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*DrSpengler* · 07-07-2007, 04:09 PM

It's one of those things leftover from Star Trek, I think. Girls have to take on the "Ohura" role, where they read what's on the computer and don't really get into the action.

Transformers Headmasters, the vry first Japanese-written Transformers cartoon, did the same thing to Arcee. You remember Arcee from the American series, she was the aggressive female Autobot who always got in the thick of battle and never needed anyone to bail her out of jams. The Japanese thought that would send a bad example to young female viewers and might inspire them not to become subserviant housewives, so for Headmasters they turned her into Fortress Maximus' secretary. And that's not an exaggeration. She was literally a secretary.

But still, while the chick on the good guys' team is a bit of an "Ohura", there are otherstrong female characters in the show. The lead villain is a girl and one of the bad guys is some chick with a bow and arrow (you can tell she's a chick because she has pink hair!). And there are female guest characters who take a more agressive role on the good guys' side, like that French chick they had to rescue from the prison in that episode I mentioned earlier.

So I wouldn't say Storm Hawks is entirely too stereotypical when it comes to female roles.

07-07-2007, 04:09 PM	#5
DrSpengler Foot Elite Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 4,842	It's one of those things leftover from Star Trek, I think. Girls have to take on the "Ohura" role, where they read what's on the computer and don't really get into the action. Transformers Headmasters, the vry first Japanese-written Transformers cartoon, did the same thing to Arcee. You remember Arcee from the American series, she was the aggressive female Autobot who always got in the thick of battle and never needed anyone to bail her out of jams. The Japanese thought that would send a bad example to young female viewers and might inspire them not to become subserviant housewives, so for Headmasters they turned her into Fortress Maximus' secretary. And that's not an exaggeration. She was literally a secretary. But still, while the chick on the good guys' team is a bit of an "Ohura", there are otherstrong female characters in the show. The lead villain is a girl and one of the bad guys is some chick with a bow and arrow (you can tell she's a chick because she has pink hair!). And there are female guest characters who take a more agressive role on the good guys' side, like that French chick they had to rescue from the prison in that episode I mentioned earlier. So I wouldn't say Storm Hawks is entirely too stereotypical when it comes to female roles.