dscross said:
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