Comments on: Protoculture News: the doujin crackdown continues http://heiseidemocracy.com/2007/09/09/protoculture-news-the-doujin-crackdown-continues/ Modern Visual Culture Digest Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:41:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: blick http://heiseidemocracy.com/2007/09/09/protoculture-news-the-doujin-crackdown-continues/comment-page-1/#comment-39759 blick Mon, 24 Sep 2007 21:01:23 +0000 http://heiseidemocracy.com/2007/09/09/protoculture-news-the-doujin-crackdown-continues/#comment-39759 Won't be long before the "United Church of America" (the Xtian theocracy trying to counter the rise of Islam and all other 'sin') imposes it's billion-ton elephant's ('republican') morals on all expression--at home and abroad-- that isn't literally and explicitly allowed in the Bible. Of course, it's all done 'for the protection of children', since everyone here (at HD) knows as soon as you see a cover of a loli-manga you go mad and begin raping and murdering every child you see. (Or if a child sees such imagery they'll all suddenly begin raping each other or worse, they'll all rape adults in their wild manga-inspired lust.) Photographic child porn is a crime. Words and drawings should NEVER be equated with that, no matter how repugnant. It's the spread of U.S. thought control. Won’t be long before the “United Church of America” (the Xtian theocracy trying to counter the rise of Islam and all other ‘sin’) imposes it’s billion-ton elephant’s (‘republican’) morals on all expression–at home and abroad– that isn’t literally and explicitly allowed in the Bible.

Of course, it’s all done ‘for the protection of children’, since everyone here (at HD) knows as soon as you see a cover of a loli-manga you go mad and begin raping and murdering every child you see. (Or if a child sees such imagery they’ll all suddenly begin raping each other or worse, they’ll all rape adults in their wild manga-inspired lust.)

Photographic child porn is a crime. Words and drawings should NEVER be equated with that, no matter how repugnant. It’s the spread of U.S. thought control.

]]> By: frankie http://heiseidemocracy.com/2007/09/09/protoculture-news-the-doujin-crackdown-continues/comment-page-1/#comment-36472 frankie Mon, 10 Sep 2007 11:39:43 +0000 http://heiseidemocracy.com/2007/09/09/protoculture-news-the-doujin-crackdown-continues/#comment-36472 >>Shigo I totally agree with you. I just would like to point out that coming from Italy access to porno is not a problem at all (it's displayed in any of the 40.000 country's newstands) so it also would depend on where the politicians would come from... Neva employs many ex policemen so it's pretty scary that it has been raided by police... For the doujin world the problem is that too many products don't have a real mosaic (I don't mean "AV giri-giri mosaic", I mean near 100% see trought)... take a look to Comic LO: If I would be the publisher of that magazine I would be pretty nervous right now... >>Shigo

I totally agree with you. I just would like to point out that coming from Italy access to porno is not a problem at all (it’s displayed in any of the 40.000 country’s newstands) so it also would depend on where the politicians would come from…

Neva employs many ex policemen so it’s pretty scary that it has been raided by police…

For the doujin world the problem is that too many products don’t have a real mosaic (I don’t mean “AV giri-giri mosaic”, I mean near 100% see trought)… take a look to Comic LO: If I would be the publisher of that magazine I would be pretty nervous right now…

]]> By: Shingo http://heiseidemocracy.com/2007/09/09/protoculture-news-the-doujin-crackdown-continues/comment-page-1/#comment-36390 Shingo Mon, 10 Sep 2007 02:48:52 +0000 http://heiseidemocracy.com/2007/09/09/protoculture-news-the-doujin-crackdown-continues/#comment-36390 >>wildarmsheero I can't help but think that the increased exposure of otaku culture in mainstream Japanese media has something to do with what's happening now, though it's hard to say to what extent. As the visibility and money involved increases the desire on the government's part for increased regulation is inevitable, I think... it may be the best industry can do to work with the judicial system to craft regulations that both can accept. >>frankie My personal nightmare scenario for a long time has been that an influential foreign politician will come to Japan, tour Akihabara on his or her day off, see all the blatant porn on the streets, and take the matter up with the prime minister or the emperor. It's for this reason more than any other that I think it's incredibly urgent for industry to police itself much more rigorously in terms of access to adult products, lest they be forced to disappear entirely. >>YnY-u Agreed, I find the arbitrary wielding of term quite alarming left undefined as it is. As long as the intent of police action and prosecution remains vague (is it targeting improperly labeled material, or material that is illegally obscene?) I believe a chilling effect will grow over the doujin community. I hope efforts on the industry side can help clarify the issue, as the law seems unwilling to do so. As to what we can do as non-Japanese fans, the answer is sadly "not much", at least not directly. I think it behooves us to do what we can, though, by expressing support for Japanese organizations trying to uphold free speech and by making our opinions on the issue publicly known. I've been thinking recently about forming an organization for this purpose, and would appreciate any feedback on the idea. >>wildarmsheero
I can’t help but think that the increased exposure of otaku culture in mainstream Japanese media has something to do with what’s happening now, though it’s hard to say to what extent. As the visibility and money involved increases the desire on the government’s part for increased regulation is inevitable, I think… it may be the best industry can do to work with the judicial system to craft regulations that both can accept.

>>frankie
My personal nightmare scenario for a long time has been that an influential foreign politician will come to Japan, tour Akihabara on his or her day off, see all the blatant porn on the streets, and take the matter up with the prime minister or the emperor. It’s for this reason more than any other that I think it’s incredibly urgent for industry to police itself much more rigorously in terms of access to adult products, lest they be forced to disappear entirely.

>>YnY-u
Agreed, I find the arbitrary wielding of term quite alarming left undefined as it is. As long as the intent of police action and prosecution remains vague (is it targeting improperly labeled material, or material that is illegally obscene?) I believe a chilling effect will grow over the doujin community. I hope efforts on the industry side can help clarify the issue, as the law seems unwilling to do so.

As to what we can do as non-Japanese fans, the answer is sadly “not much”, at least not directly. I think it behooves us to do what we can, though, by expressing support for Japanese organizations trying to uphold free speech and by making our opinions on the issue publicly known.

I’ve been thinking recently about forming an organization for this purpose, and would appreciate any feedback on the idea.

]]> By: YnY-u http://heiseidemocracy.com/2007/09/09/protoculture-news-the-doujin-crackdown-continues/comment-page-1/#comment-36380 YnY-u Mon, 10 Sep 2007 01:36:33 +0000 http://heiseidemocracy.com/2007/09/09/protoculture-news-the-doujin-crackdown-continues/#comment-36380 Most worrying to me are these vague and subjective definitions of "obscenity" (what is illegal under any circumstances) - it seems to me that by leaving the definitions vague, the authorities both avoid controversy by not actually banning stuff, and leave their options open to arbitrarily prosecute/ban anyone they happen to not like, leading to a chilling effect on what artists publish. The idea that "anything not specifically illegal is legal" is an important one. At least with a specific ban one knows when one is safe. What do you think is causing this..? And is there anything we can do, especially those of us who aren't in Japan..? Most worrying to me are these vague and subjective definitions of “obscenity” (what is illegal under any circumstances) – it seems to me that by leaving the definitions vague, the authorities both avoid controversy by not actually banning stuff, and leave their options open to arbitrarily prosecute/ban anyone they happen to not like, leading to a chilling effect on what artists publish. The idea that “anything not specifically illegal is legal” is an important one. At least with a specific ban one knows when one is safe.

What do you think is causing this..? And is there anything we can do, especially those of us who aren’t in Japan..?

]]> By: frankie http://heiseidemocracy.com/2007/09/09/protoculture-news-the-doujin-crackdown-continues/comment-page-1/#comment-36287 frankie Sun, 09 Sep 2007 10:43:44 +0000 http://heiseidemocracy.com/2007/09/09/protoculture-news-the-doujin-crackdown-continues/#comment-36287 actually, as far as I know from my indutry sources, this thing is related to US gov pressing the japanese one to fight underage porno. On the infamous friday of NEVA raid the polices took time to visit TORANOANA and get one copy of each top ten best selling doujin manga to check them... actually, as far as I know from my indutry sources, this thing is related to US gov pressing the japanese one to fight underage porno. On the infamous friday of NEVA raid the polices took time to visit TORANOANA and get one copy of each top ten best selling doujin manga to check them…

]]> By: wildarmsheero http://heiseidemocracy.com/2007/09/09/protoculture-news-the-doujin-crackdown-continues/comment-page-1/#comment-36213 wildarmsheero Sun, 09 Sep 2007 02:13:29 +0000 http://heiseidemocracy.com/2007/09/09/protoculture-news-the-doujin-crackdown-continues/#comment-36213 Hmmm. Shingo, do you reckon this has to do with the recent media coverage of otaku culture? It could be these kind of things were tolerated simply because not many people were aware of their existence. Now that otaku are in the public eye, people are noticing these things, and thusly we get things such as the arrest of doujin authors and this latest development with SanKuri. But, not like I know, I don't live in Japan. Hmmm. Shingo, do you reckon this has to do with the recent media coverage of otaku culture? It could be these kind of things were tolerated simply because not many people were aware of their existence. Now that otaku are in the public eye, people are noticing these things, and thusly we get things such as the arrest of doujin authors and this latest development with SanKuri.

But, not like I know, I don’t live in Japan.

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