Censorship question

[jjjjeczalik]

I'm sure that something this ridiculous has been answered before, so I apologise for the repetitiveness.

I understand the rationale (not really, but enough) for mosaics, or black rectangles that might hide something more sinister underneath. But what's up with those tiny grey rectangles in the comics? They don't cover up entire genitalia, just a tiny portion thereof, and they look plain stupid without really censoring anything at all. So what's the legal purpose of them?

An example is attached.

 

[CoolKevin]

maybe to get around the law/or loophole in the laws

 

[jjjjeczalik]

So that it's "technically" censored, even though it's not? I guess that makes sense.

 

[elgringo14]

So that it's "technically" censored, even though it's not? I guess that makes sense.

If "obscene" material is hidden by a dot of 1 square mm, it can be called "not obscene". :notagain:

Yes, japanese laws are always interpreted at the limit. Keep in mind the infamous censorship law forbids only "obscene" material, which has been interpreted in various ways by videos, mangas and games publishers.

Manga is currently the least censored medium (it was much worse in the 80s and 90s). Since pictures are easier to alter than videos, you only need some black or grey bars to "censor" them.

These bars have been decreasing in size and darkness in the last years. But it can really vary from one publisher to another, and also between the magazine and the tankoubon versions of the chapters. I think Comic Kairakuten (and Beast) is one of the worst magazines in terms of censorship of manga chapters.

Funnily enough, some authors have been punished in the past for being "obscene", even with this semi-censorship, but it looks more random action from the judges than a global threat for the eromanga industry.

 

[desioner]

elgringo hit the nail on the head.