Tokyo Bill may ban fanservice.

[Yamamaya]

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010-03-09/tokyo-bill-on-virtual-child-porn-set-for-march-vote

It is to be voted upon on March 19, less than a week away. From the looks of it, this bill is pretty broad(aka bans more than just lolicon)."include sexually provocative, "visual depictions" of characters who sound or appear to be 18 years old or younger." Although I don't see how this bill will be that effective. It sounds like one of those things that are impossible to enforce. In addition, the animators will just pack their bags and move to another part of Japan since this bill only applies to Tokyo.

I believe this is the 4th attempt in Japan to ban this kind of stuff in anime.

Discuss.

UPDATE: It appears to be a bit more complex than that.

From the Bill: Any literature or film which might be thought to constitute a depiction of sexual activity involving or apparently involving a person under 18, someone dressed in a manner reminiscent of an under-18, or who speaks like an under-18, may not in Tokyo be viewed by or sold or distributed to any young person.

Section 3: Restriction of the Sale of Unhealthy Literature

[A ban on sales, lending or distribution to, or viewing by, minors in the Tokyo area would cover:]

1. Items which stimulate sexual emotions, foster cruelty, encourage suicide or promote crime, or otherwise impede the healthy growth of youth. [This clause is identical to current legislation]

2. Items which through age, clothing, accessories, school year, setting, other peoples ages, or voice, seems reminiscent of a person who might be recognised as an under-18 (hereafter called a a fictional minor) engaged in, or appearing to be engaged in, sexual activity or activity resembling sexual activity, or which impede the development of healthy sexual faculties in youths, or which might be feared to obstruct the healthy development of youths.

So in other words, this appears to mostly apply to minors. Hmmm.

I am still confused over what this bill will really cover.

[Nate]

Most of my comments I'll withhold because I realize I'd be in the minority and don't want to stir up any debate, but...

may not in Tokyo be viewed by or sold or distributed to any young person.

So this bill basically is saying "Don't sell material rated for an older audience to younger people?" Is that...is that really a problem that they have to pass a bill for it? That's kind of weird.

1. Items which. . . encourage suicide or promote crime

So now kids can't buy Persona games. XP

otherwise impede the healthy growth of youth.

I see this statement TWICE and it frightens me honestly. Who defines what healthy growth of youth is? Who defines what impedes it? How did they determine that it is an impediment? They say it's identical to current legislation but if that's true, why do they need to mention it again? Hmm.

[Etoh*the*Greato]

Who is this Tokyo Bill and why does he have such pull in Japan?

[Tsukuyomi]

Who is this Tokyo Bill and why does he have such pull in Japan?

*Facepalms* Hahahahaha, I totally read it as that as well, Etoh XDDD My stomach hurts from laughing now @__@

"Tokyo Bill, is he some kind of Japanese cowboy?" XDDD Lol, I can't stop laughing.. Ok, I'm ok... ^__^

I kind of think things will just go underground with all of this >_>;

[CrimsonRyu17]

Who is this Tokyo Bill and why does he have such pull in Japan?

It's Indiana Jones's lost bro.

[ShiroiHikari]

The way I interpreted it was that they don't want KIDS seeing this stuff. They can't stop them from MAKING it. It's kind of like how you can't sell M-rated games to minors.

Also, encouraging/glorifying suicide is impeding the healthy growth of youth, wouldn't you say?

[MasterDias]

Tons of manga creators and people connected to the anime/manga industries aren't very happy about this. This includes big names like Mitsuru Adachi, Rumiko Takahashi, Ken Akamatsu, Tohru Fujisawa, Yoshitoshi ABe, Yasuhiro Nightow, Go Nagai, etc.

Anyway, I doubt this is going to pass. It's too vague and strikes me as virtually impossible to enforce anyway.

The way I interpreted it was that they don't want KIDS seeing this stuff. They can't stop them from MAKING it. It's kind of like how you can't sell M-rated games to minors.

But it potentially won't be just applied to M-rated/adult stuff though. It's vague enough that it could technically be applied to lots of shonen and shojo titles as well, pretty much anything that has even a hint of nudity or suggestive situations.

I mean, "or which impede the development of healthy sexual faculties in youths..."
What does that even mean?

[Fish and Chips]

Though I sort of doubt this bill will make it through considering the impracticality of enforcing it and the vagueness of its terms, I find it hilarious that certain groups on the Internet are up in arms about the possibility of having their fetishes banned.

Also, Tokyo Bill needs his own Manga.

[ShiroiHikari]

But the language there doesn't imply banning the creation or publication of such works, does it? It only says it can't be shown or sold to minors. And people are up in arms because...? You can't go to an R-rated film in the United States without a guardian if you're under 17, so how is this any different from that? PLEASE correct me if I'm misunderstanding something.

Also, Go Nagai needs to shut up.

[Shao Feng-Li]

Huh, works for me.

[Nate]

I find it hilarious that certain groups on the Internet are up in arms about the possibility of having their fetishes banned.

People like Yashuhiro Nightow (the guy who did Trigun) are totally against this so I mean this is pretty good evidence that it's not "disgusting perverts who worry about fetishes being banned."

That's...really all I can say on CAA without starting the biggest flame war ever. Well except for that one thread we drowned with funny images, that totally would've been worse.

Also, encouraging/glorifying suicide is impeding the healthy growth of youth, wouldn't you say?

Stupid youth, maybe. Besides given the vague language of this bill, someone from Gundam who yells and charges at the enemy in their last moments to be shot and killed could qualify as encouraging/glorifying suicide. Is that what you want, Nette? Do you want Gundam to be banned? :p

It's vague enough that it could technically be applied to lots of shonen and shojo titles as well, pretty much anything that has even a hint of nudity or suggestive situations.

Right, this would include stuff like even Bakemonogatari, Bleach, or even My Neighbor Totoro. This is a lot broader than hentai titles.

Okay, admission time. I also read the thread title as "Tokyo Bill" being an actual person. This further proves Tokyo Bill must be a manga character immediately.

[Yamamaya]

Did I just unintentionally create a meme?


I also find the language used in the bill to be dangerous. How do you even define "health growth of a youth" without forcing your own morals and opinions upon others?

Not only would this ban anything that includes fanservice(even shoenun titles like Bleach) from youth. This would effectively cause massive revunue loss for anime since they'd be loosing an entire market(teens).

I probably agree with you Nate, but I'm not sure what your opinions are yet.

[Fish and Chips]

People like Yashuhiro Nightow (the guy who did Trigun) are totally against this so I mean this is pretty good evidence that it's not "disgusting perverts who worry about fetishes being banned."

Allow me to clarify. I don't actually think the bill is going to work like that. I read all the same names you did. It's just that in various corners of the Internet I frequent, people, either misinterpreting the article or having the article misinterpreted for them, are blowing a fuse over this. Whether the bill has anything or nothing to do with sexualized mass media, the fact that people think it does and immediately complain inspires a sort of dark humor in me. That was the purpose of my post.

For example, the first place I found talking about this was basically a cliff notes version of the actual article, including mentioning in passing several Mangaka standing against it, the only one of which actually named was Ken Akamatsu, which flavored most of the proceeding whining and comparisons to Australia. See what I'm batting at?

Okay, admission time. I also read the thread title as "Tokyo Bill" being an actual person. This further proves Tokyo Bill must be a manga character immediately.

Make it happen Internet.

I know you're reading this.

[Roy Mustang]

So, if Tokyo Bill is shot down, does that make it Kill Bill?

[color="Red"]
Col. Roy Mustang[/color]

[goldenspines]

"Tokyo Bill" reminds me of Buffalo Bill who has nothing to do with fan service and "Bill may" reminded me of Billy Mays and I spent the past five seconds of my life trying to figure out why that guy had anything to do with Japan or how he was still alive.

The problem may be that the definition of fan service is a bit foggy. Perhaps that's why it's so confusing?

[rocklobster]

I'm not really sure how i feel about this. I know some stories need violence and nudity. Personally, I think this is a bad idea. Boy Gainax is gonna have problems for sure.

[Yamamaya]

Allow me to clarify. I don't actually think the bill is going to work like that. I read all the same names you did. It's just that in various corners of the Internet I frequent, people, either misinterpreting the article or having the article misinterpreted for them, are blowing a fuse over this. Whether the bill has anything or nothing to do with sexualized mass media, the fact that people think it does and immediately complain inspires a sort of dark humor in me. That was the purpose of my post.

For example, the first place I found talking about this was basically a cliff notes version of the actual article, including mentioning in passing several Mangaka standing against it, the only one of which actually named was Ken Akamatsu, which flavored most of the proceeding whining and comparisons to Australia. See what I'm batting at?Make it happen Internet.

I know you're reading this.

Yup pretty much. I have also read many threads of people bemoaning the banning of their lolis. XD

I just find this entire bill rather riduculous. I can see banning lolicon(although that will never happen in Japan).

[ShiroiHikari]

Some of you guys are acting like Japan is going to become some kind of police state. Please. The bill has to pass by a vote before it even gets implemented. It hasn't happened yet and may not even happen at all.

Also I'm still waiting for someone to answer my question.

[Yamamaya]

I have a feeling ole Hideki Anno is going to go on a trolling brigade in Tokyo when NGE is labeled, "May cause mental damage to your child. No under 18 purchases." XD

The problem with this is Hikari is that it's not like a rating system. It simply declares one type of content to be worse than all others. It would be like if every time someone was in a bikini in a movie, it would get an R rating automatically.

[Fish and Chips]

The problem with this is Hikari is that it's not like a rating system. It simply declares one type of content to be worse than all others. It would be like if every time someone was in a bikini in a movie, it would get an R rating automatically.

This already happens in America, actually. Not bikinis, necessarily, but there is an existing hierarchy of content descriptors for ratings board, with some credentials being judged much more harshly than others.

I'm afraid saying which ones specifically would drag this both off topic and into a debate, so I'll refrain from giving specific examples.

[Yamamaya]

Aka smoking and alcohol in movies.

This seems to do with the Tokyo government's idea of "proper sexual development of teens."

There should be a manga about Tokyo Bill's war on fanservice.

[Etoh*the*Greato]

I should draw Tokyo Bill.

[Mithrandir]

I was considering recommending a "draw Tokyo Bill" contest, but I don't know that I want to encourage people to keep coming back to this topic.

[Yamamaya]

I just came up with the most amazing idea for a book ever.

This will be forever known as the day Tokyo Bill was created. He shall wander the streets of Osaka and Tokyo spreading peace, justice, love, all while being a cowboy. Yee hawwww banzai!

[Mithrandir]

A "westerns"-style anime character who's all about Love and Peace?!? If only that would catch on!!!

[Etoh*the*Greato]

LADIES AND MENTLEGEN. I will, this day, forthwith, (after work), deign to design Tokyo Bill and all of his love of Justice and not-selling-stuff-to-minors-ness.

Await.

[Lochaber Axe]

[Voice Announcer Guy] He is a defender of children. He bare-knuckle brawls for Justice. He fights those who would sell sexually provocative media to children. He is a cowboy in Japan. HE IS... TOKYO BILL!

Yesterday, he beat the commies. Today, the lolicon get theirs. Tomorrow, he comes for YOU! HE IS... TOKYO BILL! [/Voice Announcer Guy]

[Fish and Chips]

LADIES AND MENTLEGEN. I will, this day, forthwith, (after work), deign to design Tokyo Bill and all of his love of Justice and not-selling-stuff-to-minors-ness.

Await.

The smoke detector went off calmly in the silence of the cramped space.

Kenji Kuwabara's. This was the name associated with the used bookstore off the downtown subway exit. He had bought the land, built the store, marketed, made it profitable. His son Kazuma Kuwabara had staffed it. Now, Katsume Kuwabara, Kazuma's own son, young with a distaste for cigarettes, was folding the newspaper from behind the register, his attention not fully dedicated to the bus accident and corporate scandal burning through the newsprint.

"Hey, no smoking."

That's what he would have said. For emphasis, he might have snatched out the burning light, extinguishing it against the counter top, tapping the remaining embers against the large and unmistakable in four languages No Smoking sign. That's what he would have done.

Not today.

The man before him, who did he think he was? Some kind of cowboy? Katsume had never enjoyed the Western cinema, but even he, a fringe inhabitant of the cultural circle, could tell a cowboy when he saw one. A faded poncho, a baby blue intersected with dark, and white skulls in a repeating pattern. The hat, at least was normal, or what Katsume supposed passed for normal among cowboy society. But his face, there was no doubt: Japanese. He had half expected some rowdy foreigner, or perhaps a movie star. He might have even apologized to a movie star, having forbid him the pleasure of smoking wherever he decided.

The man's hat tilted down, obscuring his face. He withdrew the cigarette, a thin stream of smoke escaping downwards, then up. A moment's pause - the smoke detector fired again.

Not this time, Katsume thought.

"No-"

The stranger's every move was swift and calculated. Gracefully, he immediately extinguished the burning cigarette against Katsume's forehead. Kenji Kuwabara's third generation of humble store owners was trapped.

"Back there." The cowboy inclined towards the wall, behind the counter. A deep, unexpectedly refined dialect. Like an emperor. Katsume turned, slowly. Rows and rows, an entire vast space, dedicate to, as the sign read this time only in one language, Adult Literature, wrapped in plastic and covered in stickers.

"How's business these days?" The cowboy lit up again. Katsume now realized he was in no position to bargain.

"G-g-good."

"Figured." The cowboy's posture, slouched, casually turned towards intimidating. Even in this situation, Katsume couldn't help but be in awe of the man's presence. "So, Kuwabara-san...how much of this would you say passes through the hands of minors?"

Thus always began Tokyo Bill's day.

[ShiroiHikari]

Bravo, sir.

[Lochaber Axe]

Masterful, Fish.

The summer breeze slip through the open school windows as Michiko Aizako tried to study for a later pre-exam over the noise of her homeroom. Boyish laughs from the back distracted her further and she looked at the boys hovering over Toji Ai's desk.

He had brought in another ecchi magazine.

She hated the stuff immensely and hated more that it was the standard by what guys wanted out of girls. The magazines targeted to girls only vaguely hid the same standard in their own way. Michiko wished she was born a boy.

Ijiuno-sensei slid the homeroom doors open and the boys immediately scattered and Toji rapidly hid the magazine under the desk. Today's roll began and only two students were missing, a girl and boy. Michiko knew that they were going steady so she could accurately guess as to what they were doing.

"Alright everyone, you all know that your exams will be start-" He stopped suddenly and looked out toward the hall. There was a faint clicking sound coming down the hall. He knitted his brow and walked out of the room. The entire class followed him with their eyes and then their ears.

The clicking became louder and louder. Other barely audible sounds filtered through the open door. It sounded like weak crying. Ijiuno's sharp voice suddenly bursting out made them all jump.

"What are you doing to those students? And you can't wear those and have that in a school!" The crying became louder, and it masked the words of a strange voice.

"What, what are you talking abou-" There was a sound of an impact, a groan, and a thud.

The clicking began again. The class stared at the open door. A shadow passed through and then a form. It was... a cowboy? He had the two students in each arm, and a cigarette in his mouth. The boy moaned and the girl started to cry a higher octave. The man released them. He took his cigarette out of his mouth, dropped it, and stamped on it with his left boot. It clicked.

"You two, get to your seats." The boy and girl almost ran to them. The class representative stood up and though visibly shaking looked at the cowboy.

"What happened to Ijiuno-sensei?"

The man smiled. "Your teacher needed a nap. I'm taking over for him for a little bit." The girl he brought in shrieked. He paid it little heed. He looked down and skimmed his finger down the page and then stopped. "Where is Toji Ai?"

Toji bucked backwards in his seat but raised his hand. The cowboy proceeded to saunter down the aisle, boots clicking again. He stopped in front of Toji and held out an open hand. The boy looked at it as if expecting a snake. "May I have the magazine you bought this morning?"

Toji shrank back, but pulled out the ecchi magazine and handed it to the man. He in part leafed through it, closed it, and held it high in one hand. The cowboy produced a lighter from his pancho and lit the corner of the magazine. He tossed it out of the nearby window, the hot breeze ruffling his clothing slightly. He looked down at Toji.

"You are not to buy another of these until you are eighteen. Do you understand me?" Toji nodded slightly. "Your mother worries about you." The cowboy turned and headed for the door. He gave one last look at the class and then left. Ijiuno-sensei stumbled into the class a few minutes later holding his abdomen.

This was the first time Michiko saw Tokyo Bill.