MLP:FiM is probably a good available example of the reverse phenomenon. The positions of power are occupied by females. There are very few male characters (though a significantly more even ratio than Star Wars), and they seem to be shoehorned in as male stereotypes. I suggest male readers ruminate on this aspect of the show until it seems a bit disturbing.
To spell it out for those who don’t know the shows, anime series that have a mostly female cast doing more or less random stuff and have a significant male audience are a thing. There’s also the type of anime series that has a mostly male cast and is aimed at a female audience.
Not to mention Serial Experiments Lain (I am not providing a link due to spoilers).
All of these are examples of anime, though. An average person doesn’t watch anime, so maybe it would disturb him more to encounter MLP (which, after all, is heavily influenced by anime).
Never checked the numbers, but always felt that shoujo and josei manga and anime were way more widespread and likely to be successful than equivalent male-oriented counterparts (though the top ones in popularity are, of course, shounen stuff).
I’m not entirely convinced by this argument.
To spell it out for those who don’t know the shows, anime series that have a mostly female cast doing more or less random stuff and have a significant male audience are a thing. There’s also the type of anime series that has a mostly male cast and is aimed at a female audience.
Not to mention Serial Experiments Lain (I am not providing a link due to spoilers).
All of these are examples of anime, though. An average person doesn’t watch anime, so maybe it would disturb him more to encounter MLP (which, after all, is heavily influenced by anime).
Never checked the numbers, but always felt that shoujo and josei manga and anime were way more widespread and likely to be successful than equivalent male-oriented counterparts (though the top ones in popularity are, of course, shounen stuff).