×
  • remind me tomorrow
  • remind me next week
  • never remind me
Subscribe to the ANN Newsletter • Wake up every Sunday to a curated list of ANN's most interesting posts of the week. read more

Forum - View topic
Incest anime.


Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next

Anime News Network Forum Index -> General -> Anime
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
plastique



Joined: 17 Dec 2007
Posts: 28
PostPosted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 9:10 pm Reply with quote
I find that some taboo subjects that are somewhat common in anime are not prevalent in Japanese pop culture. You won't find too much incest themes in Japanese films and TV dramas, which are mostly PG-ish, family-friendly(no pun intended Wink ) stuff. Some anime seems to have a fascination with blush-worthy situations.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
blind_assassin



Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 755
PostPosted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 9:22 pm Reply with quote
It's not particularly prominent outside of hentai (where it's very prominent) but it does exist. It's not often a main theme though because most people find it repellent and most writers aren't talented enough to make it compelling. It shows up in Elfen Lied but it's done in a very clumsy manner and sort of just progresses a bit and ends inexplicably.

Honestly, I wouldn't like to see an increase in its prevalence either. How can you cheer for people that are doing something wrong? You need to make the audience empathise with your characters to generate interest. Persecuted sibling lovers generates no empathy from me and I wouldn't want to cheer for people trying to break them apart either.

Also, don't bring up religion for any reason aside from analysis of a series that has religious elements. It contradicts itself too consistently to defend almost any point and it brings pointless baggage into discussions.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
Kruszer



Joined: 19 Nov 2004
Posts: 7981
Location: Minnesota, USA
PostPosted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 9:25 pm Reply with quote
Cousin-cest is way more common in anime than the actual sibling incest. I see a ton of series where the cousin is an obvious love interest.

While I also find incest repellent there have been a few instances where it was interesting like Koi Kaze which I found to be a masterpiece.

I


Last edited by Kruszer on Sun Jul 12, 2009 9:33 pm; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
Sheleigha



Joined: 09 May 2008
Posts: 1671
PostPosted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 9:30 pm Reply with quote
Kruszer wrote:
Cousin-cest is way more common in anime than the actual sibling incest. I see a ton of series where the cousin is an obvious love interest.



Elfen Lied, Cardcaptor Sakura, Fruits Basket... Those are the big ones, and I know there's more but none that I can think of off the top of my head.

...hmmm yet I wonder if they ever say just HOW close of cousins? It always seems "ok" and yet its curious if they are 1st cousins or 4th, 5th, 10th or whatever.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Tratious



Joined: 03 Feb 2008
Posts: 316
Location: Savannah, GA
PostPosted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 10:05 pm Reply with quote
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Key
Moderator


Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18137
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 10:55 pm Reply with quote
Tratious wrote:


Traitious, two of those are manga-only titles. You're in the Anime forum, so please stick to anime. Also, what you did is nothing more than a list post, and those aren't allowed around here. Consider this a warning.

And dear god, but why are you using the translated name for Koi Kaze? Even the official R1 DVD release for the title retains the original Japanese name.

For general comments, keep in mind that first cousins marrying is not considered incest in Japan, so a lot of that cousin-cest out there probably does involve first cousins. But hey, in ancient Roman times the Emperor Claudius passed a law allowing an uncle to marry his niece so that he could marry his niece Agrippina - who allegedly seduced him - so that's not so strange. (That's how Nero got into the line of succession, BTW, as he was Agrippina's son by a previous marriage.)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website My Anime My Manga
blind_assassin



Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 755
PostPosted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 11:06 pm Reply with quote
First cousin marriage isn't illegal in Japan? That's disgusting. Why bother even preventing intra-family marriage at all then if they make no restrictions on relationships that close to your existing gene pool?

And cousin incest isn't historically uncommon but it's still disgusting and as bad as going for direct relations. Your genes are pretty close until you get into third or fourth cousins. In Canada (and I think the States) the closest you can marry is fifth cousin but by that loose a link the actual risks are probably about as high as your kid becoming handicapped by the environment rather than genetics.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
Bitter Almonds



Joined: 11 Jul 2009
Posts: 57
PostPosted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 11:59 pm Reply with quote
Only if you have a lot of in-breeding do you get to see the defects. Mating between cousins and siblings happens with other animals all the time, and we don't see rampant mutations and deadly defects all the time. It's cohabitation which makes incest disgusting to everyone, but try separating a brother and a sister, raising them separately their entire lives, and then having them meet for the first time ten, twenty years later - it'll be like meeting a complete stranger. The few reported cases where this happened, the brother and sister were so compatible with each other that they developed sexual feelings for each other; it's only natural to be attracted to those who are the most like yourself.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Key
Moderator


Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18137
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 12:19 am Reply with quote
What Bitter_Almonds is talking about is a well-documented sociological phenomenon called the Westermarck Effect, which states that individuals who spend a great amount of time with each other under the age of six - such as siblings raised together, for instance - rarely develop sexual attraction towards each other later in life. A related phenomenon is that siblings who never establish this effect (typically because of being raised apart) sometimes develop a genetically-based sexual attraction towards each other when meeting later in life. That's what Koi Kaze is all about.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website My Anime My Manga
dormcat
Encyclopedia Editor


Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 9902
Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC
PostPosted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 12:37 am Reply with quote
Key wrote:
Tratious wrote:

Traitious, two of those are manga-only titles.

BokuImo has an anime adaptation.

Key wrote:
But hey, in ancient Roman times the Emperor Claudius passed a law allowing an uncle to marry his niece so that he could marry his niece Agrippina - who allegedly seduced him - so that's not so strange.

It's common in ancient Japan as well. In fact, in a historical manga I recently read -- Kohkyu by Tsunami Umino, adapted from Towazugatari -- the male lead married his aunt, who was 11 years older than him. No kidding.

Note: the English Wikipedia page of Emperor Go-Fukakusa has many errors; I'll fix them when I have enough time.

blind_assassin wrote:
First cousin marriage isn't illegal in Japan? That's disgusting.

By your standard, so are Europeans, Canadian, Mexican, and half of United States.


Last edited by dormcat on Mon Jul 13, 2009 12:46 am; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website AIM Address Yahoo Messenger MSN Messenger ICQ Number My Anime My Manga
Tuor_of_Gondolin



Joined: 20 Apr 2009
Posts: 3524
Location: Bellevue, WA
PostPosted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 12:41 am Reply with quote
blind_assassin,

In the US, each state has its own laws regarding incest and who you can marry. In my state (Washington), you the closest you can marry is your 2nd cousin. However, you can only be prosecuted for incest if you have sex with an ancestor, descendent, or with a sibling of "whole or half blood". That means that in my state, having sex with a 1st cousin is not incest (legally), though you cannot marry your first cousin.

I don't know if I'd say categorically that incest is disgusting. I know I would never want to have sex with my sister, and do think of that as disgusting. However, there may be cases between other people where it's not. Mostly, I think it's none of my business.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail My Anime My Manga
blind_assassin



Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 755
PostPosted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 1:40 am Reply with quote
dormcat wrote:
blind_assassin wrote:
First cousin marriage isn't illegal in Japan? That's disgusting.

By your standard, so are Europeans, Canadian, Mexican, and half of United States.


Although my post was bit reflexive and assumes slightly about the tolerance of incest in Japan, if you read my post a second time you'd realise I'm not saying that the Japanese are disgusting but any sort of acceptance of incest is. Regardless of statute I'm certain first cousins could be charged with incest and it is already a legally accepted way to annul a marriage.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
dormcat
Encyclopedia Editor


Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 9902
Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC
PostPosted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 5:59 am Reply with quote
blind_assassin wrote:
Although my post was bit reflexive and assumes slightly about the tolerance of incest in Japan, if you read my post a second time you'd realise I'm not saying that the Japanese are disgusting but any sort of acceptance of incest is.

I was fully aware of what you were talking about. I just wanted to point out that many countries of the world and half of US don't agree with you.

blind_assassin wrote:
Regardless of statute I'm certain first cousins could be charged with incest and it is already a legally accepted way to annul a marriage.

Cite the law of your current residence, please.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website AIM Address Yahoo Messenger MSN Messenger ICQ Number My Anime My Manga
happymoose



Joined: 16 Aug 2008
Posts: 62
PostPosted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 6:33 am Reply with quote
snip

Last edited by happymoose on Sat Aug 23, 2014 4:07 pm; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Daemonblue



Joined: 05 Jul 2006
Posts: 701
PostPosted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 6:46 am Reply with quote
If you wanna find instances of cousins marrying you don't have to look any further than the Bush family, Barbara and George H were 4th cousins. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

Anyway, I don't see incest in anime as becoming prominent as much as more people just noticing. That said, KissxSis is more complicated that just brother sister, as they have no blood between them. Think of it like the Brady Bunch movie that was made in the 90's and you have basically the same kinda setup, with less kids though. Now is incest wrong? Maybe, but I don't think I should have a say in what other people do. Is it disgusting? Maybe that as well, I wouldn't know cause the situation is impossible for me. The fact that incest in anime and manga is being recognized though is proof enough that people are interested in the subject, but then people are interested in it like people are interested in stuff about murder, they might not wanna do it, but they still have some interest.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Anime News Network Forum Index -> General -> Anime All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next
Page 2 of 3

 


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group