I spend a lot of time reading up on and watching various analyses about the difference between catering to women and catering to men in fiction and one of my favorite tips is to judge the framing.
If the woman in the shot is framed as an object, where the panel or the shot on screen are literally “framing” her as something to be played with, looked at, or purchased, then it’s a problem. In my opinion, women who have been objectified will even feel an instinctual response to recoil when seeing this framing. Whereas framing the woman as the subject will typically focus on inner beauty, dialogue, expression, or anything visual that shows us the woman’s personality or interests, even if the woman is obviously gorgeous. It focuses on the action that’s occurring or about to occur.
The best examples of this are Megan Fox’s character in the Transformers movies is wildly framed as an object, almost always entering a scene from the bottom up in slow motion or in ridiculous sexualized poses etc. Source: Framing Megan Fox: Feminist Theory Part 3 | The Whole Plate: Episode 7
A great example of differences is Harley Quinn in the first Suicide Squad movie vs. in Birds of Prey. There’s an introduction of Harley from the ground up both times, but in one she’s wearing stilettos and the camera lingers slowly on her legs and pans away from her so we feel like we’re observing her (object), while in BoP she’s wearing stylish and clunky heels, we walk directly behind her as if with her (subject), and the camera spends minimal time on her legs before panning to where the action is going to be, in the conversation between her and the person she’s walking to. Source: Unpacking the Male Gaze: Birds of Prey vs. Suicide Squad
So what this means for fiction, including manga and anime, in my opinion can best be seen in shounen and seinen written by women, like Yamada-kun and the 7 Witches and The Ancient Magus’ Bride. There are plenty of moments of either showing bras/panties or other sexy or swoony elements, but the framing of the characters doesn’t take away their power. You can be attracted to them while respecting them because of the framing.
wish fulfillment 