Rape+Fantasies+in+Japanese+Illustrations

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 * The Cultural Intersections of Erotic Japanese Illustrations and Rape Fantasies **

=The Traditional Art of Shunga = Japanese erotic illustrations have long focused on more unusual sexual practices involving both humans and non-human creatures (Ortega-Brena, 2009). Shunga, or erotic woodblock prints from the red light districts of the Japanese Edo period (1603 – 1868), often depicted “massive genitalia, ingenious sexual aids, couplings of all kinds, a wide array of fetishes, bizarre viewpoints, physical anomalies, bawdy comedy, and satirical vignettes” (p. 20). One of the most famous shunga, Katsushika Hokusai’s 1814 print, Tako to Ama (Octopus and Shelldiver), more commonly known as, is one of the first known depictions of [|tentacle sex]. These traditional erotic illustrations continue to influence modern Japanese pornography including erotic and pornographic manga and anime.

=Modern Art Forms of Erotic Manga and Anime = [|Manga] is the umbrella term referring to Japanese graphic novels, comic books, and illustrated magazines that are created for people of all ages and represent a broad range of genres including horror, historical drama, science fiction, fantasy, and many more. Dojinshi refers more specifically to self-published manga (Zangellini, 2009). [|Erotic or pornographic manga] depicts explicitly sexual scenes and is very popular among Japanese adults, including both men and women (Shamoon & Williams, 2004). [|Anime] is the overarching term used to describe both hand-drawn and computer animated Japanese films and television series. Unlike American animated films, anime films are often created for adults and are considered a serious art form that is capable of depicting culturally relevant and potentially somber subject matters (Ortega-Brena, 2009).

=Hentai: A Japanese Term with a Western Twist = The Japanese term [|hentai], which literally means “changed or strange figure,” is used in Western cultures to refer to more hard-core erotic anime, or animated Japanese films with more bizarrely explicit sexual content. According to Ortega-Brena (2009), hentai is often “characterized by substandard animation, ample dwelling on unconventional erotic practices, a fixation on rape and non-consensual sexual violence, and often preposterous scenarios” (p. 20). This particular genre of erotic anime tends to depict more bizarre and perverse sexual behaviors and involves a more purposeful suspension of reality. In contrast to most American erotic films, hentai is meant to be fantastical in order to enable spectators to separate themselves from their daily lives. Those who become aroused by the expressionless characters, animated bodies, and unrealistic scenarios can only do so if they voluntarily suspend their disbelief.

Hentai Cultural Considerations
The stereotypical target audience for hentai, referred to as [|otaku], is composed of immature socially awkward males who have difficultly distinguishing between reality and fiction and would prefer to fantasize about imaginary unattainable girls than attempt to date real women (Ortega-Brena, 2009). Some Americans inappropriately use this term to positively describe themselves as devoted anime fans, however many Americans recognize the [|negative connotations] of the Japanese label (Erin, 2003). However, in Japanese culture, animated erotica is more widely popular and there is even a genre, known as [|yaoi], which is created and produced by female artists for a female fan base (Zangellini, 2009). [|Yaoi] focuses on homoerotic fantasies between underage males and is banned in some Western countries due to its potential to be considered child pornography.

Hentai and Rape Fantasy
Various websites exist that are directly devoted to the distribution of hentai: [], [], [], and [], just to name a few. One site, [], specifically offers hentai videos depicting rape scenes. Among these videos, many common themes emerge. Firstly, most of the videos depict young women or girls being raped by older men. Often, these older men are animated as drastically taller and larger-bodied with darker skin complexions than their shorter and thinner scantily clad female victims. Additionally, most of the girls have long blonde or unnaturally brightly colored hair, often arranged in pigtails, and large, perky, rounded breasts. [|Hentai girls] are often wearing school uniforms or sailor-like costumes with very short skirts, tightly fitted buttoned-up blouses, lightly colored cotton panties, knee-high socks, and ribbons in their hair and/or around their neck. Their outfits usually portray an explicitly sexualized innocence.

During the rape scene, the female victims often have tears streaming down their faces or even a single, desolate tear materializing in the corner of their often lifeless or expressionless eyes. The girls are often screaming, “No,” “Not in that hole,” or “Please stop,” at their attackers as they are forced to orgasm with female ejaculate gushing out of their vaginas and onto the floor or furniture in front of them. Many of the scenes depict young girls being raped by non-human creatures, including [|demons], [|snakes], and [|monster dildos with tentacles]. Other hentai videos depict public rape scenes on [|balconies], in [|parks], and in [|public bathrooms]. Overall, these rape scenes often depict young, vulnerable women and girls succumbing to the authority of older men in [|positions of power] or in [|groups]. In some of the aforementioned videos, women are depicted as co-conspirators in facilitating the rape, but they are not often portrayed in the physical act of raping other women.



Potential Historical Context of Hentai Themes Although there does not yet appear to be any academic research regarding interpretations of thematic Hentai content, one can infer reasons for various themes based upon a brief review of [|Japanese history]. For example, Japan’s tumultuous history with and tendency to racially other the Mongolian peoples (Boyd, 2011) might provide an explanation for the depictions of larger-bodied, darker-skinned male rapists and smaller-bodied, lighter-skinned female victims in these films. Additionally, Japan’s long-standing tradition of worshipping the elite members of the various [|dynasties] may also shed some light on the often-present male authoritative figures in Hentai rape fantasies. Lastly, one cannot ignore Japan’s history with the sexual enslavement of women, controversially referred to as [|comfort women], to Imperial Japanese Army soldiers during World War II (Brooks, 2013; Hayashi, 2008; Henry, 2013) when considering the content of these animated rape fantasies including representations of male authority figures and the portrayal of nonconsensual group violations of a single vulnerable woman.

=Implications of Rape Fantasy on Japanese Male Beliefs and Behavior = Many Japanese researchers support the idea that viewing violent pornographic images increases the likelihood that Japanese men will believe in rape myths, or false beliefs about women’s sexuality, including their desire for being raped, and their potential enjoyment of being raped (Ohbuchi, Ikeda, & Takeuchi, 1994; Ohbuchi, Ishige, Yamanoha, & Inoue, 1985). Ohbuchi, Ishige, Yamanoha, and Inoue (1985) found Japanese sexual offenders to have persistent adherence to rape myths, which the researchers interpreted to “suggest a possibility that rape myths actually cause men’s sexual violence against women by justifying rape” (p. 72). Ohbuchi, Ikeda, and Takeuchi (1994), in researching Japanese non-offenders, found that pornographic depictions of women enjoying rape increased their belief in rape myths, regardless of their predetermined rape proclivity. While these results are significantly outdated and the researchers admitted to not having explicit control over the content in the experimental stimuli due to legal and ethical restraints on making rape films in Japan, these findings are still important to study when considering the impact of the hentai rape genre upon its consumers.

=References = <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Boyd, J. (2011). Japanese-mongolian relations, 1873-1945: Faith, race and strategy. Folkestone: Global Oriental.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Brooks, K. (2013, November 25). The history of ‘comfort women’: A WWII tragedy that we can’t forget. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/25/comfort-women-wanted_n_4325584.html

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Erin. (2003, December 19). Otaku [Msg 4]. Message posted to http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=otaku

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Hayashi, H. (2008). Disputes in japan over the japanese military "comfort women" system and its perception in history. Annals of the American Academy of Political & Social Science, 617, 123-132.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Henry, N. (2013). Memory of an injustice: The “Comfort women” and the legacy of the tokyo trial. Asian Studies Review, 37(3), 362-380. doi:10.1080/10357823.2013.771770

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Ohbuchi, K., Ikeda, T., & Takeuchi, G. (1994). Effects of violent pornography upon viewer’s rape myths beliefs: A study of Japanese males. Psychology, Crime & Law, 1, 71-81.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Ohbuchi, K., Ishige, H., Yamanoha, T., & Inoue, K. (1985). Rape myths and sex crimes. Japanese Journal of Criminal Psychology, 23, 1-12.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Ortega-Brena, M. (2009). Peek-a-boo, I see you: Watching japanese hard-core animation. Sexuality & Culture, 13(1), 17-31. doi:10.1007/s12119-008-9039-5

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Shamoon, D., & Williams, L. (2004). Part 1: Contemporary pornographies: Office sluts and rebel flowers: The pleasure of japanese pornographic comics for women. (pp. 77-103) Duke University Press / Books.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Zangellini, A. (2009). Underage sex and romance in japanese homoerotic manga and anime. Social & Legal Studies, 18(2), 159-177. doi:10.1177/0964663909103623