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In 2020, Australian Senator Stirling Griff called for a review of all Japanese anime and manga for child exploitation and pornographic content. This was in response to several titles, including Sword Art Online: Extra Edition, Goblin Slayer, and No Game No Life, which feature sexually explicit content involving minors. While there has been no official ban on anime in Australia, the country has taken steps towards cracking down on the importation of hentai and other sexually explicit materials from Japan.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 27 July 2024 |
| Country | Australia |
| Product | Hentai |
| Product Origin | Japan |
| Product Type | Sexually explicit comics, porn videos, sex toys, figurines, manga |
| Product Marking | +18 |
| Company | Japanese adult retailer J-List |
| Company Action | Advised to stop shipping to Australia |
| Government Body | Australia's Border Force (ABF), Customs |
| Government Action | Blocking adult products from entering the country |
| Review Request | Senator Stirling Griff asked for a review of all Japanese anime and manga |
| Review Reason | Child exploitation or pornographic content |
| Review Status | Review passed the Senate |
| Review Action | Ban obscene content, re-haul classification system |
| Previous Ban | No |
| Ban Status | Partial ban on Hentai |
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What You'll Learn
Japanese Hentai banned in Australia
Japanese Hentai has been banned in Australia since 2020, with the nation's authorities taking an increasingly hardline stance on sexually explicit comics. Hentai has been deemed "illegal pornography" by the Australian Border Force (ABF) and customs, who have blocked the importation of such content into the country. This includes pornographic hentai, Japanese porn videos, sexually suggestive figurines of anime characters, and any other product marked with an "18+" symbol.
The ABF defines illegal pornography as "child pornography (any depiction of children in a sexually explicit manner)" and "publications, films, computer games, and any other goods that describe, depict, express, or otherwise deal with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence, terrorist acts or revolting or abhorrent phenomena". Hentai falls under this broad definition, which is further supported by Australian child pornography laws, which prohibit all sexual depictions of children under an age set by state and territory legislation.
The ban on hentai in Australia can be understood in the context of the nation's stance on anime and manga. In February 2020, Australian politicians urged the government to review classification laws after discovering Japanese anime and manga depicting sexual images of children being sold in the country. This led to calls from Senator Stirling Griff for a review and potential banning of anime and manga in Australia, specifically pointing to series such as Sword Art Online: Extra Edition, Goblin Slayer, and No Game No Life, which feature sexually explicit content involving minors.
While there has been some opposition to the idea of banning all anime, the discovery of such content has sparked concerns about child exploitation and the need to protect the safety and well-being of children in Australia. As a result, Japanese Hentai has been officially banned in the country, with consumers potentially facing charges and prosecution for possessing hentai that is deemed to fit the definition of child exploitation material.
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Australian Senator demands review of anime
In 2020, Australian Senator Stirling Griff delivered a speech to the Australian Senate calling for a review of all Japanese anime and manga accessible in Australia. The senator expressed concerns about media depicting child exploitation and pornographic content. He highlighted specific examples, such as "Goblin Slayer" and "No Game No Life", which depict sexually explicit content involving minors. Senator Griff argued that these forms of media pose a risk to the safety and well-being of children and must be addressed urgently.
Senator Griff, representing the Centre Alliance, has taken action by submitting a request for a review to Australia's classifications board. He has also written to the Home Affairs Minister, Peter Dutton, and the Communications Minister, Paul Fletcher, as well as the Japanese justice minister, to address the issue. In his letter to Dutton, Senator Griff requested a banning of obscene content and a rehaul of the classification system.
The senator's call for a review has sparked mixed reactions. Some people agree with the need to protect children from inappropriate content, while others argue that the review may not be comprehensive enough to cover all forms of media that could potentially harm children. Additionally, there are concerns about the potential censorship of anime and manga as a result of the review.
It is important to note that the review process and any subsequent decisions will have implications for the availability and accessibility of anime and manga in Australia. The review has brought attention to the need for a comprehensive classification system that balances protecting children with adhering to accepted standards of morality, decency, and propriety. The outcome of this review and any resulting changes to legislation will be of interest to both the Australian public and those in the anime and manga industry.
While Senator Griff's demand for a review of anime and manga in Australia has sparked debate, it also highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing free expression with protecting vulnerable audiences from harmful content. As the review process unfolds, it is essential to consider the complexities involved in regulating media while respecting artistic freedom and cultural differences.
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Child exploitation in anime
In 2020, the Australian Senate heard a speech by senator Sterling Griff, who called for a review of all Japanese anime and manga for child exploitation and pornographic content. Griff pointed to several titles, including Sword Art Online: Extra Edition, Goblin Slayer, and No Game No Life, which feature sexually explicit content involving minors. The senator's office showed Goblin Slayer to a number of people, who were horrified by the graphic depictions of child rape and sexual abuse.
The issue of child exploitation in anime and manga is not unique to Australia. In 2006, the Canadian National Child Exploitation Coordination Centre released a "fact" sheet on hentai and anime, failing to differentiate between the two and categorizing all animé as "adult-oriented material that contains scenes depicting sexual acts." This has caused concern among Canadian law enforcement, as any form of animation categorized as child pornography is illegal to possess in Canada.
In Japan, the primary producer of anime, a new bill was passed in 2014 to ban the possession of child sexual abuse imagery. However, this did not include manga and anime, which are exempt from the law. This has been a source of criticism, as Japan is one of the world's biggest markets for indecent images of children, and social attitudes towards the depiction of child sexual exploitation in manga and anime remain unchanged.
The debate around the banning of anime in Australia highlights the global concern over the presence of child exploitation in this form of media. While some argue that anime should be banned entirely, others believe that a more nuanced approach is needed to balance freedom of expression and the protection of children.
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Banning anime: government censorship
In 2020, the topic of banning anime in Australia came into the spotlight when Australian Senator Stirling Griff called for a review of all Japanese anime and manga for child exploitation or pornographic content. Griff specifically pointed to anime series such as Sword Art Online: Extra Edition, Goblin Slayer, and No Game No Life, which depicted sexually explicit content involving minors. In his speech, he also asked for an immediate ban on certain anime series and a re-haul of the classification system in Australia.
This sparked a debate about government censorship and the effects of graphic content on society. Some people agreed with Senator Griff, arguing that explicit anime and manga could be used by paedophiles to groom children and act as a gateway to the abuse of real children. They believed that any depiction of child abuse, regardless of context, should be banned. Additionally, there were concerns about the Australian Classification Board's decision-making process, which seemed to be at odds with criminal law.
On the other hand, others questioned whether government censorship was the right approach. They argued that while anime could contain disturbing content, it also provided avenues for protagonists to triumph over extreme moral injustices. Additionally, some pointed out that similar themes were present in other media forms, such as movies, and that banning anime selectively targeted the art form.
As of 2024, there are reports that Australian authorities have started blocking the importation of hentai from Japan, signalling a hardline stance on sexually explicit comics. Consumers possessing cartoon hentai can be charged and prosecuted if authorities deem the content to fit the definition of child exploitation material. However, it is unclear if there has been a widespread ban on all anime in Australia, and the discussion around government censorship of anime remains ongoing.
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Anime and manga: tools for paedophiles
In February 2020, Australian Senator Stirling Griff called for a review of all Japanese anime and manga to address child exploitation and pornographic content. Griff specifically pointed to Sword Art Online: Extra Edition, Goblin Slayer, and No Game No Life, which feature sexually explicit content involving minors. In Goblin Slayer, for instance, children are shown to enjoy sexual abuse. This has sparked concerns that such content could be used by paedophiles as tools to groom children.
In his speech, Senator Griff emphasised the need to protect the safety and well-being of children in Australia and beyond. He also submitted a request to re-evaluate the classification system, which currently allows certain anime and manga series to receive M and MA15+ ratings despite their explicit content. The senator's call for action was supported by SA Best Upper House MP Connie Bonaros, who highlighted the abundance of titles containing child exploitation material.
The potential banning of anime and manga in Australia has been a topic of discussion for some time, with people questioning whether government censorship is the right approach. While some argue that anime can contain disturbing content, others defend it, stating that it teaches that child abuse is evil. The debate centres on the impact of graphic content on society and the potential for it to influence viewers' behaviour.
In 2024, Japanese Hentai was banned in Australia, with authorities blocking the importation of sexually explicit comics and adult products from Japan. This move reflects Australia's hardline stance on sexually explicit content, which includes anime and manga.
The debate around anime and manga in Australia highlights the challenges of balancing free expression and protecting vulnerable members of society, particularly children. While some argue for the need to shield minors from harmful content, others defend the entertainment value of anime and manga for mature audiences.
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Frequently asked questions
No, but there have been calls for a ban on anime by Australian senators.
Some senators have argued that anime and manga contain graphic depictions of child abuse and sexual exploitation, and that these can be used by paedophiles as tools to groom children.
Sword Art Online, Goblin Slayer, No Game No Life, and Eromanga Sensei.
