[RacingWolf7957]

Can Non-Japanese actors participate in Tokusatsu series?

[ZeoRangerV]

Of course they can - they have done in the past and will continue to do so.

Not in major roles admittedly, but I can't imagine there are a whole lot of Japanese-fluent non-Japanese actors in Japan looking to appear on what are (for the most part) kids shows.

Of course I could be wrong, but that's the impression I get.

[ElConvoy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeoRangerV

Not in major roles admittedly, but I can't imagine there are a whole lot of Japanese-fluent non-Japanese actors in Japan looking to appear on what are (for the most part) kids shows.

There is that and just the fact that casting non-japanese actors these shows doesnt make sense from a cultural standpoint.

Thing with japan in comparison to say America is that the percentage of people that belong to another ethnicity that live in japan is very small. So of course Toei would want their target audience to identify with the Main Heroes. And the target audience is mostly japanese children and not foreigners. So to reflect that we get a cast that mostly consists of japanese actors.

For a japanese Kid seeing someone that is caucasian or african or anything that isnt japanese is still kinda weird. Its just not something that is part of their everyday lives.

[RacingWolf7957]

What if there was an American actor in Super Sentai?

[Matrixbeast]

Why would Japanese kids think it's weird? Casual English is considered "Cool" in Japan and wouldn't having a character from the "Cool" country would make things more interesting?

[ElConvoy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matrixbeast

Why would Japanese kids think it's weird? Casual English is considered "Cool" in Japan and wouldn't having a character from the "Cool" country would make things more interesting?

Thats the thing. English as a language is pretty hip in japan. But not foreigners themselfs. Characters like Yakumo or Kinji in Ninninger are cool because they use english phrases. If you are a foreigner you mostly get stared at by children because they dont really know what you are or have never seen a foreigner in person.

[Switchblade]

Can and have. Both Kamen Rider Kuuga and Daimajin Kanon had European actors and one of the members of the defense team in Ultraman Max was American - he even spoke in English regularly. Super Sentai has had both a Caucasian Ranger (Kyoryuger) and an American-born and raised Japanese actor (Kakuranger). And then there's Mark Musashi, who was born in Japan but grew up in America and has had several roles in tokusatsu, including some stunt acting.

[GoseiWonder]

Well, you got guys like Ramirez and the Cat SÃ*th Phantom.

[SanoBaron]

There is also the weird phrase of using Japanese. Like, a white person can be born in Japan, and that can make them Japanese and an Asian can be born in America and that makes them American.

[ElConvoy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SanoBaron

There is also the weird phrase of using Japanese. Like, a white person can be born in Japan, and that can make them Japanese and an Asian can be born in America and that makes them American.

This is another interesting situation. They clearly can, but can they really?

It all comes back to cultural circumstances. When we think of a japanese person we wouldnt in a million years picture a caucasian. Same goes for the people living in japan. Its easier to accept someone of asian ethnicity as an american than it is accepting someone of caucasian ethnicity as japanese.