anime vs pedophilia?

Question

okay so I turned on the tv and there was an anime show about some 16 year old girl and they constantly showed her panties and boobs just not the nipples ( very graphic)..wouldn't that be considered pedophilia b/c she's a minor? are the rules different in japan, why is that more acceptable there, should i be concerned about my guys friends who watch that stuff?

i was just wondering if i should worry that they are pedohiles if they watch anime with a minor girl in it... my friend was going out with a guy kinda like that and he ended up being a child molester.. i just wonder if it was related..

Answer 1

It is nice to hear another person who is concerned by this. Yes, the rules are much different in Japan. The rules for what constitutes material that is pornographic or contains pedophilia are, while firmly enforced, very different than in the US. For instance, one Japanese show that is or was commonly watched as a family/children's show contained scenes of a Father and His very young Daughters naked in a tub together. It is something that is considered normal and clean and probably happens in some nations on a regular basis. When the show was suggested for import to America, it was VEHEMENTLY rejected. At that time it was felt that no TV network could show something like that in America. However, things in America constantly change. In my short 21 years of life I have seen things go from Worse to How much worse can it get.

As far as being concerned about your friends, Yes. Everyone should be concerned about their friends wellfare.

I personally had, until recently, only seen snippets of Anime, unless you count Voltron from the 80's. Since moving to my current residence I now have cable and so I have seen the offerings of Adult Swim. The name of the network explains allot. All those watching should be adults, and as such it is our responsibility to decide what we will and what we will not watch on TV. I know that what I view is my decision and my responsibility. I also know that if I want something bad enough no one can stop me. So to your friends, who hopefully are at least 14, are responsible for what they watch. If they want ot enough they will watch it.

If you are concerned you should talk to them about your feelings and ask them questions about what they watch. Then it comes to a matter of which bothers you and your conciense more. Them watching something you do not aprove of or You no longer associating with them.

I hope things work out.

Answer 2

You have got to take into consideration the differences in cultures when watching anime. American has restrictions on everything and especially television and movies. Japan has restrictions as well when it comes to porn, no pubic hair and no nipples. Now with that said porn started in Japan as graphic drawings and paintings, anime is the natural progression of this art. The Pedophilia issue that you are asking about is not an issue in Japan as most people in Japan live by the old rules. Girls have their llives scheduled out for them starting at a very young age and it is not uncommon for a 14 year old girl to be married to a much older man as long as the family deems it ok. As for some of the other stuff Iv'e read about this post. The movie that has the father taking a bath with his daughters is "My Neighbor Totoro" and it is stupid to look at this as anything else besides family time in the tub. To that person that had the issue with this, I guess you mom or dad never took a bath or shower with you? The girls are young enough in the film it shouldn't be an issue and it isn't like it got all creepy and sexual. Most people don't understand anime and therefore assume that it's all the same. Not all anime is the same. Japan has strange ideas even with live action I've seen films were a guy has a drill for a penis, and many movies that had rape and graphic violence. Personally I think Japan is the trend setter right now and if it is okay in Japan it's ok by me. As for being concerned for the "guys" that watch anime. Heck no. If you ask this guy they are more open minded than most and might just be some of the coolest people you hang with. IF you don't mind Geeks and Nerds or better know as the unseen backbone to society!

Answer 3

Okay, I've read all the other answers, and while they do address some issues, they don't touch on others; so here goes.

I get the impression that you are a little older than 16 yourself. Also, you don't say whether your guy is your son or your boyfriend. If it is your son, you have a certain say in the matter of who he befriends, etc.

If he is your boyfriend, you also have a certain say but it is less clearly defined. Unless he wants to deepen your relationship, in which case you must definitely state what you want and what you do not want; what you do and do not find acceptible.

Some people have said (effectively) "get used to it:"; some people have said (effectively) "they use a different standard there, so we can't complain"

There is no reason that you must submit to that. There is also no reason, simply because other people use a different standard, that we must accept their standard. We could say that they should accept ours, and it would be no more valid a reason to do so.

There are good and sufficient reasons why we should not "get used to" certain things. Follow this: we get used to things when we are exposed to them frequently. For example, we used to be horrified at the report of certain crimes in the news. Now, we find it blase. What's a news publishing agency to do? Play up the bizarre aspects of it even more, so that they can keep selling papers without sales falling off!

In much the same way, we get accustomed to seeing little flashes and glimpses of nudity or what is usually considered private areas. It is a mature approach, not to call attention to it (not to embarass others) and not to dwell upon it (gloating over the misfortune of the person who has become exposed.)

Consider the purpose of sexual excitement. It is to lead up to and facilitate the reproductive act. That is the biological or evolutionary purpose of sexual excitement. When we are exposed to nudity and titilating art, we "get used to it" and are no longer as excited by it. We have all heard of one young person or another who says "I enjoy it, it isn't hurting anybody, leave me alone."

Will such a person be able to achieve enough stimulation to properly engage in the reproductive act someday in the future when they want to...? The mind is the biggest erogenous zone of all. We are mistaken if we think that we can constantly engage in stimulation and/or fulfillment without gradually wasting our capacity to achieve stimulation and satisfaction. It's going against evolution!

No, such persons soon require more and more, more bizzare or outre stimulations in order to feel as exxcieted as they did at first.

If you remember the fable of the boy who cried wolf, when the wolf really showed up, his cries were ignored, and the wolf got away with the sheep. Some people may take the sour grapes attitude and say "I didn't really want children after all."

Don't be like that. Leave yourself the capabilities; don't waste what you have. Don't "cry wolf" to your feelings and your sexuality. If your young man respects you, or if he is at least willing to listen, tell him this. He may not see that it is a big risk at this time. But any kind of addictive behavior starts off small and slow and then grows and intensifies until we are no longer in control. And THEN we try to justify it then, telling anybody that asks, "I enjoy it, it isn't hurting anybody, leave me alone."

And then, we are left, alone.

I hope that doesn't happen to him, or to you.

Answer 4

Notice they're pretty ambiguous about how old she actually is. I'm not sure what the age of consent is in Japan, but I wouldn't call it pedophilia. A fetish, sure, but they're CARTOONS.

Also, panties and boobs aren't porn any more than Girls Gone Wild is here- and who KNOWS how old some of those girls are.

Also, in Japan its illegal to show pubic hair, so even older women you'll see shaven.

Answer 5

Yes it is perverse but it's somehow on the edge because at this age plenty of girls start their sexual life or have already started it, so it only shows a common thing. If the guys that are watching that are much older (lets say 30) then it's kind of problematic.

Answer 6

My Neighbor Totoro Hentai

Answer 7

The Japanese idea of porn is different than what is in AMerica. As long as you don't show nipples and pubic hair, it's pretty much a free go, and about as normal asa man wearing swimming trunks.

Answer 8

from what i have seen on anime and other sources, it seems to be very different in japan. I've heard of graphic anime that shows actual sexual activity of very young girls. i think they get away with it cause its animation. still nasty IMHO.

Answer 9

16 years old is considered the "age of consent" in a lot of countries and jurisdictions - possibly even yours.. file under the "barely legal" category..

Answer 10

pornography by photos is not allowed in Japan so the comic industry filled that niche. I believe it is mostly harmless but to each his own.