Charisma Man
Encyclopedia
Charisma
Man is a fictional character
in a comic strip
of the same name. "Charisma Man" first appeared in the February 1998 issue of The Alien (later known as Japanzine
), a monthly magazine for expatriates in Japan
.
Larry Rodney created the strip and wrote the first eleven installments, which were illustrated by Glen Schroeder. In January 1998, after Rodney left Japan, Neil Garscadden assumed writing responsibilities while Wayne Wilson illustrated. From 2002, Garscadden handed it to another writer, Wayne Wilson. The strip was discontinued in 2006, but in 2009, Rodney and Garscadden announced plans to team up and compile a book of previous strips with new installments.
The strip has been discussed in mainstream English language daily newspapers in Japan
, and a compendium of Charisma Man's exploits is available both in major Japanese bookshops and online.
genre to ridicule the often unjustified self–confidence of some foreign men in Japan. Although something of a loser in his home country Canada
—the home of Charisma Man's creator—when around Japanese people the central character transforms from a skinny nerd
into a muscle-bound hunk, extremely attractive to women
and admired by men. Like other superheroes, however, Charisma Man has one major weakness: "Western Woman". Whenever in the presence of western females his powers disappear and he becomes an unattractive, skinny wimp once more.
"Charisma Man" is thus a statement on the relationships between Japanese and non-Japanese in Japan. According to Rodney:
Although "Charisma Man" does poke fun at the exotic food, weird English, popularity of kawaii icons such as "Hello Kitty
" and many other aspects of life in Japan that foreign residents find strange, the strip mostly ridicules the stereotypes formed by western men about the Japanese, despite Rodney's references to the "filter" through which Japanese view westerners.
Charisma Man's girlfriends, colleagues and employers are depicted as constantly amazed by Charisma Man's "powers": his Japanese language
skills, his ability to drink copious amounts of alcohol and his amazing popularity. Japanese women appear as uniformly attractive, constantly complimentary and, to Charisma Man, easily obtainable. Western women in Japan, meanwhile, are depicted as sour and, in work settings, coldly professional.
From time to time the strip's authors express awareness of the superficiality of such western stereotype
s about Japan, by attributing minor Japanese characters the same "powers" as Charisma Man. In one strip, for example, Charisma Man's girlfriend is depicted as tall and incredibly attractive when no Western woman is present. After Charisma Man's mother arrives for a visit, however, she is depicted as short and somewhat plump.
After Garscadden left the alien/japanzine in 2003, Carter Witt took over writing chores through 2004, when writer and story-boarder Wayne Wilson (same name as illustrator, different person) continued the strip until its final run in 2005.
, a pilot
, a doctor
or a psychologist
in order to ridicule some aspect of expatriate life. Usually the last panel of the strip cut away to "reality", where the "geek" version of the character engaged in mundane activity (usually teaching English) that he had elevated in his dream to a more noble pursuit. Unlike Rodney, Garscadden often displayed Charisma Man in his "geek" incarnation alongside doting Japanese in the last panel.
In later strips Japanese female characters are depicted as openly ridiculing the protagonist without his knowledge. The stories in the strip are thus mainly told from a western Japanese perspective and mostly poke fun at common ideas westerners in Japan often hold about their own superiority vis-a-vis the Japanese.
Charisma
The term charisma has two senses: 1) compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others, 2) a divinely conferred power or talent. For some theological usages the term is rendered charism, with a meaning the same as sense 2...
Man is a fictional character
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in a comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
of the same name. "Charisma Man" first appeared in the February 1998 issue of The Alien (later known as Japanzine
Japanzine
Japanzine is a Japan-based English-language magazine, published by Carter Witt Media. Now 20 years in publication, it is the successor magazine to "The Alien" and caters largely to the expatriate community in Japan...
), a monthly magazine for expatriates in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Larry Rodney created the strip and wrote the first eleven installments, which were illustrated by Glen Schroeder. In January 1998, after Rodney left Japan, Neil Garscadden assumed writing responsibilities while Wayne Wilson illustrated. From 2002, Garscadden handed it to another writer, Wayne Wilson. The strip was discontinued in 2006, but in 2009, Rodney and Garscadden announced plans to team up and compile a book of previous strips with new installments.
The strip has been discussed in mainstream English language daily newspapers in Japan
The Japan Times
The Japan Times is an English language newspaper published in Japan. Unlike its competitors, the Daily Yomiuri and the International Herald Tribune/Asahi Shimbun, it is not affiliated with a Japanese language media organization...
, and a compendium of Charisma Man's exploits is available both in major Japanese bookshops and online.
Concept
"Charisma Man" manipulates the superheroSuperhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
genre to ridicule the often unjustified self–confidence of some foreign men in Japan. Although something of a loser in his home country Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
—the home of Charisma Man's creator—when around Japanese people the central character transforms from a skinny nerd
Nerd
Nerd is a derogatory slang term for an intelligent but socially awkward and obsessive person who spends time on unpopular or obscure pursuits, to the exclusion of more mainstream activities. Nerds are considered to be awkward, shy, and unattractive...
into a muscle-bound hunk, extremely attractive to women
Women in Japan
Gender has been an important principle of stratification throughout Japanese history, but the cultural elaboration of gender differences has varied over time and among different social classes. In the twelfth century , for example, women in Japan could inherit property in their own names and manage...
and admired by men. Like other superheroes, however, Charisma Man has one major weakness: "Western Woman". Whenever in the presence of western females his powers disappear and he becomes an unattractive, skinny wimp once more.
"Charisma Man" is thus a statement on the relationships between Japanese and non-Japanese in Japan. According to Rodney:
Although "Charisma Man" does poke fun at the exotic food, weird English, popularity of kawaii icons such as "Hello Kitty
Hello Kitty
is a fictional character produced by the Japanese company Sanrio, first designed by Yuko Shimizu. She is portrayed as a female white Japanese bobtail cat with a red bow. The character's first appearance on an item, a vinyl coin purse, was introduced in Japan in 1974 and brought to the United States...
" and many other aspects of life in Japan that foreign residents find strange, the strip mostly ridicules the stereotypes formed by western men about the Japanese, despite Rodney's references to the "filter" through which Japanese view westerners.
Charisma Man's girlfriends, colleagues and employers are depicted as constantly amazed by Charisma Man's "powers": his Japanese language
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
skills, his ability to drink copious amounts of alcohol and his amazing popularity. Japanese women appear as uniformly attractive, constantly complimentary and, to Charisma Man, easily obtainable. Western women in Japan, meanwhile, are depicted as sour and, in work settings, coldly professional.
From time to time the strip's authors express awareness of the superficiality of such western stereotype
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
s about Japan, by attributing minor Japanese characters the same "powers" as Charisma Man. In one strip, for example, Charisma Man's girlfriend is depicted as tall and incredibly attractive when no Western woman is present. After Charisma Man's mother arrives for a visit, however, she is depicted as short and somewhat plump.
After Garscadden left the alien/japanzine in 2003, Carter Witt took over writing chores through 2004, when writer and story-boarder Wayne Wilson (same name as illustrator, different person) continued the strip until its final run in 2005.
Stylistic changes
Garscadden injected even more fantasy into certain episodes. Charisma Man imagined himself as an astronautAstronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
, a pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
, a doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
or a psychologist
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
in order to ridicule some aspect of expatriate life. Usually the last panel of the strip cut away to "reality", where the "geek" version of the character engaged in mundane activity (usually teaching English) that he had elevated in his dream to a more noble pursuit. Unlike Rodney, Garscadden often displayed Charisma Man in his "geek" incarnation alongside doting Japanese in the last panel.
In later strips Japanese female characters are depicted as openly ridiculing the protagonist without his knowledge. The stories in the strip are thus mainly told from a western Japanese perspective and mostly poke fun at common ideas westerners in Japan often hold about their own superiority vis-a-vis the Japanese.