In the category of “gross anime things,” let’s talk a little about an increasingly popular gross anime thing commonly referred to as “Really 700 years old.”
That’s when a 700-year-old demon with the body of a young girl who, somehow, finds herself in a sexually compromising position. Yep.
Historically, the trope has referred to otherworldly spirits like Koenma from Yu Yu Hakusho who, although he’s 700, looks like a toddler (complete with a pacifier). There’s also classics like the badass fighter Lady Kayura, whose hundreds-year-old lifespan isn’t apparent with her 12-year-old looks. It’s not always sexual. And it’s not always young girls. But lately, there’s been a lot of that, and oh man is it gross.
Now, there are, for example, childlike goddesses who are literally referred to as “loli big boobs” — I see you, Is It Wrong To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon?. I see what you did there. It still doesn’t fly. Nope.
[clear]
Here are some examples, all from 2017:
- UQ Holder (2017): There’s a 700-year-old vampire who appears 10. Moments after she’s introduced, the viewer sees up her skirt. Soon after, the viewer learns she’s acquired magic that increases her apparent age, and, of course, her cup size.
- Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid (2017): There’s a dragon girl who appears and behaves like an eight-year-old but, in truth, is very old. In one scene, she throws herself onto a classmate’s bed with her legs spread wide open. Then, they play Twister. (“It’s for kids,” the classmate points out.) The two — both in short skirts — tangle themselves together in a series of shots that hint strongly at a sexual connection. Afterward, the classmate is red and her heart is racing.
- Grimoire of Zero (2017): A very mature witch appears to be a child. There’s sexual tension between herself and a mercenary tiger-man she travels with.
- The Silver Guardian (2017): The female love interest’s online game avatar is a childlike girl with large breasts, but maybe, she’s just drawn in the traditional “chibi” style.
And some borderline stuff from this year, too:
- WorldEnd (2017): There’s a race of childlike leprechauns. At one point, the protagonist, who is surrounded by them, gives a 15-year-old fairy (who has been reincarnated) a pretty sensual back massage.
- The Seven Deadly Sins (2017): A 1,000 year-old child develops feelings for an adult man.
- Saga of Tanya the Evil (2017): An 11-year-old mage who used to be a Tokyo salaryman leads armies into battle. She isn’t really sexualized, though.
It’s in games, too. League of Legends recently introduced a flirty child champion named Zoe who is several thousand years old, although she couldn’t be considered sexualized.
With every new anime season, I yell, Please, no, into the void, and the void just winks back and dishes out more of this crap. Among anime fans, it’s become part laughing-matter and part cringe-instigator. And now that we’ve established that this is not just a thing, but a thing that is happening quite often, I’m going to clear my Google search history, heave a big sigh and hold my breath when I wade through next season’s anime.
Comments
7 responses to “Come On, Anime”
Hey man, it’s Japan. Water is wet. Japanese anime is rife with fan service, often stuff that Westerners find problematic
At least there are many Japanese people who also find that stuff problematic. Things change over time. Look at the ban on producing child porn in 1999, or the ban on child porn possession in 2014. Manga and anime child porn might soon follow.
Totally no particular judgement. I like anime as well. Currently watching Made in Abyss.
But what you’ve said kind of just adds to my point. There IS an article worth writing about this. You can make some sort of social commentary on how anime relates to these things and what it still gets away with. There is stuff you can say about the boys club nature of anime, how its changing and how it isnt. A full article on this, to me, would be very interesting.
Eromanga Sensei exists and this is what you choose to complain about?
Anime is trash… and so am I.
– Gigguk, 4/6/2017
That’s your example when Nowi from Fire Emblem: Awakening exists?
Wow, what’s going on with the spit here? Why are people upset that I have pointed out the that anime might be a boys club and taken such offense? Totally can answer this, because there is an element of truth to it – it can be considered a boys club. I never said it was. I just pointed out you can totally look at anime with that perspective. The backlash here just proves it though. “If you don’t like it go away because I want to enjoy my fan service and am not comfortable enough to question my own moral choices” *hugs body pillow*
There are a lot of reasons it is the way it is. I never made a negative judgement on that. I just thought it would make an interesting article. I didn’t even claim there was an editorial bias – I genuinely think there is space to create an article of this depth. Here you get to explore japanese culture and character tropes over time, “fan service” (which basically is only targeted at men as the only fans of anime, its in the name) and other things and how that relates to people of today – both east and west. we can even talk about the inappropriate way people engage female cosplayers – enough to a point where they need signs saying cosplay isnt consent.
Genuinely disappointed my original comment got removed as it was an honest opinion about expanding the discussion and putting a magnifying glass over our own interests and applying a lens of the world we wouldn’t instinctively use on it.