Sayonara 101

To understand how an Asian girl wraps a man around her finger, gets him to fall in love, and marry her, one only needs to do a half-ass analysis of the movie, “Sayonara”. Based on a novel by James Michener, this 1957 Warner Brothers releases stars Marlon Brando (one of galaxyMafia’s favorites) and Miiko Taka as an American war hero and a Japanese showgirl who fall in love despite opposition to their inter-racial romance.

GalaxyMafia must preface that “Sayonara” is one of her favorite movies, and she just can’t resist getting swept up in this tender, sappy romance with all of its melodrama, angst and lame “Romeo and Juliet” subplot. However, since the aftermath of her relationship (and she uses the term with disgust and reluctance) with a chickeshit toad who told her “sayonara” and skipped off into the sunset with a Korean twat, she wanted to see what effect watching a movie about “rice-chasers” would have upon her.

GalaxyMafia admits that “Sayonara” is not quite the same for her. She still likes the movie but, she couldn’t help scrutinizing the actions of the Asian women as they beguiled the witless servicemen; couldn’t help identifying with Eileen, the woman who “loses” Major Lloyd “Ace” Gruver (played with coon-ass Southern charm by Brando) to Hana-ogi, the Lead Dancer in the Shochiku Kagekidan Girls Revue.

Gracious and beautiful, Hana-ogi is poised and delicate, the very essence of Japanese tradition and dedication. But, take a closer look. Beneath those graceful manners lies a slick, clever scam artist. Hana-ogi is one Lotus flower who knows how to bewitch a man into falling in love, and eventually marrying her.

Hana-ogi is a model of how many Asian women operate, and it’s a model of success.

Asian women know that men want the unattainable.

When Ace Gruver first sees Hana-ogi, he is immediately smitten and wants an audience with her. Hana-ogi, who professes to hate Americans, is aloof and rebuffs his advances. In his quest to woo and win her, Gruver waits for her to walk across a bridge on her way to her house everyday. Each time Hana-ogi sees him, she turns her head. No matter what Gruver does, she resists. This resistance is carefully planned. Asian women know that men want what they are told they can’t have. The resistance makes the man want the Asian woman even more.

Asian woman know that men want to feel needed.

In one scene, as they share sake, Hana-ogi tells Ace Gruver that her life is planned, that she will dance and then once she is too old to dance, she will teach dance. She says this as if she is content with and resigned to this fate. Clearly, the opposite is true. Clearly, she wants a rich, white, prominent husband and she is setting her bait to catch him. Asian women know that men have a Hero Complex. Men want to rescue women from their plight, and feel like the big, strong, strapping savior. The Asian woman presents herself as a fragile flower who can’t take care of herself. Men want to feel needed, and the Asian woman is skilled in giving the man the illusion that she has to have him in order to make it in this cruel, lonely world.

Asian women know that men want to feel like men (and not like the wuss pansies we know they really are)

“I am so frightened and confused!” Hana-ogi says when Ace Gruver begs her to marry him and come back with him to America to raise “sweet, clean children” (as opposed to “sour, dirty children). Don’t think Hana-ogi is terrified and clueless. She knows exactly what is going on, and she knows exactly how to play this situation to her advantage. Hana-ogi, like many Asian women, understand that men long to calm your fears, and enlighten you, and her impassioned declaration is done to give Gruver the illusion of feeling as though he is her protector, and hero. In other words, with Hana-ogi, Gruver can feel like a MAN.

Asian women know how and when to be submissive

Hana-ogi asks Gruver if he will go back to the military base after their evening of sake and sex comes to an end. Gruver, puffed up with confidence after what he assumes was his satisfying performance, tells her, rather apathetically, that he is going to get some beer and girls and have some real fun. Now, what do you think Hana-ogi’s response is? Does she shrink back in disgust, slap his impertinent face and screech: “Beer and girls! Why, you philandering masher! And to think I let you take such peculiar liberties with my person! How could I have been such a fool?” No, not our clever Hana-ogi. She knows that men don’t respond well to melodrama or jealousy, and she’s aware that men want to think they can haul off and do whatever the hell they want, no questions asked, no matter what. Thus, she kisses his cheek and replies in her sweet, submissive voice: “Good! I hate to think of you being lonely!”

Now, raise your hand if you know that a black girl would have put her foot in his ass? Even a white woman wouldn’t have put up with that shit. But the Asian girl. . .she knows that being accommodating and submissive will pay off in huge dividends in the end, and so she bides her time and allows the man to think he’s pulling all the strings when the truth is, she’s the Puppet Master!

Consider this scene: Hana-ogi tells Gruver that since her family was killed, she’s thought of American men as savages but, when Katsumi told her how tender Gruver kissed her cheek when Katsumi married Airman Kelly, Hana-ogi was (apparently immediately) convince that Ace Gruver was no savage. She goes on to tell him that she has never been in love but she’s thought about it, and that she will love him for as long as she can if that is his desire.

Basically, here’s Hana-ogi telling Gruver, “I’ll do whatever you want.” I don’t care what kind of shit men try to peddle about wanting a confident, independent woman. No man can resist a girl who will do whatever the hell he tells her to do. Asian women realize that all men have a God Complex – they want to run the show, and they don’t want no backtalk. The Asian woman allows the man to be in control, and that’s why the man goes nuts over her. Now, take the black girl. First of all, you don’t even try to tell a black girl what to do. Second of all. . .well, there’s no need for a second of all. As soon as the man realizes he can’t tell the black girl what to do, he’s outta there.

Asian women know how to make a man feel as though she thinks he’s special

In another scene, co-star Miyoshi Umeki (who plays Katsumi) gives Airman Kelly (played by Red Buttons) a bath. “Ah, this is the life!” Gushes Airman Kelly as Katsumi diligently and lovingly scrubs, all the while smiling and giggling. Here Katsumi is telling Airman Kelly, “I’ll pamper you and I’ll enjoy doing it!” Men want you to do what they say, and like it, damn it. The Asian woman understands this, and she toes the damn line. That’s why she gets the guy to fall for her, and in short order, whisk her down the aisle. Consider the black girl. Will she bathe some man, giggling and smiling as she does it? Personally, as a black girl, I would say that would be a tall order for me. So, I’ll try to think of it this way: Suppose I was involved with Eddie Cibrian. Would I bathe him? Don’t think so. . .think I’d feel too much like a servant. And that’s why he wouldn’t marry me. He’d dump me for Lucy Lui, and marry her.

In conclusion, galaxyMafia invites you to check out any of the following movies, featuring “rice-chasers” and the almond-eyed vixens who love them.

Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955)
Newsman Mark Elliott is an American war correspondent in Hong Kong, separated from his wife. During the closing days of the Chinese Civil War, he meets and pursues a beautiful Eurasian doctor, the widow of a Nationalist general. But when they begin to fall in love, their friends and her Chinese family pressure them to stop the cross-cultural relationship.

Sayonara (1957)
American servicemen stationed in Japan during the Korean War fall in love and marry Japanese nationals despite harsh paperwork impediments and orders to the contrary.

The World of Suzie Wong (1960)
Robert Lomax, tired of working in an office, wants to try his hand as an artist. So he moves to Hong Kong to try his hand at painting. Finding a cheap hotel he checks in, only to find it’s used by prostitutes and their 'dates' who meet in the bar downstairs. Since he never picks up any of ladies, they all want to know more about him. Eventually he does hire one to model for him, but soon falls in love.

*Please note: Unlike GD, galaxyMafia does not include women from India, Pakistan, Hawaii or any countries similar to those in her definition of Asian woman. GalaxyMafia’s definition of “Asian women” is restricted exclusively to women from countries comprised of what Westerners may refer to as “the Orient” (i.e., Japan, Korea, China, Malaysia).

copyright 2006 - galaxyMafia. . .has nothing against Asian women. Indeed, in her next life, she plans to come back as Kelly Hu!!