CAPTION: The above image is from the series Ookami-Shojo to Kuro-Ouji which translates to "Dog-Girl and the Black Prince." Going by the title alone, this series sounds pretty misogynistic. And it is. The black-haired ("dog") girl, Erika, lies to her popular friends about having a boyfriend because of the enormous peer pressure to have one. But one day they come close to finding out the truth, so she enlists the help of the most popular boy in school (the "Black Prince"), Kyouya, to be her fake boyfriend. He agrees, but only if she agrees to be his servant. He blackmails her and mistreats her, but she still falls in love with him because of the few instances where he actually is a decent human being. These instances in no way justify or repudiate his actions, yet somehow she lets his past errors slide. On the left, Kyouya explains the sadistic and pretentious reason for why he loves dogs. On the right, Erika goes "woof."
The Subjugation of Female Characters
Female characters are expected to be compliant and self-sacrificing in relation to their male counterparts. In the series Hapi Mari, the female main character, Chiwa, is forced to marry the boss of the company she works at in order to pay off her debts. Her boss, Hokuto, who is egotistical and immature, agrees to the arrangement solely to stop his grandfather, the chairman, from nagging him about getting married. In the image below, Chiwa acknowledges Hokuto’s bad personality yet marries him for the financial security. She grudgingly moves in with him in order to give their relationship some semblance of authenticity and notices upon entering his home how utterly filthy and unkempt it is. The fact that Hokuto lives in the stereotypical messy bachelor pad reveals how men and women are kept to different hygiene standards in addition to sexual ones. Women must be fresh-smelling and clean at all times because these attributes are seen as inherently feminine whereas men are able to be dirtier because it’s masculine. In terms of hygiene, though, it is healthier to be cleaner. In any case, in the very first chapter Chiwa demonstrates how she has the responsibility of developing Hokuto by cleaning his entire house for him and showing him the meaning of cleanliness.
Chiwa agrees to marry Hokuto even though she admits he's a "nasty" person. She is given the role of changing him for the better throughout the series, even though this responsibility is damaging to women and perpetuates the idea that women have to tolerate abuse at the hands of men and that men don't know better than to act abusive.
Chiwa ends up cleaning his house FOR Hokuto, instead of ordering that he do it. The fact that she tidied his house unconsciously illustrates how conventional gender roles (where the woman rather than man is in charge of cleaning) have been so engrained in her she doesn't even need to think to refer to them. Hokuto is so surprised to see his floor, implying that cleaning was such a foreign idea to him that he didn't even bother with it. This heightens the disparity between the two.
Chiwa is stunned that Hokuto would thank her, even saying that this is the first time a man has done so. If this isn't an indicator of inequality, I don't know what is. Her gratitude is bizarre considering that thanking someone is common courtesy. In her thankfulness, the reader can see that she is beginning to soften her image of him and become more accepting of his flaws. This is detrimental to her because it shows that she is accustoming herself to him rather than the other way around or even them getting to know each other.
Moreover, later he makes sexual advances towards her because she trips in front of him while coming out of the shower. She is wearing only a towel and he thinks she is seducing him, justifying his actions by saying they are “married.” She understandably panics and hits him in the face before leaving. He is initially angry because he is used to having the male privilege of being able to accuse Chiwa of seducing him rather than blaming his own lack of control, but, upon seeing her tears when she leaves, becomes more aware of her situation. Cue his personal growth! Yay Hokuto!
At the end of the chapter, Chiwa is being hunted by loanshark gangsters after she attempts to file a divorce and go back to her home. She is scared and Hokuto happens to show up to her house to go over paperwork. He asks her if she wants him to save her and she says yes, establishing that he has authority over her. What is utterly aggravating is the gratitude she shows towards him when he scares the gangsters off, as if respectful treatment is unusual as opposed to common human decency. She also shows this bizarre thankfulness after she cleans his house. Her words and attitude reveal an unconscious acceptance of the balance of power between men and women, indicating that women are a gender of obedience.
At the end of the chapter, Chiwa is being hunted by loanshark gangsters after she attempts to file a divorce and go back to her home. She is scared and Hokuto happens to show up to her house to go over paperwork. He asks her if she wants him to save her and she says yes, establishing that he has authority over her. What is utterly aggravating is the gratitude she shows towards him when he scares the gangsters off, as if respectful treatment is unusual as opposed to common human decency. She also shows this bizarre thankfulness after she cleans his house. Her words and attitude reveal an unconscious acceptance of the balance of power between men and women, indicating that women are a gender of obedience.