The Official Chi Chi Discussion Thread

[JP]

I don't buy the whole Asian thing. Toriyama intentionally did not comment on the ethnicity of his characters. He intentionally did not set the Dragon Ball world using real geography. And, that's the point. All these different creatures living together. I don't think Toriyama created Dragon Ball specifically geared towards Asians because it was translated to many countries and his character designs are far more diverse than most anime. Dragon Ball does not have an ethnic target audience.

I agree that Chi chi looks Chinese. I've said it before, but it's not my point. My point is that Jamie Chung simply looks Asian and that's enough for people. I don't see her as a fit for Chi chi's character.

The thing is though there aren't "plenty of prospective Asian actresses". Chi chi's role probably requires demanding English dialogue. There are very few Asian female actors that can do that. If that's the case, maybe that's why Jamie was chosen.

Can you imagine a white woman named Chi Chi? Mi Mi. Yes. Fi Fi, yes. Chi Chi? No. LOL

And I'm sure many many many people auditioned for Chi Chi. Jamie just so happened to be who they picked. If sure, though, that her small film credits along with her stint in daytime TV helped. And she is also starring in a new tv series for ABC family.

 

[JP]

Chi-Chi's mother, perhaps?

Or, more canonically, a reimagined version of Grandma Hakkake?

LOL, a more pleasant looking version. :]

 

[Dedpool]

I don't buy the whole Asian thing. Toriyama intentionally did not comment on the ethnicity of his characters. He intentionally did not set the Dragon Ball world using real geography. And, that's the point. All these different creatures living together. I don't think Toriyama created Dragon Ball specifically geared towards Asians because it was translated to many countries and his character designs are far more diverse than most anime. Dragon Ball does not have an ethnic target audience.

Dude, that's just not true. Dragon Ball absolutely had a target audience of Asian readers/viewers in its early debut. Toriyama created his story with Asians in mind for the dominant ethnic group of the cast. Clearly there is a difference in ethnicity between characters like Bulma and Chi-Chi. The difference is likened to that of Asian and Caucasian.

It's so painfully obvious that Chi-Chi is supposed to be everything an Asian person would be in the real world, I don't know how or why anyone could argue otherwise.

I agree that Chi chi looks Chinese. I've said it before, but it's not my point. My point is that Jamie Chung simply looks Asian and that's enough for people. I don't see her as a fit for Chi chi's character.

The thing is though there aren't "plenty of prospective Asian actresses". Chi chi's role probably requires demanding English dialogue. There are very few Asian female actors that can do that. If that's the case, maybe that's why Jamie was chosen.

Well, that's all a matter of opinion, which everyone has a right to. Regardless of which actress was chosen, though, it simply couldn't have been anyone other than someone of Asian descent.

 

[Lobo]

 

[Dedpool]

Cel-shade ftw.

There's the Basho Sen fan. Grandma Hakkake.

 

[Star]

Chi Chi was way cooler before she was just 'Gohan's enraged mom'

 

[JP]

^Agreed. Hope she isn't reduced to that in sequels.

 

[Ryo Jin]

Dude, that's just not true. Dragon Ball absolutely had a target audience of Asian readers/viewers in its early debut. Toriyama created his story with Asians in mind for the dominant ethnic group of the cast. Clearly there is a difference in ethnicity between characters like Bulma and Chi-Chi. The difference is likened to that of Asian and Caucasian.

It's so painfully obvious that Chi-Chi is supposed to be everything an Asian person would be in the real world, I don't know how or why anyone could argue otherwise.

Well, that's all a matter of opinion, which everyone has a right to. Regardless of which actress was chosen, though, it simply couldn't have been anyone other than someone of Asian descent.

Exactly. Just because there is no Asian continent doesn't mean the skin/ethnicity they're based on is automatically null. It's like saying Blade doesn't have to be black just because he's from a world that has vampires, superheroes, and countries named Latveria.

 

[Ryo Jin]

^Agreed. Hope she isn't reduced to that in sequels.

Wholeheartedly agree. As one/some of you said, she kicked ass in Dragon Ball, but became annoying as all Hell in Dragon Ball Z.

 

[Ryo Jin]

don't lie. all oriental asians look the same. there is no difference, lol. i'm korean, and i can't tell the difference until i see their last names. besides..a lot of koreans and japanese people get plastic surgery anyways. it's hard to tell these days.

james kyson lee(a korean dude) plays hiro's friend in heroes. but i'm pretty sure everyone in the world thought he was japanese.

Telling the difference between Orientals without knowing their last name or hearing them speak their native language can be tough.

But as you said, if a person from another orient speaks the other orient's language, that can be tough to tell too, if you don't know the accent of that language that is. Because as far as the world thinking JKL being Japanese? Nope, the Japanese can sure as hell tell by his accent that he isn't Japanese

 

[Lobo]

The rest of us couldn't

 

[Ryo Jin]

The rest of us couldn't

Of course!

 

[Lobo]

Well lets see Dragon ball has

Chinese-Chow Yun fat

Japanese-Eriko tamura

Korean-Jamie Chung and Joon Park

Saiyan-Justin Chatwin

 

[Ryo Jin]

Why do human-like E.T.'s always gotta be white?

 

[Sebastos]

The other Chi Chi thread was deleted?

 

[ant3ros]

Exactly. Just because there is no Asian continent doesn't mean the skin/ethnicity they're based on is automatically null. It's like saying Blade doesn't have to be black just because he's from a world that has vampires, superheroes, and countries named Latveria.

Blade has to be black because the Marvel world is supposed to be set in our world. Plus, it's part of his behavior and character. Dragon Ball is completely different in that it's whole universe is suppose to be a fantasy universe. I know they're both fictional, but Marvel's world has the premise of being a "what if" reality of our universe.

Anyway, I fold in the whole Chi chi has to be Asian discussion. Fine, she has to look Chinese/Asian. I just rather see a better actress at the expense of what I considered minor character details. Chi chi is just less about looking Asian to me.

I just don't agree that any Asian female would work. Maybe, I'm too harsh about Jamie Chung, but something about her bothers me. Maggie Q would be my pick for Chi chi.

 

[tekken]

chi chi being white? haha! well i think bruce wayne should be played by an asian actor since he has small eyes, has black hair, knows martial arts, and is really smart.

but anyways. chi chi is DEFINITELY chinese in the original source material, so why not respect that?

 

[ant3ros]

Who said she should be white? I don't know what people are reading.

You know some white people look "Asian" and some Asian people can look white. Nice stereotyping.

 

[DorkyFresh]

you made such strong arguments and posts against Chi Chi being "Asian" that it kind makes you look like you wanted a non-Asian to play her role. that's why some people think you want a white girl cast as Chi Chi.

 

[Timstuff]

You know some white people look "Asian" and some Asian people can look white. Nice stereotyping.

Yeah, and do you know what they're called? Half asian, half white.

Back in the days of the classic cheap TV western, it was common to get Italians to play natives, because it was assumed that the average TV viewer was too dumb to tell the difference, and because no real natives actually wanted to be in those shows (the ones where they get mowed down by the dozen in every episode). It didn't change the fact that it was laughably fake any anyone who knows a real native American could tell the difference. Some shows also had Italians playing Asians because there was too much racism for real Asians to get hired to play themselves. The point is, it's pretty ******ed in this day and age if you have to get a white person who "looks close enough" to play a certain race when you can just get an actor of that race. "Scarface" may be a classic movie, but no-one ever believed for a second that Al Pacino was a real Cuban.

BTW, wasn't this thread supposed to be Chi Chi and Jamie? How did it come to this?

 

[Superwoman Prime]

"We have in Dragonball an essentially Asian world. To argue against that is ludicrous."

Do you realize how absurd that statement is? When I lived in Asia, I didn't see talking animals and dinosaurs. Dragon Ball is obviously influenced by Japanese and Chinese. That does not set the fantasy world of Dragon Ball actually as Asian. Star Wars is heavily influenced by Asian design and concepts. I suppose that means Star Wars is set in the Asian universe?!

The only absurdity in this thread is your denseness.

Dragonball's setting is ficticious, but clearly based on Asia, whereas Star Wars had minor influences. If this is incomprehensible to you, then there's really nothing we can do to help.

 

[Ryo Jin]

Deathstroke's right. A good example would be Final Fantasy. No crap it's its own world, but the worlds are clearly based on European influences. Keywords: "Influence" and "Based on." You'd have to be blind or very narrow minded not to see that she's clearly influenced/based on that of the Chinese race and culture. Does everything have to be so literal?

Whatever her race is called in the Dragon Ball world doesn't matter to us, because in our world, she would be Asian. What do you call gohan? If you speak English, you'd probably call it "rice" because "gohan" is what it's known as to the Nihonjin/Japanese. Does that mean it's "not rice?" No. If the Dragon Ball world calls rice/gohan something else, does that make it "not rice" to us? No! I ask once again, does everything have to be so literal?

 

[The Professor]

As long as they find someone to portray the character well, I'll be pleased.

 

[ant3ros]

Okay, Does Jamie Chung look like Chi chi or is she just Asian?

 

[JP]

None of the cast looks like their characters.. that would be kinda weird if they did.