graphic noiz 3 Subjects and Progress

So work has started on graphic noiz manga 3 and we have finished lineart from chapter 1 and are onto chapter 2 now which explores Noiz as being a hafu. Noiz is half Japanese and half Native American and Black. He struggles with his identity because he has tanned skin and curly hair and does not look Japanese. He grew up in America and visited Japan a few times when he was young. Chapter 2 explores Noiz and his feelings about being an outsider and it influences his self esteem.

I wanted to talk about how being a mixed race person affects Noiz and will be dealing with that in chapter 2. I have not really had a chance to explore Noiz’ culture and his lack thereof of speaking Japanese and knowing about Japan other than Shinto, Buddhism which he learned from his mom and his name which is Wolf Tadashi Begay. Noiz grew up with some Native American heritage and we will experience that a little bit and how it makes him feel. We know that Noiz does not like his name of Wolf and that he hides behind his nickname Noiz for everything because his name embarrasses him. We also know that Noiz embraces his curly hair and does not straighten it. There was a scene with Jade Ijima where she straightened his hair for him and it makes him look more Japanese.

The conflict of Mixed Race

Like Noiz the author is mixed race as well with the same mix as Noiz. This brings a conflict at times because I am not part of the African American experience and my Native American heritage has been masked. I was raced metropolitan in New York and studied Japanese and Asian Studies in college to get more exposure to my heritage that I did not get so much at home. I grew up with Japanese guests at the house and Japanese anime and culture but it was on the sides of my perspective because my parents wanted to me to be a child of the world and not be seen as other. In doing this I was assimilated into a metropolitan European and cosmopolitan culture but I lost a sense of heritage with either my African American, Native American or Japanese side.

In graphic noiz, the character Noiz has the same thing happen. As a mangaka he is trying to make his name as an artist in an industry that is mostly Japanese in Japan. And the fact that he is working with a Japanese author Shiro Ijima wears off on him and gives him some acceptance but he is still considered an outsider.

I will be exploring Noiz’ feelings about being mixed race in chapter 2 and later in the story because I want to give back and provide a story that other hafu kids can relate to.