Stamped: March 30th, 2007 | Related Posts
Tagged: madonna, mai hime, role model, shizuru fujino, tank girl.

We all grew up under the influence of role models. Could be siblings, parents, relatives, celebs, sportsmen, writers, painters, anime heroes or even politicians… It’s a classic and it is part of our self development.
Who are your role models? Why were they your models and what did they bring to your personal development? Would you have been the same person without them in your life?
Have you ever thought of those questions and their probable answers?

My most important role model is without a doubt Madonna and I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it wasn’t for her existence in my rather ordinary life.

I was brought up in a traditional strict Chinese family where fitting amongst the commoners and not standing out was the motto.
My parents not being very present in my everyday life, I was often left to my own devices. And fortunately Madonna entered my life and grew on me during my teen years.
She brought me what I needed: another perspective on life, the realization that I, myself, had the power to do what I want. Will power was the key. Following up her career and personal life also taught me to be more tolerant and open-minded. And nowadays, it is still something I am hardly able to do.
She was to me both a friend and a mother. I often laugh saying that she is my Mother, but to me it is not sarcastic at all. She means a lot to me, even if it now sounds ridiculous for a 28 years old grown up.

This post is getting worse…
During my post teenage years, I started to go by that nickname of Tank Girl… Tank Girl is a fictional character from a British comic drawn by Jamie Hewlett, and written by Alan Martin.
As the name suggests, Tank Girl drives a tank, which is also her home. She undertakes a series of missions for a nebulous organization before making a serious mistake and being declared an outlaw.

Don’t mistake me, I wasn’t at all influenced by her punk hippy life-style nor her amazing everyday-changing haircut, but I was strongly impressed by her temper I wish I had.
She is a strong character, mentally and physically. She says what she thinks and does what she thinks (just like Madonna), and didn’t care about what others think. She cares for her friends and would risk her life for them. She is kind-hearted although her appearance doesn’t let it show.
She doesn’t care for her physical appearance and dresses with whatever outfit falls onto her hands.
On top of that she is incredibly funny, but I don’t know if Rebecca Buck, aka Tank Girl, was aware of that.
I was laughing my ass off everytime I read the comics.
At that time I was kind of insecure myself (and I ‘m still) and Tank Girl totally represented the rebel ass I wanted to be.

Madonna and Tank Girl are in a way, the same ideal of the person I wish I had the strenght to be.

Today, I have another fictional heroine that I admire for all that she represents: grace, strenght, intelligence, charism, traditions, beauty. Everything I wish I had.
The character of Shizuru Fujino from the “Mai Hime” Japanese anime is the president council of her school, respected by every of the students, she even has her fan club among the students.
What totally fascinates me in this character is all the contradictions and contrasts she is made of. I feel, in a way, that I am also someone who is only made of contradictions.

I love the fact that she is both modern but as well clinging to the traditions at the same time. She is very skilled at operating her Naginata weapon (pole weapon that was traditionally used in Japan by members of the samurai class), dresses in traditional Yukata (Japanese summer garment) and is learning the tea ceremony (the study of the tea ceremony takes many years and often lasts a lifetime).

She is the highly praised student council president but doesn’t take her role of President seriously, trying to escape from her duty whenever she can. She is very manipulative and sarcastic, which I love.
She is always calm, always knowing how to behave in society but she is boiling inside from love, frustration, rage and never let it appear.
She has her fan girls following her all around the campus, but she only has one precious person in mind (a girl at that). And she is ready to die for the one she loves. Her strenght (and weakness) is her consuming love.

All those fictional and real people are of a great inspiration in my life they proved me that you can be a living contradiction. I wish I could have a tenth of their qualities. But unfortunately I am only myself, and it’s not all that bad. And I hope that somehow I was also a role model for someone in this life.