Kai-Lan’s eyes
I have only watched a few episodes, though I’ve got them all taped. But, so far I like it. It’s got a nice mix of teaching basic Mandarin words and showing some cultural stuff and teaching some nice little life lessons.
But, of course, there has to be controversy. Right?
The controversy is that Kai-Lan’s eyes are great big round eyes. There are some who are offended by this, feeling that it is somehow implying that round eyes are better than almond shaped eyes.
However, I’ve peeked in on a few conversations where Asians are talking about this, and many of them say they’d have been offended if Kai-Lan’s eyes had appeared “slanted”. So I don’t think Nickelodeon could have done anything that would have completely avoided a controversy on this one.
But then others point out that the humans on Sagwa have realistic eyes and no one has gotten upset about that.
I don’t really think I have an opinion on this one. To me, Kai-Lan’s eyes look like anime eyes, and I’ve never heard anyone complain about the shape of the eyes in anime drawings. That’s not to say no one’s ever complained, just that I’ve never heard it. Of course.
GlitterGirl hasn’t mentioned it. If she does, we’ll talk about it. With me mostly listening, and trying to ask the right questions to help her find her own answers. I don’t think I’m really all that qualified to have a strong opinion on this one, honestly.
Meanwhile, this isn’t something that’s big on my radar. I’m not ready to discount it or give it energy at this point.
What about the rest of you? Does anyone have an older child out there that has noticed it? How has the conversation about it gone?
February 19th, 2008 at 9:07 am
I don’t think her eyes make the difference. We have lived in Japan for 7 years and all the cartoons and even all the dolls are made with big brown round eyes and not almond shaped eyes. I watched an episode I downloaded from I-Tunes and watched it with my friends dd (who happens to be adopted from China) and not once did she ask about her eyes being different-she just asked if we could watch it again and for the next 2 hours that is all we lwatched and listened to as we played. I wish there were more episodes out.
February 19th, 2008 at 9:29 am
Reminds of typical Japanes anime stuff. I think some people just need something to be offended by on a daily basis. Especially us white folks who need to be offended for others. LOL!
February 19th, 2008 at 9:38 am
My husband and I are 30something-wanna-be-parents. Due to the writer’s strike, it’s hard for us to find something to watch, so we’ve viewed every “Ni Hao, Kai-Lan” episode. (Sad, isn’t it?) Anway, we noticed Kai-Lan’s eyes and just figured that they were just going for an anime look. I’m a lot more interested in how Kai-Lan gives a lot of thought about other’s feelings rather than the shape of her eyes.
For anyone with DirectTV, “DirectTV on demand” has more Kai-Lan that you can download for free. There’s a music video and some trailers… as well as all of the episodes that have been on the air thus far.
February 19th, 2008 at 9:38 am
Being a fan of anime I can tell you that that is how Japan and probably Chinese artists draw cartoons. Usually big large eyes and hair colors you would never find in nature. A point of interest is that in anime the characters with the small eyes are portrayed usually has the bad guys while the innocent good natured characters have large eyes.
February 19th, 2008 at 9:41 am
I did notice it immediately –was surprised but not offended — just wondered what the decision behind it had been. I would think Nick did some serious research and consideration before they made the decision and would have a statement ready to support it — would be interesting.
LID 3/14/06
February 19th, 2008 at 10:00 am
A little OT but definitely related… One of my little ones I treat for speech therapy came in yesterday talking about “kicking the dragonboat.” I wouldn’t have had a clue what she was talking about if I had not already seen the NiHao Kai-Lan episode!!! She was singing the song and telling me all about it. VERY COOL. She is no way connected to the Adoption community. She’s one little girl, but it sounds like a hit! Just my 2 cents!
February 19th, 2008 at 10:05 am
All I know is that my three year old LOVE LOVE LOVES it and that’s all that matters to me at this point. She trots around the house saying NiHao to everyone and everything and she tells me that Kai-Lan is from China, just like her! She also sings all the songs and loves the characters. I appreciate all of the good lessons it teaches as well.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:08 am
My daughter doesn’t seem to notice, but I know that an acquaintance of mine had her (Caucasian) kids watch it…they just started preschool with a little girl of Chinese descent and were asking lots of questions about why her eyes were different. Our friend explained it pretty well, I thought (everyone looks different, and that makes us special… yes, she can see just like we do), and then put on Ni Hao Kai-Lan to show her. Her daughter insisted that Kai-Lan didn’t look anything like her friend because her eyes were so big.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:21 am
Here is a real “hip” question for the group.
What exactly is “anime?” I keep seeing it references to some cartoons– some seem to be more adult themed cartoons. Is it a drawing technique?
Honestly, I don’t think anybod’s eyes look the eyes that come with the anime characters.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:25 am
I don’t think it’s a huge deal, but I kind of wish she looked more Asian. My 3.5 year old asian daughter and I have laughed about how she looks more like Dora than Kai-Lan.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:30 am
I didn’t notice it until people on RQ pointed it out. I think she looks “anime”. Our daughter’s eye shape actually looks more like Kai-Lan’s eye shape, actually. The shape of Kai-Lan’s eyes does not bother me in the slightest - and apparently is completely uninteresting to our daughter (17 months old this Friday), as she has no interest in the show at this point. She does still love her Doodlebops, though.
Tracy
February 19th, 2008 at 10:46 am
I have been criticized in other threads for saying that I wished Kai-Lan’s eyes were more almond shaped. I have taught diversity education for 10 years and have concerns that Kai-Lan’s eyes, while in keeping with anime, is not going to help white children respect/understand/appreciate Chinese American culture because preschoolers (mostly white preschoolers) are not going to recognize Kai-Lan as Chinese American (or Asian). Preschoolers classify people based on one (or maybe two) physical characteristics because of where their cognitive development is. Right or wrong, eye shape is the major criteria preschoolers use to determine whether someone is Asian (just like young children often call a boy with long hair a girl) My concern (or issue or whatever you want to call it) is that because of the anime eye shape- white kids are going to miss a big chunk of the diversity message. And I think katienmaggiesmom’s story a couple of posts ago shows that my concerns might be somewhat justified.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:47 am
That’s just how they draw eyes on the “good guys” in anime style shows.
A friend has Barbies from many Asian countries, because her brother was stationed someplace over there for 9 years and traveled a lot. ALL of them have the big round eyes.
I don’t think it is the big a deal people are making of it. People should take a look at how children’s books and cartoons from China, and all over Asia, are drawn. It really is part of the culture and often times symbolic that we don’t get as people outside the culture.
February 19th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Like RQ, I have two adopted daughters from China. DD#1 is 4 years old and from Guangdong province — her eyes are very large and round (we received a lot of comments while in China with her about her beautiful big eyes from the local population). DD#2 is 2 and from Jiangxi province. Her eyes are more almond shaped.
So, we’ve had conversations in our home about the shape of eyes… I use it as an opportunity to talk about how different each one of us is and special that makes us. When my DH and I returned home with DD#1 in 2004, we were told more than once that she looked Latino and not Chinese. My response was, “you’ve not been to China then!!” I’ve noticed with time and the fact that there are a lot of adopted children in our area (Indianapolis) that those comments have mostly ended. I find it difficult to be offended though- what do American cartoon children look like? Not like I did as a child. How different to Americans look from one another? China’s population is much larger…….
Kai Lan really hasn’t took off with my girls. I’m taping each episode, but unless I mention it they don’t request to watch her. But that could be that the girls recently discovered Max and Ruby (”why are the bunnies different colors?” “why don’t Max and Ruby have a Mommy and Daddy?”).
February 19th, 2008 at 11:25 am
All I can really say is that my 4 year old and 1 year old China-born daughters LOVE Kai-Lan, and my very observant 4 year old hasn’t mentioned the shape of her eyes. Maybe that’s because her 1 year old China-born sister has very big, round eyes! Yep, I have a Chongqing Spicy Girl with round eyes. Of course, she has round cheeks and a round belly - ha! We love the show.
OT ~ our TA is on its way! We’ll be traveling for our Guangdong guy very soon!
Blessings~
February 19th, 2008 at 11:51 am
I think that our girls understand their culture enough that they can recognize Kai-Lan as Chinese independent of her eye shape. I am not sure that white children will though. And maybe to most people, it doesn’t matter if other kids get it as long as our kids do. I really hope that Kai-Lan can be springboard that I can use (both as a parent and an early childhood educator) to help the white peers (who may not have much experience with diversity) make those links between themselves and their peers of color. For an educational/developmental standpoint- I think that the anime style (no matter how traditional it is) makes it a little more difficult.
And I am not sure there really is a controversy or people are making a big deal about it. People have expressed opinions on both sides, but I haven’t heard anyone (including me) say the show wasn’t good, or it should be boycotted or we should all write letters to Nick because of her eyes or anything. I think it has simply been a discussion of what is the goal of the show and who is it designed to reach and what is it designed to teach.
February 19th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
I know some people in this industry. you can bet that the eye shape was done dozens of times and tabled for disscussion many times along with some limited testing of parents and kids. FYI CCAA website is down, usualy means they are loading a new news story or something.
February 19th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Calamity4e Says:
February 19th, 2008 at 10:21 am
Here is a real “hip†question for the group.
What exactly is “anime?†I keep seeing it references to some cartoons– some seem to be more adult themed cartoons. Is it a drawing technique?
Honestly, I don’t think anybod’s eyes look the eyes that come with the anime characters.
Anime is the Japanese style of drawing animated cartoons. Although the term is also often used to describe comic book drawings done in the same style, Magna is the more correct term for that. I’m currently taking a class in anime style drawing. As many here have already pointed out, it’s usually the “good guys” that have the larger, rounder eyes. There isn’t a whole lot of variation as a whole in face shape and structure in anime drawing. Most of the expression is given with the eyes, not the rest of the face. Larger, rounder eyes depict youth, innocence, and/or “goodness,” while smaller, narrower eyes convey maturity, worldliness, and/or “wickedness.” Elaborate hair colors and styles, and unusual eye colors (such as pink or purple even!) help tell characters apart.
In Japan, cartoons are not just for children. So, there is a lot of anime geared towards adults. However, it can and is also done for children. Pokeman is a perfect example of anime drawn for children. There, almost all the characters have an overall rounder, softer look to them, to clearly show that it is intended for a young, innocent audience.
February 19th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
My 4.5 YO mentioned the shape of the eyes. She noticed they are “big like mei mei’s eyes.” Our youngest just came home a month ago and does have big, round eyes, though not as round as Kai-Lan’s. I personally just figured it was anime style and wasn’t really offended though I thought it was sort of an odd choice in terms of teaching diversity. In our house I doubt it will make a difference as the 4.5 yo pronounced the show “sorta boring” and has not asked to see any more of the several I have recorded. Maybe our youngest will be interested once she notices the television exists. (I’m in no hurry for that to happen.)
February 19th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Here is interesting article on the show’s creator:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/15/arts/television/15davi.html
February 19th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
I have heard a couple people say that they wished this character had more ‘Asian eyes’, but as the mom to two from China - one of whom has ‘Asian eyes’ and one who has larger round eyes like Kai-lan - I found nothing offensive regarding Kai-lan’s eyes. Afterall, she is a drawn cartoon character. We should be the first to remember that not all Asian people look alike…just look around our own FCC groups!
February 19th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Oh, and here is a neat article on the young lady who is the voice of Kai-lan, and is herself a China adoptee:
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=591289
February 19th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
I think she’s adorable. I’m Asian, lived in Japan for many years while my father was military, and don’t find it offensive at all. Actually her adorable eyes are the first thing you notice. It’s television folks - features have to stand out. She’s a cartoon character who has a big head. So now what - are we saying now that her head is inflated? It’s not a big deal. Cute show which I love!
February 19th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
People have a right to their opinions and I respect that. From the posts I have read most of the kids aren’t having a problem with the eyes of the character. However, it does sound like some have had questions, which is a good thing. It gives us as parents the opportunity to expand on the subject of different cultures and the traits which are unique to them. Like Dora and Little Bill and now Kai-Lan, kids of different backgrounds get to see themselves in these characters. I think it is a step in the right direction.
ps~ I don’t look like Olive Oyl :)
February 19th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
I’ve only watched it once & I did notice that her eyes were round rather than almond-shaped. However, when she blinks or closes her eyes they seem to slant. Altogether though I have to say she doesn’t look entirely Caucasian OR Asian. In fact she doesn’t really look, well, HUMAN, in my opinion. She looks like a big, bubble-headed cartoon character. She’s definately less human-looking than Dora is — I suppose that’s because they were trying to imitate the whole anime style but I can’t imagine any kids really comparing themselves or their friends to her to see whose features she has.
Anyway, it seems like a cute show but I don’t think it’s going to have much effect one way or the other on diversity or Asian identity or anything.
February 19th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
I watched it today and I have to say she does not look that Chinese overall to me. It is almost as if her eyes are ovals up and down. It is a cute show but she really should look more Chinese.
February 19th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
I just want to know how to get that dang theme song out of my head
Tollee Tollee
Tollee Tollee
Ho ho ho ho
Ho ho ho ho
February 19th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
If you watch cartoons much in China (we did) many of them had the round eyes like Kai Lan and yet they are Chinese. At least that was the case on the cartoons we saw. And we watched a good bit because we had two 3 year olds with us…
February 19th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Round or almond shaped eyes, you can’t go wrong by killing your TV set. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under two not watch any television at all.
Here is an article on the detrimental effects of TV on kids:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9806E6DC163CF930A3575BC0A9629C8B63
Having said all that, I will probably purchase the show from itunes and watch it with my kids. It sounds really cool.
February 19th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
The animation is done in China. So Chinese animators are being dissed for not making her look more Chinese? Hmmm…
February 19th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
cungar: I agree. It is like perky on steroids.
February 19th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
This discussion brought back the first time I heard of Dora the Explorer. A clerk at our local donut shop looked at my Chinese daughter and said, “There is a new cartoon on that has a Chinese girl and she speaks Spanish.” I simply replied, “How interesting.”
So . . .
Nancy
February 19th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
I noticed that the eyes didn’t seem very Asian, but I just chalked it up to the type of animation it is.
While I do love learning the new words, I would REALLY love if they had put the spellings up on the screen. Sometimes I can’t tell exactly which sound it is.
Overall, it is a cute show!!! I’m glad they finally got it on TV.
His,
Mrs. U
mommy to Elizabeth, born in Yangchun, Guangdong, PRD
http://www.makingahouseahome.blogspot.com
February 19th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
I have two daughters from China–ages 5 and 1. My 5 year old has VERY almond shaped eyes, and my 1 year old has very round eyes. They are both from Jiangxi.
I asked my 5 year old (the one with the very slanted eyes) if she likes Kai-Lan’s eyes. She said “Yes.” Then I asked if they looked like hers, she said, “No, Kai-Lan’s eyes are brown and mine are black.” That’s the only difference she sees. Very cool.
February 19th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
I would think that if they made them more neutral then be more accepted by toddlers and children. How are Dora’s eyes? Took some childrens ilistration courses at Parsons in NYC a few years back. At that time the man who did where the wild things are had done abook about a kid who took in a baby to live in his cardboard house on the streets. People were less concerned about two kids living on th esidewalk than it being a same sex couple. Of courseit was the adults wh saw it that way. After kids were polled on the book they’re take on it was that the baby needed a friend and somebody to take care of him and he did! So as adults it is easy to get caught up in all the details when the important stuff is what really get’s recognised by the kids. Seems like your kids really like the program and learn something, if they do have questions they are rasied in a safe context and are both are enriched by the dialog of the shared perception of the story and what each see’s in it. Remeber the story of the blind men and the elephant?
February 19th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
I hope people are looking beyond a Nick Jr. cartoon for diversity. Also, we don’t even have cable.
February 19th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
I’m down with that earthmama.
February 19th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
earthmama~ I agree.
However, I think any time there is an opportunity, be it as seemingly insignificant as a cartoon, to expose our children to other cultures, is an opportunity worth taking. I am just finishing a course in Adolescence and Identity and one thing some of the African-American students commented on was a lack of seeing themselves in magazines and television, etc. They could not identify with the white kids in the shows, which were popular at that time. So, I totally agree that I hope people are exposing themselves and their children to other cultures in more significant and meaningful ways. Yet, every little bit helps.
February 19th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Ok maybe I am the only one who thinks this is nonsense about the eyes. If I had a child and he or she had eyes I really would not care about their shape. I would consider myself SO very lucky to have a child, to watch the program with!!!!!!
February 19th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
JOIN YOUR LID GROUP
Totally off the subject but I just wanted to throw it out to remind everyone, as It took me a long time after reading this site that you can join your LID MONTH FORUM . Go to the upper right under Site Navigation and then click on the GENERAL DISCUSSION forum. On the general discussion forum page, click, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE IN A LID GROUP. (This topic will be the topic on this page). On the bottom of this page click on the reply button and state which lid group you would like to be in. The reason I write this is because according to the recent poll 527 March LID have voted, however I don’t think this is as many as in our PRIVATE MARCH LID GROUP. As we get down to it, it might be interesting to know what exact days our lids fall on.
Thanks
February 19th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
cody express…..thanks for posting directins, but I can find the relpy button….is it to the left, right,,,colour etc…help..I askd sometime ago and no one helped me…LID March 2006
February 19th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Hummmm….it is not letting me post….again…
February 19th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
…hummm..not letting me post again!!!
February 19th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
I do not have Chinese daughter (YET) but I do have an almost 4 year old bio son. As soon as he saw Kai-Lan he knew she was Chinese. I casually asked him where she was from and he excitedly said “CHINA…just like Chelsea!” (chelsea is the name I have tentatively picked for my future daughter).
I like the show and do not have any problem with how she is drawn. To me, it’s just the anime style.
February 19th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
If you take issue with her eyes, just look at how big her head is!!!! Just kidding of course. But she isn’t exactly proportionate. Then again neither are Barbie or Dora! My dd, age 2y9m, really likes the show. We, too, have people saying they think our dd is South American and not of Chinese descent. Even native Chinese. And, we say our dd has eyes shaped like a tear drop, not almonds. My dd said, “I not food”! Out of the mouths of babes.
February 19th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
I noticed Kai-Lan’s eyes right away. I figured there would be controversy. Our dd is from Guangxi and her eyes are VERY large and round…not almond-shaped at all. She’ll be two next month and so far, she loves the show.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
I remember when everyone was anxiously awaiting Kai-Lan’s show to air. Finally something for our Chinese children. (although I am still waiting for mine)
Now the show is on and we are not happy about it. The eyes are not right. If the anime is done by Asians and this is their style of art and it is just fine with them why are we so upset??
We should be glad Kai-Lan is not drawn by Pablo Picasso because there is no telling where her eyes would be placed on her body.
Really this is just the anime style. I think the bigger picture is that there is a program on tv for our children to learn from and enjoy.
If it’s not broken fix it until it is. Are we trying to be to politically correct with this show?
February 19th, 2008 at 11:47 pm
My 2 and 1/2 year old dragon dances all around the house. She’s a cleft palate baby who still doesn’t have a great deal of {clear} language BUT boy, does she have ni hao down pat and I’m thrilled! Thanks, Nick Jr.
February 20th, 2008 at 10:49 am
Nai Hao,
I thought her eyes were weird too but that is not my problem with the show. We all, daughter (2 years) , husband, and myself, find the show boring. It does NOT hold our attention like Dora does. I don’t think it will be on very long. Our daughter is rivited to DORA but KAI LAN gets about 3 minutes of her time and then she is off to play with something. It is a big disappointment for us.
February 20th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
My 2 year old daughter LOVES Kai-Lan and has since the first time she saw the show. Her favorite character is the koala, Tolee. The second an episode is over, she wants to watch it again. We watch it every day and she insists we watch it together - which is a good thing, because I’m learning a little Mandarin along the way, too! But I swear, I wake up every morning around 4:30 with Kai-Lan’s super happy songs playing over and over in my brain.
February 20th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
My husband is Asian and he feels the eye thing is just the Anime type eyes that all the characters in the manga books have. Either overly dramatic round or overly dramatic slanted.
February 20th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
I used to be a nanny for a little girl (3 yrs) who said that a group of Asian businessmen on the train looked like my husband, who is Asian. I said ” Why do they look like him” thinking she meant race. Nope, She said “because they are wearing ties like Eddie” Preschoolers are not such deep thinkers about what people look like. I don’t think it really matters what shape Kia Lans eyes are. I also don’t think a TV show should be a major diversity teaching tool, really it is just for fun and entertainment.
February 20th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
My husband wants to know why her head is shaped like a lemon?
Never mind the eyes.