interesting thesis on its own.

Mike

[(Anonymous)]

hmm, shota?

[solo.livejournal.com]

I mean for instance, the nature of the gaze is quite different. Whereas a male gaze would desire a female body represented, desire for the male body may or may not be the case in the gaze of the female.

This is where I may show my ignorance: why can you state so categorically that the male gaze would desire a female body, but allow variation for the female gaze viewing a male body? Isn't it the case that the male gaze may also in some cases not desire the female body - particularly when it's all over the floor in unnatural and rather messy configurations? :-)

Take the explosion of Tokiko in X: I find it very difficult to imagine that either Kamui or Fuuma are watching her with anything approaching desire (and I think that Kamui's reaction at the very least bears that out).

What am I missing?

[psychoe.livejournal.com]

Hmm, this is indeed where the thesis gets a little mucky. One of the major feedback concerning my work was that there is more "subversion going on in X than I allow." To clarify, I built my case that female nudes have more often been the object of the male gaze since the Renaissance but as my professor pointed out, these nudes are "resolutely whole." The dismembered women in X significantly varies from this model. Their fragmented presentation actually visually thwarts entire posession of the body.

I suppose what I intended to present was not that Kamui and Fuuma look upon the naked female body with desire (and vice versa with Yuzuriha) but the situation presented has eerie but significant parallels with other examples--such as erotic manga in which men are placed in the position of watchers/viewers of the violated female body.

I'm sorry if it's still confusing! As you can see, I'm still very much trying to get the wording/reasoning right and believe me, your questions are certainly helping me formulate this better. Thank you very much for your interest and comments!

[(Anonymous)]

"To clarify, I built my case that female nudes have more often been the object of the male gaze since the Renaissance but as my professor pointed out, these nudes are "resolutely whole." The dismembered women in X significantly varies from this model. Their fragmented presentation actually visually thwarts entire posession of the body."

yes, the dismenbering may be a perversion of the male gaze; but how in hell does it have anything to do do with a typical female gaze?? lol

Shoujo manga almost NEVER has any graphically violent scenes, simply because women do not like to see violence, and (i bet) especially female violence.
I have yet to know any woman who finds it exciting to see another women trucidated, just like a man would find it exciting to see another man in the same fashion. :P

[solo.livejournal.com]

This is a very interesting piece of work with some thought-provoking statements! Thank you for sharing it.

I do have several (critical) queries. At the moment, I'm not sure whether they arise from my lack of knowledge of your field and its conventions. I'm a historian and I stand very much in the rationalist/empiricist tradition. All I can say about my qualifications to comment on your work is that I know X extremely well, but that Levi-Strauss makes me think of jeans in the first instance! Make of that what you will. ;-)

If you are interested in my comments, I'll be happy to type them up and send them to you by email, but I wasn't sure if I should subject you to (possibly unqualified) criticism without much of an idea how the issues I see could be resolved.

Let me know if you want to discuss this (and perhaps educate me).

[zephyrprince.livejournal.com]

Hi, I got here through an old community post and I'm interested in reading your work, but the link appears to be dead now. Has the essay been re-posted somewhere else?

[psychoe.livejournal.com]

Sorry about that. I don't have a permanent place to put it up yet so this link will have to do for now. http://www.sendspace.com/file/fwd0hv

Thanks for the interest!

[(Anonymous)]

Could you please make the file available again? Your Sendspace link has died (not surprising after >6 months. I've been crawling backwards through MangaBlog's news, and just came across the entry mentioning your thesis. Thank you...

[rasielle.livejournal.com]

Hello! Directed here from your post at manga_talk, and I too am very interested in reading your paper. I have mixed feelings about CLAMP's approach to gender depictions, so I'm very intrigued by your topic. Sorry to have to ask, but could you possibly upload it once more? The two links on this page seem to have expired.

Thank you for being willing to share this with us!

Sorry for the extremely long wait!

[psychoe.livejournal.com]

Here you go! http://www.sendspace.com/file/rm503g

Do let me know what you thought of it. It's been a while and it may not even make much sense to me if I reread it but I would appreciate the feedback!

Thanks again for the interest!