(CR) Comic Girls

[BWTraveller]

Originally Posted by ScrewySquirrel

AM I the only one bothered that Ruki draws what appears to be rather explicit manga when she's too young to buy the same?

Seems that her editor would be up for some sort of 'contributing to the delinquency of a minor' kind of charge

I'm not sure but I think the rule's something like "minors can draw it, but they can't buy or sell it". I recall in Saekano, Eriri has her parents go to Comiket to sell her doujins since she's not allowed to sell them.

Also, there's a thin distinction between 18+ material and non-adult "teen" material. Specifically, the question is whether the genitals are clearly defined if I understand right. I recall a long time ago seeing a brief "series" that was filled with sex scenes, but because there was always something hiding the genitals or the crucial part was just off screen it wasn't considered 18+. I'm pretty sure a 16-year-old would legally be permitted to do such work. If she drew in those parts enough that the publishers had to put in bars or mosaics, then yes there'd be problems, but she didn't so she's fine.

[Random Wanderer]

Originally Posted by BWTraveller

I'm not sure but I think the rule's something like "minors can draw it, but they can't buy or sell it". I recall in Saekano, Eriri has her parents go to Comiket to sell her doujins since she's not allowed to sell them.

Also, there's a thin distinction between 18+ material and non-adult "teen" material. Specifically, the question is whether the genitals are clearly defined if I understand right. I recall a long time ago seeing a brief "series" that was filled with sex scenes, but because there was always something hiding the genitals or the crucial part was just off screen it wasn't considered 18+. I'm pretty sure a 16-year-old would legally be permitted to do such work. If she drew in those parts enough that the publishers had to put in bars or mosaics, then yes there'd be problems, but she didn't so she's fine.

I'm pretty sure the mosaics in this episode were added for our benefit, given how Tsubasa's comment about the page was censored. You can see looking at these pages that without those mosaics in the way genitals would be clearly visible, so... I'm pretty sure she's just drawing straight up porn here.

[BWTraveller]

Originally Posted by Random Wanderer

I'm pretty sure the mosaics in this episode were added for our benefit, given how Tsubasa's comment about the page was censored. You can see looking at these pages that without those mosaics in the way genitals would be clearly visible, so... I'm pretty sure she's just drawing straight up porn here.

I wouldn't be so sure. I've read some manga referred to as "borderline-H", which is to say they're not considered 18+, that go crazy close. I mean, close enough to shock. And you don't have to get anywhere close to that level to have stuff that's "erotic" enough you'd block it from TV. Seriously, go to Manga-Updates and check out the borderline category. You'll find all sorts of stuff that I'm sure would make Ruki's look tame in comparison, like the story of a man who's being constantly sexually assaulted by demons because their queen is sealed in his testicle. Seriously, sometimes that one got away with just leaving that area as a cylinder-shaped blur of white and they didn't get marked as porn.

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by ScrewySquirrel

AM I the only one bothered that Ruki draws what appears to be rather explicit manga when she's too young to buy the same?

Seems that her editor would be up for some sort of 'contributing to the delinquency of a minor' kind of charge

I don't know about the legalities involved, but yes, this whole aspect to Ruki's work bothers me for similar reasons. I find it unlikely that there are whole troops of teenaged girls turning out h-manga without any consequences.

It's also a little implausible that a 16-yo girl who is quite likely a virgin can create explicit manuscripts about adult sexual relationships that ring true to married women in their twenties.

They left out any discussion of censorship as well. Someone has to draw those black lines, unless they are added by the publisher.

[BWTraveller]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

I don't know about the legalities involved, but yes, this whole aspect to Ruki's work bothers me for similar reasons. I find it unlikely that there are whole troops of teenaged girls turning out h-manga without any consequences.

It's also a little implausible that a 16-yo girl who is quite likely a virgin can create explicit manuscripts about adult sexual relationships that ring true to married women in their twenties.

They left out any discussion of censorship as well. Someone has to draw those black lines, unless they are added by the publisher.

Far as I know, it's hardly common for teenage girls to be publishing manga period. And Ruki isn't being put forward as one of "troops of girls", but rather a single girl who was strong-armed into the field due to her style being great for ecchi and her prose being well-suited to the genre. And anyway, it sounds like she's not technically doing 18+ porn: the term she uses is "teens' love", which I'm guessing means it's aimed at older teens and young women, and therefore just barely short of that R18 sticker.

Actually the situation reminds me a bit of Koe de Oshigoto, in which all the VAs (and I think everyone else too) are virgins and the sister/boss even suggests that virginity helps in the fictional business because it keeps any unpleasant realities from encroaching on the lofty ideals (like keeping a girl who's supposed to rant about enjoying things from knowing how awkward/gross it can really be).

Anyway, while I can't speak about "ringing true", but as far as grown women enjoying explicit relations described by someone who doesn't know what they're talking about, I recall hearing constant criticism about an explicit novel that's apparently incredibly unrealistic and poorly-written but has high enough sales to have crappy movies made out of it. Besides, an innocent outlook can sometimes be a source of real wisdom, unclouded by cynicism and bad experiences.

[SamCurt]

Originally Posted by Random Wanderer

You can see looking at these pages that without those mosaics in the way genitals would be clearly visible, so... I'm pretty sure she's just drawing straight up porn here.

At least at the point when Ruki shows three censored frames, the censored part are mainly nipples. The middle frame main involve the groin, but it looks like she has panties on. So I guess the readers won't be seeing anything behind the panties, but it's certainly suggestive enough.

[mangamuscle]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

I don't know about the legalities involved, but yes, this whole aspect to Ruki's work bothers me for similar reasons.

I am no lawyer, but I suppose this fails into freedom of expression, so the law cannot prohibit her from doing such manga and since the manga are not illegal in themselves, then she can sell them to an editorial (or by herself at a convention if she mustered the courage). She would not be able to buy her own book (or any other 18+ material) nonetheless.

There has been already the case of a voice actress doing a role at 16 years of age in an anime that would be called soft porn in the USA, so even if it is rare, it is not impossible. If someone can't remember her:

Spoiler:

Ibuki Kido did the role of Akiko Himenokouji in Oniichan dakedo Ai sae Areba Kankeinai yo ne!

Here is her most memorable performance in said series, imo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP4sOeMNEEI

[alt_account]

Ruki writes in the Teens Love genre, which is a subcategorization of shoujo manga which features concrete depictions of sex. Comparative to western genre labels, the categorization with the strongest correlation might be 'smut'. In short, the distinguishing characteristics of TL are that it avoids explicit depiction of genitals (comparable e.g. to ToLoveRu Darkness published in Jump Square, a shounen/seinen rather than hentai publication) and that its primary audience is women.

Performing a search against the 'smut' tag on MangaUpdates or any manga aggregator site will likely net you a large host of appropriate comparative examples. In general, the point is that the subject of Ruki's occupation is not nearly as radical as some people might be lead to assume. In particular, it should not be misunderstood that Ruki produces any material which could be construed as transgressing into the category of R-18 or pornographic material.

[Liddo-kun]

Watched episode 4:

Got a good laugh at Kaos being the daughter of Ruki scenario. Didn't expect that one.

[Infinite Zenith]

Gotta love how seriously real-world laws are trying to be fit into a comedy anime. I suppose that makes me a sub-par fan, if all I'm getting out of Comic Girls are consistent good laughs!

[Stark700]

Tsubasa continues to make me like her more and more in this show. A date, shopping, eating, manga ideas, video games, and beach fun. I think this show has the whole package!

[FlareKnight]

This had some fun parts. There was something hilarious about Tsubasa and Kaos having their gaming session while the other two were out shopping. It's nice to mix up the various pairs you can break this group into. In a sense Kaos and Tsubasa have enough in common that you can buy them preferring to just stay home.

No doubt was Koyume's episode with her getting some really nice moments. A nice look at her own struggles. Starting to feel a growing desire to not just create her manga, but succeed on a more professional level. And when she starts having that growing desire to succeed being told she's far off from hitting that point due to a lack of experience.

The show remains pretty darn fun, but also getting nice character moments in there too. You can get that nice moment in the ferris wheel, and also a good laugh from a scene of Kaos getting smug after finally getting a win against Tsubasa (thanks to cat power).

[SeijiSensei]

C'mon now, Koyume-san? Are you sure there wasn't something else you wanted to say to Tsubasa-san?

After that scene in the ferris wheel car, has Koyume slid comfortably into the kohei role with her feelings for Tsubasa locked away? I don't think it works that way.

[SamCurt]

Originally Posted by FlareKnight

In a sense Kaos and Tsubasa have enough in common that you can buy them preferring to just stay home.

Actually Chinese comment on the manga chapter this part comes from says those two are the "boyly duo" of the cast. Most viewers would agree that Tsu-chan is boyly, but the Kaos part needs at least some explanation--and sometimes explanations don't necessarily work.

No doubt was Koyume's episode with her getting some really nice moments. A nice look at her own struggles. Starting to feel a growing desire to not just create her manga, but succeed on a more professional level. And when she starts having that growing desire to succeed being told she's far off from hitting that point due to a lack of experience.

I'm not quite clear about the current phase of Koyume's career. Kaos is invited for oneshots sporadically. Both Ruki and Tsubasa are serialized. I expect Koyume is somewhere in between; but I'm not sure whether that stage exists.

On the other hand, is Koyume treating Tsubasa as "a boy without an Y chromosome" or as a boyish girl? She may not know that, but it's obvious (even to the author I guess--she drew shoujo) that homosexual and heterosexual relationships follow different dynamics. Anyway, the idea of a shonen-ish Chuuni and a Shoujo-ish Chuuni pairing is funny regardless of the gender issue.

The show remains pretty darn fun, but also getting nice character moments in there too. You can get that nice moment in the Ferris wheel, and also a good laugh from a scene of Kaos getting smug after finally getting a win against Tsubasa (thanks to cat power).

I'm starting to wonder whether Tsubasa considers herself a girl. Of course she doesn't think he's a boy, but still...

Back at last episode: The montage actually shows events of several manga chapters whose content I won't discuss further. But does this mean those chapters will be skipped? Chapter skipping is usually not a good thing for Kirara adaptations, since many of them have just enough manga material for a cour.

[Infinite Zenith]

Originally Posted by FlareKnight

The show remains pretty darn fun, but also getting nice character moments in there too. You can get that nice moment in the ferris wheel, and also a good laugh from a scene of Kaos getting smug after finally getting a win against Tsubasa (thanks to cat power).

That balance between comedy and growth will contribute to Kaoruko's development as a 4-panel manga artist. In shows like these, everyone gets their share of screen time, which is fantastic. Beyond this, an undergraduate seminar where the rest of us are students, this is not.

[FlareKnight]

I do hope by the last episode that Kaos will find something that can be approved by her editor . She is making step by step progress. But just leaving the show with that breakthrough would be nice if it happens.

Though wow poor Kaos in the first half of this episode. I was really wondering if her going home or ending up in a hospital from terror overload might end up happening. Very much Kaos that she really ended up calmed down by the fact that Fuura has a large chest . It did allow her to view her more objectively and be less afraid.

And a bit of focus for Tsubasa and her dilemma. A female high school student drawing shonen manga would be something she'd be hesitant to reveal to anyone. Her over the top reactions to confessions in the last episode is part comedy, but part a sad sef-defence mechanism she has about people finding out the truth.

[Magewolf]

I honestly think Kaos is a lesbian though she may not even know it herself. I do not see a straight girl overcoming pure terror just because the cause of said terror had large breasts.

[BWTraveller]

Originally Posted by Magewolf

I honestly think Kaos is a lesbian though she may not even know it herself. I do not see a straight girl overcoming pure terror just because the cause of said terror had large breasts.

Hard to say. As I said before, there are female anime fans out there who are definitely and confirmed straight who also are not shy about their love of big boobs and erotic situations. Can't say for sure she's straight for... obvious reasons, but since it hasn't been clearly stated we can't really say she's gay either. All we can say is that personality-wise SHE is the one who should be writing borderline porn, not Ruki. Then again, I'm not even sure you could really call Koyume homosexual, or even bisexual. More like a manifestation of that trope "if it's you it's OK". Though she'd still make it much easier on herself if she tried writing yuri.

[BBOvenGuy]

Originally Posted by Magewolf

I honestly think Kaos is a lesbian though she may not even know it herself.

Yeah, I've gotten that vibe off her for the past couple of episodes. I doubt they'll do anything with it, though.

[4th Dimension]

She is anime-sexual. Meaning they won't do shit with it as long as they can bait all profiles. Like they aren't likely to do anything with the Blonde either on this front apart from shipping bait.