| Instructor: Dr. Julia
Gardner |
Franklin Cho
USWP14, Paper 3
Dr. Julia Gardner
6 Nov 2001
Cuteness in Slam Dunk: Appeal and Mediation
The Slam Dunk series has won over many fans in Japan and East Asia in
less than a decade. In its dramatization of an otherwise ordinary story of a
high school basketball team's trials and tribulations, Slam Dunk has generated
a dedicated fan base among traditional anime and manga fans. It has also gained
widespread popularity amongst mainstream audiences. Worth noting too is that
Slam Dunk has also generated healthy earnings in merchandising. Cuteness is
an integral part of Slam Dunk, but what is its role and function? Is it a mere
garnishing to make the series more marketable, or does it play a more important
role? Besides its engaging plotline and characterization, most of Slam Dunk's
appeal in fact stems from "cuteness" in the series and the way it
is used, both as a device to disrupt the heroic image, and a selective mediator
of violence in the series.
There are two versions of characters in Slam Dunk, a realistic one and a "cute"
one. The "cute" versions are anatomically disproportionate, drawn
with simple features, and have stubby fingers and limbs that seldom bend, a
childlike version of the characters. The appeal of the "child" image
can be explained by Lori Merish's model of cuteness. She proposes that "cuteness
is an aesthetic that mobilizes proprietary desire…the desire to care for,
cherish, and protect." (188) This maternal instinct is brought out by the
child-like appearance of the characters in Slam Dunk. In her examination of
the historical background of cute, Merish shows that "the categories of
'cute' and 'freak' have historically been mutually articulated." (199)
Even in the "realistic" depiction of the characters in Slam Dunk,
there is a certain sense of cuteness in the freakishness of their physical appearance
and background. The characters in Slam Dunk are either social freaks like Hanamichi,
the red-haired protagonist and Mitsui, a semi-reformed gangster who rejoins
the Shohoku team early on in the series, or physical freaks like Akagi and Uozumi,
depicted as gorilla-like giants on court.
The Shohoku Basketball team, "real" and "cute"
 |
|
The "heroic" Hanamichi
|
Before examining the role of cuteness in Slam Dunk, we
shall briefly consider the other factors that help to make the series popular.
Cuteness does not stand alone in explaining the popularity of the series; part
of the series' appeal is a captivating storyline, and realistic fleshing out
of characters. Eri Izawa writes on this characteristic of Japanese anime in
his paper on The Romantic, Passionate Japanese in Anime. He says, "the
seemingly minor trials of life are given a fresh glory, impact, and meaning."
(para. 27) The formats that the series is presented to the consumer, the anime
and manga formats, lay the groundwork for its popularity. As Izawa states about
anime, "It is an ideal story telling mechanism, able to combine aspects
or art, prose, characterization, cinematography techniques (even in the comic
books), and all sorts of literary narrative techniques." Saya S. Shiraishi's
examination of the exporting of Japanese cultural icons, in "Doraemon Goes
Abroad", suggests another reason for the popularity of the series. He speaks
of the existence of "a web of 'image alliances' among producers of the
print media, television, movies, and character merchandise."(297) This
holds true for Slam Dunk. Besides the animated format released on VCD,
and the print version, one can easily purchase Slam Dunk paraphernalia,
from posters to key chains to piggy banks.
 |
|
The "cartoony" Hanamichi
|
Despite the presence of other factors, it is cuteness and how
it is used in Slam Dunk that makes it so popular. A highly visible role
for cuteness in Slam Dunk is its use to interrupt the heroic image and
ideal. There is a frequent transition between "real" and "cute"
artwork within the same scene in Slam Dunk. This is a device unique to
Japanese manga and anime, Frederik Schodt, in Dreamland Japan: Writings on
Modern Manga, describes this phenomenon as "the eccentricity of arts
styles that exists in Japan - where humans may be depicted in both realistic
and nonrealistic styles in the same story, with both 'cartoony' and 'serious'
backgrounds." (26-27) As mentioned earlier, this varying style in Slam
Dunk is applied to the characters too especially in the depiction of Hanamichi.
"Cuteness" is a device that makes the characters more lovable, adding
an extra dimension of vulnerability to their personalities. Izawa says that,
"the mental and emotional plight of the individual character in the Anime
world is almost never forgotten." (para. 26).
This concept is applicable to Slam Dunk too, but the viewer is
never allowed to forget the humourous side of the situation and that, besides
the heroic struggles on and off the basketball court, the characters have a
human side too. One scene depicts the first time Hanamichi is fouled and has
to make a free throw, a concept he is completely unfamiliar with. In a departure
from his usual brash confidence, his stress and uncertainty are brought across
by the "cartoony" depiction of events.
 |
Hanamichi feels the pressure before taking his first free
throw. Note the transition from the "heroic" Hanamichi to the
"cartoony" one. |
These "cute" versions are often seen when the characters are involved
in comical situations, embarrassing moments or any light-hearted sequence in
the series. The "cute" versions are used to provide a touch of humour
to the series and act as a foil to the "perfect-ness" and athleticism
of the heroic ideal. This imbues the reader with the mentality that "cuteness"
is only acceptable in comical situations that are beneath the dignity of the
heroic depictions of the characters. Stylized frames of players about to score
a point are suddenly transformed to cartoon versions when they foul-up. Cuteness
works at two levels here, it emphasizes the fall from the heroic for the character
and increases the humour of the situation. On another level, the humour created
helps alleviate the pain of failure. Hanamichi and Miyagi have crushes on Haruko
and Ayako respectively, and the effect these girls have on them is also depicted
in the "cartoony" form, "cuteness" emphasizes the vulnerability
of the characters in matters of the heart and these scenes are often interwoven
into the intense competitive atmosphere of a match.
|
|
|
|
The "heroic" is disrupted by Hanamichi's longing
for Haruko.
|
Hanamichi tries to score from a lay-up.
The reader knows he will not succeed because of the way his head is depicted
in the "cartoony" style.
|
As the reader gets familiar with the transformation process, "cuteness"
becomes a signifier depicting the tone of a scene, in the sense that Dick Hebdige
speaks of in Subculture: The Meaning of Style, the "cuteness"
has been co-opted into "the normally hidden set of rules, codes and conventions
through which meanings…are rendered universal and 'given'" (9) When
we see a situation with the "cute" versions, there is an expectation
of humour and the situation is never taken too seriously. An example of this
would be the ongoing rivalry between Hanamichi and Rukawa, the clashes between
them is frequently depicted in the "cartoony" form except when it
is absolutely critical to the main story arc, the more light-hearted rivalry
between players on court is often depicted in this manner, emphasizing the more
sinister rivalries when they are depicted in the "realistic" way.
Another significant use of cuteness in Slam Dunk is in
its role as a mediator of violence, albeit an incomplete one. The violence in
Slam Dunk is displayed in all -out fights and beating up of people. Suzanne
E. Hatty, in her study on Masculinities, Violence, and Culture, quotes
Elizabeth Stanko when she defines violence "as the infliction of 'emotional,
psychological, sexual, physical and/or material damage.'" (Stanko qtd.
in Hatty) and goes on to say that "physical acts are generally viewed as
the paradigmatic case of violence in society." (46) Violence is something
that cuteness is not normally associated with. Indeed Lori Merish defines cuteness
as "'protection' from violence" (189), and explains that the accompanying
rage in such violence "is not usually considered an emotion compatible
with the cute." (189) The effectiveness of the "cute" masking
the "violent" is explained by how cuteness overpowers the whole image
till all the "violent" signifiers are subsumed by the "cute".
 |
Hanamichi beats up his good friends. This happens numerous times in the
series. |
The characters in Slam Dunk frequently get involved in fights
and display violent tendencies but much of this violence is toned down by the
use of the "cartoony" style to depict these fight scenes. The cuteness
in violence is most easily found in the scenes where Hanamichi attacks his regular
groups of friends, where the aftermath shows them with exaggerated bruises on
their heads. Akagi also bruises Hanamichi's head on a regular basis whenever
he acts like an idiot. In all these fight scenes, the "real" versions
of the characters are never shown and we are instead presented with the "cute"
versions carrying out the actions. Several scenes where the players are infuriated
by the action on court are also portrayed in the "cartoony" style,
exaggerating their outraged expressions yet making them laughable. In one situation,
the "cartoony" style is used in the same frame with the "real"
and is, for once, not used to make light of the situation, but emphasize the
pain that the character is going through and, in my opinion builds up the "heroic"
ideal. In the match against the reigning national champions, Hanamichi has suffered
an injury but plays on despite his pain. It is a unique, yet highly effective,
use of the "cute" as a role reversal occurs and the "cute"
is subsumed by the "real".
However, cuteness is conspicuously absent from some violent scenes,
which makes us question the role of cuteness in masking violence in the series.
Before Mitsui rejoins the basketball team, for example, he and his gang members
actually set out to fight the basketball team and destroy their chances of entering
the competition. The fight is shown in all its bloody glory and ends up being
a spectacle of physical violence. Admittedly, it is not gratuitous violence,
the whole fight is an integral part in the storyline of the series but it does
little to condemn the fighting amongst youth.
Rukawa is beaten up by Mitsui's gang. The "realistic" style is used
to emphasize violence and its effects. At a superficial level, it seems as though cuteness is used as
a form of self-censorship, guarding against over-glorifying physical violence,
but in mediating it, cuteness also makes the viewers and readers accept such
cases of violence as trivial. We are made even more receptive to the realistically
depicted fight scenes that also appear. In this aspect, cuteness has very much
enhanced the attractiveness of the series, adding spice and variety to the many
scenes of violence.
The storyline of Slam Dunk is engaging through all 31 volumes
of the Chuang Yi Comics imprint and the 101 episodes of the animated series.
There is character development too; the petty, social misfit we are introduced
to at the beginning of the series has developed into a responsible, honourable
and highly skilled basketball player that is Hanamichi Sakuragi at the end of
the series. Schodt declares, "The real hallmark of manga is storytelling
and character development." (25) However, I disagree, for cuteness is the
most important factor behind the appeal of Slam Dunk. On its own, it provides
aesthetic appeal to Slam Dunk. At the same time, cuteness also works to enhance
the plot and characterization of the series. Without cuteness, it seems highly
unlikely that Slam Dunk would enjoy the widespread popularity that it now enjoys.
Bibliography
1. Hatty, Suzanne E. Masculinities, Violence, and Culture.
Sage Publications, Inc., 2000.
2. Hebdige, Dick. Subculture: The Meaning of Style. London: Methuen,
1979.
3. Izawa, Eri. The Romantic, Passionate Japanese in Anime: A Look at the
Hidden Japanese Soul. 24 Oct 2001
http://www.mit.edu:8001/people/rei/manga-romanticism.html
4. Merish, Lori. "Cuteness and Commodity Aesthetics: Tom Thumb and Shirley
Temple." Freakery: Cultural Spectacles of the Extraordinary Body.
Ed. Rosemarie Thomson. New York: NYU Press 1996.
5. Saya S. Shiraishi. "Doraemon Goes Abroad." Japan Pop!: inside
the world of Japanese popular culture. Ed. Timothy J. Craig. Armonk, NY:
M.E. Sharpe, 2000.
6. Schodt, Frederik. Dreamland Japan: Writings on Modern Manga. Berkeley,
CA: Stone Bridge Press, 1996.
|
