In case you missed the news about Tokyo’s new Youth Ordinance Bill, you can catch up on what it is and how it affects manga, anime and games — even even Japanese Internet access — by reading this post.
In summary, Bill 156 allows the Tokyo government to regulate manga containing depictions of incest, prostitution, rape, and other sex crimes in what the government considers to be a “glorified manner.” The bill only covers animated or illustrated material, and makes no mention of child pornography.
Veteran Japanese translator, Dan Kanemitsu, is collaborating with a manga author, Takeshi Nogami, and a veteran from the anime production business, Takaaki Suzuki (also known for penning novels and articles related to Japanese military history), to create or An Idiot’s Guide to Tokyo’s Harmful Books Regulation, an indie manga meant to spread the word on Bill 156.
Judging by the preview on Kanemitsu’s blog, the manga takes a few shots at Tokyo governor, Ishihara, himself, instrumental in having Bill 156 put into motion. It also parodies a wide range of works, including shounen fixtures like Fist of the North Star.
If you feel like buying it, the manga will be available at Amazon.jp for 730 yen, and is hastily translated into English. But money isn’t really the point here. The authors encourage fans to circulate the manga freely, just as long as you don’t try to make money off their work.
