Why do games and anime...

Why do they make Japanese people white? Take Street Fighter for instance. Ryu looks American. Chun-Li has Chinese clothing but she, as well, looks white. Sagat doesn't really look like he's from Thailand. They at least got Dhalsim right though. Gouken sort of looks Japanese, but the skin color is white.

They do this in other games too. Not that I mind this, but I just wonder why they do it.

Ryu, from what I've gathered probably isn't from Japan. He had a mother, but his mother gave him to Gouken after he was born and Gouken raised him to be a martial artist. Therefore, Ryu MAY not be from Japan. Sagat... I couldn't tell you. Perhaps he has that disease where you never stop growing and you become freakishly large.

And to answer about Gouken, he... Probably doesn't get enough sun.

And how about some DBZ characters like Master Roshi who is outside a lot? Everyone in InuYasha in Kagome's home is Japanese and they are all white.

White stands out?

Strider Zero wrote:

And how about some DBZ characters like Master Roshi who is outside a lot? Everyone in InuYasha in Kagome's home is Japanese and they are all white.

Probably appealing more towards the American folk? Oh wait, it's not distributed by 4Kids, my bad!

Japan has a lot of Western influence. If you notice in some anime, people often have high regards for America and Europe. It's sort of like a mutual respect. Dubs won't change Japanese culture (unless you work for 4kids and then rice balls = evil) and the original will have Western influence like skin tone or whatever have you.