Japanese police label manga as harmful material; Comic AG 61 printing now

According to a translated article at ComiPress, the local government of Kyoto prefecture has labeled 13 manga with underage sexual situations as harmful books.  Meanwhile, Osaka police investigated 70 stores for harmful manga.

A few things worth pointing out…

• Nowhere in either of the original Japanese articles is the word “loli” ever used.  (Bad Comipress.  Bad!)
• The article cites sexual situations involving underage girls in both shounen (for boys) and shoujo (for girls) manga.  So, one may assume this is not an action against explicit erotica (which are usually clearly labeled), but some of the more risque, but still mainstream, titles aimed at both sexes.  In fact, I would venture to guess that most of the affected manga were for girls.

Questions worth raising…

• What were the 13 titles? Any we, uhh, might know?  If the impetus truly was for the education of the public, one would expect the government to release the list through all media outlets.
• Just what real effects does labeling a comic “harmful material” actually have?  Does it bar retailers from selling books to certain age groups?  (And I’m rather pro-labeling.)
• Are local police really the best arbiters of what is indecent material, as they seem to be in both reports?

This is not a “crackdown” on sex comics with children (I’m disappointed in you, ComiPress, for the misleading title.  A spanking is in order!), but more akin to daddy finding a romance novel or a teen magazine in little Susie’s room and being shocked at what is being passed off as entertainment for young women these days.

Edit: Upon closer reading, the titles will be named on the 15th when an official panel will convene to discuss the matter further.

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That said, it’s time for real (fictional) debauchery.  Look, preview pages for Comic AG issue 61!  But these images have a rating of “Dirty Old Men”, so please don’t click if you’re not at least 58 years old.  Super cereal.