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Anime or manga relationships between adults and minors




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fighterholic



Joined: 28 Sep 2005
Posts: 9193
PostPosted: Wed May 03, 2006 1:45 pm Reply with quote
How many have you seen? The relationship can be formal or sexual. spoiler[In Spider Sniper, ever since the first volume, Tajima Ayako (teacher, 26) and Miyauchi Kei (student, 14) have been sleeping with each other. The reason would be because Kei saved her from being raped by another teacher.]
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Dargonxtc



Joined: 13 Apr 2006
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Location: Nc5xd7+ スターダストの海洋
PostPosted: Wed May 03, 2006 1:50 pm Reply with quote
I don't know how many I have seen exactly. But I was wondering if the japanese view this as normal or not? Because I do notice these things happen a lot in anime.
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PantsGoblin
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Joined: 27 Jun 2005
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PostPosted: Wed May 03, 2006 3:06 pm Reply with quote
I see it in anime/manga. I can list them, but what's the point in that?

Dargonxtc wrote:
I don't know how many I have seen exactly. But I was wondering if the japanese view this as normal or not? Because I do notice these things happen a lot in anime.


Ugh, people make such a big deal out of this in the US (I'm not exactly refering to you btw). As long as they are both okay with it and both love each other, I don't have any problem with a 14 year old and a 26 year old going out with each other. The problem comes when the minor is taken advantage of and forced against his/her will. The American media, of course, exploits that fact to make it into the huge controversy it is today. In Japan, I don't think it's exactly normal (don't know if it's common to see enjo kosai), but I'd say it's definately more widely accepted then in the US.
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jousha



Joined: 16 Jan 2006
Posts: 205
Location: the floating world
PostPosted: Wed May 03, 2006 4:01 pm Reply with quote
PantsGoblin wrote:
As long as they are both okay with it and both love each other, I don't have any problem with a 14 year old and a 26 year old going out with each other. The problem comes when the minor is taken advantage of and forced against his/her will.


I think the idea of disdain comes from the fact that at the age of 14, one doesn't fully comprehend the possibility of getting taken advantage. I guess the US views the age of innocence to be 16 and below, and when that barrier is passed there's a bad "vibe" coming from the older person's intentions for the relationship.

I'm not sure one could understand the meaning of agape love enough at the age of 14 (or maybe any kind of love) as opposed to a fully developed adult of 22. Fourteen is around puberty time, so I think everyone goes through the "I'm in love with you" stage during their teen angst, which really means "I got some new hormones that I need to release and it might as well be released with you."
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Jabberwock



Joined: 19 Jul 2004
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Location: Currently attending the University of Florida
PostPosted: Wed May 03, 2006 4:08 pm Reply with quote
PantsGoblin wrote:
I see it in anime/manga. I can list them, but what's the point in that?

Ugh, people make such a big deal out of this in the US (I'm not exactly refering to you btw). As long as they are both okay with it and both love each other, I don't have any problem with a 14 year old and a 26 year old going out with each other. The problem comes when the minor is taken advantage of and forced against his/her will. The American media, of course, exploits that fact to make it into the huge controversy it is today. In Japan, I don't think it's exactly normal (don't know if it's common to see enjo kosai), but I'd say it's definately more widely accepted then in the US.


Maybe because a 14 year old is not mature enough to be making a decision like that? Idea I think the notion of a 14 year old and a 26 year old going out is completely ridiculous. Have you not noticed that kids tend to make a lot of foolish mistakes because they lack life experience and are too young to realize the implications that their actions may have? Society usually has rules for a reason, contrary to popular belief. Just because it is more widely accepted in Japan does not make it correct.
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PantsGoblin
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PostPosted: Wed May 03, 2006 4:22 pm Reply with quote
Jabberwock wrote:
Maybe because a 14 year old is not mature enough to be making a decision like that?


Depends on the person. Personally, I know a whole bunch of 18+ year olds who aren't mature enough to make a decision like that.

Jabberwock wrote:
Just because it is more widely accepted in Japan does not make it correct.


I'm not saying it's correct, it's just what I believe though.
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Fui



Joined: 12 Dec 2005
Posts: 339
PostPosted: Wed May 03, 2006 5:13 pm Reply with quote
Recently I watched Onegai Teacher and although Kei is spoiler[technically 18 even though people think he's 15 since he physically/mentally is still a 15-year old due to his illness], something about it just kinda irked me. It seemed so unnatural and unrealistic somehow. Perhaps if they pulled it off better I might not have been so against it but still, I just can't help being disturbed when I see children involved in romantic "activities" with adults.

I personally think it's just a fetish and is definitely not normal in Japanese society. Although there have been live JP TV dramas as well involving student/teacher relationships, they're not based on the norm.
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jousha



Joined: 16 Jan 2006
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PostPosted: Wed May 03, 2006 6:56 pm Reply with quote
PantsGoblin wrote:
Depends on the person. Personally, I know a whole bunch of 18+ year olds who aren't mature enough to make a decision like that.


In rare cases, it may depend on the person (I haven't seen a person of 14 whom I could say is mature enough to be in a serious relationship); but overall, the maturity of a 18-year-old surpasses that of a 14-year-old. Also, by saying that some 18-year-olds aren't mature enough doesn't do anything for the argument. It just shows that maturity still needs to develop in many of their cases. Immaturity is more common in adults than maturity is common in children.

Love is less getting what you want and more giving what your lover wants, and I just don't see that as part of the "love process" teenagers seem to follow.

disclaimer: I'm only speaking out of experience, my own sense of maturity, and from the various things (via books, movies, school, discussions, etc.) that have contributed to my pulp of "knowledge."
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Pleroma



Joined: 30 Nov 2005
Posts: 443
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PostPosted: Wed May 03, 2006 7:20 pm Reply with quote
Unfortunately mental maturity varies too much from person to person and has no real way to be measured an quantified. The only relatively constant factor here would be biological maturity, which on average would set the age of "readiness" at around 13-15 (sometimes earlier, sometimes later but certainly much more reliable than vague concepts of emotional capacity.)

With this in mind, as long as consent is there I really have no problem with any relationship. Current laws are far to inept as it is without other people making like impossible for certain couples just because op an age gap. People can and are convicted as child molesters for having a fully consesnsual relationship with someone just a year or two younger while rapists of "of age" people get off every day on technicalities.
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Dargonxtc



Joined: 13 Apr 2006
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PostPosted: Wed May 03, 2006 8:23 pm Reply with quote
I wanted to know more of how the japanese view it. Does anyone know what japanese laws are to the subject? Are they enforced? Is it a major punishment or a slap on the wrist? And how does the society treat these relationships.

Don't get me wrong it doesn't bother me at all to watch, I just have a genuine interest in a cultural question. I mean I know how I feel, and I know US law, and what happens to those who are caught.


And about one being mature at different ages, thats all true. But I know everone knows this is fine line to walk.

PantsGoblin wrote:
Ugh, people make such a big deal out of this in the US (I'm not exactly refering to you btw).

Thanks for the "I'm not exactly refering to you btw". Because I seriously am just curious.
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Kouji



Joined: 01 Oct 2005
Posts: 978
PostPosted: Wed May 03, 2006 8:44 pm Reply with quote
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Loveless yet, a shounen-ai anime about a 12 year old boy named Ritsuka who has a same-sex relationship with an older man, Soubi. I can't remember what Soubi's exact age was expect he's definetly in college. It's kind of odd that nobody in the show finds it strange that Ritsuka is in a relationship with this older man. In fact, Yuiko is actually impressed that Ritsuka is dating a college student when he's only 12. And in Sailor Moon, Usagi is a 14 year old who dates, Mamoru, a college freshman. Also, in CCS, Rika is a ten year old girl who's engaged to her 30-something year old teacher, Terada-sensei. Although Sakura doesn't know who Rika really is dating, she does know that Rika has an "older boyfriend" and she actually seems supportive of Rika's relationship.
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Key
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Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18526
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Wed May 03, 2006 9:24 pm Reply with quote
PantsGoblin wrote:
Ugh, people make such a big deal out of this in the US (I'm not exactly refering to you btw). As long as they are both okay with it and both love each other, I don't have any problem with a 14 year old and a 26 year old going out with each other. The problem comes when the minor is taken advantage of and forced against his/her will. The American media, of course, exploits that fact to make it into the huge controversy it is today. In Japan, I don't think it's exactly normal (don't know if it's common to see enjo kosai), but I'd say it's definately more widely accepted then in the US.


I don't know how Age of Consent laws work in other countries, but in the U.S. it's pretty clear that if one of the participants is below the "age of consent" for that State and the other isn't then it's illegal. If they're caught then whether it's "right" or not or whether the younger person is fully willing doesn't matter.

Granted, in an ideal world whether or not a young person is capable of giving consent would be judged on a case-by-case basis, but that's not practical in modern society. Laws have to be in place to protect younger people from being taken advantage of by older ones, and a definitive cutoff age has to be set somewhere. In some States it's as high as 18, in others it's as low as 14, and in some the age difference involved is a factor. And in my State and several others there's even different cutoffs depending on whether or not the older person is a school employee; 18 if it's yes and 16 if it's no, for instance.

That hasn't stopped several such relationships from happening in anime, of course, but things like that also occasionally pop up in American media as well. (Anyone remember American Beauty?)
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fighterholic



Joined: 28 Sep 2005
Posts: 9193
PostPosted: Thu May 04, 2006 12:10 am Reply with quote
Yeah, it is a problem over here in the US, there was that one case with the teacher and the student. Oh, BTW, spoiler[Kei asked Ayako to join "Shokugyokoroshiya" and be his, or else he and Kumo were gonna have to kill her since she was witness to them killing her rapist. She consented, and she is very in love with him. Her thoughts towards Kei are she would kill anybody who would try to get in the way of their relationship, be it man or woman, rojin or child. She even said she would die for him if he told her to.] Just remember in past centuries people were getting married at age 12 and having to support themselves when they "came of age" in certain countries, and that age was definetly not 18.
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