EncycloReader

CNN reported in 2014, "The U.S. State Department's 2013 report on human rights practices in Japan labels the country "an international hub for the production and trafficking of child pornography."^[2] In a 2008 interview with former Pokémon anime storyboard director and former director Masamitsu Hidaka, the latter admitted that the production staff constantly switches out the girls specifically for eyecandy purposes, with most of the girls in the show being 10 years old.^[3] On November 23, 2017, Nobuhiro Nishiwaki was arrested for possession of child porn,^[4] although he was ultimately only sentenced to pay a 200,000 yen fine (equivalent to less than US$2,000)^[5]

↑ Japan passes law banning possession of child pornography, By Jethro Mullen and Yoko Wakatsuki, CNN, Updated 10:36 AM ET, Wed June 18, 2014
↑ Japan passes law banning possession of child pornography, By Jethro Mullen and Yoko Wakatsuki, CNN, Updated 10:36 AM ET, Wed June 18, 2014
↑ http://pokebeach.com/2008/07/second-pokemon-interview-with-masamitsu-hidaka-many-interesting-points
What about the main cast on the show? Since he had talked about how they like to “switch them up,” I explained to him [Masamitsu Hidaka] that many fans want Ash, Misty, and Brock reunited again together. But, he reaffirmed what he said in the previous interview and said it wasn’t going to happen. I asked him what he meant in the previous interview about Pokemon Contests, and he said he just meant that characters like May have come back for a few episodes in Pokemon Contests, so Misty could come back too. He said, however, that Contests don’t appear to be her thing, so if she were to come back, it would probably be to join Ash in a battle or to just meet them somewhere. So then I said, “Why can’t you just ditch Brock, have Ash, have Misty, and then bring in a new boy? That would be switching up things instead of having a new girl.” His following answers made me laugh my head off I had to pick it up off the floor and reattach it. He stated that they like to switch up the girls because it gives the boys some new eye candy every once in a while. He also said girls are more customizable and you can change their outfits, like when they are in their bathing suits (yes, he specifically said that). He also said Ken Sugimori designs a new girl with each generation and that gives them another excuse to switch the girl, though I reminded him that there is also a new boy with each generation too, and it wouldn’t hurt to use them.
Note: the characters in the show, with the exception of Brock (14 years old) Bonnie (8 years old) and Max (8 years old), are all 10 years old.
↑ https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/11/22/national/crime-legal/rurouni-kenshin-cartoonist-referred-prosecutors-possession-child-porn/
↑ http://comicbook.com/anime/2018/02/28/rurouni-kenshin-nobuhiro-watsuki-arrest-verdict-crime/

Japan And Child Pornography

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