Why is incest such a popular theme in Anime and Manga?

[RobertEHouse]

I watched an Anime recently on Netflix at random. It had some disturbing 'suggestions' about incest with young sisters, including nudity. To my western eyes, I felt uncomfortable and I won't be watching it again. I'm sure I've heard about it in lots of other popular shows. I don't understand why these Japanese creators are fascinated by the taboo. In other shows, I've also noticed an obsession with underage school girls. Is this a really popular thing for Japanese viewers? Why?

Is there something psychological at work here?

Yes.

First you need to understand Japan is still considered a "Nation of Contradictions".Give me a minute to explain the culture in Japan and how it will answer your question to why some anime is the way it is.

People are held by culture to be very conservative in any public or even in private in Japan. People at a young age are taught to not rock the boat at all. That they must fit into a mold of what exactly curtails in Japan as a upright citizen. This is to work , get married have a family and be successful ,that any divination from that is usually looked upon harshly. Unlike the West, where individuality is endorsed, in Japan as well as in many Asian nations it's a social and economic death sentence.

Although Anime shows it differently, Holding hands , Kissing and even discussions of sex are held in check.Publicly these are considered taboo or even a insult to many Japanese if demonstrated in public.People can even lose jobs or even future prospects of one if they get spotted by the wrong people in public. With that men and women are far from expressive of their emotions in public because of the conditioning being raised.
https://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+22047

Sex is also a huge part of all this, with jobs that range over 80hrs a week. Many people don't have a social life to even be able to find anyone. Or even have the intention of doing so because of the stress work places upon them. (people do die at work)
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/12/23/national/social-issues/overwork-deaths-put-spotlight-japans-black-companies/#.WvCv7aQvypp

With a slim possibility of finding that special someone, and the addition of social construction you have anime as it is.






Anime with "sibling love" (incest is illegal in Japan) is usually between two people who are not related by blood.

This strange but the age of consent in Japan is also 13 years of age.
Though Laws range differently between prefectures though, so 15 and up in some spots.

http://www.scmp.com/article/640645/complexity-age-consent-asia-laid-bare-study

 

[CaitSeith]

I watched an Anime recently on Netflix at random. It had some disturbing 'suggestions' about incest with young sisters, including nudity. To my western eyes, I felt uncomfortable and I won't be watching it again. I'm sure I've heard about it in lots of other popular shows. I don't understand why these Japanese creators are fascinated by the taboo. In other shows, I've also noticed an obsession with underage school girls. Is this a really popular thing for Japanese viewers? Why?

Is there something psychological at work here?

Did that anime had a name?

About the obsession with school girls, I'll leave this here.

 

[Cold Shiny]

Its not;

Its called the Filing Cabinet Problem, you're noticing all the anime that contain it, which makes it look like there are a ton of them. In reality, very few anime contain incest as a theme or plot point.

YOU WATCHIN' THE WRONG ANIME, BOI!!!!!!

 

[dscross]

Did that anime had a name?

Haganai I think. I believe it's quite popular.

 

[dscross]

Its not;

Its called the Filing Cabinet Problem, you're noticing all the anime that contain it, which makes it look like there are a ton of them. In reality, very few anime contain incest as a theme or plot point.

YOU WATCHIN' THE WRONG ANIME, BOI!!!!!!

I just happened to watch one at random mate, and then I read about how many there were because I was surprised how in your face it was. I know there's a lot of good anime out there as well. I enjoy anime. I'm not having a pop at anime generally, as you seem to be saying, but there is a lot more than you think with these themes from what I've noticed.

 

[I can't enter my old name]

Haganai I think. I believe it's quite popular.

There was a popular LN that had it's own anime called "My Little Sister can't be that Cute", or Oreimo, which started the little sister trend. It also started the trend for long and humorous titles. Haganai was inspired by Oreimo, and Oregairu was inspired by Haganai, and so on.

Of course there has always been incest in anime and manga since forever, most of it was either pornography or serious drama. Now it's mostly shock humor and shipping fantasies.

I'm sure I've heard about it in lots of other popular shows. I don't understand why these Japanese creators are fascinated by the taboo.

You could also ask the question as to why PornHub is so fascinated with incest.

A lot of manga authors used to be doujin authors, and doujinshi is usually pornographic.

To illustrate the point, the famous kids show Cardcaptor Sakura was created by a CLAMP, a group that made yaoi doujinshi. Gainax, whose name and influence is legendary in anime was also originally a doujin circle whose ventures also included eroge. Then you have anime studios adapting eroge, or hiring hentai artists as character designers. Anime is culturally intertwined with the doujin subculture.

 

[Souplex]

As Animu's fanbase dwindles it is forced to appeal to the more extreme parts of its' fanbase, which makes its' fanbase dwindle, 20: go to 10.
Japanimu is pretty much exclusively supported by the people who buy body pillows and statues at this point.
Also the age of consent in Japan is 14 which makes them more okay with sexualizing gals ages 14-17.

 

[Kwak]

Because 'Fantasy'.
Pure, escapist, 'imagine if my mother/sister/cousin/aunt/grandmother was really hot and not irritating/nagging/annoying/or anything like my *actual* mother/sister/cousin/aunt/grandmother, and there were no real-world consequences and my otherwise unfulfilled burning lust could be so conveniently satisfied without having to 'grow up' and go out in the world and face rejection and face my fears of inferior manhood' fantasy.

It's the lure of 'easy' sex.

 

[Tanis]

I posted here about cultural differences and the site eat it.

 

[SupahEwok]

Also if you think incest is prevalent in anime that just means that you think all anime is harem. When really, its only, like. 70%. 75% max.

 

[Majestic Manatee_v1legacy]

Family bonding has no upper limits in Japantasy.

Also if you think incest is prevalent in anime that just means that you think all anime is harem. When really, its only, like. 70%. 75% max.

More than half is essentially all. It works for the American electoral college, it will work here.

 

[PsychedelicDiamond]

My, perhaps not entirely unbiased, assertion of japanese culture is that it's the logical consequence of decades of right wing policy, only perhaps without the rampant corruption of the western right. But otherwise, you know, awful treatment of women, cultural stagnation as a consequence of little to no immigration, an obsession with genetical purity that goes so far as to embrace incest as a somehow more pure form of love, out of control capitalism resulting in severely lacking workers rights and a deeply unhealthy work ethic, obsession with keeping up an "honourable" appearance and conforming to societies expection while indulging in all sorts of depravity in private...

Now, I don't mean to sound disrespectful of a foreign culture by any means, Japan has it's share of brilliant thinkers and artists that no other nation could have created but to ignore its darker aspects out of misguided sense of obligation to be respectful of a culture different to your own is a rather careless thing to do and I find it very hard to seperate these darker aspects from Japans current and past political landscape.

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

Ahh an incest thread. Every time I see/hear that word, I cannot help but think of Danyal. Of course it isn't just the Japanese going on about incest these days, you have the US porn industry promoting this nonsense as well. I think it being more widespread in Japan though due to their current situation of their culture having difficulty of to coming to terms with solving relationship and equality issues in Japan itself. The male perspective of"The proper role of a woman" being in conflict with women's rights and desires, in combination with the difficulty of their courtship and relationship traditions has created a number of issues that need to be " ironed out". Due to these issues, some Japanese have given up dating and settled for marrying friends instead. In addition, this has also increased the Otaku culture where men rather than change their expectations and become more realistic about women do the opposite and create their ideal perfect virtual girlfriend, which may also share characteristics of those who have cared for them throughout their life as well.

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/japanese-sex-problem-so-bad-people-giving-up-dating-a7458461.html
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-23182523

 

[RRal2837]

The age old question.
You have to realise that these manga/anime/whatever are fictions created to fill people's sexual fantasies (or just normal fantasies), no matter how sick or perverted they may be (remember that certain internet rule?).

What sort of animes are you watching anyway that actually contains act of incest in it? Sure it's not categorise under hentai?

Btw incest is actually legal in some European countries.

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

Btw incest is actually legal in some European countries.

Yeah they call it the monarchy

As someone who lives in one of those European monarchies, that gave me a good laugh.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Btw incest is actually legal in some European countries.

Also in Rhode Island and New Jersey in the US, as it happens.

 

[TrulyBritish]

Btw incest is actually legal in some European countries.

Yeah they call it the monarchy

Hey man, got to keep that Royal blood pure and away from the filthy low-borns.

 

[dscross]

The age old question.
You have to realise that these manga/anime/whatever are fictions created to fill people's sexual fantasies (or just normal fantasies), no matter how sick or perverted they may be (remember that certain internet rule?).

What sort of animes are you watching anyway that actually contains act of incest in it? Sure it's not categorise under hentai?

Btw incest is actually legal in some European countries.

I haven't seen actual incest, just very obvious suggestions of it. Read my opening para.

The sort of anime I usually watch doesn't touch it so I'm not overly familiar - I've just seen that one and I've read about it. I like stuff like Studio Ghibl, Death Note, Attack On Titan etc. I do like Haruhi Suzumiya which features high school girls - no weird suggestions in that though.