Board Thread:Questions and Answers/@comment-29915280-20160922154008/@comment-27347196-20160922160833

Let me give you brief info in here.

Japan's view on transexuality (homosexuality as well) as well is how should I put it, exactly the same as your view on circus clowns. Meaning they aren't seen as actual people but pure thing for entertainment purposes. Which is why you will usually find transexual and homosexual characters treated as some sort of comic relief over being an actual character.

One of the few series who addresses this issue more seriously is 'HunterXHunter' which does have characters of lets say wide spectrum and one of the characters in there Alluka who is transexual female (which is sister of one of the protagonist in there) is actually done and portrayed well. As she identifies as female and her brother Killua (one of the protagonist) addresses her that way while rest of the family address her as male (cuz they give no crap about Alluka). Like I said her case is done very well.

But enough of Togashi and back to Ishida now...

I don't think he understands that issue as well as Togashi does, judging by how he handles his LGBT characters. Take Nico for example. Featured as transgender character, but within series Nico identified himself nicely as HE! Pretty clearly says he is MAN! Then whole "okama" thing is usually pretty much insult. Same like if you called someone "f**got" in here. Then Mutsuki's instability and confusion is also far from being good representation in here.

Now I don't think Ishida is doing any of that out of bad intention but because like I said, mindset in Japan about these things is beyond different then in West.