History Main / UnfortunateImplications

* Manga/{{Terraformars}}: Many have pointed out how the design of the evil race of cockroaches bears a ''a lot'' of resemblance to racist caricatures of black people: nappy-haired, tall, dark-skinned, athletic, and inherently evil and violent--and have compared the character designs to depictions of black men from the Jim Crow era. Some of them are even depicted wearing chain necklaces, popular jewelry in African-American subculture. Additionally, "cockroach" is used as a racial slur in real life against people with dark skin. It doesn't help that the [[MarySue virtually flawless]] protagonist has white skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes, and with how he effortlessly slaughters the roaches in massive amounts, it comes off as an ethnonationalist power fantasy.

This is a highly subjective AudienceReaction, and since in the past this page became bogged down in arguments between tropers who believe that concerns about such matters simply relate to an overreach of "political correctness", and tropers who view the entire "political correctness" argument as a plausibly deniable defense of bigotry, '''no example may be added to this article without proof that it's not just one person's thinking'''. Citations are done as follows:

* ''Anime/DarlingInTheFranxx'': Jacob Chapman has written [[https://twitter.com/weebservations/status/998347908314349568 a Twitter thread]] on what he regards as the show's "harmful worldview": "The targets of fear and derision in FRANXX hop from [[StayInTheKitchen aggressive women]] to [[UsefulNotes/{{Transgender}} gender-nonconformity]] to [[ChildlessDystopia childless or infertile adults]] to Literally An Alien {{Hivemind}}", which, according to the show, are "...evidence that the world 'went wrong'". Chapman points out that the show's stances concerning gender roles and human relationships give it a misogynistic, homophobic and transphobic bent, and have been used [[BuryYourGays to]] [[HeteronormativeCrusader oppress]] [[GetBackInTheCloset sexual]] [[CureYourGays minorities]]. He also points out the show's reactionary tone in that it "... takes current-day societal anxieties, exaggerates them, and poses that the solution is to double down on the status quo even harder, framing oppression of others as *true* rebellion."

* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'': Chapter 259 revealed the Doctor (the evil scientist assisting [[GreaterScopeVillain All For One]] and [[BigBad Tomura Shigaraki]])'s name to be Maruta Shiga, with many people noting that the name "Maruta" was likely a reference to project ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit_731#Activities Maruta]]'', a project done by Unit 731 of the Imperial Japanese Army during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII that involved inhumane experimentation on various people which included live vivisection, weapon testing, and forced pregnancies. While this name fits Horikoshi's tendency to give his characters punny/meaningful names, the "unfortunate" part comes in when you realize that "Maruta", meaning "logs" in Japanese, was the name given to the test subjects, as the official cover story for the facility was that it was a lumber mill. [[https://www.cbr.com/my-hero-academia-shiga-maruta-controversy/ Fans were very upset]] with the idea of a character as vile as the Doctor being named after the victims of a horrible experiment instead of the perpetrators, especially the ones from China[[note]]it even led to [[BannedInChina the series being taken down online there]][[/note]] and South Korea where the scars are still prominent. [[https://www.polygon.com/2020/2/3/21120271/my-hero-academia-maruta-chapter-259 Horikoshi later apologized for this on his Twitter account]], where he clarified that the reference was unintentional and that he would change the Doctor's name in future chapters.

* ''Manga/RankingOfKings'': Viewers have pointed out that [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2022-02-25/viewer-debates-resurface-arounds-alleged-japan-korea-colonization-allegory-in-ranking-of-kings/.182948 one of the chapters]] could potentially be interpreted as an allegory to Japan's colonization of Korea. This has generated controversy, such as one user [[https://uelog.com/?p=46256 describing]] the title as "a poorly thought-out manga that projects an internet right-winger's image of Korea onto a group of fictional people.", and another writing, "I hope Koreans read this and see the truth about themselves."

* Upon its release, ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'' came [[http://articles.latimes.com/1993-07-10/entertainment/ca-11747_1_altered-lyric under fire]] by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee for the infamous lyric "Where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face" in the opening song "Arabian Nights". The line was changed to "Where it's flat and immense and the heat is intense" for the VHS release, and has been changed in every other adaptation as well. The current official line first used in the [[Film/Aladdin2019 2019 live-action remake]] is "Where you wander among every culture and tongue"; the word "barbaric" in the following line is also changed to "chaotic".

* English Fairy Tales (previously known as My Pingu TV), a channel from India featuring animated fairy tales, [[https://ca.news.yahoo.com/you-tube-pulls-racist-cartoon-about-white-woman-turned-into-ugly-black-woman-233528365.html came under fire]] thanks to a video called ''Dina and the Prince'', in which an angel named Dina is forbidden from speaking with the prince that she loves, but does so anyway and is punished by being turned into a black woman with a scarred face and curly hair, which is explicitly said to be "ugly", while her previous pale-skinned and straight-haired appearance is said to be "beautiful". As covered on the article, hundreds on the video itself and on social media criticized both the message and its execution, as it was not something you'd want impressionable kids to take to heart. The channel eventually released an apology and [[BuryYourArt removed the video]].

* Fashion designer Kimhekim has [[https://www.papermag.com/kimhkim-iv-drips-paris-2640637676.html gotten flak]] for his collection, which was first shown at Paris Fashion Week, called "Attention Seeker". At the show, models went down the catwalk wearing white shirts with the word "sick" across their chest and pushing along an IV stand. Those who require intravenous medication, such as cancer patients and people with chronic illnesses, [[https://chroniceileen.com/2019/09/28/dear-kimhekim-we-are-not-seeking-attention-we-are-bringing-awareness/ were appalled]] at how their condition was treated as a fashion accessory, and the name was also viewed by some as an accusation that the chronically ill are just "seeking attention".

* The Website/AVClub article [[https://music.avclub.com/we-care-a-lot-14-overblown-charity-advocacy-songs-besi-1798213676 "We Care a Lot"]] discusses various examples of the CharityMotivationSong, such as "We Are the World", "Do They Know It's Christmas?", and more obscure efforts, pointing out more than once that the songs and videos made for them wind up coming off as narcissistic by promoting the celebrities singing them as much as, if not more than, the cause.

** Her decision to engage in a public romance with [[Music/The1975 Matty Healy]] and released a collaboration with Music/IceSpice [[https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/taylor-swift-ice-spice-collaboration-matty-healy-backlash-rcna86231 was widely derided]] [[https://www.themarysue.com/ice-spices-managers-seem-committed-to-positioning-her-as-damage-control-taylor-swift-nicki-minaj-matty-healy/ as damage control]] for Matty's numerous racist behaviors and comments.

* Music/{{Rihanna}}:
** "Bitch Better Have My Money" has been accused of promoting violence against women [[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jul/05/rihannas-video-bitch-better-have-my-money-misogynistic by several]] [[http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/bitch-better-have-my-money-most-controversial-rihanna-music-video-so-far-1508977 commentators]]. One of the most common criticisms is why the wife of the 'bitch' in question is tortured for her husband's crimes. However, some have argued that it is an empowering narrative about a black woman getting the money owed to her despite a racist industry and have [[http://thegrio.com/2015/07/05/feminists-clash-over-whether-rihannas-new-video-is-empowering-or-misogynistic/ accused feminist critics of having a double standard against black artists]].
** Rihanna's continuous friendship and even collaboration to Chris Brown has been [[https://www.thedailybeast.com/chris-brown-and-rihannas-slippery-slope-birthday-cake-to-reunion widely]] [[http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/22/arts/music/rihanna-and-chris-brown-appear-on-each-others-songs.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1330147382-Jkfi5ehFafFKMmdGmuQ1FQ critized]] [[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/24/rihanna-chris-brown-collaboration_n_1299456.html as]] sending messages of women accepting their abuser.

** [[MisaimedMarketing For whatever reason]], the movie's official Twitter account decided to post an image parodying ''Series/TheHandmaidsTale'', which is about a woman forced into institutionalized rape by an oppressive theocracy. This was widely criticized as [[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/emoji-movie-criticized-tasteless-handmaids-tale-tweet-1024054 tasteless and offensive]] and the offending tweet itself was taken down two days after it was initially noticed.

* The music video to LetsPlay/{{Dream}}'s song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx-__lBS6a4 "Mask"]] shows the streamer [[NoMedicationForMe throwing away his "normal pills"]], which represent ADHD medication. [[https://www.dexerto.com/entertainment/dream-responds-to-controversy-over-his-comments-about-adhd-medication-1591871/ This was interpreted by some fans]] as a condemnation of medication for mental health issues in general, as he appears much happier afterwards. Dream had to clarify in an interview that it was meant to be specifically about how in his personal experience, he felt better after going off his meds, and that he wasn't necessarily encouraging others to do the same.

* Anthony Pryor [[http://www.anthonypryor.com/?p=1834 points out in]] his review of ''WesternAnimation/{{Wizards}}'' that the director's words that the film's conflict between [[AlwaysLawfulGood good]] [[OurElvesAreDifferent elves]] and [[AlwaysChaoticEvil evil]] {{mutants}} is supposed to represent [[UsefulNotes/ArabIsraeliConflict a real-life conflict in Israel]] gives bad implications. The BigBad seemingly being born hideous and evil is also pointed as potentially giving a bad message.

* The play ''All in a Row,'' which premiered in London in 2019, faced some [[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/feb/12/casting-puppet-as-autistic-child-step-backwards-new-play-row-other-actors-played-by-humans serious]] [[https://themighty.com/2019/02/uk-play-all-in-a-row-puppet-gate-autism-outrage/ backlash]] for portraying an autistic child as a puppet, as it implied that autistic characters could easily be replaced by props. Not helping was the puppet's design as [[UnintentionalUncannyValley "grey and mawkish"]] and the flimsy excuse that it would have been too hard to get consent from an actual nonverbal autistic child (since verbal autistic children exist and are often capable of tasks like acting).

* The Creator/DiscotekMedia rerelase of ''Anime/LupinIIIThePursuitOfHarimaosTreasure'' [[https://twitter.com/BradyHartel/status/1291486168362745858 put a disclaimer]] concerning the work's homophobic content due to the main villain Hermann Von Diett being a homophobic stereotype, ranging from him being a cross-dressing [[EffeminateMisogynisticGuy misogynistic]] Neo-Nazi cult leader, to his name being a pun on the word "hermaphrodite" to the several gay panic-style jokes towards his subordinates.

* Stephen Krosecz of ''WebVideo/AnimatedAnalysis'' [[http://blip.tv/sketchdcomedy/animated-analysis-202-cars-2-5934433 argues]] that the heroes of ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars 2}}'' are [[FantasticRacism prejudiced against the Lemon cars]], that the film doesn't seem to treat this as a bad thing, and that one could interpret this as an [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ableist ableist]] message. Likewise, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6qMgiA-VY0 Jack Saint has observed eugenics undertones in the film]]. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08ABogGvDtY Oakwyrm]] also notices ableist undertones in the treatment of lemon cars, such as Mater casually making anti-lemon remarks and even remarking that he sees towing lemons as a key source of income, and notes that if cars are sentient and the discontinuation of eugenics is treated as normal, that sounds disturbingly like eugenics.

* WebVideo/MarkRober's "Glitterbomb" videos, where he constructs glitter/stink bombs and similar pranks for porch pirates and scam call centers and includes a camera to record their reactions, have [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Odp6gKQ62LA rubbed a few folks]] the [[https://millennialchaos.substack.com/p/mark-rober-tortures-poor-people-for wrong way]]. While there's no denying that theft and con artistry are wrong, it's been noted that the people resorting to such measures are dirt-poor and trying to survive. And since Mark is a well-off engineer who has never lost anything he couldn't afford to replace, his Glitterbomb videos have been criticized for serving no purpose beyond humiliating poor people for views and likes.

* The Christmas carol [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaExYpc7Cm8 "Baby, It's Cold Outside"]] (originally written by Frank Loesser, sung here by Music/JamesTaylor and Natalie Cole) has in TheNewTens drawn fire from listeners [[https://www.npr.org/2018/12/05/673770902/baby-it-s-cold-outside-seen-as-sexist-frozen-out-by-radio-stations leading to it being banned by some radio stations]] for what sounds like QuestionableConsent on the part of the female speaker (the line "[[SlippingAMickey Say, what's in this drink]]?" especially can raise eyebrows). [[https://www.bustle.com/p/a-tumblr-post-about-baby-its-cold-outside-historical-context-explains-that-the-song-may-have-entirely-different-meaning-6617625 As this article explains]], ValuesDissonance is largely to blame here: the woman ''is'' actually consenting, but a "good girl" in TheForties wasn't ''supposed'' to actually say yes to sex.

* WebVideo/MarkRober's "Glitterbomb" videos, where he constructs glitter/stink bombs and similar pranks for porch pirates and scam call centers and includes a camera to record their reactions, have [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Odp6gKQ62LA rubbed a few folks]] the [[https://millennialchaos.substack.com/p/mark-rober-tortures-poor-people-for wrong way]]. While there's no denying that theft and con artistry are wrong, it's been noted that the people resorting to such measures are dirt-poor and trying to survive. And since Mark is a successful engineer and Youtuber who has never lost anything he couldn't afford to replace, his Glitterbomb videos have been criticized for serving no purpose beyond humiliating poor people for views and likes.

* Barbie (Franchise):

* ''Webcomic/ThePrincesssJewels'': The webcomic is about Princess Ariana, whos mission in the comic is to collect a bunch of beautiful men to make a RoyalHarem. Over the course of her adventure, she pulls her chosen men away from their lives and their homes, treats them like objects for her own amusement, and even threatens a ColdWar between her country and another if they don't do what she says. The critics in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBDOztc0L78 this video]] rip the premise to pieces, pointing out how nobody would like this comic if it were about a man doing this to a bunch of women. Of course, [[DoubleStandard since it's about a woman doing this to a bunch of men, that makes it okay]].

* ''Literature/SwordArtOnline'' gets this a lot regarding its use of RapeAsDrama.
** Mother's Basement [[https://youtu.be/Oz-BjFoVa9o?t=20m39s had some choice words]] about Asuna's two sexual assaults, calling them unnecessary in the context of the plot and pointing out how uncomfortable it was to play her AttemptedRape for {{Fanservice}}.
** Megan Peters [[https://comicbook.com/anime/2018/12/13/sword-art-online-anime-sexual-assault-rape-explanation-story/ has also criticized]] the series’ repeated use of AttemptedRape of female characters by the villains as a plot device to motivate the male heroes, saying that the women are "[left] to suffer for misogynistic silence". The article features snippets of an interview with series creator Reki Kawahara, who agrees with the criticism and admits that he only used this trope because it was fairly common in light novels at the time he wrote the story. He felt that a certain scene in ''Alicization'' was far more unpleasant to watch in animated form as a result, and apologized to everyone (directors, animators, & voice actresses) involved for having to do something so demeaning.

* ''Manga/DeathNote'' has [[https://www.animefeminist.com/the-wasted-potential-of-death-notes-women/ attracted]] [[http://theevaluationzone.blogspot.com/2014/11/top-ten-reasons-why-i-hate-death-note.html fire]] [[https://theathenaeumbooks.wordpress.com/2020/06/21/the-inherent-misogyny-in-death-note/ for]] implicit misogyny. This started with the brief tenure in the story of former Naomi Misora, a former FBIAgent who is briefly shown to be a talented investigator (and got an ExpansionPackPast in the {{prequel}})... but whose concerns are dismissed by her active-duty fiancee Raye Penber (even her English voice actor Creator/TabithaStGermain criticized that scene) and then unceremoniously killed off by Light. The only other female character in the series with any agency worth mentioning is Misa Amane, an AxCrazy fangirl of VillainProtagonist Light whose presence in the story is almost entirely counterproductive to everyone involved, and whom even while dating her to keep her around for his use, he openly cheats on with his high school flame Kiyomi Takada--who doesn't fare any better herself, being made by Light to kill Mello and then [[SelfImmolation burn herself to death]].