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Books Kinokuniya Sydney Removes 7 Manga After Lawmaker's 'Child Pornography' Complaint

The Sydney branch of the Books Kinokuniya store chain removed seven manga titles from its shelves following a written complaint by South Australian legislator Connie Bonaros. Bonaros wrote that she was concerned that the bookstore was hosting "child pornography material," and called for the removal of "these offensive books." (The letter does not specify the titles.)

Kinokuniya's vice president Keijiro Mori wrote back and confirmed that the following titles have been removed from Kinokuniya Sydney:

• Eromanga Sensei
• Sword Art Online
• Goblin Slayer
• No Game, No Life
• Inside Mari
• Parallel Paradise
• Dragonar Academy

Mori also wrote that Kinokuniya is communicating with the Australian Classification Board about the issue. In response to Bonaros' question regarding whether the titles have been removed worldwide, Mori clarified: "In terms of our action globally, wherever our stores are situated we respect local law and culture, and make ordering decisions respectively and accordingly."

Bonaros belongs to the SA-Best party, the Centre Alliance's affiliate party for South Australian state elections. In February, senator Stirling Griff from the Centre Alliance called for a review of all anime and manga currently accessible in Australia, expressing concerns about media depicting "child exploitation." (Bonaros was Griff's former chief of staff.) Griff used the series Eromanga Sensei as an example of media depicting "child exploitation" that "heavily features incest themes" and stated "many scenes are so disturbing I just won't, I just can't, describe them."

The Australian Classification Board responded to Griff's criticisms at the time, saying that it is aware of the concerns involving "Sword Art Online: Extra Edition, No Game, No Life, and Eromanga Sensei Volumes 1 & 2". The Board rates content with the same criteria whether it is live-action or animated.

In Australia, it is illegal to produce, possess, or distribute pornography or abuse material depicting a person under the age of 18. In 2008, a New South Wales Supreme Court judge ruled that a pornographic cartoon depicting characters from The Simpsons was child porn. Under Japan's current child pornography laws, fictional depictions such as anime and manga are exempted from the law.

Source: The Advertiser via Kotaku Australila (Alex Walker)