In They Called Us Enemy, George Takei brings up an interesting topic regarding the treatment of Asian Americans. Although a large part of the comic covers Japanese American internment, Takei also briefly mentions the depiction of Asian Americans in media, specifically Hollywood and television. 

In the comic, Takei meets with Gene Roddenberry, who wants Takei to play a character that properly represents Asian heritage. Through this interaction, Takei explains to readers that Hollywood and television have a history of horribly depicting Asian Americans. Takei states that they are often depicted as buffoons, menials, or menaces. This reminded me of my own experiences with watching movies or television shows and their representations of Asians and their cultures. 

In the past, as Takei states, Asians were always depicted negatively in the media. For example, one could look at Western films which were an extremely popular form of entertainment at the time. In these Western films, it was extremely common for Asian actors to be cast as villains. These villains were always depicted as sneaky, cunning, and deceitful. This gave Western audiences a bad impression of Asian people as well as Asian culture. 

It was also extremely uncommon for an Asian actor to be cast in a Hollywood role, especially for leading roles. This still somewhat pertains to this day and age of entertainment. Asian stars in their home countries can be huge stars known by everyone. However, in Hollywood productions, they become relatively unknown, and finding a role can be much more difficult. 

Even when an Asian actor lands a role in a Hollywood production, they are often cast in roles that require an Asian actor. These roles are often stereotypical, containing common cliches of Asian culture. For example, when a male Asian actor is cast in an action movie, it is common for them to be playing the character that fights with traditional East Asian martial arts such as kung fu or karate. 

Of course, this is not always the case when it comes to Hollywood productions. However, a common trend can be found in Hollywood where if a role does not require an Asian actor, then an Asian actor will likely not receive the role. There have even been cases where despite a character or role requiring an Asian actor, a non-Asian actor was cast in the role instead. Such as in The Conqueror, the actor John Wayne took the role of Genghis Khan, a move that would face lots of criticism from audiences later on.

Despite old Western films depicting Asians as stereotypical and sly criminals, new contemporary Western films have been released that capture the charm and positive side of old Westerns while also making sure to depict other cultures properly. More and more Asian actors and actresses are now being cast in prominent roles in film projects than ever before. Fortunately, Asian representation in Hollywood and television have begun to see new breakthroughs with the release of new movies and shows that intend to represent Asians and Asian culture in a new, positive light.