Tokyo's Anti-Loli Bill has Passed in Committee.

[Aisaku]

Most people don't get this bill is not about the extreme content, content that's already catalogued as 'Adult Only'.

This bill creates a new layer of censorship that has carte blanche to mark as 'Adult Only' any manga that would normally be published by mainstream publishers, thus effectively impeding its mainstream release.

The bill considers: "anything that is too sexually stimulating for minors OR too sadistic for minors OR too likely to cause criminal acts among minors OR cause suicide among minors" can be deemed harmful, and thus 'Adult Only'


"With the passage of Bill 156, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government will have the additional power to restrict any manga, anime and video games (but not live photography works) that feature any sexual acts that would violate criminal codes or Tokyo ordinances OR sexual depictions between close relatives who could not legally get married to be treated as adult material IF they are presented in ?unjustifiably glorified or exaggerated manner.?

That means sweeping under the carpet any media that hints at: Loli, yaoi, yuri, sadism, suicide, or any other illegal behavior.

In the other hand, publishers have been quite cavalier about it. They have even encouraged authors to keep pushing the evelope and are boycotting the government sponsored Tokyo International Animation Fair.

I have no idea what will happen. It's a tossup. The bill passed and became law just today. If anything next year will be an interesting year for japan's popular media.

Source: http://dankanemitsu.wordpress.com/2010/12/13/bill-156-locked-to-go-prime-minister-expresses-concern-as-final-vote-comes-on-wednesday/

http://dankanemitsu.wordpress.com/2010/12/15/tokyo-assembly-passes-bill-156-anti-anime-and-manga-bill-is-now-law/

 

[MikhailGH]

I want to see first what influence in practice this will have.

 

[TaboriHK]

It's up for each viewer to decide the value of the art they're viewing and no one else. It's definitely not for me, but my moralizing shouldn't get in the way of another adult's access to it. Soft censorship is still censorship.

 

[the rye]

Hopefully this vague bill won't affect yaoi.

 

[no oneder]

I fail to see why is this a big deal.

 

[Aisaku]

For an example of what effect censorship can have on popular media, read up on Entertaining Comics. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EC_Comics

Basically, an effort to censor comics is what ended up killing comics' mainstream appeal and created this pit of spandex clad men for children and child-minded men the industry's only trying to crawl out now.

 

[Tirak]

Hopefully this vague bill won't affect yaoi.

If I'm reading the supplementary arguments right, yes it does, as same sex marriage is not legal, and therefore any depiction of it instantly becomes restricted.

 

[Aisaku]

Hopefully this vague bill won't affect yaoi.

"OR sexual depictions between close relatives who could not legally get married to be treated as adult material IF they are presented in ?unjustifiably glorified or exaggerated manner.?

In japan same sex marriage is not legal. This could be interpreted as allowing only minor characters having unspoken, offscreen relationships.

 

[Brad Shepard]

So what im getting from this is, no more tentical hentai?

 

[CrazyGirl17]

All I'm saying is that they should at least get rid of the... squickier... stuff...

...and that a lot of fanboys are probably going to be pissed. Not that I care.

 

[Lord Honk]

While I don't like the "Ban it, then it'll be gone" approach (if a drug is illegal, it's not unobtainable), it's a start.

Now, to all you lazy politicians, that just fights the symptoms, don't think you got rid of the problem!

 

[gamerguy2002]

Appearently some of you don't get it that this isn't just about lolicon, its about everything anime and manga and video games in japan.

/a/ made this FAQ about the bill and what it means:

FAQ

Q: This is only sexual stuff, right?
A: No. It reads "anything that may hinder the healthy growth of youths by stirring sexual emotions, promoting cruel behaviour, or causing suicidal or criminal tendencies", which is a purposefully ambiguous blanket statement that can pretty much be applied to anything. Even Doraemon could be considered 18+ under this.

Q: Elaborate?
A: No criminal acts. That means no killing, no stealing, no carrying of weapons, no sharing of bicycles, no smoking/drinking for minors (in fact since it says "promoting" criminal behaviour, it could be argued that no smoking/drinking will be allowed at all). Basically anything with action could be considered promoting cruel/criminal behaviour. Meanwhile the "stirring sexual emotions" part will similarly affect anything with fanservice or romance. So basically, only stuff like Hidamari Sketch will remain.

Q: What will this affect?
A: All forms of fiction except novels and live action.

Q: How will it affect them?
A: In Tokyo, everything has to be classified by the industry under either all-ages (below 18) and 18+, and stores will have to make sure minors can't get 18+ stuff.

Q: So just slap an 18+ sticker and life goes on as usual, no big deal, right?
A: No. If they can't sell it to minors they won't bother making it in the first place.

Q: Only Tokyo, so move out, no big deal.
A: Tokyo is the economic centre of Japan, plus all of the big companies honsha are located in Tokyo (some have their own ridiculously expensive skyscrapers located in ridiculously expensive districts). The rest of the country will be affected. Plus if it's passed in Tokyo, other prefectures are very likely to follow suit, as always.

 

[the rye]

Hopefully this vague bill won't affect yaoi.

"OR sexual depictions between close relatives who could not legally get married to be treated as adult material IF they are presented in ?unjustifiably glorified or exaggerated manner.?

In japan same sex marriage is not legal. This could be interpreted as allowing only minor characters having unspoken, offscreen relationships.

If thats the case then it just sounds like a prissy minority is pushing their subjective Tastes and pseudo morality on other people.

 

[For.I.Am.Mad]

So what im getting from this is, no more tentical hentai?

Out in the open to children. So little Kenji-chan will have to get his mom to buy his tentacle rape stuff. And Hikaro-san the salary man might have to go into the adult section to get his loli-porn. You'll know it's adult by the red stickers they might or might not put up.

 

[Baron von Blitztank]

A Japan without (creepy) porn?
The prophecies were true! The seas are boiling in flame! Pigs are flying! I'm a monkey's uncle! Duke Nukem Forever is being released! THE MAYANS WARNED US OF THIS DAY AND WE DIDN'T LISTEN!!

OT:
It's a shame that this is going to cause alot of problems for Anime/Manga/Games/Other. People should be able to get off on whatever they damn well please, aslong as this isn't causing any harm to anyone else.
I'm not saying that girls, that are depicted to be underage, getting it on with Cthulhu's beard is a good thing, but I'm not saying that it's causing any harm.

Atleast it's not being banned ENTIRELY (I think) so atleast that's something.

 

[Tirak]

So what im getting from this is, no more tentical hentai?

Out in the open to children. So little Kenji-chan will have to get his mom to buy his tentacle rape stuff. And Hikaro-san the salary man might have to go into the adult section to get his loli-porn. You'll know it's adult by the red stickers they might or might not put up.

So what about Strike Witches, or Sky Girls. Plenty of fanservice in that. Does that get slapped with a red sticker and become restricted sales? Hentai is already R18+, my concern is for the stuff that isn't but could be due to unfortunate interpretations of this law.

 

[Dr Snakeman]

Well, whaddya know? Looks like Japan is about to get a little less sexually weird and disturbing.

 

[Aisaku]

Well, whaddya know? Looks like Japan is about to get a little less sexually weird and disturbing.

The reason japan is as "sexually weird and disturbing" is BECAUSE of its tightly wound social repression. If anything this is the public eye wanting to take out of the world's sight what does not conform with their moral views. If history is any indication, other avenues of expression will appear.

 

[ajemas]

Snip!

Double Snip!

I think that you might be slightly exaggerating the effects of the bill. It's not that the bill is going to completely eradicate anything sexual, but rather that these kinds of materials will be more tightly regulated, and moved into the adult only section, similar to the NC 17 rating here in America.
That being said, I agree that the bill needs some work. As you said, I would hate to see things like DBZ taken off the market just because they have nudity. I would prefer a bill that only got rid of the most unequivocally messed up stuff, and let the normal sexual things go, with some tighter classifications of "obscene sexuality". If we leave these decisions up to a small minded group with infinite reign, we are opening ourselves up to an almost Orwellian regulation of information. I also didn't know about the author's rape stories.
Just to clarify, I have no problem with sexuality. It is part of human nature, and should not be limited. However, I think that the fetishizing of underage children is both harmful and immoral. I am asexual as well, but I can see the problems with getting off to children, drawn or otherwise being raped. This isn't some religiously driven thing (I'm an atheist) but rather a fundamental ethical choice.

words

the only thing bad about this is when things get banned that use loli but not for sexual purposes. Eg there is an anime/manga called "Dance in the Vampire Bund"(really gay name). But it was fantastic and it happened that a loli was used as one of its main characters.

Throughout the series she is a abused at points but is never total helpless, the abuse stricken on her didn't come from the dark-fantasies of the author but his intellect, he didn't use those scenes to provide satisfaction but to make you feel sickened, to put the reader on the side of the abusi instead of the abuser.

Unfortunately because of a similar ban in the west (more specifically Australia were I am) it is impossible to own a copy of this without it being a crime. And thats just sad

Again, just like Lolita, these kinds of things can be used to create an artistic purpose. This should certainly be condoned, as any piece of work with any artistic value is valuable. My objections are to the kinds of entertainment that are only designed for the viewer to masturbate to. I've seen ones where the story goes 1: Introduce underage girl. 2: Underage girl gets horribly violated, likely scarring her for life. 3: Story ends. 4: ajemas closes the computer and weeps for humanity. These should not be allowed, but the aforementioned "Dance in the Vampire Bond" should. Again, the bill isn't perfect, but it's a start.