Last month, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government revised a bill that amends the Youth Healthy Developement Ordinance. The ordinance prohibits the sale and renting of "harmful publications" to those under the age of 18. This includes manga that are "sexually stimulating, encourages cruelty, and either compels suicide or criminal behavior".

The proposed Bill 156 will require industry companies to self-inhibit the sale and renting of manga, anime, and "other images" that either exagerates or glorifies sexual or pseudo behavior. This also includes images that depict anything that resembles or is considered "disrupting to social order", i.e. rape.

The head of the rally is Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara, who is a part of Tokyo Anime Fair's (TAF) executive committee. Back in June, the bill was rejected and he has been pushing this current revised bill since then.

Because of this, manga groups - the Japan Cartoonists Association, the Copyright Network for Comic Authors in the 21st Century, and Manga Japan - have raised their voices against the bill. Ten of the industry's most popular�publishers�have also announced their opposition to the bill - Shueisha, Kadokawa Shoten, Shogakukan, Akita Shoten, Kodansha, Hakusensha, Shonen Gahousha, Shinchosha, Futabasha, and LEED Publishing Co. Ltd.

Shueisha's own Ota Tamio actually sent a letter to the other publishers of Comic 10-Shakai to leave TAF. While Shueisha is not an exhibitor at TAF, the company wants anime production companies that have materials based on Shueisha materials to withdraw from TAF.

Bleach creator�Tite Kubo is also a support of the boycott, and he has no�qualms�about telling the world via his Twitter.

Source: JiJiPress, Cyzo Daily
Photo: Akiba Blog