Hamada - Tumblr Posts
Finally got around to playing my Big Hero 6 DVD, and I'm 99.9% sure that that's baby Tadashi with Asian okaasan and Asian otosan behind Hiro.
Can we please say YES to no white washing? :D
On a side note, I understand that some of you think that they could be his grandparents, but please consider how that would change the impact of this scene. Would Hiro be reunited with his entire family anymore? Is this scene as poetic or meaningful if they are his grandparents? Does it make sense to portray Hiro's grandparents over his actual parents? Does a childhood picture of Hiro's dad/Cass's husband make sense in context of the rest of the photos on the wall? Wouldn't it make more sense if was a treasured childhood picture of Tadashi, given how Tadashi loved and thought of his parents often?
Yes, I completely agree that the people depicted could be his grandparents, but it's my honest opinion that that interpretation is not as profound and revolutionary as what it could be. In context of the movie, that scene becomes much more poignant and symbolic, and, in context of the real world, Hiro would become a much more relatable figure to all Asian American youth.
For many Asians, it would be comforting to know that we don't have to be white in order to be seen. It would be comforting to know that our identities have validity beyond being white. It would be comforting to know that whiteness needn't define our lives. This may be a small detail, but it is critical in so many regards
I have never been a fan of rejecting things that aim to further representation. Afterall, nothing is perfect, and it's not constructive to the conversation. If you find that something could be improved on, bring it to focus and provide an alternative. Wallowing in discontent without any action is just as bad as complacency. That being said, this post is simply my attempt at offering an alternative lens through which we can view a beloved movie. For all its flaws and weaknesses, I still love it for what it embodies. Big Hero 6 is a movie with a lot of heart, and beyond issues of representation, its story is universal: love transcends all obstacles, and what is lost need not be forgotten.
Read my thoughts on why this matters here:
http://lewion.tumblr.com/post/110247950255/big-hero-6-and-whiteness
My thoughts on why this is possible: http://lewion.tumblr.com/post/110248339070/no-i-dont-think-hiros-been-whitewashed-at
Why we should be critical: http://sunrisah.tumblr.com/post/101423965579/an-asian-american-i-used-to-be-excited-for-big
And the importance of remaining constructive: https://medium.com/thinking-and-rethinking-race/a-response-to-why-freshofftheboat-is-not-asian-america-s-saving-grace-9ff202edd54b