UK Child porn ban. 6th April.

[sic vita est]

Dave's correct in that the BBFC specifically state they won't pass anything if they believe it's in breach of criminal law.

It'll be unclassified films in the grey areas that will test and clarify these laws. So, anyone own an uncut version of Kite?

 

[Project-2501]

The laws they work to have not changed. The BBFC have never passed works that are obscene and pornography has always been rated 18R by them.

 

[Cyburn]

For those that look on hentai, they would probably start using proxies instead.

I doubt this law will affect mainstream anime releases anyway.

 

[Neferpitou]

The laws they work to have not changed. The BBFC have never passed works that are obscene and pornography has always been rated 18R by them.

It not a ridged system that BBFC runs on, its run on personal opinion of the people rating the video footage while using BBFC guidelines as standard to try follow. What one person pass 18 another would want it cut or not passed. With so many anime series having fan service of characters looking below 18 they would be wary of passing something with these new law.

I couldn't imagine BBFC would ever pass something which showed even the hint of sexualization of actual people below 18. With these new laws making imaginary girl as bad there's a chance they receive the same treatment.

BBFC would be unlikely to be willing take the fall if anime is considered to be illegal and it would be easier to just have it cut or not passed, its not like UK anime companies would have any power to go against them.

Still we have to wait and see if the treatment of anime series will be harsh in future.

 

[sic vita est]

Project, I stand corrected on this one. Not being familiar with hentai, I did a little research thanks to Amazon and the BBFC site's search facility. Here's an example of one of the compulsory cuts in a hentai title:

"[...] scenes which suggested that sexually active characters were children [...] With these cuts made an R18 was available to the distributor."

It's basically already covered under the Obscene Publications Act, so this new act means possession is now prohibited in addition to distribution.

Thank God I'm not a lawyer.

It's interesting to note that anything not specifically covered by this subsection is still not prohibited under the scope of the act. So, Dance in the Vampire Bund will be fine (from the one episode I've seen, unsettling as that was), but I can think of at least two other films where the "part of a narrative" defence might have to be used.

 

[fabio de lunatico]

Thinking about it would Berserk Manga be considered illegal now as it contains a child rape scene.

Unless it's pornographic and cannot be justified by the narrative, it's not illegal. I don't know the scene in question but I would imagine it's fine on both counts. Basically, anything that was legitimately available in the UK before the possession law was passed will not be in breach of it.

I couldn't imagine BBFC would ever pass something which showed even the hint of sexualization of actual people below 18.

Not necessarily true. Have you seen the Channel 4 drama Skins? That series sexualized a character of secondary school age (whose actress was under 18 at the time).

As has been said, nothing has changed for the BBFC. If they passed Ikki Tousen then, they'd pass it now, even though it sexualizes girls in school uniform. But I do wonder how they'd deal with something like KissXSis, which isn't pornographic but does depict underage characters in sexual situations for the purposes of titillation and little else. I can't think of anything similar that's been licensed for release here.

 

[ilmaestro]

Have you read the latest chapter of the Kiss x Sis manga, Fabby? >_>

 

[fabio de lunatico]

No, I haven't read any of the manga, but that post gives me the impression that I should...

 

[ilmaestro]

Hah, well, you *should*, but not the last chapter! Let's just say I am increasingly interested in people's opinion on it in the context of these laws.

 

[Neferpitou]

Thinking about it would Berserk Manga be considered illegal now as it contains a child rape scene.

Unless it's pornographic and cannot be justified by the narrative, it's not illegal. I don't know the scene in question but I would imagine it's fine on both counts. Basically, anything that was legitimately available in the UK before the possession law was passed will not be in breach of it.

I am not sure Berserk is even legitimately allowed in the UK as all english edition are from the USA Darkhorse print Run. It could be argued that those child rape moments would be considered to be grossly offensive or disgusting in a lot of people eyes, But they are essential moments for character development for the Berserk Manga.

I couldn't imagine BBFC would ever pass something which showed even the hint of sexualization of actual people below 18.

Not necessarily true. Have you seen the Channel 4 drama Skins? That series sexualized a character of secondary school age (whose actress was under 18 at the time).

As has been said, nothing has changed for the BBFC. If they passed Ikki Tousen then, they'd pass it now, even though it sexualizes girls in school uniform. But I do wonder how they'd deal with something like KissXSis, which isn't pornographic but does depict underage characters in sexual situations for the purposes of titillation and little else. I can't think of anything similar that's been licensed for release here.

Completely forgot about skins, that is an good example of at TV show showing sexualization of under 18. There maybe be no problem with it as it does not show full on real sex of under 18 or It may simply get away with because its a big UK TV drama. I haven't seen it myself but the first series of Negima might be considered to be series which show under 18 in titillating moments. Quite a few of cast look barely even 16 and are often placed in sexual moments.

With a lot of anime series having series fan service which is normally only reason for it to be there is to for sexual pleasure of it watcher. With the meaning in these law for pornographic is: "it is of such a nature that it must reasonably be assumed to have been produced solely or principally for the purpose of sexual arousal". Could that mean a lot of fan service shows could fall foul of this new crackdown, maybe or maybe not.

 

[Ryo Chan]

As a wise man once said

people should not afraid of their goverment, goverments should be afraid of their people

 

[ilmaestro]

The other thing that comes to my mind is that fanservice is often, and best, used for comedy purposes, so I wonder if something like Negima (which, after all, features no "actual" nudity) would get by on those grounds. I wonder if something slightly more explicit, let's say To-LOVE-ru, would, too.

 

[Otaku-san]

Hah, well, you *should*, but not the last chapter! Let's just say I am increasingly interested in people's opinion on it in the context of these laws.

That **** is cash, since it was devised and drawn by Bow Ditama

though To-Love-Ru, never remember seeing Mikan naked in that at all

As a wise man once said

people should not afraid of their goverment, goverments should be afraid of their people

so wise no one will hid it

 

[ilmaestro]

though To-Love-Ru, never remember seeing Mikan naked in that at all

****, I must have been thinking of certain... fan works... yeah.

But seriously, almost none of the girls in that are 18.

 

[Neferpitou]

The other thing that comes to my mind is that fanservice is often, and best, used for comedy purposes, so I wonder if something like Negima (which, after all, features no "actual" nudity) would get by on those grounds. I wonder if something slightly more explicit, let's say To-LOVE-ru, would, too.

You an argue that fan service can be used on occasion for comedy in that awkward sexual moment kinda of way. But it still design to have some sexual titillation for the viewer.

Not sure about nudity in the first negima TV series but the lesser fan service sequel series had load of nudity because of the transformation scenes and the Manga is even worse.

They may still turn blind eye to it in future as they passed violence in anime at lower rating that would ever get in live action piece. Just thinking about the moment when naruto self mutilated himself by ramming that knife into his hand and that volume only got rated 12. I couldn't imagine them allowing the same in an 12 live action movie.

 

[Project-2501]

There maybe be no problem with it as it does not show full on real sex of under 18

Exactly, its not showing SEX, which they don't show on UK TV outside certain pay channels or educational programming.

With the meaning in these law for pornographic is: "it is of such a nature that it must reasonably be assumed to have been produced solely or principally for the purpose of sexual arousal". Could that mean a lot of fan service shows could fall foul of this new crackdown, maybe or maybe not.

Not even a maybe. You need to read the next 2 sections:

(4)
Where (as found in the person’s possession) an image forms part of a series of images, the question whether the image is of such a nature as is mentioned in subsection (3) is to be determined by reference to— .
(a)
the image itself, and .
(b)
(if the series of images is such as to be capable of providing a context for the image) the context in which it occurs in the series of images. .
(5)
So, for example, where— .
(a)
an image forms an integral part of a narrative constituted by a series of images, and .
(b)
having regard to those images as a whole, they are not of such a nature that they must reasonably be assumed to have been produced solely or principally for the purpose of sexual arousal, .
the image may, by virtue of being part of that narrative, be found not to be pornographic, even though it might have been found to be pornographic if taken by itself.

And then the next section:

(6)
An image falls within this subsection if it— .
(a)
is an image which focuses solely or principally on a child’s genitals or anal region, or .
(b)
portrays any of the acts mentioned in subsection (7).

Basically taking one line from the law results in almost everything being illegal but when you read it as a whole its a different story.

But a panty shot or boobie flash or a fairly typical androgynous young naked anime character doesn't tick any of the boxes. You can't focus on genitals that have not been drawn.

 

[Neferpitou]

There maybe be no problem with it as it does not show full on real sex of under 18

Exactly, its not showing SEX, which they don't show on UK TV outside certain pay channels or educational programming.

With the meaning in these law for pornographic is: "it is of such a nature that it must reasonably be assumed to have been produced solely or principally for the purpose of sexual arousal". Could that mean a lot of fan service shows could fall foul of this new crackdown, maybe or maybe not.

Not even a maybe. You need to read the next 2 sections:

(4)
Where (as found in the person’s possession) an image forms part of a series of images, the question whether the image is of such a nature as is mentioned in subsection (3) is to be determined by reference to— .
(a)
the image itself, and .
(b)
(if the series of images is such as to be capable of providing a context for the image) the context in which it occurs in the series of images. .
(5)
So, for example, where— .
(a)
an image forms an integral part of a narrative constituted by a series of images, and .
(b)
having regard to those images as a whole, they are not of such a nature that they must reasonably be assumed to have been produced solely or principally for the purpose of sexual arousal, .
the image may, by virtue of being part of that narrative, be found not to be pornographic, even though it might have been found to be pornographic if taken by itself.

And then the next section:

(6)
An image falls within this subsection if it— .
(a)
is an image which focuses solely or principally on a child’s genitals or anal region, or .
(b)
portrays any of the acts mentioned in subsection (7).

Basically taking one line from the law results in almost everything being illegal but when you read it as a whole its a different story.

But a panty shot or boobie flash or a fairly typical androgynous young naked anime character doesn't tick any of the boxes. You can't focus on genitals that have not been drawn.

Its not that simply I am afraid, BBFC have known to overact over material in the past. When the Video Recordings Act 1984 came in to ban/censor all those supposedly video nasty of the 80's. A lot film like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre who horror elements were completely suggestive and little violence was actual seen was unfairly banned. A lot of those films are now released uncut which tell you how much the overacted in the past.

To save further out cry of possible attacks of material consider showing under age material they may save themselves trouble of passing certain shows. Would you rather face the wraith of media assault lead by the idiot new paper press with million supporter or piss off few thousand otaku?

With this overreaction with paedophile today, that sadly is realistic possibility of possible crackdown on any material even slightly showing under-age sex.

 

[Otaku-san]

though To-Love-Ru, never remember seeing Mikan naked in that at all

****, I must have been thinking of certain... fan works... yeah.

But seriously, almost none of the girls in that are 18.

then more a less, any form of high school harem that involves an unhealthy amount of fanservice (as Dave would put it ) could well be under heavy scrutiny, since high school students are all under 18. Now that, that would piss me off, it should solely stick with pornographic imagery. Anything like hentai being banned (say viper gts) doesn't bother me, much like those idiots who pay for porn.
All an all I want Mikan as my side dish since her hair reminds me of a pineapple

 

[memorium]

i don't think this is bad news for fanservice type shows such as Negima, since, to be honest, ecchi manga doesn't explicitly show genitals or the anal region at all

to be honest the BBFC should be more "**** you", people need to grow up and realise we aren't living in the 50's anymore, all those nannies probably don't watch any of the stuff anyway

they should just turn a blind eye and let people decide what's right and wrong for themselves

 

[ilmaestro]

@Otasan: Nah, most don't have actual honest-to-goodness underage nipples and tentacle rape-ish.