A reader posed the question that serves as the title for the article, along with several other difficult and important questions. Long-time readers know I’ve addressed anime’s portrayal of sexuality and fan service from many different angles. Anime sometimes has scenes of sexual assault, such as in Sword Art Online and, rather infamously, Goblin Slayer….
The Anime Community’s Best Trait
Many anime fans feel like I often beat up on the community. I don’t really beat up on it as much as point out problem areas. The only way to improve is to be aware of problems so you can address them. However, the anime community has many positive traits too. The most important…
Manga Artists, Child Pornography, and the Influence of Manga, Part 2
In the first part of this article, I examined the effects associated with pornography use, both child and adult, and how they encourage personality traits that can lead to sex crimes. In brief, porn use links to increased aggression, particularly if you have aggressive traits, skewed sexual perspectives, and misogyny. With pedophiles and sex offenders,…
Manga Artists, Child Pornography, and the Influence of Manga, Part 1
When I heard about manga artist Kenya Suzuki being arrested for importing child pornography, I began to wonder if there’s something about manga that encourages such behavior. Manga has had several artists accused of possessing child pornography or engaging in sexual acts toward minors: Kenya Suzuki, the creator of Please Tell Me Gaiko-chan imported 6…
My Dress-Up Darling
My Dress-Up Darling surprised me with its heart and layers. I watched it on a whim, expecting the usual tired ecchi nonsense, but I quickly connected with the characters and how Darling develops those characters. Enter Wakana Gojo, the quiet and socially awkward high-school guy with a fascination with…hina doll craftsmanship! During his first semester,…
Impostor Syndrome
I suffer from Impostor Syndrome, and I am not alone. At least 70% of professionals report feeling Impostor Syndrome (IS) at some time during their careers (Gottlieb, 2020). Some time ago, Netflix approached me with an Anime Analyst position. This made my IS flare! After all, I can speak only toddler Japanese, and this job…