Like many other eight-year-olds, Liu Yimin's favorite heroes aren't
great scientists, or the national soccer team, or popular Chinese
icons like Lei Feng.
His heroes are two Japanese animated characters who defy their
parents and teachers. Local educators are worried and say that some
of characters may be a bad influence on youngsters.
The characters, Chibi Maruko Chan, a timid 9-year-old girl, who
easily forgets unhappy events and is known for being muddle headed,
may seem harmless, but it is the character of Xin San which has the
authorities worried.
Xin San, an arrogant kindergarten student, bullies the weak,
battles the strong, and constantly lusts after women - lots of
women.
"I
think the content of these shows is too mature for children," said
Zhang Jinlian, director of the Shanghai Children and Juvenile
Psychological Guidance Center.
She said many students like to imitate the actions of these cartoon
kids, causing trouble in the classroom and at home.
Zhang would like to see steps taken to prevent children from
reading books and watching videos and VCDs about Xin San, but the
cartoon kid is just too popular to be avoided.
"I
like both of them, because they are not what school teachers order
me to be like," said Liu. "They think, talk and live in a free
style."
Many of his classmates feel the same. "They do funny things that I
don't dare try, but I feel very sympathetic toward them when they
are scolded by teachers and parents," said Xiong Wenjia, Liu's
classmate at the No. 2 Key Primary School of Luwan District.
"Children are easily influenced, but I can only ask them not to
read the comics in school," said Fu Yiwei, a teacher at the
school.
Fu, like other teachers, worries that the Japanese figures are too
far from the traditionally bright children that star in
made-in-China cartoons.
"Most Chinese models are intelligent and courageous, but the
standard of cartoon characters has never changed since my
childhood," said Xu Guangxin, a psychologist in his 50s, adding
Chinese cartoons are instructive to young children.
But today's kids don't want to be instructed, they want innovative
cartoons with characters who are a little rebellious, Xu pointed
out.
Sales of books and VCDs of the two cartoon series, plus viewer ship
levels of the "Chibi Maruko Chan" on Shanghai TV prove that a
little rebellion is very popular with local youngsters.
Unfortunately, children are picking up those rebellious
attitudes.
Zhang said that many children now bully their parents into buying
them a new toy - a trick that they picked up from Chibi Maruko
Chan. Even worse, she said, some young boys lustfully gaze at their
girl classmates.
(eastday.com November 29,
2001)