Much of the focus of this blog over the past few years has been a combination of a few specific things. I've been examining current films and entertainment, specifically how they relate to my personal growth, the shift of perception of fandom over time and the role of the people behind these fictional worlds.
I wanted to make a video a few years ago discussing a difficult topic, but I never felt compelled to go through with it. It was something along the lines of how our feelings about art are connected to the people who make the art that we love. The biggest example in my mind for many years was Mel Gibson. I have loved many of the characters he's played and the films he's directed. However, when I was in high school, he was revealed to have some negative characteristics. He said some racist things and it was suggested he may have been abusive. This did alter the perception of Gibson and his career hasn't ever fully recovered from it. However, I now know that Mel Gibson, to some varying degree, is not like the characters he portrays and does not expose all the great ideas of the films he's been involved with.
In the years since that time, we've become a culture is tries to be much more sensitive to others and aware of issues that continue to plague our society. I think that, in general, this is a good thing. How else are we going to improve if we don't stop ignoring issues of racism, sexism, abuse, violence, harassment and rape? It's uncomfortable but I think that's why these issues still continue to be a problem. People don't like to hear about it, especially if it's someone they know. I can be difficult to deal with, but awareness must continue. It's a good thing that people are coming forward with these issues.
It seems that one area of our society that has been exposing more dormant issues has been in the entertainment industry specifically. People have been coming forward and expressing issues regarding instances of racism, homophobia and sexual harassment. I think the first one to real shock us recently was with Bill Cosby. For many, he was figure of wholesome comedy and good values. So the revelation that this man had a pretty bad dark side probably had a big effect on many people. I know so many grew up watching his shows and certainly some emotions tied in with those experiences. It's what we do. Entertainment and the arts can be a great way to help us understand our world. They can also be a much needed escape. It's understandable that have this idea tainted may have been difficult for some to accept. That is the hard reality though. Nobody is perfect. People can do some pretty terrible things.
Since then, many celebrities have come under fire for past misdeeds and even consistently recurring ones. I want to emphasize that this is a good thing. I think the one that caught my attention the most was Kevin Spacey. I've enjoyed many of his roles and this could alter my perception of some of this films. This is finally bringing me to my main point. I find the revelation of these bad deeds to be disappointing and often very sad. I feel bad for the victims and I feel disappointed in people I looked up to in some way. However, I don't know if any revelation has been relevant to the mediums I enjoy that the news regarding Vic Mignogna.
The original video idea I had years ago was on the question of how the perception of those who create art affects who we perceive and enjoy the art. If I found out that one of my favorite writers, directors, actors or musicians was a murderer or something, could I really enjoy what they create? Obviously that's an extreme example, but it's a legitimate question. I might love a film or franchise due to my emotional connection to it, but could the work be ruined for me? Should it be? Would it be morally acceptable for me to like it after learning about such things? Does that make me a bad person? I think the answer is different for every work, revelation and consumer.
Vic Mignogna is a voice actor who's pretty well know among Western anime fans. His two best know voice roles are as Broly in Dragon Ball and, more famously, his portrayal of the main protagonist of Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric. For anyone who's followed this blog, or my Youtube channel or knows me personally, these two shows are kind of a big deal for me. Even before I was really a fan of the anime medium, these two shows were important. I grew up with Dragon Ball Z and have many fond memories of that show. In later years it inspired me explore the deeper reasons why such a show has endured, examining the world and its characters. FMA is pretty much my favorite anime. At least within the shonen demographic, I believe FMA has some of the best character writing and some really powerful universal themes that have legitimately impacted my philosophy on life. It was very important for me to view as a teenager. Considering these roles are the only ones I really care about for Mignogna, I can't say I'm a diehard fan of him specifically. Although, I recently discovered he was behind a project to create fan films of the original Star Trek series. These were some of the best fan films I've seen. So I was actually starting to appreciate his work more when I found out about these acquisitions. I honestly was once again sad and disappointed.
However, it's important to remember that I love the ideals exposed in things like Star Trek, Dragon Ball and Fullmetal Alchemist.
