October 25, 2007: Pikachu private parts

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

She's over reacting.

I agree with this part.

It's not a woman it's a damn cartoon character with an air pressure seal. Anything, anyone sees passed that, is from their own imagination, and the creator is not responsible for that.

But not with this part.
C'mon, when everyone "imagines" the same thing, immediately, you have to admit it is either very strongly suggested or clearly depicted. Face it (so to speak), it looks like a vagina and everyone "got" that straight away. No one has posted asking for an explanation of why we all think it is funny. This is not one of those subliminal symbols which may or may not be there, and which we can argue about. It's there.
I cannot believe that no-one in the design process noticed. The went with it anyway. So they are responsible for it. This doesn't prove it is objectionable, just that they are responsible.

Instead of being an objectionable objectification of female anatomy, it could alternatively be interpreted as a positive statement celebrating and glorifying the female power of pregnancy and birth-giving. (Damn, when did I turn into a postmodernist theoretical feminist? Just how much did that damn tick suck out???)

But I agree with SG that she could lighten up a little. I think it is more funny than objectionable.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by ZenGum

But not with this part.
C'mon, when everyone "imagines" the same thing, immediately, you have to admit it is either very strongly suggested or clearly depicted. Face it (so to speak), it looks like a vagina and everyone "got" that straight away. No one has posted asking for an explanation of why we all think it is funny. This is not one of those subliminal symbols which may or may not be there, and which we can argue about. It's there.

Originally Posted by Undertoad

But somebody didn't give enough thought to how people would enter the Pikachu... or at least didn't think about what it would look like.

You were led.

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

You were led.

I was there already. I reckon you were too.
Are you really saying you needed UT's text to make you notice the resemblance to a vagina?

[xoxoxoBruce]

You were told up front it was amiss, so you were looking for something naughty. Porn is in the mind of the beholder.

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

You were told up front it was amiss, so you were looking for something naughty. Porn is in the mind of the beholder.

Well the first part was true, that I was expecting something dodgy. But even if I hadn't been, I'm sure I would still have made the connection. C'mon, I note you've dodged answering the question - are you really saying you wouldn't have noticed anything odd if you hadn't read the introduction? Really? (If you say yes I'm immediately posting it in the "I can't believe they said this with a straight face" thread )

Porn is in the eye of the beholder? I never argued that this was porn as such (hell I am not turned on by it ... anything you feel like sharing with us? ). Just asking if you thought it was, or could reasonably be viewed as, offensive.
As for being in the eye of the beholder, this is sometimes true and sometimes not. In this case, the resemblance to a vagina I think is not "just" in the mind of the beholder. The reason being that there are some facts which are true for all humans, such as the fact that most vaginas look pretty similar, and this Pikachu fun-house in shape and placement is a pretty close match. Maybe kids wouldn't notice it ... but the vast majority of adults would.
Likewise sexual violence against women is a widespread reality, and can't be dismissed this easily, as being "in the eye/mind of the beholder". It is a fair question if this violence has any connection with this photo.

Dana, good points, although my friend was not "upset" but just found it objectionable. But she is fairly sensitive to things like this, for reasons I won't share here.

On a lighter note, I wonder if "Pikachu fun-house" will soon become a euphemism for vagina. I think it should .

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by ZenGum

Well the first part was true, that I was expecting something dodgy. But even if I hadn't been, I'm sure I would still have made the connection. C'mon, I note you've dodged answering the question - are you really saying you wouldn't have noticed anything odd if you hadn't read the introduction? Really? (If you say yes I'm immediately posting it in the "I can't believe they said this with a straight face" thread )

So if you don't get the answer you want you're threatening to ridicule me? Fuck you. I'm not dodging anything. I don't have sexual fantasies about Jap schoolgirls or cartoon characters.

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

So if you don't get the answer you want you're threatening to ridicule me? Fuck you. I'm not dodging anything. I don't have sexual fantasies about Jap schoolgirls or cartoon characters.

I had hoped that the use of the smiley would convey a non-hostile tone. Seems this didn't work. Sorry.
And I wasn't suggesting that you were having sexual fantasies about Pikachu. Don't straw man me. I was saying that anyone with an adult mind would almost inevitably notice that in shape and position the entrance to the house resembled a vagina.
Meh, if this bothers you lets call Dead Horse on it. I'm getting bored. You can have the last horse-beating.