NBC has already started their big Heroes marketing campaign, and in preparation I’ve been developing the Hiro Meter. The Hiro Meter doesn’t gauge Hiro’s power levels, but how much he has let down the Asian community. I love Hiro, I love Masi Oka, but he really has become the William Hung of superheroes. I’ve always been very vocal about NBC’s continued emasculation of Masi Oka, and I’m interested to see if it continues in Heroes 4th season. The problem is everyone loves Masi because he’s as cuddly as a Mogwai, he’s as close a human being can possibly get to plush toy, but to keep him at this cuddly marketable state, he needs to be kept nice and degradated. Every season is the same for Hiro: he goofs his way through a mission, something terrible happens to him (someone he loves dies, loses his powers, etc.), he manages to shine for three seconds and save the world, something worse happens to him (he’s trapped in time, brain explodes). Heaven forbid Hiro kisses a girl or uses his powers to the fullest. No one else on the show gets pantsed half us much as Hiro.
So, as the fourth season of Heroes begins Monday, September 21, 2009, it will be interesting to see if Hiro continues his cycle of humiliation, or the writers finally let his character grow some much needed gnards. For this purpose, I’ve created a finely tuned meter that can detect just how much Hiro has disgraced Asians everywhere with his Uncle Chen stereotypical antics, or if he’s actually been a positive Asian influence. And, of course, why must Masi Oka be positive Asian role model? He’s just an actor after all, but he’s just about the only Asian actor on TV. He’s all we got, and I want someone kids can look up to. Otherwise this happens.
How will Masi do? Will he be a positive influence, or should we just let Mickey Rooney take over the part?
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I’ve seen way too many characters like that on TV and in the movies and I’m not gonna take it anymore. Most glaring case in point for me: the Japanese exchange student in John Hughes’ so-called classic “Sixteen Candles”. As much I love the man’s other movies (and really, I do) and Molly Ringwald during the 80’s, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to see the redeeming qualities of that one flick because of its blatantly racist depiction of Asians. All respect to Mr. Hughes, but I think he blew it with that one.
It seems to me that Hiro is carrying the Charlie Chan torch into the 21st century. But obviously a lot of people have no problem with this derogatory depiction of Asians, so “oh werr!”