Question Can anyone here start writing a Light Novel with a Black Protagonist ?

Can anyone here start writing a Light Novel with a Black Protagonist ?

So I am already tired of seeing the standard Japanese or Caucasian-looking protagonist in Light or Web Novels ( for example, Glen Radars in Rokudenashi Majutsu is a Caucasian-modelled protagonist with black hair and light skin ), so for a change and breath of fresh air, I wanted to read a LN with a Black or African-looking protagonist with dark skin for a change, so I have already started writing it my own and posted it on the Narou site.

However I am still a super-amateur when it comes to writing, especially in Japanese, therefore I don't have much confidence in my own ability to craft a well-written story, so in case I fail to do so by my own means, to make this thing the next trend so as to bring about a new revolution or meaningful change in the LN industry so people can read refreshing new settings in stories and widen their perspectives/horizons/consciousness, can anyone here write your own novel with a Black protagonist so as to compare and/or compete with me ?

FYI, there are lots of Japanese people too that would like to read a story with such a setting, as can be seen from this thread here : https://chomanga.org/archives/102061.html

To anyone here that can read Japanese, can you please read the thread above ? I understand JP and can read the discussion, but I'd like for anyone here to read the thread above to confirm that there are indeed some Japanese people that are interested and open to reading a (Isekai) novel with a Black Protagonist.

The main reason why I'd like to read a novel with a Black Protagonist is because I've always liked Interracial Romance/Romcoms featuring a dark-skinned main character with a light-skinned heroine, and one of my main fetishes.

Also, in this era, I think it is very important to create a novel with a cool Black Protagonist, so as to reassure Black people IRL that they are welcomed and have friends and people that like them in Asia.

The reason why I am saying this is due to the fact that I'm an Asian, and would very much love to see Black protagonists in novels, since recently I saw and read disturbing news and videos on Twitter of racial discrimination against Africans in China, and when I found out about that, I felt very sad, anguished, devastated, horrified and hurt. It's like as if someone took a knife and stabbed me in my heart when I see some people in China doing all those terrible and inhumane acts against people just because they're African or have dark skin. Maybe because I once had a past life as an African person ?

So, once I saw that, I strengthened my resolve and felt very moved to want to make Black protagonists in LNs the next new trend to prove to all Black people that not all of we Asians are the same as a few racist people in China and we do like you guys and want to see more of your people represented in fiction.

I am also pro-Japan, so I'd like to see more Black people liking Japan more as we hope you can see us and Japanese people as your Number 1 best friends/allies in Asia.

 

That's why we have a lot of Japanese games w black people.

Black cashier in Yakuza games.
Black female fighter in fighting games.

It's easy to visualise a black character, but not when making a story out of the character. It takes a true original author for that.

 

Well. You should look among black authors, as they are more likely to have a black main character than japanese\chinese\korean authors.

 

Another option is someone without skill in Japanese write it in their native language, then someone else translate to Japanese.

If you have the skill to translate to Japanese then that makes it easy.

 

People write what they know. I couldn't possibly write about a white guy without either making it a typical Trump bootlicker neo Nazi or a SIMP who jacks off to twitch babes. And that wouldn't be good for the story. In the same vein, authors who aren't black, or haven't had much experience with black people and communities, wouldn't be able to write a half decent story with a black protagonist.

 

I don't know how to create stories but I know one about a black skinned mc. Son of the Spirit Beast mc is black skinned but he does not suffer racism because of his skin, but because of other thing. He having black skin is not really the focus, but I only know about this one.

 

Japan, China and South Korea are homogeneous countries, I'm pretty sure most JP LN writers have never actually talked to a black guy in their lives, how would they be able to write about one? From the link you gave me, it looks like Japanese are not against the idea of a black MC, but they don't know how to write one.

 

Miles Morales? They kinda made spiderman a black teenager.

It is not a japense story tho.

 

Well, Black characters give awesome visuals but when writing you need to create a character with a personality (and a personality is largely influenced by ethnicity) so it's hard for Asian writers to empathise with a black protagonist

 

If you're curious: there are novels with dark-skinned protagonists

rakuin no monshou : MC has light dark skin
re:monster : MC has grey skin

If you want to write about actual interracial romance on narou, JUST WRITE IT,
I really doubt it will be a big thing because
1. Japanese readers wouldn't really be able to relate to it.
2. there is no wish-fulfillment for them.
but it's not taboo in any way and I think a lot of readers will be interested in some variety.

 

wasn't there an anime movie that's coming with a black ml?

 

No, nobody here can. Light Novel is a genre unique to Japan because it involves a specific aspect of the Japanese Language. Your novel is a Light Novel if it uses a small number of kanjis and you use a language that is easy for children and teenagers to understand.

You'll be hard pressed to find Japanese writers in an English forum.

... Though I suppose you just wanted a webnovel with a black protagonist, right? Just go to https://scribblehub.com and write one. Why are you waiting for others to do what you want to read? Write it yourself.

 

I believe you'd be called out for racism, if you write too much about black skin colour. And every single bad character trait would make the author look like a rascist.... If the MC does something stupid -> rascist, if the MC aphrotisiacrapes somebody -> racism...

The mere fact that you'd want to read a novel where the black skin colour of the MC is heavily emphatized -> racism.

Racism.

 

The one you're looking for is YA Novel. That community LOVES everything about Nonstereotypical (Non-white/non-cis) protagonist.

 

I recommend reading "The Zombie Knight Saga." Also, I remember it having a hilarious comment and the author's response to said comment.



It's decently old for its type of story, though it's pretty good.

 

Am i the only one who rarely ever cared about MC's color when reading a novel? I just always imagined myself in MC's shoes and also how the hell do you write a black character if you don't know anything about their race or culture? To me it sounds like you want a black character just for the sake of it.

 

Perhaps go to Goodreads and find some books with black MCs, there are heaps. Good luck.