Laws surrounding sexual / violent content in Anime

pikachucheeks

Hi everyone,

Bit of a strange topic, I know.

I've been researching subversion in anime recently, as I'm interested in the topic.

One thing I've come across obviously is the popularity of sexually explicit content in anime / manga productions - and prevalence of violence.

Are there any laws in place surrounding this sort of content?

IE. If an anime comic is of a sexual nature / violent nature, does a person have to be over 18 to purchase it, like they have to be to purchase magazines like Playboy?

As far as I can see, children in Japan are able to purchase whatever anime they like - even hentai! Am I missing something, or is this correct?

Karl Hungus

Well, Manga refers to comics, Anime to animation (films/tv shows). In terms of Anime, you've got the same age ratings as your standard DVDs here. Manga, well, there doesn't really exist any major laws against children buying mature comic books in most countries. As in, children here in Ireland could probably go into Forbidden Planet or Sub City (or any other bookstores that stock comics) and buy Preacher or the like. Having been in plenty of shops in Japan that sold manga when I was there, I don't think I really remember seeing anything along the lines of hentai or such, it might only be specialist stores that would stock that kind of thing, and big chains just wouldn't stock it. So there might be no age restriction on buying the manga, there might be an age restriction on the shop that sells it. That said, that's just from what I've seen.

Cravez

I'll only chime in my own observations but i don't have much knowledge on the subject myself.

Over the summer i was in Japan and made many vists to the local 7-Elevens, Daily Yamazakis, Family Marts and many other convenience stores. Alot of them sold Manga, some Anime (not as much as Manga) and also Magazines and videos. Amongst these the content some would have also hadbeen Hentai and Porn, and they were all merchandised and accessible at an eye level that even children would have been able to see or pick up.

I don't know the laws surrounded the sale of Hentai or Pornographic material over there, they possibly may have such laws in place to prevent minors from buying. But in the convienience stores nearly everyone can (and do) read the Manga's like a library freely. So it is possible that children, although not purchasing such material, still may be able to actively view such material freely.

I wouldn't be too sure about more so retail stores than convienience stores. Any mainstream stores i went into that sold Manga or Anime didn't have any Hentai. They had specific stores that sold Hentai/Pornography and you could tell by the advertising of the shop outside that they did. Whether they allowed minors inside or not i don't know.

pikachucheeks

Thanks for your help

Michael Cravez wrote: »

Over the summer i was in Japan and made many vists to the local 7-Elevens, Daily Yamazakis, Family Marts and many other convenience stores. Alot of them sold Manga, some Anime (not as much as Manga) and also Magazines and videos. Amongst these the content some would have also hadbeen Hentai and Porn, and they were all merchandised and accessible at an eye level that even children would have been able to see or pick up.

I've read that manga is available in convenience stores alright. Heard nothing about age restrictions on people buying it though! If there are no laws, that's quite controversial!

wikipedia wrote:

Adult manga is often sold in convenience stores, book stores, and magazine stores in Japan, and also other public places such as airports, and is far more prolific and accessible than the U.S. adult*comic book market.

Tar.Aldarion

Well I know hentai anime is 18's here...I saw some in HMV

Sandvich

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Well I know hentai anime is 18's here...I saw some in HMV

Actual Hentai or just anime with som Ero content? There's a bit of a difference, since the latter can be justified as being more "artful" and get away with it a bit easier.

cherryghost

Sandvich wrote: »

Actual Hentai or just anime with som Ero content? There's a bit of a difference, since the latter can be justified as being more "artful" and get away with it a bit easier.

no actual hentai. i seen some in HMV in blanch the other day myself.

pikachucheeks

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Well I know hentai anime is 18's here...I saw some in HMV

cherryghost wrote: »

no actual hentai. i seen some in HMV in blanch the other day myself.

Thanks for that

I cant find any existing Japanese laws in relation to manga... So, I assume it's a lot easier for minors to access it.

It's pretty sick if children can buy it, to be honest ... although, aren't most things censored and blurred out?

cherryghost

I was also in Japan, albeit last year. Its extremely easy to obtain. They go hand in hand in most stores beside newspapers, for manga, and anime too. it was quite surreal really. walking into these shops, people of all ages, picking up violent/pornographic stuff.

Still, Japan are doing something right, they got one of the lowest crime rates in the world!

Sandvich

They did pass laws on "Rape games" recently - but you still have games like Sengoku Rance(which is actually a really good game) where the main character does have less than consentual sex. It's still not something I'm comfortable with, but I guess it's more harkening back to the days of raping and pillaging as a kind of jab at the squeeky clean JRPGs that have a medievel type setting but none of that sort of thing.

Karl Hungus

pikachucheeks wrote: »

... although, aren't most things censored and blurred out?

Yep, all images genitalia is censored. You can show tits, but not the beaver or snake.

Hecate

pikachucheeks wrote: »

I've been researching subversion in anime recently, as I'm interested in the topic.

One thing I've come across obviously is the popularity of sexually explicit content in anime / manga productions - and prevalence of violence.

Are there any laws in place surrounding this sort of content?

IE. If an anime comic is of a sexual nature / violent nature, does a person have to be over 18 to purchase it, like they have to be to purchase magazines like Playboy?

Take a look at Fred Patten's insightful overview of this topic:

http://www.awn.com/mag/issue3.4/3.4pages/3.4patten.html

It's somewhat old (1998), but still relevant.

Of course, the over 18 rating still applies to Anime/Manga - in fact in the early days some US/UK publishers actively sought it by importing more risque titles such as Wicked City, Legend of the Overfiend, Angel Cop and Violence Jack to name but a few. Another technique that was used was including ridiculous amounts of swearing into the English dubs, google "fifteening" and "eighteening" for more information. I believe this is why, in the west, Anime and Manga still has something of a reputation as "cartoon porn", which it has only recently begun to overcome.

Anime and Manga is only a medium and like any other medium it has it's fair share of cack, pornographic titles aren't necessarily any more prevalent than anything else in Japan.

o1s1n

There was a very interesting interview in Manga Mania in the mid ninties with the BBFC over this very issue (Well, how the content related to the UK market) I think I read it online somewhere too, it's worth checking out.

At first they didn't know how to handle it from a classification point of view at all and were extremely shocked by a lot of the content.

Legality wise, the main big issue in the UK (Which by default, then extends to Ireland) is the subject of sexual violence. Sexual violence, if done so in even a slightly titillating way is a major no no as far as they are concerned. Many anime which cover this topic has been cut to ribbons/outright refused a classification. (Therefore illegal to distribute)

If you're interested in it from a research point of view, try comparing the BBFC cut version of Urotsukidoji with the original release. Snip snip snip.

Butterscotch

This is interesting. I am pretty sure a sales assistant wouldn't sell an adult content manga or magazine to a child under 18 or what age, or would they? To be honest I don't see what is wrong with convenience stores in Japan selling pornagraphic material, sure pornagraphic magazines such as Nutz and Playboy are sold in a lot of places in convenience stores here and of course a child or teenager could maybe purchase them magazines if they could.

What is worse is a child coming into a shop and the shop is full of alcohol and cigarettes which are more harm then sex and violence in manga. Anyway I am sure a child wouldn't just come into a shop and buy a hentai manga as they wouldn't understand it or maybe think it is disgusting as they haven't reached that age yet. ;-)

syklops

Butterscotch wrote: »

This is interesting. I am pretty sure a sales assistant wouldn't sell an adult content manga or magazine to a child under 18 or what age, or would they? To be honest I don't see what is wrong with convenience stores in Japan selling pornagraphic material, sure pornagraphic magazines such as Nutz and Playboy are sold in a lot of places in convenience stores here and of course a child or teenager could maybe purchase them magazines if they could.

What is worse is a child coming into a shop and the shop is full of alcohol and cigarettes which are more harm then sex and violence in manga. Anyway I am sure a child wouldn't just come into a shop and buy a hentai manga as they wouldn't understand it or maybe think it is disgusting as they haven't reached that age yet. ;-)

Define child.

As in age wise. Under irish law a child is anyone under the age of 18. I think there are quite a few 'children' who would understand it because while the law says your a child until your 18, puberty can give you adult feelings and urges as young as 12, and in some cases as young as eight.

cherryghost

Considering the legal age for consented sex in Japan is 13 years of age, that may have something to do with it :pac:

Butterscotch

syklops wrote: »

Define child.puberty can give you adult feelings and urges as young as 12, and in some cases as young as eight.

Really? I suppose but it is very rare to begin puberty that young as puberty tends to start at 12 or over.

What I meant as a 'child' not being interested in pornographic mediums would be perhaps a child under 10 or just over 12 not being interested in sex. Sure would they having other things on their mind but then again I never went to Japan so I don't what the whole 'sex is overwhere' atmosphere is like or is it true. I suppose it would be easy access whatnot. I still want to know would a clerk sell such things to a child? (under 10 or up to 12 years, a teen to me is 13-19 years because of the 'teen'). I just know when I was younger then 10 and until I was 16, 17 years I wasn't into this stuff.

My point was just that we sell pornographic material in many places here in Ireland and everywhere else where children could get access too. Unfortunately sex is everywhere generally eg billboards, advertisements eg Hunky Dory crisps, TV ect..