Under the guise of the revised (and ever more draconian) Youth Healthy Development Ordinance, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government this week declared that the manga Imōto Paradise! 2 was an “unhealthy publication.” Under the ordinance, such materials cannot be sold to…
Category: International
Fukushima Residents, Government Criticize Manga’s Depiction of Health Effects From Radiation (Maybe)
Over the past few weeks, the popular Japanese cooking manga Oishinbo has come under fire from residents and government officials of Fukushima Prefecture, who say that it inaccurately depicts the effect of radiation exposure on visitors to the nuclear plant…
Comics Unmasked Opens at British Library
The monumental British Library comics exhibit that we told you about back in January is open at last! Comics Unmasked: Art and Anarchy in the UK runs through August 19, featuring over 200 works by Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Mark…
Chinese Same-Sex Slash Fic Targeted in Porn Crackdown
China’s cyberpolice do not only target political dissidents; they also have the Sisyphean task of scrubbing the Internet of pornography. In the latest crackdown on “all online texts, pictures, videos and advertisements with pornographic content,” however, the government has ensnared…
Researchers Analyze Syrian Political Cartoons on Facebook
As we’ve seen many times over, political cartoons play an important role in fomenting rebellion against repressive governments. Because it’s often difficult or impossible to distribute them through traditional print media in their own countries, many cartoonists are now taking…
Barefoot Gen Reportedly Returned to Izumisano School Libraries
We’re slowly getting more details on last week’s news that Keiji Nakazawa’s manga Barefoot Gen had been banned from yet another Japanese school district. According to major sources including Asahi Shimbun and Mainichi Shimbun, Izumisano City officials planned to return…
Apple Rejects French Book Based on Cover, Not Content
Apple’s notoriously inconsistent digital publishing policy has been applied to yet another title, this time targeting Bénédicte Martin’s novel La Femme due to its “inappropriate” cover. Apple has established a troubling history of restricting books from their iOS marketplace, with…
Barefoot Gen Banned in Japanese City
A mayor in Izumisano City in the Osaka Prefecture, Japan, has demanded that all copies of Keiji Nakazawa’s internationally renowned manga Barefoot Gen be removed from elementary and junior high schools in the district. Izumisano City’s mayor, Hiroyasu Chiyomatsu, felt…
Indian Cartoonist Receives Death Threats After Criticizing Guru
After creating and sharing cartoons critical of a controversial “godman” or guru, Indian cartoonist Kanika Mishra has recently found herself on the receiving end of harassment and threats of violence via social media, according to Cartoon Movement. Kanika was inspired…
Iranian Artists Struggle with Self-Censorship
Like many artists in the Middle East, Iranian artists struggle with self-censorship out of fear that government authorities will retaliate and punish them. Their public art is already subject to censorship: All artists must apply for a permit before they…