Violence in Anime and Manga
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79)
Tue 2007/09/25 00:28
While it can no way be said that this killing was due to the influence of anime, I do get a bit surprised from time to time at the amount of violent content available in anime as well as manga.
If you pick up one of those telephone book thick manga left on the trains, you will see it either full of bukkake eyes or full of people getting beaten, torn, stabbed, shredded, skewered, blended etc.
I guess salary men read them on the way to/from work to relieve stress instead of hurling themselves under a train.
While I know that most of you enjoy the fan service in manga and anime, what do you think about the violence? A lot of this manga and anime is readily available to children. Would you let your kids watch anime/read manga?
I personally like Claymore (all the blood seems to be purple anyway) but haven't been too keen on the go-around-chopping-*people* as in Higurashi.
I still and always will believe in how manga and anime serves as an excellent means of learning Japanese though.
BTW, the image in this post is taken from Akibaos - the School Days product section at Toranoana in Akiba has been turned into a "Nice Boat" corner. The "Nice Boat" phrase now refers to this incident of School Days being replaced by a scenic video which includes a rather nice boat on a lake.
So how do you prefer to watch your anime - dubbed or raw Japanese subtitled?
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Wed 08/22 04:11 comments (20)
marvin (Registered on 2006/12/25 00:30)
that sounds sad. kid orphaned by anime. moreover so to the cut-uped dad they could probably just put a adult rating on extremely violent anime/manga. Does Japan have a movie and media ratings board? on a semi-related note: I remember watching a anime series on tv only to have the final episode banned because the government says it promotes violence and revolt. :p
(ID #57645) Posted on 2007/09/25 01:20
Troubleshooter, Universal Exports
Weeeeellllll... No no, just joking. I personally would allow my kids to watch what I believe is appropriate for them. Young people are ready for some things at different times in their lives, depending on their emotional level. I don't believe in the hard fast "any one under xx not admitted" thinking. Parents are responsible for there kid upbringing, not government or schools. What disappoints me the most about violence in anime and manga, is it being there for it's own sake. We know when we watch a show with fan service that it will be there. Fan service is what some shows are about. On the other hand, when violence or anything else is used to substitute for story telling or to gain attention and controversy...
(ID #57646) Posted on 2007/09/25 01:25
When and if I ever do have kids I would probably let them watch most anime. Hell I'll probably have them watch anime with me. That said its a thing you would have to monitor as anime is very diverse. Naruto is fine for kids while Ikki Tousen not so much.
(ID #57647) Posted on 2007/09/25 01:25
Otaku
Well, I was 10 when I saw Ninja Scroll, and my youngest brother though Kill Bill was aweosme at age 6. I have no problems with young kids watching violence - especailly if their smart kids like mine would surely be lol. As for my opion to violence in anime in general, it's just like every other aspect. Long as the storie's good, I don't care what's portrayed.
(ID #57648) Posted on 2007/09/25 01:33
Troubleshooter, Universal Exports
I remember now what I was going to add... Recently episode 7 of "Sexy Voice and Robo" has shown up on the Internet. It was never aired because of it's depiction of a hostage situation. Supposedly this episode might remind people of a then recent hostage situation. Sometimes, I think that the power be do not believe we can divorce fiction form reality...
(ID #57649) Posted on 2007/09/25 01:40
Violence is in the world, our nature and not something that is instilled by media. Again it comes down to nature vs nurture, nature being what you are and nurture being what your parents or caretakers try to make you. I would let my kids watch anything and everything as long as I was sure to qualify it to them beforehand as things we do and things we are not supposed to do. It may just come down to this: do we believe humans are intrinsically good or bad and what type of world should we strive for if either is the case?
(ID #57650) Posted on 2007/09/25 01:46
Professional Student
I pretty much agree with everything 21st Century Digital Boy said. Hell, I think I even saw Ninja Scroll at roughly the same age. ^^; Violence shown doesn't have nearly as much influence on a child as the parenting does (Childhood Developmental Psychology 101). In the end, as long as the story is good, I don't care how violent (or non-violent for that matter) it is.
(ID #57651) Posted on 2007/09/25 01:50
Lowlife
Is anime really that violent now? I mean, it's not the 80s anymore...
(ID #57653) Posted on 2007/09/25 02:01
i think the origin of the purpose of anime was for kids to watch because american ppl tend to be like anime is meant for kids (which isn't correct) soo ya was meant for kids but many others are also meant for adults because some require a period fo thinking. America= the palce where violence build... and since its the world leader (atm) i guess it influence the world just like the stock markets lol (Grand Theft Auto would eb the ebst example) and ya higurashi and claymroe gives different feeling towards violence maybe because of the scenes and objectives... higurashi and school days gives off a similar slaughtering mood where claymore more on revenge/ justice?
(ID #57654) Posted on 2007/09/25 02:02
This is the general debate on whether portrayed violence allows us to diminish or feed our appetite for destruction. There is a simple word/solution to it: Relativism. One day or another, kids become adolescents and begin to go reckless. If you are able to show them the right path, boundaries of what is acceptable or not, what makes things good or evil, it will be fine. Anime, manga, videogames, movies, television series, documentaries and so on. All the same as they can be vehicles for the best and the worst imaginable. Motives may be different for people (revenge, passion, stress relief, pleasure, wish to be accepted in a group...), but the results are the same. If there is no self-control, you end devoured by your own emotions and impulses. Just know your limits and always respect the other and violence will not knock that often to your door...
(ID #57656) Posted on 2007/09/25 02:05
Wannabe CG Artist/ Figure Collector/Deadman
I'm already a violent stuff lover before I was born.
(ID #57657) Posted on 2007/09/25 02:11
Dropping computers, starting all over again at Journalism
I think the main problem here is "being readily available for children". Animes, movies, series and games should all have ratings. And those ratings should be respected by people who are selling the media. But to think a 16 yr old girl would "chop" his father up just because she saw some anime... that's plain wrong. Kids don't kill parents, go school shooting, or rampage over a game, an anime, or whatever... or else I would've killed tons of people by now. It's all about parenting, psychological issues, culture and society as a whole. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni is more like a piece of fiction/ terror/ suspense. I don't think it's really apropriate for kids, but it's not that people should ban stuff like that too. I'm also not into ero-guro stuff, but we to have to respect other's tastes... so our own can be respected too.
(ID #57658) Posted on 2007/09/25 02:12
Depends if its fantasy violence; devil may cry, or graphic violence like gantz/elfen lied. Obviously anime/manga that feature heavy violence are not designed for young children.
(ID #57659) Posted on 2007/09/25 02:15
シャキー, I guess it's all about culture and it may depend on the country (Japan for example, is a lot on medieval fantasy and school contexts). Violence is all about context, like I said before... it has many faces. wildarmsheero, I guess you forgot about Hokuto No Ken (Fist of the North Star, Ken le Survivant), which series I avoided like the plague (complete fright and trauma, yes). It was aired in France for years, even if there was this infamous pseudo-comedic dub to avoid censorship. If that wasn't violent to hell, I don't know what was. But Hokuto no Ken still was popular and I don't think that many of the kids who watched it became murderers. -_-;
(ID #57660) Posted on 2007/09/25 02:16
lol y they call it ncie boat? y not nice cliff or nice train lol (i watched the whole thing btw laughing so badly 0.0")
(ID #57661) Posted on 2007/09/25 02:18
Nice Boat!!!
(ID #57662) Posted on 2007/09/25 02:54
My mother let me watch Dragon Ball Z when I was small(Which was rather violent).
(ID #57663) Posted on 2007/09/25 02:54
Mandalorian in training + Otaku...
For me, it boils down on tackling the real issues, instead of blaming it straight on anime/manga. By all means, please regulate on who can watch/buy the anime and manga that containe violence/sex whatever. Of course HiguKai and other mature title is not for children or even teenagers. But to assume that it cause the murder is just plain ridiculous. What should be concentrate on is the cultural and society malaise as a whole, instead of just focusing on one issue in particular.Well, that's my opinion anyway...
(ID #57664) Posted on 2007/09/25 02:58
anime also got age group thingy! Certain too violence! I remember watching the Fist of the North Star - ppl head blow up after 1 punch and my sis back then shouted and didnt like that anime at all.....but i enjoy it! Futurama, Simpson and South Park seems more violence and bad influence but those are adult cartoon!
(ID #57666) Posted on 2007/09/25 02:59
I BLAME GAMES....not really. I dont think games,anime,manga,etc(anything that is violent) should be blamed. I just think many people cant tell whats real and whats not. Thats all Im going to say since i could talk about this subject for hours.
(ID #57667) Posted on 2007/09/25 03:06
I believe kids shouldn't be exposed to violence at a very young age, around 3-8, then gradually expose them to more violent subjects for that is the world we live in today and they need to understand what surrounds them.
(ID #57668) Posted on 2007/09/25 03:11
security/3d graphic artist
as with everything.. there is an age limit.. would i let my 15y old nephew watch all anime ...yes.. when he was 10..no.. not the extreme violent or near hentai stuff.. but most stuff.. what gets me is that here in the US.. go to a rated R movie..and see how many young kids there are in the theatre..you'll be suprised.. and i'm not talking about 10 - 13.. babys up to 6-7... thats scary.. and how many young kids are going to pick up Halo3 this week when its rated mature...he he
(ID #57669) Posted on 2007/09/25 03:14
It was not cancelled without a reason, it was previously reported in mainichi that they held back or cancelled the broadcasting due to the axe incident.
(ID #57670) Posted on 2007/09/25 03:23
all i hope is that they put the episode on so i can see if its the bad or good ending.
(ID #57671) Posted on 2007/09/25 04:00
Student
I guess they got concerned bout the growing violence?(no clue) If so then its like here, video game debates (RAGR!!)
(ID #57672) Posted on 2007/09/25 04:05
Policy & Research Officer
Well from a psychology point of view, watching violence in any form is bad since humans are very good at social learning. But from an otaku point of view, I love Claymore!!! Maybe I wouldn't recommend shows like School Days, Higurashi, or Elfen Lied to little kids.
(ID #57673) Posted on 2007/09/25 04:18
well like everything sensible veiwing is required eroge or hentai is obviously adult..other anime is quite inoccent
(ID #57674) Posted on 2007/09/25 04:20
VF-25 Pilot. Universariate Scholar.
I think this has nothing to do with manga and anime rather it is the perversion of it for their own agendas. people especially politicians tend to associate decadence in society with manga/anime/videogames. Remember the GTA hot coffe incident? or otakus being branded sex fiends?? I have been reading Detective Conan from 8 years old and i am still a normal person eventhough there is a huge amount of violence in it.(people getting murdered all the time, decapitated, shot, burned, slashed, stabbed, hanged, thrown off buildings and so on) So, about that poll, yes i would absolutely let my kids watch anime and read manga.
(ID #57675) Posted on 2007/09/25 04:29
Part-time Slacker, Part-time Student
Well, in my country ratings are enforced... Influence is true, but that can't be entirely blamed... C'mon, be more responsible!
(ID #57676) Posted on 2007/09/25 04:31
nice boat indeed. it's a sensitive subject. i personally dont support any form of censoring, but times like this kinda justifies the whole thing. It's hard to say a clear yes and no to these situations. as for violence in anime and manga, just dont assume anime = for kids. ^^ treat it like Hollywood and we are good.
(ID #57677) Posted on 2007/09/25 04:42
unrelated: but i msut say school day is one of the most !@#$%^* thing i ever seen. It'll leave a mark in history lol(even the game was no amtch for the anime... how you do 9 girls in 11 episodes? -.-" whereas in the game you do a maximum of 2 or 1 or 0 in the whole story.) 9 > 2 the end... and darn i have to wait longer for the deciding episode of higurashi ...
(ID #57678) Posted on 2007/09/25 05:09
Hobby Store clerk guy thing...
Hmm, let my kids watch anime? If I had any I would let them I guess~ Ah, I'm so sick of this violence in media issue that I hear governments and "concerned" parents talk about @_@
(ID #57679) Posted on 2007/09/25 05:20
i wouldn't associate violence to any form of bad influence.. all i wanted, is the essence of the original script by the authpor, in which they are trying to express.. of course, i won't deny that violence do gets huge effect on many, especially kid, when either they are not mentally developed yet or have weaker mental thinking yet..
(ID #57681) Posted on 2007/09/25 05:29
watching violence is perfectly fine. It is statistically shown that watching violence increase humans' yearn for physical movement, but does not actually make anyone want to attack anyone else. Remember Elfen Lied? So much gore, not so much violence - gore actually produces more mental imbalance than violence - so seeing blood/falling intestines/chopped up livers/brains actually induces violence and mental insanity... so... yeah
(ID #57683) Posted on 2007/09/25 05:38
mahou kishi
the problem with here is that the TV news are showing the room of the girl full of mangas and they are showing otakus as murderers, we otakus should manifest on the streets and write letters to tv news and media to stop, because we all know that family was already screwed and it was nothing related to anime or mangas, but if they stop to air an anime tv show that means , they think we otakus are propense to kill people by just watching anime, hope some otaku organization takes care about this problem.
(ID #57685) Posted on 2007/09/25 05:51
1st year Civil Engineering Student
I agree that animes are not only just for kids. Most adults seem to think of it that way in my country. Wait till they see Higurashi or Elfen Lied or School Days! I would let my kids watch anime, if i had any... as long as i know what they are watching... =D
(ID #57687) Posted on 2007/09/25 06:32
People can't seem to blame themselves so they tend to blame inanimates/intangibles. Bad parenting actually.
(ID #57688) Posted on 2007/09/25 06:38
part time illustrationist, doll clothing seamstress
man, does that mean we won't get to see the last episode (or find out what happened in the end?!) that kinda sux :P I'm not a big fan of violence (esp senseless kinds) but sometimes when I start a series I would prefer to finish it even if it suxed ^^;
(ID #57689) Posted on 2007/09/25 06:48
Student
People tend to blame cartoons or video games due to excess of violence in todays youth but they forget that we're bombarded with news everyday about violence and more violence. The problem is not anime or video games, the problem is society itself. If some parents say that video games are all about violence then don't buy them for your kids, it expressively says for Mature, the same is for certain animes that are for a more older age, I wouldn't certainly let my kids watch Claymore or Elfen Lied, perhaps even Tenjo Tenge. I grew up watching Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z and I don't go out there picking fights and killing people just because they act like Freeza LOL.
(ID #57690) Posted on 2007/09/25 07:06
Web Design & Development
Censoring things isn't the solution, they will be exposed to these things in some way or another eventually. It's better to show it to them yourself and help them to learn that, despite it sometimes being funny, it's morally wrong.
(ID #57691) Posted on 2007/09/25 07:19
swordsly in Singapore
I agree with a lot of you guys; it is really not violence in animes or mangas (even though I only knew about this title after reading Danny's post). It is really up to people how they act. If what is above is claimed true (violence on TV leads to more violence), then can I safely assume that spreading "good" through media (be it books, animes or whatnot) will lead to more "good"? I know what I'm about to express is not entirely linked with this topic, but think about it. I welcome comments. If you put a bag in front of a cat and warned it not to peek, the cat would eventually grow more curious about it and find trillions of methods to open up the bag (be it legal or illegal). In this case, isn't it doing more harm than good? Rather than hiding from them, why not show it to them and tutor? Isn't it a better way?
(ID #57693) Posted on 2007/09/25 09:04
i really hated schooldays anime but kept watching it. almost like watching a car accident. ya, if i had kids, i'd totally let them watch anime, just the ones i choose =)
(ID #57696) Posted on 2007/09/25 10:10
Procurement officer / Teacher
People might blame bad parenting but it IS actually a difficult time to raise a kid these days. Not saying there isnt bad parents, but there are good parents with problem children. Instances of Crime in Japan are a good example.
(ID #57698) Posted on 2007/09/25 10:17
Student, Gamer, Part-time EFSF Pilot
I think it's kinda ridiculous to try and pin violence streaks to violent anime/manga, movies and games. I mean, I've been playing Manhunt 2. That is a COMPLETLY psycho game! The ways you kill people are just incredibly violent. Yet, I don't get the urge to kill anyone... I think there are some people that indeed are probably more susceptible to violence, but (and here's my main point) most cases are people that have prior psychological issues and should have been more closely monitored.
(ID #57699) Posted on 2007/09/25 10:30
oh yeah, nice boat very famous now... for me as long as it nice, no matter it violence or fan service will still support.
(ID #57700) Posted on 2007/09/25 10:50
omg....can't believe higurashi and school days is cancel... sad day for me..haha
(ID #57701) Posted on 2007/09/25 11:45
Service desk support
The public are always looking for something to blame for particularly bad events. If there are no direct links then the first in the firing line are any media which shows fictional violence in any remotely realistic manner. Personally, I'm more than a little annoyed since I have been watching school days and it has been like having my eyes poked at because it was just plain bad. I have never seen a boy meets girl anime which has had such an unlikeable list of characters (tho Kotonoha did get muchos sympathy points later on). The only reason I stuck with it was for the chance of a "bad ending" and, although it's pretty much confirmed, I can't see it!!! It had better be the "bloody conclusion" ending!!! Then again, censorship in anime has gone way up over the last few years. seto no hanayome has every instance of blood being turned white. It's quite odd seeing sparkling white fluid coming from a stab wound. Then there's Dokuro-chan, although that was quite funny since you can still hear the events going on.
(ID #57702) Posted on 2007/09/25 12:08
TK-8316 / 宅男 Otaku / 工程师 Engineer
danny there seems to be something wrong with the date of this post. i see 4th of October. today is 24th of Sep.
(ID #57703) Posted on 2007/09/25 12:40
Violence = Anime/Manga? I doubt that. Though they may play a part, they aren't the main culprits. Pushing the blame solely on anime/manga is nothing more than a blatant excuse for the cause of violence.
(ID #57704) Posted on 2007/09/25 12:52
Is violence in anime/manga not just like the argument for violence in video games. Heck i remember the first time i watched fist of the north star when i was 7 and i thought it was amazing. i think sometimes some of the violence can be a bit too much depending on the anime/manga but most of it isn't really that bad.
(ID #57705) Posted on 2007/09/25 13:03
hm... children are getting exposed to adult contents younger and younger... soon you will be expecting to hear a 12 year old watching porno. If you want to link violence with anime, then you should consider canceling movies that has violence. Soap opera for the win? Ridiculous. I think counseling as a solution is more like it. Parents need to grab hold of their children world, understand and conduct appropriate action to make them a better person.
(ID #57706) Posted on 2007/09/25 13:59
louki in FRANCE
This is just ridiculous. I past my childhood watching animes like hokuto no ken and also have some problems in my family too but use violence against somebody has never spaced my mind. I think it's just a problem of education for thoses kids
(ID #57707) Posted on 2007/09/25 14:12
Photographer/Night Auditor
I'd let my kids watch Anime but I'd make sure that it was suitable for their age first. Definitely nothing bloody or overboard violent though. I'd probably force my kids to watch the old school cartoons that I grew up with too.
(ID #57708) Posted on 2007/09/25 14:17
.NET/Web Developer
I'd let them watch anime all they want. There's nothing really wrong about it. It's all a matter of teaching them the right lessons and teaching them well. :)
(ID #57709) Posted on 2007/09/25 14:38
CG artist, Sunrise Emotion
I won't go so far as to say that all the violent crimes juveniles in Japan are directly linked to influence by mangas, but there is a lingering feeling that there must be a small connection somewhere.
(ID #57710) Posted on 2007/09/25 14:41
i agree with what blaureiter said.. it sort of reminds me of tantei gakuen q, where some organisation is puppeting the teenage murderers. man, tons of questions arises when cases of high schoolers who keep murdering their parents comes to my mind...
(ID #57712) Posted on 2007/09/25 15:41
innocent bystander
I'd say, blame the parents...blame those who aren't looking (or not looking) after ther kids. Parents have their responisbilities to nurture / educate their children. Heck, i wonder what made that kid hate her dad so much eh?! I also think there are parents there who don't deserve their children. It's kind of a viscious cycle, kids growing up in a bad environment. Then many years later becoming parents themselves -- either becoming what they hated or overcoming the bad they experienced and letting their own kids have a better life -- or letting them watch a nice anime for that matter.
(ID #57713) Posted on 2007/09/25 16:23
You know, linking violent crimes to manga and anime is like linking it to Disney movies and Buggs Bunny. They go around smashing things and blowing people up, and no one gets hurt! You dont see kids strapping rockets to their parents and watching them explode over the night sky do you? Its ludicrous to incourage kids to use the excuse that they were influenced by television so that they dont have to take responsibility for their actions. Even adults are trying this, GTA for example. The fact is that unless you already wanted to do these horrible things, then it wont ever happen. I dont get the indiscriminate urge to go slash young girls in tokyo because I read Dannys post, nor do I suddenly feel compelled to throw myself in front of a train. Take responsibility for your actions people!
(ID #57714) Posted on 2007/09/25 16:28
Oh, by the way, we should also pull every book in the fantasy genre and most fiction and non-fiction books, including: Lord of the Rings, The DaVinci Code, All of Esops Fables, Harry Potter, Wizards First Rule, The Whole Wheel of Time series, Sherlock Holmes, Ulysses, Moby Dick, Romeo and Juliette.. you get the picture. They all have violence. We would lose amazing stories of our world culture, our HISTORY (which has included much violence.. should we not teach about wars in school?). If kids dont learn these things they are fated to repeat the same mistakes that we have.
(ID #57715) Posted on 2007/09/25 16:38
I personally don't mind violence in anime if it is necessary, for example, if someones friend gets killed then i would expect the friend who didn't get killed to go sick and chop the murderer up...however...if someone is just hapilly walking along the road and gets their head sliced off for no apparent reaosn, then that, i don't like. It is all well and good when it has a purpose ^_^
(ID #57716) Posted on 2007/09/25 17:16
I dont mind violence in anime - its a lot more sedate and family-friendly than it was when it was first marketed towards the UK in the early 90s. Stuff like wicked city and urotsukidoji were ultra violent and i dont really think ive seen anything as gory as that since. I recently (sorta accidentaly) found out about 'ero guro' and was frankly, sickened by how gory and f***ed up some japanese manga artists can be. Im just greatful that that sorta stuff isnt freely available in shops over there. I wouldnt reccomend searching for it. No, really. I needed mind bleach after seeing just a few.
(ID #57717) Posted on 2007/09/25 17:40
NEET (no, student...)
The thing about violent media is, you can't control it. If you censor one thing, you need to censor it all, which I am betting is a bitch doing (b/c it's not only anime, but movies, video games, internet, newspaper, magazine, music, etc.) People who are easy to point the finger on such medias need to understand one thing: it's not the creators fault for your son's/daughter's stupidity. But people (mostly parents) need to start communicating to their kids that this is ok in that world, but not in the real world. I think parents need to grow a bit of confidence, and talk to their kids regarding topics such as this, rather than letting the government do it all. But...it sorta scares me that Japan is becoming more Americanized...
(ID #57718) Posted on 2007/09/25 18:48
It's simple. There're anime for any kind of people, a kid can't see berserk or claymore and it's his parents duty to keep him away from this "wrong message".. until he/she could understand by his own the message within that anime.. If we leave the children alone in front of the tv they can see anything without control.. think about the adult, not about the children..
(ID #57719) Posted on 2007/09/25 19:01
Web Design & Development
It's the "If someone told you to jump off a bridge would you do it?" question all over again. It only takes some basic education on morality to figure out that it's not a good idea to chop up your dad with an axe. :S She obviously had some serious mental instabilities that everyone was ignoring instead of dealing with properly.
(ID #57720) Posted on 2007/09/25 19:55
It seems that the problem is not only in occidental countries. We have lot of similar examples in here. Several years ago, in Spain a kid kills his parents and sister with a katana, and the first reason that every media belive is the kid play FF XII, and because of that the kid kills them... And this example is only one.
(ID #57721) Posted on 2007/09/25 21:17
Kiba Inu in Arizona
Although there are alot of Shonen manga/anime that has extreme violence (abused, pretty much)and some emotional ones too that doesn't mean that all anime is like that. Did you see anyone in Lucky Star pull out a gun and start killing people? No. Did you see anyone in alot of other anime do anything like that? Probably not. Although there are some moments in anime that do potray alot of violence that doesn't mean it makes the whole anime full of it. Anyway it's not like these are Mickey Mouse cartoons. And you also have to remember that not everyone is like us Americans, UK-ians, etc. people are different, thats why the word diversity exists.
(ID #57722) Posted on 2007/09/25 21:43
Kiba Inu, where in AZ are