Belldandy

Infobox character
name = Belldandy
series = Oh My Goddess!
color = #ccccff

caption = Belldandy and her Angel Holy Bell
first = Chapter 1
creator = Kosuke Fujishima
lbl1 = Seiyū
lbl2 = Voice actress
data1 = Kikuko Inoue (adult)
Akemi Okamura (mini eps 1-13)
Yumi Touma (young in anime)
Mio Shionoiri (young in movie)
data2 = Juliet Cesario (OVA)
Bridget Hoffman (Movie, Mini)
Chloe Thornton (Movie) (child)
Eileen Stevens (TV)
info-hdr = Profile
gender = Female
species = Goddess
born = "Unknown"
extra-hdr = Information
lbl31 = Rank
data31 = First class, second category, unlimited license
lbl32 = Dimension
data32 = 10th (Yggdrasil)
lbl33 = Elemental Affinity
data33 = Wind, Air
lbl34 = Angel
data34 = Holy Bell,
Blue Lance (temporary)
sep = :
tbl-class = infobox bordered
lbl-style = style="white-space: nowrap; font-size: 80%" bgcolor="#e6e9ff" align="right"
data-style = style="font-size: 80%"

nihongo|Belldandy|ベルダンディー -|Berudandī is a character in the popular manga "Oh My Goddess!" (OMG) and in the anime of the same name. She was created by Kosuke Fujishima as one of three Goddesses who come to Earth to reside with Keiichi Morisato, and she serves as his love interest. She is depicted as a beautiful and powerful young woman, with strong nurturing tendencies, a trusting and innocent character, and an extremely kind heart. Belldandy is accidentally summoned from heaven by Keiichi in order to grant him a wish and stays when Keiichi wishes for "a goddess like you to be by my side forever".cite book | last = Fujishima | first = Kōsuke | chapter = The Number You Have Dialled Is Incorrect | authorlink = Kōsuke Fujishima | title = Oh My Goddess! (manga) | volume = 1 | isbn = 1-59307-387-9 | publisher = Dark Horse Manga | year = 2005 | pages = p. 11 ] The stories follow Belldandy as she builds a relationship with Keiichi, using her powers (which include teleportation, telekinesis and levitation) to help both Keiichi and his friends while keeping her true identity a secret.cite journal | last = Lavin | first = Michael R | year = 1998 | title = A librarian's guide to dark horse comics | journal = Serials Review | volume = 24 | issue = 3-4 | pages = p. 92 ]

Her first appearance was in "Afternoon" in August 1988, and the manga has now been running for almost 20 years and has over 200 chapters. Belldandy has also featured in a novel, two TV series, a movie, and in an (OVA) series. The character has gained considerable respect throughout the various formats, as evidenced by her appearance as one of the most popular characters in the "Newtype" and "Animage" polls. The concept of Belldandy draws loosely from Norse mythology, with "Belldandy" being a transliteration of the Old Norse "Verðandi", one of a trio of Norns. She is joined by characters representing the other two of the trio of Norns — her sisters Urd and Skuld.

Belldandy is regarded by commentators as an example of the magical girlfriend character,cite book | last = Napier | first = Susan J. | title = | year = 2005 | publisher = Palgrave Macmillan | pages = p. 195 ] and comparisons have been drawn with the characters of Samantha from "Bewitched" and Jeannie from "I Dream of Jeannie". The character's very conservative nature, however, which almost completely subordinates her to her fictional boyfriend, Keiichi, has led to some concerns from critics and has polarized the audience.

Creation and conception

Belldandy was created by Kosuke Fujishima and features as one of the two principal protagonists in the manga Ah! My Goddess! (ああっ女神さまっ) (along with the character of Keiichi Morisato). Her first appearance was in the comic "Afternoon"cite book | last = McCarthy| first = Helen | authorlink = Helen McCarthy | year = 2006 | title = 500 Manga Heroes and Villains | publisher = Collins & Brown | pages = p. 95 | ISBN = 1843402343 ] on August 25, 1988, but she has also been depicted in a novel ("Ah! My Goddess: First End"), three anime series — "Oh My Goddess!" (OVA), "Ah! My Goddess" and "The Adventures of Mini-Goddess" — and in "".

Belldandy's original concept was loosely based on a depiction of Miyuki Kobayakawa, one of the main characters of "You're Under Arrest", which was also created by Kosuke Fujishima. Miyuki was featured as a goddess in an advertisement for a "You're Under Arrest" t-shirt giveaway and appeared as a goddess character in a "four panel gag strip" in the "You're Under Arrest" manga,cite web | last = Ulmer | first = Jeff | title = Oh My Goddess! #1 (Review) | work = Digitally Obsessed | date = October 05, 2001 | url = http://www.digitallyobsessed.com/showreview.php3?ID=1653 | accessdate = 2008-04-09 ] leading to claims that "Oh My Goddess" is a spin-off series.cite web | last = Gubbins | first = Paul | title = "You're Under Arrest" TV series FAQ | work = Anime on DVD | accessdate = 2008-03-31 | url = http://www.animeondvd.com/specials/primers/yuaprimer.php Dead link|date=October 2008]

Naming and Norse origins

Fujishima was particularly interesed in the concept of a goddess "as a job", and turned to Norse mythology as he felt that it was relatively unknown in Japan.cite book | last = Fujishima | first = Kosuke | authorlink = Kosuke Fujishima | date = February 7, 2007 | chapter = Letters to the Enchantress | title = Oh My Goddess! | volume = 4 | publisher = Dark Horse Manga | location = Milwaukie, OR | isbn = 1-59307-623-1 | pages = p. 187 ] Thus Belldandy is based on "Verðandi" (or "Verthandi"), the Norse Goddess of the present, (whose name is literally translated as "to become" or "becoming"), and she is one of the three Norns or "fates" from Norse mythology.cite journal | last = Stephens | first = John | coauthors = Bryce, Mio | year = 2004 | title = 'Nothing dirty about turning on a machine' — Loving your Mechanoid in Contemporary Manga | journal = Papers: Explorations Into Children's Literature | volume = 14 | issue = 2 | pages = p. 50 ] Verdandi, when translated into Japanese, becomes ベルダンディー ("Berudandī"). As the Japanese phonetic system does not distinguish between "b" and "v" or "r" and "l", "Belldandy" can emerge as a product of consonant substitutions.cite journal | last = Stephens | first = John | coauthors = Bryce, Mio | year = 2004 | title = 'Nothing dirty about turning on a machine' - Loving your Mechanoid in Contemporary Manga | journal = Papers: Explorations Into Children's Literature | volume = 14 | issue = 2 | pages = p. 52 ] Indeed, it was in the first chapter of the manga that her name was transliterated as Belldandy rather than Verdandi,cite book | last = Fujishima | first = Kosuke | authorlink = Kosuke Fujishima | year = 2005 | title = Ah! My Goddess Complete | volume = 1 | publisher = Kodansha | location = Tokyo | isbn = 9784063349276 | pages = p. 7 ] and this romanization has stuck since. When the English translations were being prepared, Toren Smith considered returning the name to "Verthandi", (which Smith had determined to be the correct translation of the Old Norse), but chose to stick with Belldandy on the grounds that Fujishima was already "playing fast and loose with the mythos" and thus felt that no further harm was likely to come from employing Fujishima's transliteration.cite book | last = Fujishima | first = Kosuke | authorlink = Kosuke Fujishima | year = 2006 | title = Oh My Goddess! | volume = 2 | publisher = Dark Horse Manga| location = Milwaukie, OR | isbn = 1-59307-457-3 | pages = p. 183 ] (Nevertheless, in the Swedish translation of the manga, released in 2007, her name was returned to Verdandi).cite book | last = Fujishima | first = Kosuke | authorlink = Kosuke Fujishima | year = 2007 | title = Oh My Goddess! | volume = 1 | publisher = Egmont Kärnan | isbn = 978-91-7269-839-0 ]

Character outline

Background

Belldandy is depicted as being a Goddess working with the fictional "Goddess Relief Agency".cite book | last = Fujishima | first = Kosuke | authorlink = Kosuke Fujishima | year = 2005 | title = Oh My Goddess! | volume = 1 | publisher = Dark Horse Manga| location = Milwaukie, OR | isbn = 1-59307-387-9 | pages = p. 3 ] Although the series never specifically mentions her age, there are hints that she is between 18 and 28 when the series begins: in the original manga her birthdate is shown as 196X/01/01, [cite book | last = Fujishima | first = Kōsuke | authorlink = Kōsuke Fujishima |title = Oh My Goddess! (manga) - Volume 1, chapter 4 | isbn = 4-06-321009-5 | publisher=Kodansha | year = 1989] (the English translation offers no year, but simply says "January"),cite book | last = Fujishima | first = Kosuke | authorlink = Kosuke Fujishima | year = 2005 | chapter = College Exchange Goddess | title = Oh My Goddess! | volume = 1 | publisher = Dark Horse Manga | location = Milwaukie, OR | isbn = 1-59307-387-9 | pages = p. 90 ] while in the anime the more specific 1985/01/01 is employed.cite episode | title = Ah! The Queen and the Goddess! | episodelink = List of Oh My Goddess_episodes#ep1x04 | series = Ah! My Goddess | serieslink = Ah! My Goddess (TV series) | airdate = 2005-01-27| season = 1 | number = 4 ] This should not be seen as conclusive as Eileen Stevens, who provides the voice of Belldandy in the English language version of the TV series, states that while Belldandy is "young in appearance, late teens to early 20s, she's ageless, perhaps thousands of years old." [cite web | title = Kristen Interviews Eileen Stevens of Ah! My Goddess: Flights of Fancy | work = ADV Films | url = http://www.advfilms.com/titles/ah%20my%20goddess/interview.html | accessdate = 2008-04-07 Dead link|date=October 2008]

Fujishima provided the character with two sisters — Skuld and Urd — each with notably different personalities from her own. These two sisters represent the other two Norns from Norse mythology, with Urd (the eldest of the three) representing the past while Skuld (the youngest) represents the future.

When the series begins, Belldandy is working on the "Goddess Technical Helpline" and is responsible for granting wishes to those who call. As such, her role is similar to the character Peorth's work at the Earth Assistance Agency.cite book | last = Fujishima | first = Kōsuke | chapter = The Fourth Time's A Charmer | authorlink = Kōsuke Fujishima | title = The Fourth Goddess | isbn = 1-56971-551-3 | publisher = Dark Horse Manga | year = 2001 ] In spite of working for Heaven, Belldandy, unlike her two sisters, does not appear to play a significant role in maintaining Yggdrasil, the "celestial supercomputer" (which is the series' counterpart to the World Tree of Norse mythology).cite book | last = Poitras | first = Gilles |authorlink= Gilles Poitras | title = Anime Essentials: Every Thing a Fan Needs to Know | year = 2001 | publisher = Stone Bridge Press, LLC | isbn = 1-88065-653-1 | pages = p. 40 ]

Personality

The "magical girl" character, of which Belldandy is an example, typically combines powerful abilities with very feminine characteristics.cite journal | last = Newitz | first = Annalee | year = 1995 | title = Magical Girls and Atomic Bomb Sperm: Japanese Animation in America | journal = Film Quarterly | volume = 49 | issue = 1 | pages = p. 4 | doi = 10.1525/fq.1995.49.1.04a00020 ] For Western audiences, a comparison can be drawn with the characters of Samantha Stephens from "Bewitched" and Jeannie from "I Dream of Jeannie".cite web | title = Oh My Goddess! OVA Vol. 1 | work = Underland Online Reviews | url = http://www.phantasmagoriaonline.com/main/dvds/anime/o/omgvol1.shtml | accessdate = 2008-04-09 ] As such, Belldandy is depicted as being very sweet and exceptionally kind-hearted, with very "old-fashioned" sensibilities. Combined with domestic skills portrayed through the seriescite book | author = Studio Hard | title = The Pretty Character Chronicles: The History of Animation Heroines, 1958-1999 | publisher = B Media Books 竹書房 | isbn = 4-8124-054-3 | pages = p.160 ] and her loyalty to Keiichi, this makes her a classic example of the concept of Yamato Nadeshiko.cite web | last = Shingo | date = February 28, 2005 | title = A Discourse on Moe, Part I: Introduction and a Moetic Taxonomy (2nd Draft) | work = Heisei Democracy | url = http://heiseidemocracy.com/2005/02/28/62/ | accessdate = 2008-04-09]

Belldandy is exceptionally kind-hearted, even for a goddess. She can easily sense other people's emotions and tries her best to be empathetic to all those around her, displaying a combination of "serene beauty and acceptance".cite journal | last = Perper | first = Timothy | coauthors = Cornog, Martha | year = 2002 | title = Eroticism for the Masses: Japanese Manga Comics and the Assimilation into the U.S. | journal = Sexuality & Culture | volume = 6 | pages = p. 66 ] She rarely holds a grudge and is always willing to forgive anyone who does injury to her. Her good will is so complete that she is willing to trust everyone completely, save her sister Urd, whom she realizes can often be duplicitous. Even though Belldandy tries her best to be as kind as possible, it is revealed that at times she can become very insecure and sad, especially when she is confronted with an implication that involves Keiichi in one way or another.cite book | last = Drazen | first = Patrick | year = 2003 | title = Anime Explosion!: The What? Why? & Wow! of Japanese Animation | publisher = Stone Bridge Press, LLC | isbn = 1880656728 | pages = p. 159] This aspect of her character provides one of the biggest plot points in the "Ah! My Goddess" movie: Belldandy's possessiveness of Keiichi could make her an easy target for manipulation or even brainwashing, if the right buttons were pressed; her jealousy of Morgan Le Fay was what allowed Celestin, her teacher, to lure Belldandy into his plans.cite video | year = 2000 | title = | medium = DVD | publisher = Pioneer ]

As noted by Perper and Cornog, Belldandy, as a depiction of what they term "kirei", is comfortable "being loved and admired" and very much aware of her own beauty — yet this does not equate to vanity.cite journal | last = Perper | first = Timothy | coauthors = Cornog, Martha | year = 2002 | title = Eroticism for the Masses: Japanese Manga Comics and the Assimilation into the U.S. | journal = Sexuality & Culture | volume = 6 | pages = p. 67 ]

Abilities

Belldandy is unflinchingly kind, patient, and warm, not only to Keiichi but to everyone, without exception. This, however, does not mean that she is to be taken lightly; Belldandy is licensed as a "goddess first-class, unlimited", and as such is depicted as being highly skilled. Her power is so great that she is required to wear a special earring on her left ear which constantly seals the full brunt of her magical strength. [cite book|last=Fujishima |first=Kōsuke |authorlink=Kōsuke Fujishima|title=Oh My Goddess! (manga) — Terrible Master Urd, Volumes 5—6, chapters 034—039|isbn=1-56971-369-3|publisher=Kodansha & Dark Horse|date=1999-04-21] The only time at which she has ever revealed her true strength is during the "Lord of Terror" arc. At the end of this arc, Belldandy completely reconstructed their home from rubble, mentioning that doing so only took one ten-millionth of her power. [cite episode|title=Ah! A Devil's Whisper, Along With A Pot?|series=Ah! My Goddess (TV series)] [cite episode|title=Ah! The Savior, Together With the Sound of a Flute?|series=Ah! My Goddess (TV series)] [cite episode|title=Ah! Always With You?|series=Ah! My Goddess (TV series)] [cite episode|title=Ah! Urd's Small Love Story?|series=Ah! My Goddess (TV series)]

Holy Bell

Each of the fully-fledged goddesses in the series is teamed with an "angel". Belldandy's angel is called Holy Bell (Blesséd Bell in some versions of the English manga); her elemental attribute is wind. Like the other angels in the series, Holy Bell augments Belldandy's magical powers when called upon, and like all angels, she also reflects her master's current state.cite episode | title = Ah! The One I Yearn For Is A White-Winged Angel! | series = Ah! My Goddess | serieslink = Ah! My Goddess (TV series) | airdate = June 2, 2005 | season = 1 | number = 21 ] For example, when Belldandy falls unconscious after being infected with a virus, Holy Bell emerges comatose and covered with crystals that represent the virus.cite episode | title = Ah! Save the Goddess, If You're a Man!? | series = Ah! My Goddess | serieslink = Ah! My Goddess (TV series) | airdate = May 26, 2005 | season = 1 | number = 20 ]

Plot overview

Belldandy is introduced to the series when Keiichi Morisato, portrayed as a typical college student with a notable lack of experience with women, accidentally dials the "Goddess Relief Agency" when attempting to order take-away noodles (the reason is simply explained as "fate" in the manga and anime adaptations). Belldandy appears before Keiichi and offers to grant him a wish. Convinced that the whole incident is a prank played on him by his seniors (Senpais), Keiichi half-jokingly wishes her to stay with him forever. ("I want a goddess like you to be by my side forever"). The wish, of course, is granted — thus providing one of the key premises of the series.

With Belldandy and Keiichi now portrayed as a couple, Fujishima introduces other factors: specifically the complications caused by family and friends. Forced to leave his dorm, as women are not permitted to stay on the premises, Keiichi and Belldandy end up living at the Tariki Hongan Temple in the city of Nekomi, Chiba Prefecture near Tokyo. Within both the manga and the anime, the temple was turned over to them by its former guardian, Koshian, a Buddhist monk who was overwhelmed by the purity of Belldandy's spirit and her unparalleled skills in polishing the temple altar, in cooking, and in Zazen meditation. [cite book | last = Fujishima | first = Kōsuke | chapter = The Number You Have Dialed Is Incorrect | authorlink = Kōsuke Fujishima | title = Oh My Goddess! (manga) | volume = 1 | isbn = 1-59307-387-9 | publisher = Dark Horse Manga | year = 2005 | pages = pp. 52-74 ] Koshian departs the series by leaving for a pilgrimage to find spiritual perfection, (although he does briefly return later in the series), turning over the temple to Belldandy and Keiichi's care without realizing Belldandy's true nature as a Goddess. [cite book | last = Fujishima | first = Kōsuke | chapter = The Number You Have Dialed Is Incorrect | authorlink = Kōsuke Fujishima | title = Oh My Goddess! (manga) | volume = 1 | isbn = 1-59307-387-9 | publisher = Dark Horse Manga | year = 2005 | pages = p. 74 ] Later, Fujishima has Belldandy's two sisters (Urd and Skuld) join Belldandy and Keiichi in the temple.

Relationship with Keiichi

Although Belldandy was sent to grant Keiichi a wish and nothing more, Belldandy expresses many times that she has enjoyed her time with Keiichi and that her purpose is to make him happy. The contract really is an excuse for her to stay since her rival Marller, a first class demon, has stated that "she can cancel a contract with a human anytime".cite episode | title = Ah! A Demon has Come and is Creating Calamity! | episodelink = List_of_Oh_My_Goddess_episodes#ep1x11 | series = Ah! My Goddess | serieslink = Ah! My Goddess (TV series) | airdate = 2005-01-06 | number = 11 | season = 1 ] Belldandy had then stated that she did not want to, because Keiichi was a special person in her heart. This was reinforced at the conclusion of chapter 13: with the "System" down, Belldandy's contract with Keiichi is effectively suspended, yet she chooses to stay because, as Fujishima has her explain in the manga, "... I'm here now because I love you".cite book | last = Fujishima | first = Kosuke | authorlink = Kosuke Fujishima | chapter = Confession | date = September 5, 2007 | title = Oh My Goddess! | volume = 6 | publisher = Dark Horse Manga| location = Milwaukie, OR | isbn = 1-59307-772-6 | pages = p. 86 ]

Depictions

The character is depicted as being extremely beautiful, but not voluptuous in the same sense as her sister, Urd, nor does she possess the youthfulness of her younger sister, Skuld. As described by Perper and Cornog:

Manga

When Fujishima first started drawing "Oh My Goddess!" his style resembled that of his earlier series, "You're Under Arrest".cite journal | date = November 1, 2002 | title = Wrong Number | journal = Library Journal | url = http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/BookDetail.aspx?isbn=1569716692 | accessdate = 2008-05-17 ] As such it did not display the polish of his later work, unlike the chapters collected in "Childhood's End",cite journal | last = Salpini | first = Susan | year = 2002 | title = Wrong Number {Book) | journal = School Library Journal | volume = 48 | issue = 9 |] by which point his style was well established. As part of this process, the depictions of Belldandy within the manga have undergone change, with the later drawings displaying greater refinement than those in the earlier chapters. By the time Fujishima reached "The Goddesses' Greatest Danger" (collected in volume 5), many of his "trademarks" had started to show, such as the "long flowing, well-drawn hair" and his "sense of fashion".cite web | last = Ngan | first = Chadwick | title = Oh My Goddess! Terrible Master Urd | work = EX: The Online World of Anime and Manga | url = http://www.ex.org/4.6/31-manga_masterurd.html | accessdate = 2008-05-17 ]

Anime

Kosuke Fujishima was involved in the design for the OVA, (even working on some of the storyboards), [cite book | last = Fujishima | first = Kōsuke | authorlink = Kōsuke Fujishima | title = Oh My Goddess! (manga) | volume = 4 | isbn = 1-59307-623-1 | publisher = Dark Horse Manga | year = 2007 | pages = pp. 187-188 ] and the design of Belldandy is consistent with that of the manga of the period. The character design by Hidenori Matsuhara for "Ah! My Goddess: The Movie" has also been described as "staying true to Kosuke Fujishima's original designs".cite web | last = Divers | first = Allen | date = June 4, 2002 | title = Ah! My Goddess: The Movie | work = Anime News Network | url = http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/ah-my-goddess-the-movie/dvd | accessdate = 2008-05-17 ] In developing the TV series the producers slightly updated and redesigned the characters in line with modern anime, especially when contrasted to the earlier manga. Nevertheless, while Belldandy has a more rounded face in the TV series than in the manga, the approach is still in keeping with Fujishima's style.cite web | last = Martin | first = Theron | date = October 6, 2005 | title = Ah! My Goddess - DVD 1: Always and Forever | work = Anime News Network | url = http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/ah-my-goddess/dvd-1 | accessdate = 2008-05-17 ] "Adventures of Mini Goddess" is quite different, being drawn in the super deformed style,cite web | last = Divers | first = Allen | date = April 22, 2002 | title = Adventures of the Mini Goddesses: DVD 1 - The Gan Files | work = Anime News Network | url = http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/adventures-of-the-mini-goddesses/dvd-1 | accessdate = 2008-05-17 ] and thus Belldandy's appearance differs considerably from the manner in which she is depicted elsewhere.

In the OVA, TV series, movie and in "The Adventures of Mini Goddess", the original voice of Belldandy was provided by voice actress Kikuko Inoue, (although during Inoue's pregnancycite web | last = Beveridge | first = Chris | date = January 28, 2002 | title = Adventures of Mini Goddess Vol. #1 (Review) | work = Anime on DVD | url = http://www.animeondvd.com/reviews2/disc_reviews/29.php | accessdate = 2008-06-23 ] the role was performed by Kikuko Inoue for the first 13 episodes of "Adventures of a Mini Goddess"). Such was the success of Kikuko Inou that Fujishima was said to have been influenced by her when developing the manga character after the release of the first OVA. [ [http://manbow.ponycanyon.co.jp/profile/index.html Official profile] , 代表作「ああっ女神さまっ」のベルダンディー役では、原作コミックのベルダンディーまで次第に井上喜久子化していったことで有名である。]

Three different voice actors have provided Belldandy's voice in the English versions of the various anime series. For the English OVA, Belldandy's voice was provided by Juliet Cesario. [cite web | title = Oh My Goddess! (OAV) | work = Anime News Network | url = http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=53 | accessdate = 2008-04-06 ] Bridget Hoffman, (performing as Ruby Marlowe), provided the voice of Belldandy in both the movie and "The Adventures of Mini Goddess", while Eileen Stevens voiced Belldandy for both seasons of the TV series. [cite web | title = Ah! My Goddess - Flights of Fancy (Cast List) | work = ADV Films | url = http://www.advfilms.com/titles/ah%20my%20goddess/cast.html | accessdate = 2008-04-06 ]

Reception and critique

The character of Belldandy was generally well received and has a large number of fans, as evidenced when she was voted the second most popular female character in a 2001 poll in "Newtype Japan".cite web | title = Newtype top 10 Anime | work = Anime News Network | url = http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2001-08-12/newtype-top-10-anime | accessdate = 2008-04-06 ] In addition, Belldandy topped the "Animage" character polls for many months and was placed third on the all time Best Character list at the 17th Anime Grand Prix held in 1993.cite journal | last = Lee | first = Roderick | title = Oh My Goddess! AnimEigo Dubbed Release | journal = EX: The online world of anime and manga | year = 1997 | volume = 2 | issue = 7 | url = http://www.ex.org/2.7/20-anime_amgdub.html | accessdate = 2008-04-09 ] Nevertheless, as reviewer Zac Bertschy described the situation: "People tend to go either way on the Belldandy character; either she's an obnoxious, archaic fantasy girl for men who prefer their women to act like indentured servants, or she's the archetype of perfection, a flawless example of graceful femininity".cite web | last = Bertschy | first = Zac | title = Ah My Goddess - DVD 2: Love Plus One | date = November 3, 2005 | work = Anime News Network | url = http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/ah-my-goddess/dvd-2 | accessdate = 2008-04-06 ]

The critique that Belldandy represents a negative stereotype of women, placing them in a subservient role to men, appears a number of times in the literature. Annalee Newitz states that the manner in which Belldandy is portrayed in the series would, in all likelihood, be impossible in the United States — especially, as she goes on to say, since "the advent of feminism and the women's rights movement". While Newitz sees this as reflective of Japanese culture, arguing that characters such as Belldandy are possible because feminist issues do not have the same recognition within Japan as they do in many Western countries, Susan J. Napier takes a very different line. She argues that characters such as Belldandy may be a reaction to the increasing assertiveness of women in Japan, thus presenting Belldandy as an attempt to reinforce traditional cultural values, rather than a reflection of them.cite book | last = Napier | first = Susan J. | title = | year = 2005 | publisher = Palgrave Macmillan | pages = p. 206 ] To demonstrate this, Napier points to Belldandy's role in "Moonlight and Cherry Blossoms", the first of the OVA episodes. The episode begins with disorder, as Keiichi is evicted from his dorm after Belldandy's chaotic appearance into his life, but ends with a return to "traditional values", signified through the restoration of the old temple.cite book | last = Napier | first = Susan J. | title = | year = 2005 | publisher = Palgrave Macmillan | pages = p. 207 ] Similarly, Napier notes that Belldandy's cooking is often commended by the other characters, and as such is another way in which the character of Belldandy can be seen to reinforce more traditional female roles.cite book | last = Napier | first = Susan J. | title = | year = 2005 | publisher = Palgrave Macmillan | pages = p. 211 ] Carlos Ross of Them Anime Reviews considers Belldandy's characterization in the film much better than in the OVA series, where he describes her as a "doormat".cite web |url=http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=133 |title=Ah! My Goddess The Movie |first=Carlos |last=Ross |publisher=T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews |year=2000 |accessdate=2008-07-19 ]

Either way, commentators still notice strengths in Belldandy's character. While acknowledging the conservative portrayal, Napier describes Belldandy as "almost a perfect dream of feminine nurturance" and identifying that she has a "soothing and escapist function",cite book | last = Napier | first = Susan J. | title = | year = 2005 | publisher = Palgrave Macmillan | pages = p. 208 ] while reviewer Megan Lavey states that Belldandy is no pushover, and that she can hold her own, noting that she is making "the best of difficult circumstances."cite web | last = Lavey | first = Megan | date = January 19, 2006 | title = Oh My Goddess! Vol. #01 (review) | work = Anime on DVD | url = http://www.animeondvd.com/reviews2/manga/manga.php?manga_view=2171 | accessdate = 2008-04-06 ]

Another line of criticism of Belldandy relates to the sexual nature of the character. The "Village Voice" in September, 1996, described Belldandy as a "soft porn goddess".cite web | last = Poitras | first = Gilles | title = Problematic Content in Anime and Manga | work = Gilles' Service to Fans Page | url = http://www.koyagi.com/problematic.html | accessdate = 2008-06-23 ] While influential, this depiction has been queried by other commentators. Belldandy might be "sexual", but writers such as Gilles Poitras note that the series — far from being soft porn — is in fact a very tender and romantic comedy: the characters do no more than simply kiss (and that infrequently) over the course of the series.cite book | last = Poitras | first = Gilles | title = Anime Essentials: Every Thing a Fan Needs to Know | year = 2001 | publisher = Stone Bridge Press | ISBN = 1880656531 | pages = p. 52 ] Newitz suggests that part of the appeal of "Oh My Goddess!" is the romantic nature of the story: "In anime, romantic love is possible because overt sexuality is not". According to Newitz the relationships in romantic anime, such as "Oh My Goddess!", are not about consummation but about "sexual innuendo and deferral".

References

External links

* [http://www.tbs.co.jp/megamisama/megami2/05chara/bell.html Belldandy] at Official "Ah! My Goddess" website ja icon

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

Belldandy — Logo der OVA Serie Oh! My Goddess (jap. ああっ女神さまっ aa! megami sama) ist eine international erfolgreiche Manga Serie des Zeichners Kosuke Fujishima, die auch als Anime umgesetzt wurde. Inhaltsverzeichnis … Deutsch Wikipedia
Belldandy — Demande de traduction … Wikipédia en Français
List of Oh My Goddess! characters — This article contains character information for Oh My Goddess! Contents 1 Main characters 1.1 Keiichi Morisato 1.2 Belldandy 1.3 Urd … Wikipedia
Personajes de ¡Oh — Anexo:Personajes de ¡Oh, Mi Diosa! Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Contenido 1 Diosas 1.1 Belldandy 1.2 Urd 1.3 Skuld … Wikipedia Español
Anexo:Personajes de ¡Oh, Mi Diosa! — Lista que engloba a los personajes que aparecen en el manga y anime de ¡Oh, Mi Diosa!, de Kōsuke Fujishima. Contenido 1 Diosas 1.1 Belldandy 1.2 Urd 1.3 Skuld … Wikipedia Español
Ah! My Goddess: The Movie — Kanji 劇場版「ああっ女神さまっ」 Rōmaji Gekijōban Aa! Megami sama! Directed by Hiroaki Gōda Produced by … Wikipedia
Aa megamisama — Ah! My Goddess Ah! My Goddess ああっ女神さまっ (Aa Megami sama) Genre Comedie, Romance, Fantasy Manga … Wikipédia en Français
Ah! My Goddess — ああっ女神さまっ (Aa Megami sama) Type Seinen Genre Comédie, romance, fantastique … Wikipédia en Français
Ah! My Goddess! — Ah! My Goddess Ah! My Goddess ああっ女神さまっ (Aa Megami sama) Genre Comedie, Romance, Fantasy Manga … Wikipédia en Français
Ah! My Goddess: The Movie — Ah! My Goddess Ah! My Goddess ああっ女神さまっ (Aa Megami sama) Genre Comedie, Romance, Fantasy Manga … Wikipédia en Français

Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

Belldandy

Look at other dictionaries:

Share the article and excerpts

Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

Wikipedia

Belldandy

Look at other dictionaries:

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link