So, why aren't we talking about this bill?

[Supa Saiya-Jin Tullece]

Hey, I'm pretty sure this is a big deal. Tokyo has passed a bill that bans depictions of violence and sexuality in Anime, Manga, and Video Games. Any publication in violation of the law will be moved to the 18+ section of bookstores, a killer in the same fashion that the AO rating is for video games here in the west.

Though the bill only effects Tokyo, that's were most major publishers and broadcasters are based. It's like making stocks illegal to buy and sell in New York City.

I'm afraid this could affect DragonBall in some way due to displays of violence, and Shueisha apparently agrees, seeing as the CEO of Shueisha and many others including Shogakukan announced that they're pulling all of their publications and animation based on said publications from the Tokyo International Anime Fair in protest.

This could have massive ramifications on not just DragonBall, but the entire Anime and Manga industry as a whole.

So... Why aren't we talking about it?

Feel free to correct any information I got wrong. I'm having a difficult time following this story between exams.

[Scarz]

Forget Dragon Ball, what's going to happen to my One Piece!? Or other current Shounen manga for that matter?

[Rocketman]

Because I'm too busy basking in the schadenfreude.

[TonyTheTiger]

I have no idea how the Japanese legal system works. But I'd venture a guess that if something like that were passed in the U.S.A. it would be overturned on both First Amendment and vagueness grounds at minimum. If Japan's legal system is relatively similar we might see the same kind of court battle.

[Perfect]

Forget Dragon Ball, what's going to happen to my One Piece!? Or other current Shounen manga for that matter?

Good riddance. I wanna see Dragon Ball rated M, that'd be hilarious.

[rereboy]

For what I can tell, this means that the various products will get a higher age rating.

Any publication in violation of the law will be moved to the 18+ section of bookstores

So what? What`s the big deal?

Would it matter to anyone if Dragon Ball got a age rating of Teen or Older Teens or even a Mature rating instead of appropriate for all ages?

Videogames like Grand Theft Auto have an appropriate Age Rating of Mature, and that doesn`t stop anyone from playing them, including teenagers and kids. And, at least, the appropriate warning is there for those parents and folk who care about that kind of things.

Not to mention that this law is probably intended to target those kind of freakish and weird things that we all know that Japan has and that is, frankly, quite excessive.

So... What`s the big deal again?

[Kid Buu]

Forget Dragon Ball, what's going to happen to my One Piece!? Or other current Shounen manga for that matter?

Good riddance. I wanna see Dragon Ball rated M, that'd be hilarious.

It already is rated M, if the Dragon Ball you pick up happens to be by a person named "Pandora's Box" and not Akira Toriyama.

[MisterFlashdude]

I don't see anything mentioned in the original article about violence...

The new bill, Bill 156, essentially stipulates all sexual acts that would be illegal in real life OR sexual depictions between close relatives who could not legally get married to be treated as adult material if they are presented in “unjustifiably glorified or exaggerated manner.” [...] The most immediate and direct effect of the law will almost certainly be to see ecchi manga such as To Love-Ru, bishoujo titles such as Champion Red and most BL manga, as well as any seinen manga with especially mature themes, banned from general sales – presumably most will then be cancelled due to a lack of suitable magazine or tankobon distribution channels, with a few perhaps being resurrected as 18+ ero-manga.

[rereboy]

I don't see anything mentioned in the original article about violence...

The new bill, Bill 156, essentially stipulates all sexual acts that would be illegal in real life OR sexual depictions between close relatives who could not legally get married to be treated as adult material if they are presented in “unjustifiably glorified or exaggerated manner.” [...] The most immediate and direct effect of the law will almost certainly be to see ecchi manga such as To Love-Ru, bishoujo titles such as Champion Red and most BL manga, as well as any seinen manga with especially mature themes, banned from general sales – presumably most will then be cancelled due to a lack of suitable magazine or tankobon distribution channels, with a few perhaps being resurrected as 18+ ero-manga.

Ah yes, I forgot to mentioned this as well. This was my reasoning on saying that they want to target those freakish things that we know Japan has.

[Great Saiyaman I]

Well, hopefully that's the case. Even if its unlikely much will change here, I'd still rather this wouldn't happen.

[Kaboom]

There's been similar scares about "MANGA WILL BE BANNED OH NO" movements like this before, and nothing's ever truly changed because of them. At the very most, I suspect some series might get a higher age-rating slapped on them.

[Dr. Casey]

Yeah, I hope this bill doesn't pass. I don't think I'd ever be in favor of a bill that strengthens censorship, which is a terrible thing and I've always thought Japan's lax censorship values (Far as I can tell, anyway) to be one of the country's good points.

[Supa Saiya-Jin Tullece]

I don't see anything mentioned in the original article about violence...

The new bill, Bill 156, essentially stipulates all sexual acts that would be illegal in real life OR sexual depictions between close relatives who could not legally get married to be treated as adult material if they are presented in “unjustifiably glorified or exaggerated manner.” [...] The most immediate and direct effect of the law will almost certainly be to see ecchi manga such as To Love-Ru, bishoujo titles such as Champion Red and most BL manga, as well as any seinen manga with especially mature themes, banned from general sales – presumably most will then be cancelled due to a lack of suitable magazine or tankobon distribution channels, with a few perhaps being resurrected as 18+ ero-manga.

Ah yes, I forgot to mentioned this as well. This was my reasoning on saying that they want to target those freakish things that we know Japan has.

I've heard it as extreme violence, sexual acts/lewdness, and any illegal acts. I'm not sure which is which 'cause I can't read the bill first hand, and know nothing about the Japanese legal system regardless.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Forget Dragon Ball, what's going to happen to my One Piece!? Or other current Shounen manga for that matter?

Good riddance. I wanna see Dragon Ball rated M, that'd be hilarious.

It already is rated M, if the Dragon Ball you pick up happens to be by a person named "Pandora's Box" and not Akira Toriyama.

Or if you live in Australia.



On topic: I'll wait to see how this pans out. I've never been able to understand Japanese politics, ever since the whaling debacle.

[johnboy1]

This provides me with quite a bit of karmic humor. Japan is notorious worldwide for the its tendency to output extremely weird shit. Now, it gets hit with a ridiculously exploitable censorship law. Justice? No, I suppose not, but I can't help but think of it as somewhat appropriate.

[Hellspawn28]

Seeing that DB is a All rating series then I doubt Dragon Ball will be effect by this. Other animes and mangs like Evangelion, Shin Mazinkaizer Z, Yotsuba, Berserk, and several others might be effected by this bill. This is no different with video games, and comics. If you read several other news stories, there will be age limit to buy anime or manga but people still have the rights to make how sexy or violent the series as the creator wants.

[Chibi Mystic Gohan]

Seeing that DB is a All rating series then I doubt Dragon Ball will be effect by this. Other animes and mangs like Evangelion, Shin Mazinkaizer Z, Yotsuba, Berserk, and several others might be effected by this bill. This is no different with video games, and comics. If you read several other news stories, there will be age limit to buy anime or manga but people still have the rights to make how sexy or violent the series as the creator wants.

Stuff like Berserk is already published in an adult magazine, so there'd be no difference.

Anyway, I keep seeing everybody freaking out about this bill, but I really think it's being blown out of proportion...

[Hellspawn28]

Other mangas like Guyver, JJBA, and Bastard!! might be effected. I was reading on the Eva geeks forums that the bill is currently being voted on so we should know the results tomorrow. Its not the Dragon Ball series is going to be effected by this bill or anything.

[Tanooki Kuribo]

Any publication in violation of the law will be moved to the 18+ section of bookstores

So... that's it? It's not like they're banning it. So, it gets categorized differently. Sure DragonBall doesn't really belong in the 18+ section, but if that's the section you have to go in to find it... who cares?

[Piccolo Daimao]

Sure DragonBall doesn't really belong in the 18+ section, but if that's the section you have to go in to find it... who cares?

Who cares? Fans of Dragon Ball that are under 18, that's who cares.