November 2024, the national channel TF1 has teased its Cat’s Eyes show and is now releasing its adaptation based on Tsukasa Hojo’s work with great fanfare. For nostalgic fans of the three Kisugi sisters and fans of the original Cat’s Eye anime, this is a nod to childhood in France, as the TV Show title keeps the French version’s name, along with the main characters’ names. So, instead of Hitomi, Rui, and Ai, we have Alexia, Sylia, and Tamara.
Cat’s Eyes: The time of Millennial-Focused adaptations
Before Cat’s Eyes, there were adaptations like City Hunter (Nicky Larson) aiming to appeal to early audiences. These adaptations target the hearts of those who watched in the ’80s and ’90s, and it’s worth noting their success. Revivals and spin-offs are increasingly common and find eager audiences; Star Trek: Lower Decks, the animated series from the Roddenberry universe, is now in its fifth season, and there have been numerous Saint Seiya revivals.
However, one series, while popular, initially divided opinions. Divided reactions are understandable, as we can’t expect everyone to enjoy the same things. Yet, what’s intriguing here are the reasons some French viewers criticized this series. This show, a Netflix production, is Lupin!
Lupin: A different approach
Omar Sy stars as Assane Diop, a big fan of Maurice Leblanc’s Arsène Lupin. In his quest to clear the Diop family name, Assane embodies the adventures of his idol, even if it means going outside the law, like the character he imitates. Though now a hit with three seasons, the series wasn’t universally praised from the beginning.
On January 8, 2021, the first season dropped on Netflix, making it the first French show to break into the U.S. top 10. Despite this global acclaim, some in France found reasons to criticize it. “Arsène Lupin fans” were outraged, saying things like, “Arsène Lupin cannot be played by a Black man” and even “Black Panther will be played by Ryan Gosling.” This was a precursor to a trend that would grow, with similar complaints later appearing around The Little Mermaid, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and other projects.
While the critiques of Lupin could have been legitimate, in reality, they lacked real substance. Omar Sy wasn’t playing Arsène Lupin himself but a fan of the famous thief!
An unjustified surge of racism
Even now, you’ll find people recycling these same arguments. It raises questions about the basis of so much hatred or ignorance, as in 2024, accusations of racism were often dismissed outright.
“As soon as we disagree with you, it’s called racism.” Well, no. It’s not about agreeing or disagreeing. It’s about consistency in a context that demands logic (and racism is indeed part of that context). “In what way?” you might ask. Excellent question! Which brings us back to Cat’s Eye – or rather Cat’s Eyes this time. Why do some people refuse to accept Assane Diop, who isn’t Arsène Lupin, while those same people don’t seem to mind when three Caucasian actresses portray three Japanese sisters “to please French fans from back then”?
And this is not meant to discredit the actresses or the series! Far from it. We’re questioning the public’s reaction. Why can’t there be the same tolerance and acceptance? Or are we going to continue with these double standards?
Race-swapping done right
Race-swapping refers to changing a character’s race in an adaptation when it was already established in a previous work. We’ve faced this for ages. People always mention ancient Egypt in old movies. It’s also brought up when discussing cowboys, who were historically mostly Black. There are, however, some guidelines to help make it work in meaningful cases.
One often-highlighted point is that some anti-race-swappers don’t see the difference between fictional and historical characters (we neither support nor oppose; it should be a case-by-case decision). In Harry Potter, people were upset at the thought of a Black actress playing Hermione Granger for the series, though this casting choice has been accepted on Broadway for years.
And for good reason: Hermione Granger’s race doesn’t impact the saga’s storyline. On the other hand, casting Pierce Brosnan as Martin Luther King would make no sense, as King was a real figure whose fundamental struggle was deeply tied to his identity. (In short, it’s not a very clever argument).
Sometimes race-swapping works very well when the public doesn’t know the character well if they are fictional. Marvel does this with liberties that, so far, have been effective. Few people read enough comics to know that Nick Fury, SHIELD’s director, was originally white. The same goes for the Ancient One, a Chinese elder played by Tilda Swinton, or Idris Elba and Tessa Thompson, who play the Asgardians Heimdall and Valkyrie.
Hopefully, as we move toward 2025, these types of topics will fade. But for now, it doesn’t seem likely!
