It's not an "Anime" ban.

[Unknown Entity]

I'm sure a few of the members here, anime fanatics, and recent anime news dwellers would have found reports about a ban on anime in the UK. As a matter of fact, there're many rumours going around which is making people lock up and hide the anime, deleting it from computers and whatnot.

Well. There isn't an anime ban.

It seems like not many people have read the actual bill (like me, when I first heard about it), which is as follows:

(1) It is an offence for a person to be in possession of a prohibited image of a child.

(2) A prohibited image is an image which—

(a) is pornographic,

(b) falls within subsection (6), and

(c) is grossly offensive, disgusting or otherwise of an obscene character.

(3) An image is “pornographic” if 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.

(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.

(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).

(7) Those acts are—

(a) the performance by a person of an act of intercourse or oral sex with or in the presence of a child;

(b) an act of masturbation by, of, involving or in the presence of a child;

(c) an act which involves penetration of the vagina or anus of a child with a part of a person’s body or with anything else;

(d) an act of penetration, in the presence of a child, of the vagina or anus of a person with a part of a person’s body or with anything else;

(e) the performance by a child of an act of intercourse or oral sex with an animal (whether dead or alive or imaginary);

(f) the performance by a person of an act of intercourse or oral sex with an animal (whether dead or alive or imaginary) in the presence of a child.

What it's pretty much saying is that anime, which displays under-age sex, pictures/scenes of children's genitalia/anus region, sexual arousal in the presence of a child, rape, beastiality, or necrophilia, will be made illegal.

It brings many questions and debates to mind, like for example, how do you prove the age of a cartoon character? A lot of anime characters look like chidren, but could very well be of age. How much of the anime sold in the UK contains such elements? I've never watched Bleach, but I've heard about the sexual tensions in it... would that warrant a ban too?

Personally, hentai is unnecessary and in the majority of cases downright sick, so it doesn't effect me at all. I'd like to hope that many of you guys feel the same, but I know that this ban could possibly mean a lot more of what is suggested in the bill above could also be banned. I agree with "child porn" in anime being banned, but it could also be suggested that adults having sex in anime being banned also (whether it not be now, is it possible for that to be included in the bill a few weeks/months/or even years down the line?).

Once again, anime is not being banned. The majority of hentai is.

I thought I'd post this here for anyone who's like "OMGOSH, THEY R BANNING ANIME IN TEH UK!!!" after looking at other forums, and wanted something a bit more reliable.

Anyone want to add anything? A serious discussion and debate could be made of this.