Forum - View topicNEWS: Rurouni Kenshin Creator Nobuhiro Watsuki Fined 200,000 Yen for Possession of Child Porn
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Gemnist
Posts: 1761 |
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ONLY $1,900? Geez, I could pay that with my own non-family-related money!
Honestly, I think he needed a jail sentence, at which point he can resume the current chapter of Rurouni Kenshin. And if he did it again, throw him back in the big house, give Rurouni Kenshin to someone else, and cut ALL of Watsuki's royalties. |
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Gatherum
 Posts: 773 Location: Aurora CO |
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Eh. Honestly, that's fair. Personally, there are certain things I can't ignore in either the artist or the art enough to enjoy either. On the other hand, I also can't blame someone who went out and bought, say, a Rurouni Kenshin set, and continues to enjoy that set in spite of being made aware of this new information regarding the author.
There's plenty in comedy and memes that still get me to laugh in spite of myself, even though it's rather fucked up. Given the latter, I choose not to spread it around, but yeah...even I can't be perfect all the time. I also have a music library chock full of black and death metal releases, and I'm sure there's at least one or two that managed to pass under my decency radar somehow. Hell, I even own some of the Japanese import releases of the Rurouni Kenshin films and OVA's. Still, while I understand the cynicism associated with giving shit up ("You probably weren't that in to it in the first place"), I also contend that one's principles can and do kick in when faced with new information or realisations. I used to really like The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, and was this close to ordering that ultimate Blu-ray collection that dropped a couple of years ago. I really enjoy the series, plot-wise; it's very interesting. By then, however, I had come to recognise Haruhi Suzumiya herself as an out-right abusive and selfish character to whom Kyon never quite stands up in any adequate fashion (and whose short-comings tend to be softened up and explained away by the ever-worshipful Koizumi when he tries). I'll admit that it was a downer, but I ultimately said, "No. If this were a few years ago, when I was younger and stupider and didn't know what I know now, I might have taken this plunge, but I honestly can't do it now." So I passed it up and eventually gave away the DVD's I had bought previously. Similarly, I probably won't invest in a new box of Rurouni Kenshin if one ever comes out, and may sell or relinquish the aforementioned imports. They might be worth something and I could use the extra money, anyway. |
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ARC-1300
 Posts: 364 |
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I’ve always held to that belief. But nope, people immediately think, apologist. I guess that does make us ones, and at worst paedophiles ourselves?? Even though the logic itself is inhumanly crazy. I really do feel like the art itself is an entity all on its own. Please don’t make it suffer for the one boneheaded-ness of it’s creator. |
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Michie_
Posts: 9 |
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I read a lot of comments on social media claiming Watsuki should be banished from society or even executed but do we know what was on the tapes?
If it really was hardcore child porn the judge wouldn't have given Watsuki "a slap on the wrist". |
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CrowLia
 Posts: 5528 Location: Mexico |
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And why, pray tell, do you think anyone would want to shoot photographs and videos of children being sexually abused? Because someone pays for them. If no one bought child porn, no one would be selling it. Get a grip. Watsuki's money directly funded the sexual abuse of children. There is no excuse. |
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CrownKlown
 Posts: 1762 |
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Dude no offense, but do you have even the slightest grasp of the legal system of your own country let alone Japan. Even if your entire understanding of law came from day time tv, you would know that yes mental illness is an excuse for crime and its literally used all the time as a defense, although how often its successful is another matter. The insanity defense often used in murder cases, is exactly this, a mental illness used to defend the act of murder. Even when it comes to sexual transgressions, part of the reason that Stanford swimmer got of as easy as he did, besides a crappy judge, is because he used "alcohol impaired his mental function" excuse. Hell even that kid in Texas got off for "afluenza" aka his up bringing altered his mental state to such a degree he could not be held accountable for his actions. Point is anything that can impede your mental state whether an illness or some outside influence can in fact be "used" as a defense by the laws of pretty much every major nation I don't agree with Japan's lite stance on the matter, but this and that are two different things. |
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G S Palmer
 Posts: 246 |
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^Well, I think that's actually more of "an excuse not to get punished for a crime" rather than "an excuse to commit a crime", technically. There is a difference.
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Gatherum
Posts: 773 Location: Aurora CO |
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This is actually a very important point to consider when faced with the art versus artist debate. While no one is trying to tell you that you are an evil human being on the same level as the artist for buying their product(s) and therefore practically/monetarily supporting/enabling them (which is everything in a capitalist society), there is an argument to be made that it is irresponsible and potentially indicative of someone who is willfully ignorant. How far up the tree you want to take this perspective is up to you; I'll offer an example: There exists a death metal band called Disma, and they are signed to Profound Lore Records. I know of them because Profound Lore have advertised them to me via news letter before. I once considered giving them a listen and, if I liked them enough, a buy. However, I found out in short order that one of their members, Craig Pillard, has a known (recent and even current) history of nazi sympathy and anti-semitism, and has his own side project called Sturmführer, whose third album pretty much speaks for itself. Disma itself, far as I can tell, is not a nazi-themed project, but royalties generated via purchase of their albums will go, at least in part, to Craig Pillard; therefore, I cannot, in good conscience, invest in Disma because I do not want to enable a known nazi or sympathiser. On the other hand, I will and have bought other albums from other artists--like Abyssal, Agalloch, Altar of Plagues, Dysrhythmia, Impetuous Ritual, SubRosa, and Vaura, none of whom have this problem as far as I know--signed to Profound Lore, the label itself not subscribing to any particular ideology. A very hard leftist might tell me that by buying from Profound Lore, I am supporting a label which allows bands with nazi members on its roster, and to be transparent, I do admit to wishing that either they or the rest of Disma would take a firmer stance on this. But let me admit something else to you: It's almost impossible to completely sanitise your consumption, especially in a capitalistic, information-driven society such as this. I don't have a particular connection to Profound Lore beyond brand recognition (they generally release some damned good shit), but I don't feel the need to forego all of the other aforementioned bands and my support for them just because of Disma. So, I guess the point is to attempt to minimise your foot print in this matter when you know and when you can. I now know that Nobuhiro Watsuki, the author of Rurouni Kenshin, has used his earned capital to deal in CP; therefore, it is no longer in my interest to support Rurouni Kenshin and his other works, which support him, which potentially supports the CP economy--at least until I see something that convinces me that he will not do this shit again. Last edited by Gatherum on Wed Feb 28, 2018 1:48 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Chrono1000
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Xe4
 Posts: 96 |
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Ok, first off you completely ignored the context of my quote. I was never talking about the use of a mental unfitness plea in a legal sense. In fact I was strictly arguing that morally and ethically having a mental illness is not an excuse to commit a crime. In essence, I don't care that your attraction to children is a mentally illness, that's not an excuse to masturbate to children being abused. The legality of the matter had absolutely nothing to do with it. Secondly, mental illness related defenses are actually very rare. The account for less than 1% of all defenses and when they are used they rarely work <30% of the time. In the very rare case they are used and successful the defendant will often face some sort of alternate sentance, such as being forced into a mental health hospital. You'll see them on the news and in dramas frequently because the absurdity of the plea genetates headlines. Third, as far as I know Watsuki never used a mental illness plea, so the whole point is kind of moot here. I was simply responding to the user who said the fact that the author was I'll and that he didn't physically film the children being abused didn't make what he did ok, which the poster seemed to imply it did. That's it. |
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Chrono1000
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wheelz1993
Posts: 5 |
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it's really disappointing to see so many people have thoughts about pedophilia and child porn that are anything more complicated then EW YUCK STOP
Im not shocked at all by that made in aybss stuff tho.. i just did a book club style watch of it to guest on a podcast i did with some friends of mine and found the series very off putting for related reasons.. they make like 4 mentions of stringing the kids up naked |
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Catsplay
 Posts: 381 |
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Made In Abyss has some mild loli and shota "Fanservice" but it's by no means child porn and nor should it ever be compared to as such. There is a huge difference between fiction and reality, and Made In Abyss tells a really amazing story with well developed characters, the mild jokes don't take away from that. |
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wheelz1993
Posts: 5 |
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the show is well made.. but you dont get accused of child porn all willy nilly.. if it truly is just some big rumor.. then great.. you can also like the show outside of that.. but if the creator is into that stuff.. then i hope he gets what he deserves |
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BadNewsBlues
Posts: 6236 |
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Hate to break this to you but choosing to defend people even those who may be unequivocally guilty isn't really a sign of corruption. |
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