The success of...a certain revenue....of Gundam

[Shinji103]

The Japan Times has an article about the growing sales of hentai outside Japan. Gundam SEED-derived material is cited in particular by Mandarake's president as a best-seller.

*ahem*

[Kurz]

Hentai is Anime. Anime is Hentai.

Thats a frighting trend...
For that reason alone I tell my family not to say a word about my hobby.

[Knightmare213]

This is bit of a problem for the Japanese. As mentioned in the article, some people think that anime is a way to "depict the modern-day Japan." Believe me when there are people who thinks that every Japanese people are perverts and they can mention this fact as a proof.

Also mentioned again, some people in the States did try to ban anime because of its porngraphic and "negatively persuasive" materials (now there may be a threat of anime being banned in France (althought highly unlikely) because of the runaway girls who got caught in Poland trying to get to Japan, "the land of manga," as the girls called it IIRC.)

For the anti-anime protesters, this is one more evidence why anime is "bad." Right now Gundam SEED and Destiny (which may become more popular in North America, mainly due to the planned Canadian premier of Destiny in fall) is most popular (Since this state is not cited, someone can correct me on this fact).

If the hentai sales, especially based on popular series like Gundam SEED, InuYasha, FullMetal Alchemist and etc., go up, we may have an issue of morality. Sure, it will satisfy certain anime character fans (Flay fans, KiraxAthrun fans, Lacusx??? fans, KiraxAthrunxCagalli fans and etc.) but it just might make more problems.

Don't get me wrong. I think anime is for all ages, from children to sexually-active adults. It's a genre of entertainment that everyone can enjoy and I really don't want people who doesn't know anime as much as us to get wrong ideas of what anime really is.

[Tak]

"This is bit of a problem for the Japanese. As mentioned in the article, some people think that anime is a way to "depict the modern-day Japan." Believe me when there are people who thinks that every Japanese people are perverts and they can mention this fact as a proof."

And yet, when there is murder in Japan, some people (in Japan) think: "OMG, THIS ONLY HAPPENS IN AMERICA!" It goes both ways.

"If the hentai sales, especially based on popular series like Gundam SEED, InuYasha, FullMetal Alchemist and etc., go up, we may have an issue of morality."

Hmm, that is a bit of a news to me. Doujinshis selling well in the US? I am not sure if the person being interviewed is misinformed. You see, I used to sell doujinshis in Kawasaki-shi through Ebay, and even though there were many US buyers, most of those stuff still goto E. Asian countries. Not to mention doujins don't just roll out like real comic books, most of them had very short publication spans. You simply can't sell that many, even if you wanted to.

Though I personally find it disturbing that some people (here) are taking anime as gospel... *Shivers*

This requires a more through investigation... meh.

- Tak

[Eidolon Sniper]

Anime is anime, and as there are certain age groups which certain doujins or mangas cater to, it is the same for anime. So, we have kiddy anime, hentai, art film-esque anime, for the guys only anime, for the girls only anime, the list goes on and on. People get the evil notion that anime is ONLY for kids (especially my parents...T____T ), and is for KIDS only, so, when they see something of an ecchi nature, they tend to think that way (that so and so are perverts by nature) and so declare in one grand sweep that anime is BAD. And, what may seem evil for other cultures may take on a different meaning in Japan, entirely, but that doesn't mean that they're closet perverts, all of them. It may be normal for them to make things like that, while other cultures tend to think it's sacrilegious or what have you, because they weren't brought up to believe that way, or to think that way.

After getting introduced to Voltes V and the rest of those Japanese style 80s cartoons (I am not sure if Voltron is anime...>.<), I have to admit that I liked it way better than its Western counterparts as the years went by, because it delved into a lot of things that aren't really touched upon by normal cartoons (the heavy, cerebral stuff, mind you). So, it's not the usual brainless stuff wherein the stereotypical hero comes in to save the day to do battle with the forces of megalomanic evil. I'm not putting down cartoons, mind you. The cartoons I remember from my childhood aren't exactly that deep, they just entertained me. Anime entertained me as well as gave me brief lessons dealing with mythology, the human experiences, etc., etc., like a good book or a movie can. And it's all done with a flourish and differing styles of artwork and narration and what have you; it doesn't stick to a formulaic style of artwork (except maybe for those huge eyes and schoolgirl outfits... ). That is why anime is quite popular. And when it's popular, the doujins (hentai or normal), fanarts, and fanfics come into play. Just like any regular popular book or movie or sitcom or show on the internet nowadays.

As for hentai...well, some hentai doujins I've seen have good artwork. So maybe, there are people who like buying hentai doujin because of the artwork, not because they're evil people/perverts in nature. Or maybe because they admire the style of one particular artist, and derive inspiration from him or her to do better on his own style. Whatever. As far as I'm concerned, it's really nothing to feel bad about, or what have you. People like certain kinds of things, and if you don't...well, it doesn't give you or anybody else the right to judge that person because he or she likes hentai, or weird pairings. I say to each his own. But because we live in a culture that says hentai is evil...well, I hope you get the picture.

Of course, on the issue of hentai, there's the morality issue. But then again, with the internet reaching more and more people everyday and getting affordable, too, these people have lots of access to media streaming through it, ecchi or otherwise. I believe that in order to curb something like this, or prevent awkward questions or what have you, it always helps to keep people informed what ecchi is and what it is not, and why it is bad and why it is in some ways not bad. It is not a "it's all bad" kind of issue. Young people are curious about things they hear, and the more parents dissuade them from knowing something about it, they would only get more curious and try searching for other ways to find it. And, there's always the idea of being mature enough to handle things like these. As long as they understand what they're doing or reading and they are not in any way affected by it or confused by it or what have you, then it's OK. Not all people could handle things like you could, or you handle things that other people could and you couldn't. If you feel easily offended by seeing something which you couldn't handle...then clearly, that something isn't exactly for you. But it also doesn't mean that you become blind to the fact what it really is, and believing only the things you believe about it.

[srb]

Of course, on the issue of hentai, there's the morality issue.

I can't really see a morality issue regarding hentai - it's purely and completely fictional, unlike porno shoots or movies where real people are being exploited for a monetary purpose. Drawn erotica obviously has a moral high ground in this case, regardless of the content that could be presented, like loli. That's a very, very touchy subject which has garnered some 200 pages of discussion or so on this forum alone, so let's not tread there.

So maybe, there are people who like buying hentai doujin because of the artwork, not because they're evil people/perverts in nature. Or maybe because they admire the style of one particular artist, and derive inspiration from him or her to do better on his own style.

This is most certainly true, although myself and one of my friends who do enjoy looking at pretty pictures of pretty girls in different states of undress usually stay away from the more risque stuff in hentai, because then it just feels that the sexual part gets in the way of the artistic side of it.

As for there being an increase in sales to foreigners, that's not very surprising. As they become "obsessed" with an anime, they may form an attachment to a certain character which appeals to them, and thus they seek out this sort of material. It's just exporting the same kind of behaviour that already exists amongst the Japanese audience this kind of material is targeted to.