The Simpsons episode that came out last Sunday guest voices Lucy Liu. The Simpsons visit China and interesting stuff happens which will surely make it BANNED, especially since Taiwan is on a map in Light Green while China is Crimson for 31 total seconds in a 1 minute scene. Other controversial themes is how all the written Chinese in the episode is in Traditional, not Simplified.
I put up the screenshots of some parts, trying not to ruin the entire episode as there’s much more to it, if you want to get the complete episode, PM/IM me or something.
I posted the screenshots as is from the episode, no stretching, no editing, and no change in text.
Watch the episode for yourself or search via bitor in a place like
“m-i-n-a-n-o-v-a-.-o-r-g-/-t-o-r-/-5-2-5-2-9”. But if thats too troublesome, you could always send me a PM.
Reading too much into the color, and the positioning. That’s quite possibly just a result of the fact that Taiwan is off the the right of the map. I mean look at it from a practical point of view - where else would they position the shot there? Plus the guy’s head covers most of the name and part of the island for a massive percentage of that short.
Your point? Christ, the uniformed guy was on for like 1 second, and I don’t see the significance.
Ever been to a gig in Taiwan? I’ve seen bands actually resort to outright telling the crowd to actually respond beyond clapping.
Significance? Is it not entirely possible the artist was just from Hong Kong, or Macau, or Taiwan, or simply doesn’t know simplified?
Your point? Lien Chan spends a lot of time in Taiwan too.
Basically, based on that, I don’t see how you can say the episode is “pan-Green.” It’s not. It’s mocking China. Seperate issues entirely.
OK having watched the whole episode now, I have one response:
You’re freaking nuts.
Honestly, there is no way you could genuinely say that that episode is somehow pro-Taiwanese independence. The closest it comes at all is showing Taiwan seperately on a map, and referencing the invasion of Tibet. It mocks China, particularly by using the standard stereotypes, with a couple of smarter digs thrown in for good measure. But to try and tie it in somehow with Taiwan and the cross-strait situation is just disingenuous at best.
First of all, I said it was Pan Green-ish in flavor, I never said it was pro-Taiwanese Independence. Secondly its a fun episode, I just pointed out some of the sensitive parts and noted that it makes fun of everything in general.
If you ever did any animation a lot of effort goes into the meticulous details. You couldn’t mistakenly draw a green Taiwan and a red China or the other details as a ‘mistake’ considering thats a few thousand frames double checked that we are talking about. Someone consciously made this decision. The episode has a full 31 seconds of Taiwan seperated near the center of the shot, and a few close ups. Equally no other nation is fully shown except Taiwan.
The Chinese Traditional text in this suggest someone from Hong Kong or Taiwan made this, and not from the PRC. That suggests a lot doesn’t it?
Krusty’s Burger of China has his image on the screen for a while as well, not one second. It doesn’t indicate anything except just fun. I don’t know why you are insinuating that I’m insinuating anything about Krusty.
Anyway it was an enjoyable episode about China and it touched upon silently about Taiwan.
PS: Another note is that Lisa is Buddhist so the Tibet comment especially hits home for her.
Did I say it was a “mistake”? No. Did I say anything like that? No I didn’t, so stop making things up.
I really do think that you’re just reading far too much into things, although your hideously inept backpedalling above proves that you’re aware of it too.
Oh, and the Krusty thing - I assumed you meant the guy working for Krusty Burger, not the actual Krusty on the building. My bad. But if you’re not insinuating anything, why point it out? Hmm? And the apparent significance of the person who wrote up the Chinese being from Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan - there isn’t any. There are a huge number of Hong Kong and Taiwanese expats. That’s like looking at a paper written in British English and saying “Ooh it’s not in American, that’s telling!” Which is to say bullshit.
While the episode doesn’t seem to be about TW independence, please note that on the map Taiwan is in bold. South Korea (the only other country named) is not. So Taiwan gets a prominence above S. Korea in the episode and equal prominence with China. The island is also quite a bit larger than it should be. Apart from Korea, no other countries are named at all. The writers clearly know the significance of this. It is not a tiny oversight.
As for the simplified traditional characters, that may have nothing to do with TW, but almost all educated people I have met from HK, Singapore and Taiwan can certainly recognize (and usually use correctly) simplified characters. It ain’t difficult, and the writers clearly knew the story would take place on the mainland. So it is a snub…although not having anything to do with TW.
I agree with Tetsuo and Poagao. The writers are poking fun at China. Period. Any reference to Taiwan is purely on those terms and nothing else. It has absolutely nothing to do with “pan-green Simpson writers.” :loco:
[quote=“tomtom taiwan”]While the episode doesn’t seem to be about TW independence, please note that on the map Taiwan is in bold. South Korea (the only other country named) is not. So Taiwan gets a prominence above S. Korea in the episode and equal prominence with China. The island is also quite a bit larger than it should be. Apart from Korea, no other countries are named at all. The writers clearly know the significance of this. It is not a tiny oversight.
As for the simplified traditional characters, that may have nothing to do with TW, but almost all educated people I have met from HK, Singapore and Taiwan can certainly recognize (and usually use correctly) simplified characters. It ain’t difficult, and the writers clearly knew the story would take place on the mainland. So it is a snub…although not having anything to do with TW.[/quote]
Actually South Korea is in bold too, zoom in on the image and you’ll notice that its in thicker than normal size (after all they animated this). Its just that the font is smaller so its not as noticable.
Tetsuo: I said it was “Pan Green Ish”/“Pan-Green” and in that it takes my side that we don’t really like China’s actions of recent history. Anyway whatever its just my opinion, respect it instead of calling me nuts. I did ask you respectfully on what I should do to make it more fair, not bash it. (show by example please!)
PS: Read my comment, I thought Krusty actually looked good in a communist uniform. It was funny and a nice touch actually which is why I included it.
So what you mean is “anti-China” rather than “pan-Green”, right? Then why use a term directly tied to Taiwan, thus immediately skewing the perceptions of your opinion, and why use one, on a site called “Taiwanese Independence” so inextricably linked with the Taiwanese independence movement?
I think you’re just backpedalling after being called out rather than fawned over like your comments list did.
Oh, and on the “use examples” thing? Read my long list, the post before the one you’re fixating on. Plenty of practical, reasonable explanation there, which you’ve totally ignored, with the exception of my misinterpreting your comment on Krusty.
Seems The Simpsons is not so different from the US governement… using Taiwan as a stick to poke China with. Obviously they are pointing out the fact that Taiwan is not part of the PRC, though whether that means they support Taiwan independence is as unclear as it is irrelevant. The enemy of your enemy is not always your friend and so on.
I have to agree with Tetsuo in that the show is much more anti-China than pro-Taiwan. I don’t have the episode here at work, but maybe one of you guys can see whether Tibet or the Aksai-chin was included within China’s borders or not?
Pan-green? Nah, maybe a slight greenish tinge around the edges I’d say. Politics aside, it was funnier than anything our friend (sic) Jackie Chan has ever done.
Tetsuo… Taiwan Independence is my website and I took those screenshots on my own, where else would I put the pictures? Again you’re not giving constructive criticism thats really useful except save for one, except thats my opinion. Instead there is the implication that maybe I shouldn’t have posted anything in the first place. Its my opinion so you should respect it, and again it is directly tied to Taiwan. This is a Taiwan involved forum, and they drew Taiwan on a big map.
I’m okay with your opinions, but I’m not okay with you calling me a crazy here just for expressing my interpretation.
I agree in the sense that its about China, not Taiwan, thats why I wrote that its ideals is “Pan-Green-ish”, notably many of the anti-PRC sentiment. Would it make you happier if I removed that?
Anyway I’m not going to repeat what I think anymore.
Why do you keep double posting? The edit button is there for a reason. Please be friendly otherwise other people may shy away from this forum.
Obviously they are pointing out the fact that Taiwan is not part of the PRC, though whether that means they support Taiwan independence is as unclear as it is irrelevant. The enemy of your enemy is not always your friend and so on.