Yeah, definitely youkai=minority. I think I just read them as racial/ethnic minorities because a) Great Cultural Appropriation Thing of DOOM! and b) the fact that they can be distinguished as youkai by a look and that Hakkai and Goku "pass" by disguising their youkai looks.
Obviously, people can tell they're youkai by the youki and whatnot, but it was that part that got me.
I think Minekura's use of youkai as minorities works more for me than Whedon's because of what you say (and because Whedon's was sort of tossed in to some episodes and then completely jossed in others...), but I wish we had more chances to see non-Minus-Wave youkai. I think we get glances in the beginning, and the reader is told about it, but there's still the immediate tendency to see youkai as the enemy because of Gyuumaoh and etc. being youkai.
That said, eeeeeeee, I can't wait till you read more of "Even a Worm"! I don't think it's spoilery to say that it explores the whole youkai issue much more than Minekura has been!
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Re: Finally got my copy
Fri, Jun. 16th, 2006 07:53 pm (UTC)Obviously, people can tell they're youkai by the youki and whatnot, but it was that part that got me.
I think Minekura's use of youkai as minorities works more for me than Whedon's because of what you say (and because Whedon's was sort of tossed in to some episodes and then completely jossed in others...), but I wish we had more chances to see non-Minus-Wave youkai. I think we get glances in the beginning, and the reader is told about it, but there's still the immediate tendency to see youkai as the enemy because of Gyuumaoh and etc. being youkai.
That said, eeeeeeee, I can't wait till you read more of "Even a Worm"! I don't think it's spoilery to say that it explores the whole youkai issue much more than Minekura has been!