“Oh no! My childhood is ruined!” I never could relate with people who claim that they’ve been robbed of something precious when they find out certain details about shows they enjoyed as kids: things like the incestuous implications of Finding Nemo, or the fact that the cast of Power Rangers (who many thought were all martial arts experts) were never involved in the fight scenes, or being told that Santa wasn’t real.
However, the other day, someone told me about Voltron porn. I don’t mean robots having sex (although I’m sure they have that as well), I’m talking about the Voltron pilots having sex. It made me upset. See, when I was a kid, all I wanted was to marry Princess Allura from Voltron.
At night, before I went to sleep, I thought of Allura. I imagined giving her a necklace or a bracelet, and she would say, “Thank you,” and I remember being extremely happy about that. I think Princess Allura was the first woman I desired, or had a crush on, or maybe even loved in a romantic way.
Now, I understand what those people, those who claimed that their childhood was ruined, felt. I don’t want to see Princess Allura, naked, having an orgy with the rest of the Voltron team. If I were to describe how I felt, it’s something along the lines of, “Some asshole decided to piss on the purity and innocence of my seven-year-old romantic feelings.”
Does it bother me that some douchebags make porn of Princess Allura? Hell, yeah! Do I think that people who possess pornographic material of Princess Allura should go to jail? Um, no. In fact, I think it’s normal to watch cartoon porn. I think some people need a harmless means of fulfilling a childhood fantasy.
I get it.
This picture, for example, makes me sort-of nostalgic, and sort-of happy, and a little bothered, and a little aroused:
It’s rather jarring, this image. I’m forced to see Princess Allura in a completely different light, and my childhood and current world views are on a collision course. It’s like someone transported my childhood consciousness from the past into my present body, forcing it into adulthood in 10 seconds. It makes me feel odd, but I don’t think it’s wrong.
I’m aware that some people like Sailor Moon hentai, and some people like Teen Titans hentai, and some people like My Little Pony hentai. I wouldn’t be surprised if these people kept copies of these cartoons. I think it’s normal. What I find disturbing is not what these cartoons depict, but the information that people could go to jail for having hentai.
The author discussed the case of Robul Hoque in the article, “Robul Hoque: sentenced for a thought crime.”
The author reports:
“During the trial, Hoque’s barrister, Richard Bennett, insisted that the material was available on legal pornographic websites and the presiding judge, Tony Biggs, emphasized that ‘no actual children or perpetrators [were] involved’. Even so, the judge believed that the possession of the ‘repulsive’ comics and cartoons were worthy of a prison sentence, because, he said, anything that may encourage child abuse should be ‘actively discouraged’.”
I think that’s absurd. What this ruling means is that people could go to jail for possessing naked cartoon images of Sailor Moon and her friends. Usagi Tsukino, the lead character in the series, is only 14 years old, and if you own pornographic cartoons with her image, you could go to jail too.
No, seriously. You really could:
Republic Act No. 9775 – Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009
Section 3. Definition of Terms. –
For the purpose of this Act, a child shall also refer to:
(1) a person regardless of age who is presented, depicted or portrayed as a child as defined herein; and
(2) computer-generated, digitally or manually crafted images or graphics of a person who is represented or who is made to appear to be a child as defined herein.
With regard to child porn, the law does not distinguish between cartoons and real people. Sailor Moon hentai is also child porn.
As for Hoque, his only crime was something a lot of people do on a regular basis, which is to download hentai. In my opinion, Hoque is a threat to children as much as people who watch “My Little Pony” porn are a threat to ponies, and as much as people who are into pixie porn (porn about elves, pixies, and other fantasy creatures having sex) is a threat to pixies. Speaking of pixie porn, another guy was sent to jail for watching fairies fuck.
I don’t think that’s right. Just because a person likes to see sexualized images of talking ponies, doesn’t mean that they’ll start having sex with actual ponies.
Minogue says:
“People getting off on cartoons is in itself very odd. And the fact that the images and animations Hoque possessed depicted children makes it all the more creepy. However, apart from Hoque’s two prosecutions for possession of erotic art depicting children, he has no convictions for child abuse, possession of actual child pornography, or convictions for anything else, for that matter. In other words, there is no reason to believe he is a threat to children.”
This sets a very dangerous precedent. Hoque did not harm anyone, but was convicted anyway because naked cartoons of young girls gave him a hard-on. He’s now listed as a sex-offender, a label usually assigned to child molesters and rapists. However, he was not convicted because he committed a sex crime, but because he kept hentai. That’s weirder than having erotic experiences with cartoons.
Now, tell me, should we start telling our friends to start deleting their hentai?
Image Sources:
http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/236x/85/07/cf/8507cfacc87f25954db38c60e4f5f248.jpg
http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/cleoius/687725/3980/3980_320.jpg
Really hentai loli can be classified as REAL child porn? Can’t even distinguished fiction from reality. Tignan niyo nga ito like sa Section 14:
Care, Custody and Treatment of a Child Victim. – The DSWD shall ensure that the child who is a victim of any form of child pornography is provided appropriate care, custody and support for their recovery and reintegration in accordance with existing laws.
I guess even hentai characters get these type of treaments too? LOL
If I remember correctly, child pornography is considered unprotected speech, i.e. the Government is free to censor or ban it all they want because courts and trial precedents have held that due to its harmful nature to society, it does not have the protection of free speech.
Following that line of thought, child pornography regardless whether fictionalized or actual represents unprotected speech. This precludes erotica or other depictions (fictionalized) of underage sex for artistic purposes.
Let me clarify though that your article is very misleading in the sense that it is depiction of underage sexual behavior in hentai rather than hentai that is criminalized and that you have failed to distinguish between the two. While I would condemn any attempt to criminalize hentai in general, child pornography regardless of whether it is real or fiction for me represents a threat to society in the way that it would be seen as a “normalization” of sexualization of children.
I’m sorry it is pretty stupid to actually blame hentai as cause of being a sexual deviant it’s like comparing to watching action movies where the protagonist kills unnamed mooks. “Hey he kills unnamed strangers so we should do it too!” A lot of people know fully well the difference between reality and fantasy, so don’t assume just because he has something inappropriate he will act it. A larger factor to consider is a history of abuse than some drawn filth filed away in the hard drive.
Pics of a sexy WilyKit as slave of Mum-Ra gave me the creeps.
http://www.cracked.com/article_20091_the-5-most-h…