One good thing that might come from this is that maybe for once western companies could actually start fucking supporting their animation studios so they're more than bad comedy or kids shows.
Child Safety Bill Could Cripple Anime Industry
- Thread starter John Funk
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You realize it's not actually banning lolicon, right?Soviet Heavy said:
All it's doing is allowing stuff like Princess Tutu or Lyrical Nanoha to be called lolicon.
...that would be a potent silver lining, yes, but probably not worth it.Soviet Heavy said:
massive wall of text and didnt really want to delete it but newho,John Funk said:Child Safety Bill Could Cripple Anime Industry
It's all the stranger (and more worrisome for the industry) that this bill specifically exempts things like photography, live-action film and TV, and novels. In other words, while a live-action production of Nabokov's Lolita would theoretically be fine under the law, an animated adaptation would be able to be classified as pornography.
What makes this even stranger is that in Japan as in the US, the government already regulates hardcore pornography to keep it out of the hands of youths. In fact, this bill has absolutely nothing to do with materials that are already classified as adult works. The only things affected by these provisions would be anime, manga and games depicting these issues, but not in a manner sexually explicit enough to be classified as porn.
In other words, this bill wouldn't cover the infamous RapeLay, but could potentially cover things like the groundbreaking Neon Genesis Evangelion (two words: hospital scene) or even "magical girl" shows that imply nudity on underage characters during transformation sequences. One could hardly classify long-running action manga Berserk as hentai, but under this bill the sexual scenes would make it vulnerable to reclassification - and in Japan as in the West, many retailers will opt not to stock adult material entirely. It could also hamstring entire genres that deal with same-sex romance (and given statements by Tokyo governor Ishihara calling gays and lesbians "deficient," [http://dankanemitsu.wordpress.com/2010/12/07/the-governor-strikes-again-gays-deficient-and-bill-opponents-need-christian-morals/] this may be intended).
While Bill 156 will only affect the Tokyo area, given that the vast majority of anime and manga makers are located in the area around Tokyo, it could still have a potentially critical effect on the industry.
Naturally, the bill has faced harsh opposition everywhere outside of the Tokyo government. The Tokyo Bar Association and the Japan PEN Club have both opposed the bill, with the former criticizing it for unclear terminology and its use of the term "exaggerated" (since manga and anime are by their nature exaggerated), and the latter claiming that the bill could "warp the freedoms of speech and expression."
The strongest opposition, however, comes from manga and anime publishers themselves (understandably). The major publishers in the "Big 10" including media giant boycott the Tokyo Anime Fair [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kadokawa_Shoten] (link NSFW), despite Governor Ishihara's claims that the event would "prove a place where the Japan can proudly showcase the charms of its animation industry to the world." Meanwhile, Shueisha, publisher of Shonen Jump - the serial magazine containing famous titles like Bleach and Naruto - affirmed its support for its writers and artists, and urged them to create works that would "blow [the legislature] away."
Japanese Prime Minster Naoto Kan in a blog post [http://dankanemitsu.wordpress.com/2010/12/13/bill-156-locked-to-go-prime-minister-expresses-concern-as-final-vote-comes-on-wednesday/]. While the promotion of healthy development in the youth was important, wrote Kan, it was also important that "Japanese animation [was] broadcast to a global audience."
This is way too huge an issue to comprehensively cover in one news post - further reading is recommended at places like Dan Kanemitsu [http://www.japanator.com/fffuuu-tokyo-s-anti-loli-bill-passes-in-commitee-17722.phtml&mainnav=&track] - but one thing is certain: Fans of anime and manga may find the industry irrevocably changed as a result of this bill.
Or, the companies could just pack up and move to Osaka. That could happen, too.
(Source: Dan Kanemitsu [http://dankanemitsu.wordpress.com/2010/12/10/crunch-time-three-days-until-bill-156s-fate-is-determined/])
(Supplemental Information: AnimeNewsNetwork [http://www.japanator.com/fffuuu-tokyo-s-anti-loli-bill-passes-in-commitee-17722.phtml&mainnav=&track])
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why is it that everyone not calling out manga like Dance in the Vampire Bund (perhaps the most graphic scene i have ever read in all my life was in that manga were they test to see if Mina... well i dont wanna ruin it.), or hell Love Hina might as well be covered in this (loli chars), or Nana, hell even Lucky Star will be called into question. and those are just a few that people might know off the top of their head, we also have Blood + if you count the adoption brother sister relationship incest. Demon Lord Dante one of the best anime ever made(bad end tho), every Ecchi ever made, Genshiken (at least the second season), Speed Grapher, Elfen Lied, and most Harem Animes will be affected by this. i am just perplexed how none of these titles get named, also not to mention ComiKet doujinshi.
How would it be not worth it? It would be totally worth it to see a resurgence of traditional 2D animation in North America. Will it happen? That is the problem, it isn't very likely, as much as I want it to happen.NeutralDrow said:
im more worryed about Vampire Bund and anymore anime versions of Spice and WolfFredTheUndead said:
Ugh, I hope so. There are so many good western comics they could use. So many unique styles they could show off. Unfortunately, I still don't think they'll be motivated to do this. If they do try to make serious adult animation I'll watch tv again.Soviet Heavy said:
I couldn't care less. Anime and Manga are the two types of Media I have no passion about whatsoever.
Normally not my thing to support censorship, but really, Japan, you brought this on yourself. Your country is synonymous with this sort of cultural detritus and "
" reaction from the rest of the world. Considering what Japan came up with before fucked-up anime and manga (Kabuki, sumo, samurai, and other ritual that is truly worthy of admiration for the code of morals and ethics that it advances as their national character), I kind of want to say "eat it, weeaboos."
" reaction from the rest of the world. Considering what Japan came up with before fucked-up anime and manga (Kabuki, sumo, samurai, and other ritual that is truly worthy of admiration for the code of morals and ethics that it advances as their national character), I kind of want to say "eat it, weeaboos."
what about Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt which is the funniest show ive seen in years how can it survive?Darks63 said:
Vampire Bund won't get anything else made because it was hated while it aired and sold like crap. Spice and Wolf novels end in February anyway.Gamegodtre said:
Yes yes Simulord, you think Japan is a country populated by pedophiles, now run along and fail to contribute to or actually read about some other thread's subject matter.SimuLord said:Normally not my thing to support censorship, but really, Japan, you brought this on yourself. Your country is synonymous with this sort of cultural detritus and "