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But
"Little Miss Period" - a pink blob with red lips and red pants
who stars in a Japanese manga comic and movie of the same name -
has a mission: breaking taboos in a society where talking about
menstruation has been seen dirty or embarrassing.
The character has generally been received positively as a step
toward better understanding among the sexes. Some critics,
though, worry about stereotypes and inattention to underlying
gender discrimination that holds back Japanese women in many
fields.
"Until now, menstruation has been something to hide and many
people completely lack correct understanding of it," said Kazue
Muta, a sociology professor at Osaka University.
"I can't praise the manga 100% ... but it would be good if it
were a step toward greater openness and education."
The movie "Little Miss Period" was released domestically by
entertainment company Yoshimoto Kogyo Co. Ltd last month. It is
based on a manga by male artist Ken Koyama that debuted in 2017
before being compiled into a book by publisher Kadokawa.
The film also opened in Taiwan this month and will debut in Hong
Kong in January. Premieres in China and across Southeast Asia
are also planned.
The topic of menstruation caught public attention in Japan
recently when department store Daimaru suggested female
employees wear a "period badge" to alert co-workers to their
cycle. The plan sparked accusations of harassment and the store
is reconsidering.
In the manga series, Little Miss Period - "Seiri-chan" in
Japanese - delivers a punch to the gut that lays some women out
flat before drawing blood with a syringe. When a woman's husband
fails to sympathize, he gets a "period punch" of his own to help
him understand.
History gets a nod, with the tale of a feudal era Japanese girl
forced to stay in a secluded hut because of the belief that
menstruating females are unclean.
The movie version focuses on Aoko, a publishing firm editor
whose male boss shows little compassion for her monthly pain.
Aoko's widower boyfriend is raising a young daughter. "If only
men could get periods, even just once a year," Aoko laments.
Feminist author Minori Kitahara welcomed efforts to break taboos
but lamented that the representations were "treating the matter
like a comedy talk show."
Nobuyoshi Yoshida, 33, said he found the movie instructive. "Men
don't get how harsh menstruation can be for some women," he said
as he exited a cinema. "This was easy to understand."
His girlfriend Kumiko Hanazawa, 32, was succinct: "I want men to
watch this."
(Reporting by Linda Sieg; editing by Jane Wardell)
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