[Pharmboy]

As an amateur anthropologist, allow me to say that all of those Asian women are hot and I do not care which particular country they were born in.

[voletti]

Boy, the chinese seriously hate the japanese, eh?
And yeah, I'd like to second the opinion that all asian (didya mean oriental?) women are hot, regardless of nationality. I'm married to one and I should know ;-)

[blam]

Anthropologist Marvin Harris says that the Japanese practice of 'white-face' is an attempt to emulate the ancient royals who were Caucasian. A study (see below) done by Dr Loring Brace seems to lend some support to that statement.

The Samurai And The Ainu

"Findings by American anthropologist C. Loring Brace, University of Michigan, will surely be controversial in race conscious Japan. The eye of the predicted storm will be the Ainu, a "racially different" group of some 18,000 people now living on the northern island of Hokkaido. Pure-blooded Ainu are easy to spot: they have lighter skin, more body hair, and higher-bridged noses than most Japanese. Most Japanese tend to look down on the Ainu."

[Tax-chick]

and the actresses who play them Chinese.

BWAHAHAHA! The Japanese are angry because Japanese are being played by Chinese women ... and the Chinese are angry because Chinese women are playing Japanese! Actually, I suppose it reflects hostilities lingering from WW2 and earlier, and is something of a serious matter, even if this manifestation is trivial.

My Japanese instructor in college said that she thought the most beautiful women in East Asia were Chinese, fwiw. And Gong Li is one of the most beautiful alive today, in my opinion.

[firewalk]

.

[Kirkwood]

It is true that geisha are not prostitutes, but they are what we in the western culture would probably call mistresses. One thing that differs from our concept of a mistress is that they are organized in a brothel-like group where they train to become geisha. While it is also true that there is a cultural aspect to their activity, the main activity for them has always been as sexual partners. It is somewhat disingenuous to deny that. BTW, if you are so inclined, there are plenty of regular prostitutes in Japan. All you have to do is ask for an escort or simply go to a brothel.

[SteveMcKing]

"How outrageous, to sleep with a Japanese man for money. She has humiliated all Chinese,"

Wendy Smith was arrested and charged with misdemeanor shoplifting. She has shamed and humiliated every American living, in country and overseas.

We must all now face Hari-Kiri and kill ourselves to save national pride.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

"...directed by an American and shot in California, not Kyoto, their traditional home."

I betcha these geisha know the Kyoto protocols.

[SouthernFreebird]

I've never heard of a Geisha without a white face. What was the purpose of taking that out?

[yarddog]

I never thought oriental women were very attractive but there are exceptions. I used to work at a large Summer Resort and we would have maybe 25 Japanese students work every Summer. Most of them were not attractive but there would always be one looker in the group. Usually a small petite one.

I personally think the most beautiful girls are from the American South. If forced to select one place I would say South Carolina.

[NYCVirago]

Critics say the film's dancing looks all wrong and the kimono has been "sexed up". The geisha's white make-up, which foreigners might find scary and unattractive, has also been dropped.

But what's the story with the blue-eyed Asian in the movie ads? I'm surprised nobody seems to be squawking about that.

[joebuck]

You mean Asians are just now figuring out that Hollywood lies and has nothing to do with reality? Please, nobody tell them that Jim Carey really isn't an authentic pet detective.

[lilylangtree]

Didn't Miyoshi Umeki play a Chinese peasant in the 60s "Flower Drum Song" and played a Japanese geisha in "Sayonara"? Yet, H'weirdo Bob Marshall couldn't find any Japanese actresses to play a geisha. Hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!

[HitmanLV]

But in Japanese "geisha" means "person of art" and the girls see themselves as guardians of such traditions as the tea ceremony, flower arranging and poetry.

Yea, and the women hanging around the bars at the Bellagio at night call themselves social workers. :-)

[pinz-n-needlez]

Anybody have any photos of Ken Watanabe they'd like to post?

Zhang Zhi and Michelle Yeoh were great in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Both are beautiful women.

We watched Hero and House of Flying Daggers a couple of weeks ago. Zhi is a stunning athlete!

Pinz

[gaijin]

Most Americans probably won't care about geisha being played by actresses from the PRC, but I think it's really weird.

That they are Chinese and not Japanese is in the front of my mind.

For me, it would be like John Wayne roles instead being played by very prominent, non-english speaking Italians, or maybe Russians.

[AD from SpringBay]

"But perhaps American producers don't care."

Ya think? Us natives in flyover country have known that for years.