Lolicon Manga: A Death Kiss
Lolicon Manga – A death kiss
I. Introduction
On this time last year, when you enter a book shop or a convenience store, you can easily find an area full of manga with images of little girls, around 11-13 years old, nude or half nude. But now, this kind of manga almost disappeared in Tokyo. This is the result of an act that was signed on December 2010 – Bill 156 of The Tokyo Metropolitan Ordinance Regarding the Healthy Development of Youths. This act restricted manga/anime with sexually provocative depictions of fictional characters who appear to be under 18 years of age. In other words, it placed an end to the lolicon manga, which used to a part of Japanese manga that gained billions yen a year. Moreover, due to some details in the act (that will be explained later), other kind of manga will be affected also.
II. Overview of the Act
1. The Tokyo Government has the authority to control the access to information of minors by their cell phone through the filtering provided by cell phone service companies; and also the guardians have to supervise and administer internet usage of minors. 2. Any manga, animation, or pictures (but not including real life pictures or footage) that features either sexual or pseudo sexual acts that would be illegal in real life, or sexual or pseudo sexual acts between close relatives whose marriage would be illegal, where such depictions and / or presentations unjustifiably glorify or exaggerate the activity in such a way that they would impede upon the formation of a healthy ability for judgement regarding sexuality of youth and there by be detrimental toward the healthy development of youth. 3. Publishers that have over 6 works deemed to be harmful material within a one year period by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government shall be subject to referral to their respective self-regulatory bodies for addressing the repeated offenses. Any further breaches within the following 6 months, and the Tokyo Metropolitan
I. Introduction
On this time last year, when you enter a book shop or a convenience store, you can easily find an area full of manga with images of little girls, around 11-13 years old, nude or half nude. But now, this kind of manga almost disappeared in Tokyo. This is the result of an act that was signed on December 2010 – Bill 156 of The Tokyo Metropolitan Ordinance Regarding the Healthy Development of Youths. This act restricted manga/anime with sexually provocative depictions of fictional characters who appear to be under 18 years of age. In other words, it placed an end to the lolicon manga, which used to a part of Japanese manga that gained billions yen a year. Moreover, due to some details in the act (that will be explained later), other kind of manga will be affected also.
II. Overview of the Act
1. The Tokyo Government has the authority to control the access to information of minors by their cell phone through the filtering provided by cell phone service companies; and also the guardians have to supervise and administer internet usage of minors. 2. Any manga, animation, or pictures (but not including real life pictures or footage) that features either sexual or pseudo sexual acts that would be illegal in real life, or sexual or pseudo sexual acts between close relatives whose marriage would be illegal, where such depictions and / or presentations unjustifiably glorify or exaggerate the activity in such a way that they would impede upon the formation of a healthy ability for judgement regarding sexuality of youth and there by be detrimental toward the healthy development of youth. 3. Publishers that have over 6 works deemed to be harmful material within a one year period by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government shall be subject to referral to their respective self-regulatory bodies for addressing the repeated offenses. Any further breaches within the following 6 months, and the Tokyo Metropolitan
References: “UNICEF says Japan failing to control child porn” – Reuters (March 11 2008) http://uk.reuters.com/article/2008/03/11/oukin-uk-japan-pornography-idUKT20430220080311 Dan Kanemitsu blog http://dankanemitsu.wordpress.com/ Anime News Network http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/ Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lolicon Sickos-Alliance: ‘The ups and downs of the Japanese loli-banned law’ http://www.sickos-alliance.net/anime-news/nhung-thong-tin-moi-nhat-xoay-quanh-bo-luat-doi-quan-ly-anime-manga-o-nhat-update-15-12 (In Vietnamese)