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Paracel: African People
Graywolf
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Izmir, Turkey / Türkçe
Joined: December 01, 2001
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Posted: Thursday, May 04, 2017 - 12:07 PM UTC


Paracel Miniatures announced two new unusual figures that will be released in June.rn

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If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!
GDCFAST
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Joined: April 19, 2017
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Posted: Thursday, May 04, 2017 - 10:58 PM UTC
bad representation of what African people look like, to the point of being racist
ComaBlack
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Ontario, Canada
Joined: September 19, 2010
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Posted: Thursday, May 04, 2017 - 11:53 PM UTC

Quoted Text

bad representation of what African people look like, to the point of being racist


Agreed. These look like caricatures from the 1940s
Jack_Turmoil
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Michigan, United States
Joined: February 09, 2016
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Posted: Friday, May 05, 2017 - 01:25 AM UTC
I agree. These are pretty bad.
GDCFAST
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Posted: Friday, May 05, 2017 - 01:58 AM UTC
I have been to Africa, even the most tribal and I was exposed to many tribes, were wonderful looking people.
Graywolf
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Izmir, Turkey / Türkçe
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Posted: Friday, May 05, 2017 - 12:16 PM UTC

Quoted Text

bad representation of what African people look like, to the point of being racist


Hi Daryll,
I can understand your "bad presentation" comment about the figures but what makes you think for this figures being racist???

IMHO, a modeler may dislike or hate a figure and can critize it about bad body size, bad proportions,bad sculpting, bad details,etc. but racism is not a critic, it is an unfair accuse to the sculptor mentioning about racism.

...and I don't think all African people look like touristic Masaai tribes,maybe the sculptor inspired by famous movie characters.


It is our right to criticize models in forums but no need to set the barn in fire.

Best regards
Engin
Vicious
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Queensland, Australia
Joined: September 04, 2015
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Posted: Friday, May 05, 2017 - 01:05 PM UTC
I totally agree with Engin...
RECON22
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Queensland, Australia
Joined: February 10, 2012
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Posted: Friday, May 05, 2017 - 03:21 PM UTC
I'm so f$&ing sick of racist BS.....don't like em don't buy em!
Taeuss
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Manitoba, Canada
Joined: January 03, 2016
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Posted: Monday, May 08, 2017 - 03:24 AM UTC
I think that they're caricatures and wouldn't buy them as I don't think they're worth buying. The racist issue never really occured to me. I've seen other manufacturers who offered good-looking, realistic figures of black people that didn't make me want to move on and buy elsewhere. Can't see why it wasn't done here. Try again.
clovis899
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California, United States
Joined: May 05, 2002
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Posted: Monday, May 08, 2017 - 03:46 AM UTC
I think what Daryll and Simon mean in regards to the figures appearing racist is the overly caricature like sculpting. If someone presented a Japanese officer of WWII looking like what is below it would (and should) be labeled racist. Whether you buy it or not doesn't change the fact of the matter.

In Paracel's defense it may just be an incredibly bad figure; lets hope so.

Rick
HeavyArty
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Florida, United States
Joined: May 16, 2002
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Posted: Monday, May 08, 2017 - 05:26 AM UTC
It's amazing what people are offended by. Really? Get over it. They are just little pieces of resin.
Foxtrot1
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Gauteng, South Africa
Joined: March 03, 2011
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Posted: Monday, May 08, 2017 - 03:18 PM UTC
They may not be the best sculpted figures, granted. However I fail to see how this would be classified as racist. Having visited some of the most rural areas in South Africa and Mozambique over the years, a sight such as this is hardly uncommon. So let's just pump the brakes PC Brigade.
Cantstopbuyingkits
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European Union
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Posted: Wednesday, May 10, 2017 - 02:11 AM UTC
I wonder what people would think if they made a "American People" set that looked that obese rednecks.
HeavyArty
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Posted: Wednesday, May 10, 2017 - 03:18 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I wonder what people would think if they made a "American People" set that looked that obese rednecks.


Really?? How about we start listing stereotypes of Europeans as well? Class act there man.
j76lr
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New Jersey, United States
Joined: September 22, 2006
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Posted: Wednesday, May 10, 2017 - 03:33 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

I wonder what people would think if they made a "American People" set that looked that obese rednecks.


Really?? How about we start listing stereotypes of Europeans as well? Class act there man.

agreed
KoSprueOne
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Myanmar
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Posted: Wednesday, May 10, 2017 - 07:51 AM UTC
Caricatures for sure. The figures do not look realistic.




Cantstopbuyingkits
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European Union
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Posted: Wednesday, May 10, 2017 - 03:28 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

I wonder what people would think if they made a "American People" set that looked that obese rednecks.


Really?? How about we start listing stereotypes of Europeans as well? Class act there man.


I've proved my point, then.
Foxtrot1
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Gauteng, South Africa
Joined: March 03, 2011
KitMaker: 234 posts
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Posted: Monday, May 22, 2017 - 03:30 PM UTC
These figures are part of an African series. I would assume that anyone who purchased them would use them as accessories in a diorama alongside military or UN vehicles. If you were going to build a scene where a UN vehicle is giving aid to civilians, or a military vehicle providing security - it would most probably be in a rural area or run down urban area where scenes like this are common. As mentioned earlier these sights are very common all over Africa, you could see this in rural KwaZulu Natal here in South Africa just as easily as in Burundi or Somalia. Just as some brands provide kits of terrorist figures to use in Middle Easter displays. No one has had a break down over those figures being 'racist'.

Again, the quality of the sculpting is poor. I would not buy them for that reason. Everyone needs to calm down and realise that they are just models.
willc453
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United States
Joined: October 07, 2009
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Posted: Thursday, May 25, 2017 - 09:51 PM UTC
For those interested, Trumpeter has a set called African Freedom Fighters. Pretty good figures and dressed as civilians which means you can use them in an every day, ordinary type diorama. Will be using them as zombie/
apocalypse survivors, others as zombies. Hopefully Trumpeter will come out with more modern/current civilians.
brekinapez
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Georgia, United States
Joined: July 26, 2013
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Posted: Thursday, May 25, 2017 - 10:00 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text


Quoted Text

I wonder what people would think if they made a "American People" set that looked that obese rednecks.


Really?? How about we start listing stereotypes of Europeans as well? Class act there man.


I've proved my point, then.


You did.

Some people here seem to be hanging on the overall appearance of the figures and thinking they aren't racist but just poorly done. Poorly done sure, but they seem to be overlooking the oversized nose and lips which are exaggerations of stereotyped African features. That is where the racism lies; not in how they are dressed. It's the same point Cooper was making by posting the anti-Japanese propaganda poster. Paracel most likely weren't trying to pull some (not very) subtle hate crime on the model world, but to sculpt such grossly overdone features still smacks of ignorance.
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