Keeping the "manga is porn" stereotype alive
Yes, still alive. Had to take a month-and-a-half-long sabbatical for some personal reasons (I was only half honest about not covering that scanlation crackdown thing too much.) Will try to get back to regular pace, have a few items from before the break I need to cover, and some press releases. Be back in a bit…
Oh, and if you’ve emailed me sometime between June to now, and haven’t received a response, please do so again.
Still on semi-break because of all the scanlation-related news… some good, some bad. But you can get all of that via MangaBlog anyway. I mean, it’s good stuff, I just don’t have the energy to discuss it, or anything worthwhile to add, honestly. (Also, what kind of miserable, masochistic people read manga on Youtube anyway? Yeesh.)
But there is one news item I would like to take a short moment to plug, and that’s the defeat of the Tokyo bill to classify certain non-obscene manga and anime as harmful to minors. Yeah, that’s not as sexy as calling it “Anti-Loli Manga ban” or something to that effect. My wording is clumsy, but deliberate. To present the agenda of the bill’s backers as “anti-loli” or “pro-children safety” is misleading. This is a culture battle waged in legislature, and the ultimate goal is to once again push adult content back into the darkest recesses of society, by getting people accustomed to the idea of granting rights to fictional characters, and eroding the rights of real people to have free and unpleasant speech. In the logic of the censors, this would have been an intermediary step to a complete porn ban; if we can convince the people that non-obscene manga can harm children, why not say the same for adults?
Of course, there is no demonstrable social benefit to such a ban. Not for children, not for women, not for crime rate. You know what does? Protections for women in the workplace, access to health care and day care, social programs to battle poverty. The real chains that bind women to terrible situations and harm children are economic. With equal rights and equal pay comes true autonomy.
So cheer the death of this bill, manga fans. And cheer this too, feminists. This bill could have castrated the anime and manga industry… an industry whose collective creative workforce is predominantly female. That is why Rumiko Takahashi, arguably the top comic creator in the world, publicly protested this bill. She wasn’t just standing up for free speech, she was protecting the livelihoods of many women, and that has far more immediate and meaningful ramifications than an abstract, pseudo-scientific argument over fictional imagery and sexual fantasies.
Well, it has finally happened. Publishers Weekly is reporting this morning that the Japanese Digital Comics Association in conjunction with other major Japanese and US manga publishers, including Viz, Yen Press, Vertical, and Tokyopop, will be jointly seeking legal remedies against online manga piracy. 30 websites are said to be in their crosshairs, although the group hopes the sites will take it upon themselves to remove offending material (which would pretty much be all of it, right?) to avoid a legal fight. The group will also “aggressively report violations” to federal law enforcement. The DoJ is currently involved in a case against alleged comic pirate Gregory Hart. (I think they’re going to need a lot more interns this year…)
This will surely generate a lot of discussion on the net. Will check them out later tonight.
I’ve said this before: if scanlation fandom gets destroyed, blame the aggregators.
Edit: Discussions and commentary worth following:
Edit 2:
Robot 6 has a few more links of interest.
Oh, and please, please don’t email me for a reaction. I’m content with relaxing, drawing, and watching this thing run its course.
Edit 3: Anime on DVD’s editorial.
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Fun… ANN interviews Gilles Poitras (author, librarian, and maintainer of the indispensable Koyagi.com) about new editions of Anime Companion, geisha versus modern day hostesses, and proper etiquette in the porno section of a Japanese manga shop.
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Oh, Marvel is going to release some comic simultaneously in print and digital. This is apparently big news. Robot 6 has a nice collection of quotes and links from people who understand this far better than me.
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You know, I wouldn’t quite characterize the similarities between The Lion King and Kimba as mere cross-pollination, but I’m biased…
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ANIMATE USA BRINGS MORE YAOI TO KINDLE
TOKYO, JAPAN – June 4 – Animate U.S.A., Inc. is pleased to reveal its June release lineup for the Amazon Kindle Store! Four more Yaoi titles published by Libre Publishing in Japan are now available! For more information, visit these websites, www.animate-world.com, www.b-boy.jp.
June 2010:
Nase Yamato – “Cigarette Kisses”
Natsuho Shino – “Oh my god! Vol.1″
Kano Miyamoto – “Say Please”
Kano Miyamoto – “Two of Hearts”
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“Cigarette Kisses” by Nase Yamato
Where There’s Smoke…
Yusuke and Soji have been close ever since junior high, even to the point of being something more…but Yusuke was devastated when Soji suddenly announced that he was getting married.
Years later, Yusuke and Soji meet up again in their company smoke room, and although their love for cigarettes has brought them together, their love for each other remains unspoken.
With the conflicted Soji trapped between marital obligations and true love, and his charming rival, Masahito, trying to fill the hole in Yusuke’s heart, what is Yusuke to do? Is Soji another guilty addiction that he’ll never be able to quit?
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“Oh my god! Vol.1″ by Natsuho Shino
Fujimaru is your average adolescent boy – horny and girl-crazed. Like many guys his age, Sexy, mysterious, amnesiac god meets his match…
Yuto is a typical high school student whose family just so happens to have had a long line of sorcerers as members. While in the family storage shed, he accidentally awakens a god who was sealed in a sword hundreds of years ago.
Now, if only this mysterious god could remember who he is! Yuto names this extremely good-looking spirit, Jade. Stuck with an amnesiac god who’s strangely attached to him, Yuto begins a clamorous life of high school, adventure and attraction.
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“Say Please” by Kano Miyamoto
I was a “Boy” at the club, and he was a client…
Sakura first meets Ryoichi at a male brothel and buys him for the night. As their supposed one-night stand ends up becoming a somewhat stable monetary based relationship, their lives start to change. Can there two awkward people garner the courage to admit that their true feelings run deeper than merely sex and money?
Also includes a bonus story in which Ryu is a tough but troubled kid from Osaka who is trying to overcome his past. When an American takes an interest in him, will it lead to more than just a friendship?
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“Two of Hearts” by Kano Miyamoto
Friends…
With Benefits
Haruya, a frustrated writer for a magazine, is constantly puzzling his editors with his lack of motivation. His quiet, solitary life is spent in a house away from the city.
However his outlook changes drastically when he sees a shy, troubled young man undressing on the beach. Their lives become intertwined in unforeseen ways. A passionate and unusual relationship develops that will ultimately be beneficial for the both of them.
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About Animate U.S.A., Inc.
From North to South, it’s by far the largest anime store chain in Japan! It’s the go-to place for any anime/manga fan! Character goods from anime, manga, game, comics, art supplies… You name it! All anime/manga-related merchandise is available! Additionally, you can find original Animate goods, specials, etc. Furthermore, we have special events such as autograph sessions, panel discussions, campaigns, and more! Come to Animate filled with ‘Dreams’ and ‘Hope’!!
See http://www.animate.co.jp/ for more information. (Japanese site)
About Libre Publishing Co., Ltd.
The biggest BL publisher in Japan. The company name “Libre Publishing Co., Ltd.” is taken from the Latin base “Lib” which can mean “Book” or “Liberty.” Such is the aim of our company, to be able to share this love of “books” and “freedom” by the unique contents of the works that we offer, for the enjoyment of our readers. See http://www.libre-pub.co.jp/ for more information. (in Japanese)
For further inquiries regarding this matter, please feel free to contact us at the following:
Regarding titles: rights@libre-pub.co.jp
Regarding Kindle Releases: ebookinfo@animate.co.jp
We would once again like to take this opportunity to thank you for reading our books and for your continued support.
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I ought to add a Yaoi tag to this blog one of these days, shouldn’t I…
Supremely odd story of the day… according to Daily Record, a 13-year old Scottish girl was paid to be a voice actress for a “hentai” anime. Words like child exploitation were thrown around, but I’m curious what actually went down. I’m assuming this was done over the internet; did the anime producer actually know the girl’s age? And what anime production, porn or not, would actively seek out foreign voice actresses online? Something here doesn’t add up. I wouldn’t be surprised if the hentai label was misused here, or if the girl was simply the victim of a prank. The article is long on alarmist language from “experts,” but short on specifics…
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Warner Bros., Cartoon Network, and anime producer Studio 4C will be collaborating on a new Thundercats series.
That’s nice and all, and I know one has to drum up interest for a show far in advance. Nevertheless, the timing seems… awkward, given recent events. Perhaps a nice, token gesture by parent company Time Warner, with its $12-billion yearly revenue, to the surviving family of the late Stephen Perry, a principle contributor to the original who faced considerable hardships in the last years of his life, is in order? It doesn’t even have to be sincerely altruistic, TW. Think of it as great PR. Maybe something along the lines of a college fund for his kid? Just thinking aloud…
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Spotted via Comics Worth Reading, a new adult webcomics site called Filthy Figments has launched. The site is run by a female artist collective, who work in both straight and gay themes.
Oh hey, if any of you out there are publishing new adult comics, whatever the genre or format, you could give me a holler, you know…
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TCJ has been running a series of discussions on translation, and panelists include translators of both European and Japanese comics. This particular conversation caught my eye:
VALENTI: I’m actually curious, do the people who translate French have to deal with fan translations at all?
THOMPSON: No.
SINGH: No. It hasn’t come up….
DASCHER: No.
THOMPSON: I think it’s an exclusive manga thing.
So, is it too late for me to ditch manga and start publishing BD exclusively? (Read all three parts of the panel here: 1, 2, 3. Great stuff.)
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Chris Butcher speaks with The Comics Reporter about the Toronto Comics Arts Festival, which looks all around fantastic for true comic readers, based on the pics alone. But the Beguiling manager also touches upon manga publishing near the end, specifically their responsibilities, which Butcher feels lie primarily in marketing (here CMX gets a few more deserved jabs). Apologies to all the talented translators and production folks out there, but I do think it’s hard to argue against that. Most of what we do with manga is… relatively technical in nature. The hard part is already done.
His followup suggestion of, I suppose you could call it, “humanizing” manga artists as a way to combat issues facing the industry, is more debatable. For one, this would be rather difficult… while certain mangaka are well respected in their native country, there has never really been a cult of personality around mangaka. The Japanese fan scene is largely dominated by doujinshi (which professionals do take part in), not the creator-fan meet and greets that typify comic conventions in the US.
Second, US anime conventions have long had animators and musicians as guests, but that hasn’t protected anime all that much.
Usually, I wait until I have sufficient amount of material to do a post, but I want to direct your attention to this immediately:
Long-time translator and “cultural consultant” Daniel Kanemitsu has started a blog covering anime, manga, games, and model industry news. Much of it at the moment is devoted to the various anime and manga censorship efforts that are underway in Japan. Mr. Kanemitsu has been one of the most vocal opponents of the Tokyo “Non-existent Youth Bill,” was among the signatories to a letter of opposition from anime and manga industry professionals, and is the original source for much of the Western coverage of the subject.
Do give the blog a visit. Look, there’s already good news… chances are good that the bill will perish, although the bill’s original sponsor has indicated he would submit a revised version as soon as this one is defeated. It’s impressive to see all the major Japanese publishers take a stand on the issue, and cut through the emotional rhetoric. Can we ever expect such a show of solidarity in the US? Might Japanese creators and readers be able to influence policies at companies such as Apple?
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Missed it… Reverse Thieves holds a discussion on the state of the manga market, but the really interesting things are actually being said in the comments section. (Via MangaBlog)
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Apparently, Japanese Prime Minister and DPJ party head Yukio Hatoyama has been summoned back to his home planet.
Thanks to Diamond for providing the file, which you may download here.
The following is a list of adult manga and manga-oriented titles, extracted from the newest issue of Previews Adult PDF catalog.
Books are generally released two months after the Previews issue in which they are solicited. Artist homepages are painfully searched for and linked (why don’t all manga publishers link to artist sites? They’re much better at selling me on a book than another boring PR.)
The reason I cover not only our own books, but those from other adult manga publishers as well, is because adult manga generally have a harder time finding their way into retail, and the wide variety of adult manga may lead some comic shops to overlook items they actually might be able to sell. One of the best ways to support adult manga of all kinds is to pre-order these books, and show there is a demand for them.
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ERO
This is a great book. That’s all there is to it.
ICARUS PUBLISHING
No need to harp on these books, I’ve done enough of that. We had to resolicit them because of lateness. Terribly sorry. m(_ _)m But hey, the good news is we were finally able to get the original cover art for Sister Summer.
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YAOI
Don’t know why the item codes are not in order, might want to verify them on the Previews order form proper…
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Solid issue for manga readers, not so much for everyone else. I was late posting this (had it for a couple of weeks), so order, order, order now!
Japanese authorities have arrested two men in connection with a warez extortion scheme that was widely reported on the web a few months ago. The duo uploaded a cracked eroge (erotic PC game) containing malware that took snapshots of the victim’s computer, which the scammers then used to blackmail the user (I recall victims including government workers, game reviewers, and a high-level school official).
This kind of exploit is not new, having been employed by internet “vigilantes” without profit motives in the past; pictures and personal information of downloaders where often posted to sites such as 2ch for ridicule. Such hacks usually aren’t followed up, as the victims pretty much placed themselves in the situation by infringing the copyright of eroge makers…
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At Book Expo America, some publishers still sound upbeat about manga.
Hmm, all the ones PW talked to are subsidiaries of larger companies, or don’t publish manga exclusively…
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Also reporting from BEA, Wired writes that major print publishers are pining for a universal ebook standard. (Translation: publishers want a platform-agnostic format with DRM that they can control.)
As it stands now, ePub is woefully inadequate for graphic-heavy magazines and comics with complex layouts, while PDF does not offer the reflowability necessary for eBook readers. Now, the iPad can handle anything you throw at it just fine, but we all know there are a few problems with the amount of control Apple exerts over it.
Should comics publishers work together and push for a standardized format as well? Comics have unique concerns. Something that might interest manga publishers would be the ability to overlay different translations, for example.
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Semi-related… Sankaku Complex has details on one app from Kodansha that was banned by Apple: a stripping simulator of sorts that allowed users to remove clothing from idols down to their underwear that look about as tame as a Sports Illustrated swimwear issue.
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Spotted on Journalista –> Comix 411: Bookgasm picks the brain of Vertical Inc’s Ed Chavez. Besides offering a glimpse at Vertical’s publishing plans, Chavez also discusses manga licensing during a down market, and what e-books doesn’t mean for manga yet.
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I find it pretty ironic the AFP used an image of Crayon Shinchan to accompany its article about Japanese-Chinese diplomacy by anime. Publisher Futabasha lost the Crayon Shinchan trademark in China to pirates last year.
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Bleeding Cool editorial: CMX failed because it had too few new titles and no promotion. Hindsight is 20/20 and all, but…
Funny thing, it seems anytime there is a major development at an anime or manga company, or just a rumor regardless of veracity, Right Stuf has a sale. I mean, that’s just savvy, but given the kind of news coming out of the industry lately, also a bit macabre. Heck, it makes me nervous to see our name on their weekly newsletter, heh…
Oh, BTW, AoD reports that Navarre is looking to divest itself of FUNimation, possibly because Navarre isn’t interested in co-production deals that FUNi is keen on right now, which ostensibly would grant the anime publisher more options, particularly in online distribution and broadcasting arenas, and the ability to direct funding to more “internationally viable” projects. ANN has an interview with FUNi founder Gen Fukanaga.
Edit: Robert’s Anime Corner Store weighs in, gives self mild concussion. Everyone’s been doing that lately.
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If manga were really a fad and fewer people were reading, or manga quality had gone down, would a pirate site get a billion page views per month?
Come on now, everyone has to admit this is a real problem.
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Speaking of which, the US Department of Justice has officially filed copyright infringement charges against Gregory Hart, the guy who ran Htmlcomics (and apparently, another site which pirated scans from Playboy and Maxim.) You know what this means… jail time will likely be involved, and this is pretty much an open and shut case. No innocent infringement claim. No muddiness over IP addresses. Any haggling over estimated damages may have little relevance. And whatever happens in this trial, assuming Hart doesn’t finally get one iota of sense and plead guilty immediately, would be closely scrutinized by manga publishers and could have profound effects on the scanlation scene. No matter how the trial proceeds, scanlations will not go away. However, it may change how scanlations are transmitted, specifically for profit-driven aggregator sites.
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Welcome Datacomp has a lengthy translation of the Japanese government-funded animation training program from a few weeks ago. Note the “direct” and “indirect” objectives… education is the top priority, but the program also hopes to encourage greater respect for contract laws.
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Is anyone brave enough to stand up to Apple about censorship? Surprisingly, it may be the Germans…
Publishers Weekly has an interview with Hiroki Otsuka, who shares some thoughts on working with editors, his career in ero manga, and teaching children about drawing. Yeah, not things I ever thought I would write in the same sentence.
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Missed it… Brigid Alverson has a rather detailed response to Rich Johnson’s missive on what wrong with the manga industry, mainly problems which publishers have been making adjustments to for the past 2~3 years, as I see it.
To add to that, I think Johnson’s suggestions are all good, necessary components for the long-term health of manga, but they just have very little bearing on the immediate climate that prompted his editorial. If we take stock of what’s happening to media all around the world, then clearly variety and quality are not the main issues.
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Just in case you haven’t come across it yet… Prism Comics’ Charles Christensen has an editorial on Apple’s restrictive and inconsistent content review policies.
Let’s just get to the point: Apple wants the iPad to be a handheld game console, not a handheld computer. Unless publishers collectively throw their weight behind another platform, Apple is going to get away with it.
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Yet Another Comics Blog writes that the decision to drop CMX was based purely on the label not fitting in with the parent company’s renewed focus on a multimedia approach (obvious), and sees this as a harbinger of doom for other imprints (not-so-obvious). (Spotted via Journalista)
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Random thought… Passion Pit and Garbage fit so well with the Hey Arnold sequel that’s playing… in my head.
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