Kashi 貸し

Why "Ghibli-ness" is not an excuse for Orientalist appropriation of Japanese culture.

• About Kashi 貸し

The goal of Kashi is to educate about the prevalence of Orientalism, specifically in regards to the appropriation of Japanese culture, in the tabletop hobby and industry.It is often disguised as "Ghibli-inspired" work or is folded into otherwise Western fantasy with katanas and ninjas. Nearly all of these instances are done without anyone of Japanese ancestry or from Japanese culture involved in the creative process.This not only removes the significant cultural touchstones that make this media meaningful in the first place, but it further marginalizes the people who can authentically bring this beautiful and rich culture to life and share it in a way that is thoughtful and culturally resonant.Included in this collection are resources about Japanese Americans, as many of the major companies that develop tabletop work from and hire from the United States, which has its own very complicated history with people of Japanese descent.Kashi's goal is not to revoke anyone's ability to love Japanese culture and media, but to educate and implore that creatives, producers, and consumers alike center Japanese voices to play a role in telling their own story.Let Japanese people tell Japanese stories.

Read & Learn

Below are resources to learn about Studio Ghibli, Orientalism, Japanese history, and who is being erased when no Japanese people are included in "Ghibli-inspired" work.

• What is Orientalism?
• Miyazaki's Themes
• Thought Punks Article on "Ghibli-ness"
• Miyazaki: Shinto, Nature & the Environment
• A Brief History of Japanese American Forced Assimilation

Take Action

- Don't buy Orientalist media (Obojima and others)
- Educate yourself and pass it on
- Support Japanese/Japanese diasporic artists
- Call on publishers to be more inclusive in their work
- Support Japanese/Japanese American/diaspora organizations

• Japanese American National Museum
• NO MORE Museum
• Denshō
• Sierra Forever (Manzanar Support)

About Kashi 貸し

Why "Kashi"?

"Kashi" means "loan".Japan has long shared its culture with others through art. This is a loan of cultural knowledge, significance, and history. It is not to be taken away from its cultural siginficance or rearranged for others' use.

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Further Reading

• How D&D Appropriated the Orient
• Animation and "Otherness" : The Politics of Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Identity in the World of Japanese Anime
• Orientalism by Edward Said
• Denshō
• Eating the Other by bell hooks
• Memory, Responsibility, and Anti‐War Pacifism in The Wind Rises
• History of Japanese American Immigration
• Japanese American National Museum

Behind Kashi

Kashi was complied by Cai Kagawa, a yonsei (fourth generation) Japanese American from Los Angeles, CA. Cai is a tabletop professional working as a designer, consultant, and performer. They are most known for their work with TransplanarRPG. Find out more about them here.This resource was created in collaboration with consultants including Christian "Kappa" Galliguez.Special thank you to everyone who contributed their time and knowledge including Kim Tsuyuki, Jien Ogawa and Austin Taylor.

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