[FFML] Genma and fitness [was] Kung fu Panda poster

[Mike Ching]

It's pretty obvious that Genma's neither unfit nor unhealthy--but you could note that in your fics that (untrained) people might assume him to be otherwise. Despite being told Book != Cover, average people by nature judge on appearances. Heck, you could even use that as a story point if you want to (idiot tries to challenge Genma thinking he's a fat slob, only to get his behind handed to him).

Another note: remember cultural perceptions. Western people think Sumo wrestlers are just fat slobs, but in Japan (and in some Asian countries), people of that large size are generally associated with strength. It may be just me, but the Greco-Roman aesthetic of strength=well-defined, chiseled muscles only turns up in western art. Eastern Art that I've seen (Japanese, Chinese, Indian) never seem to portray men with 'perfect' musculature*. In fact, some of them seem to have sort-of potbellies. Seeing that Easterners place an emphasis on inner strength coming from the stomach, this makes a bit of sense.

(*NOTE that I could be damn wrong on this!)

In fact, I think it's only in recent times (i.e. 20th Century) that eastern people have been taking on the 'ripped muscular' bodybuilder image as a sign of strength.

- Wavehawk
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
<i>"They sicken of the calm who know the storm."</i>
-<b>Dorothy Parker</b>
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*