Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.Critics have blasted Avril Lavigne’s newest video “Hello Kitty.” In the video, Avril appears in a cupcake skirt, dancing around, chanting “Kawaii” (cute) and other random Japanese words. There are Japanese backup dancers, and the whole video has a very “Banzai” feel to it. Perhaps it is in this context that many North Americans blasted the video as racist, saying that the Japanese women in the background are treated as props rather than people and that the video has a mocking feel to it.
Critics Argue Both Sides
While it seems that the majority of viewers dislike the video, many feel that calling it racist is unwarranted. Avril herself tweeted, “RACIST??? LOLOLOL!!! I love Japanese culture and I spend half of my time in Japan. I flew to Tokyo to shoot this video specifically for my Japanese fans, WITH my Japanese label, Japanese choreographers AND a Japanese director IN Japan.”
Avril has a large Japanese fan base, and it is true that many adore her music. In fact, a spokesperson for the Japanese embassy told TMZ that he knows Avril had good intentions when making the video, and that he would be pleased to discover that the video helped inspire people to “discover the beautiful and rich culture of Japan.” Very few Japanese people have actually made mention of the video as offensive, the majority of the offended parties have been American.
In any case, the video and the song has not been widely received, and has probably received more views from those looking to see what all of the fuss is about (strategic, maybe?) The video will probably not be winning any awards, but it seems that the racist title isn’t going to stick with Avril.