Censorship of nudity in animation

[mammy2shoesfan]

I know there are plenty of shows that plenty of male buttcrack Simpsons and Family guy for example. But what shows can you think of that actully showed female buttcrack. All of I think of is one episode of Simpsons where they showed Semela's buttcrack.

[Gokou Ruri]

This is an odd topic..

But Family Guy has shown Lois'.. in the nudist episode I believe.

[New Noise]

Yeah, this is a very strange topic. The only one I can think of is Striperella. :sweat:

[tb4000]

Most cartoons go with the reasoning that male nudity is funny, and female nudity is sexual. Family Guy and Futurama are the only cartoons that have shown nude female booty.

[Golgo13]

Drawn Together bares all.

[Inkan1969]

Most cartoons go with the reasoning that male nudity is funny, and female nudity is sexual. Family Guy and Futurama are the only cartoons that have shown nude female booty.

That's a curious convention about United States cartoons. They can't show female nudity as people presumably think it's sexual, even when the context is nothing like that. It seems laughably illogical. The closest thing I can think of in U.S. cartoons is one brief scene of "A Goofy Movie", and that was because it was a toddler age girl.

Of course, the Japanese don't have this convention at all. Anyone who's seen plenty of episodes of "Doraemon" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7otvXbrj20s) can attest to that. :D

[GaryPotter]

I sorta get what he's saying. I always thought it was weird how they couldn't do that. I mean, what difference does it really make?

[Gokou Ruri]

Of course, the Japanese don't have this convention at all. Anyone who's seen plenty of episodes of "Doraemon" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7otvXbrj20s) can attest to that. :D Sure they do, why else do we see Bastion's butt in Yu-Gi-Oh, but not Alexis'? Or guys kissing each other like Naruto and Sasuke, while girls don't?

Doraemon features little kids, so it's okay to show it, like a toddler commercial for diapers.

Now, whether this convention is as strong as it is in America is up to debate, but there's definately a convention in Japan differentiating male and female nudity. It''s like that everywhere.

[tb4000]

There may have been the odd cartoon where a female was naked and it was played for laughs, where she's trying to avoid being seen. But they're few and far between.

[HG Revolution]

Or guys kissing each other like Naruto and Sasuke, while girls don't?

Probably because the male characters in Naruto are better-developed than the female ones and as such such gags like that make more sense with the guys.

[Inkan1969]

Doraemon features little kids, so it's okay to show it, like a toddler commercial for diapers.

Well, they sure show it a lot. And the kids aren't THAT little. :)

[Jave]

Probably because the male characters in Naruto are better-developed than the female ones and as such such gags like that make more sense with the guys.Male kissing is acceptable everywhere when done for comedy purposes. You can thank Looney Tunes for that.

[Nexonius]

In 1998's Natural Born Kissers (The Simpsons), Marge's behind was shown.

[SirLemming]

Most cartoons go with the reasoning that male nudity is funny, and female nudity is sexual. Family Guy and Futurama are the only cartoons that have shown nude female booty.
Aside from the one mentioned just above me, Simpsons also showed it in the Halloween special with professor Frink's father. The crossing guard in Stockholm was a naked woman, shown in full from behind. (I still don't quite understand that joke.)


Odd topic, as everyone has said, but I know what you're getting at. Though maybe it's not just an animation thing.

[tb4000]

Like with the Selma example, if the female is ugly, then it's cool. :sweat:

[MonkeyFunk]

Are you referring to full posterial nudity, or just Dagenham cleavage?

[mammy2shoesfan]

Like with the Selma example, if the female is ugly, then it's cool. :sweat:

I always thought Selma was cute.

[DrTooth]

Of course, the Japanese don't have this convention at all. Anyone who's seen plenty of episodes of "Doraemon" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7otvXbrj20s) can attest to that. :D

Fine example. One of the only times Shizuka-chan is nude and Nobita isn't actually there to see it.

Anyway, here's a funny thing about Japanese censorship laws. Naked children are okay, but when it comes to adults, it gets tricky. I've seen a couple instances of naked female breasts, but only once, and they cover up the nipples usually. But when it comes to full nudity, they can let a child's...uh.... you know hang around in the breeze. That's why Crayon Shin-chan gets away with what he does, and it took a feature film for Bart Simpson to do the same thing. However, an adult's is pixilated or not shown entirely. Example? Kochikame (I wish I had clips to post, but I don't). In an episode where Ryutsu-san has a flashback story of something that happened to him when he was a kid, there was a bath house scene. But another episode featured Ryutsu naked, but it was pixilated. So there's a weird little censorship thingy there.

I believe things are changing, since newer Doraemon episodes actually cover up Shizuka-chan a little more.

They usually get away with a little more in mangas.

[Inkan1969]

I believe things are changing, since newer Doraemon episodes actually cover up Shizuka-chan a little more.


Could it be that "Doraemon" is more world known than it once was because of the internet, and now the makers of Doraemon might not want to be most well known for Shizuka's many nude scenes? Then again, the link I provided was of a Spanish language dub. So apparently they've been showing Shizuka's nude scenes in some Western markets with little problem.

Boys may be able to show penises in Bart Simpson-style gags, like in Crayon Shin-Chan. But the girls' g-spots apparently is still very taboo, regardless of the context. I remember when the Digimon Tamers did their nude spirit evolutions the artists drew a beam that covered up Rika's g-spot, even though she wasn't being drawn anatomically correct in the first place.

[Dee]

I've renamed the thread title to better reflect the discussion.

[DrTooth]

Could it be that "Doraemon" is more world known than it once was because of the internet, and now the makers of Doraemon might not want to be most well known for Shizuka's many nude scenes? Then again, the link I provided was of a Spanish language dub. So apparently they've been showing Shizuka's nude scenes in some Western markets with little problem.


No. it seems like Japan's got some new decency laws reguarding that sort of thing. While I can't call it a "preschool show" (essentially, it's for kids up to the fifth grade or so), I think the change might be just with younger audience shows. But then again, I would need more evidence than just the 20 something newer 2006 episodes of Doraemon I've seen. Plus, I'd need to see if it was evident in other shows as well.

[Gokou Ruri]

Boys may be able to show penises in Bart Simpson-style gags, like in Crayon Shin-Chan. But the girls' g-spots apparently is still very taboo, regardless of the context. I remember when the Digimon Tamers did their nude spirit evolutions the artists drew a beam that covered up Rika's g-spot, even though she wasn't being drawn anatomically correct in the first place. Don't forget pornography is also censored in Japan, even if it's direct-to-DVD and for adults.

[Rolling Cloud]

Are we just talking about kids or adult shows? Because Elfen Lied and Gantz (in the case of Kishimoto) showed a lot.


Sure they do, why else do we see Bastion's butt in Yu-Gi-Oh, but not Alexis'?

Hey, don't worry, the dub's gender neutral! :p

[Jave]

Sailor Moon and Ranma 1/2 got away with female nudity. Sailor Moon in particular with the infamous "Naked Amy" episode.

But none of that even compares to one particular scene of Hajime no Ippo. It's so graphic I don't think I can even mention it here without breaking the rules.

[GuardianKid13]

Sailor Moon and Ranma 1/2 got away with female nudity. Sailor Moon in particular with the infamous "Naked Amy" episode.

But none of that even compares to one particular scene of Hajime no Ippo. It's so graphic I don't think I can even mention it here without breaking the rules.
Jeez, it was that bad?:sweat:

[FinnMacCool]

Also, in the Simpsons Treehouse of Horror episode where Professor Frink won the Nobel Prize and went to Stockholm, a naked woman was shown from behind (she was directing traffic).

[sdp]

Then again, the link I provided was of a Spanish language dub. So apparently they've been showing Shizuka's nude scenes in some Western markets with little problem.

When I lived in Mexico, they would show anime uncut. Anime was also aired during normal hours in the afternoon and they would also show little kids anime in the mornings also uncut. The only censorship I can think of was Ranma 1/2 which apparently they would cut out some nudity (though here was still plenty) of course Ranma aired at 8:30 on weekdays in a kid/teen aimed channel.

Counting most of Latin America would just air the Mexican Spanish dubs at least a few years ago they were very lenient on nudity. That may have changed, from what I've heard now that anime hit it big in the US, they just dub the US version of the dub :/ which would mean censorship.

That Doraemon clip is from Spain who I am also certain are open to nudity as many European countries.

[ChibiGoku]

You know, this reminds me of something.

Tokyo Mew Mew's japanese broadcast was censored in the way, that the girl's chests and what not where obscured by a bright light from the transformation. But on the R2 Japanese DVD release, the bright light surrounding their bodies is gone, and you can see their chest outline and what not.

What I find most ironic about the whole thing, is Pierrot instead of sending the TV Masters, sent 4Kids the DVD masters, which gave them more reason to be "Scissor happy". :sweat:

[Dogasu]

However, an adult's is pixilated or not shown entirely. Example? Kochikame (I wish I had clips to post, but I don't). In an episode where Ryutsu-san has a flashback story of something that happened to him when he was a kid, there was a bath house scene. But another episode featured Ryutsu naked, but it was pixilated. So there's a weird little censorship thingy there.

It's not that weird when you consider the fact that Japan pixellates all their porn as well.


What I find most ironic about the whole thing, is Pierrot instead of sending the TV Masters, sent 4Kids the DVD masters, which gave them more reason to be "Scissor happy". :sweat:

Even "implied" nudity (like what was in the TV masters of Tokyo Mew Mew) isn't allowed on kids' cartoons. That's why the girls in the Tenchi shows had to get bathing suit straps added even in the episodes when you don't see anything.

[Gokou Ruri]

Even "implied" nudity (like what was in the TV masters of Tokyo Mew Mew) isn't allowed on kids' cartoons. That's why the girls in the Tenchi shows had to get bathing suit straps added even in the episodes when you don't see anything. That's really only for dubs of Japanese shows; American and French shows can get away with it.

Though they did show Rini topless a few times in the Sailor Moon dub, but since she's a kid, I guess its okay.

[CronoT]

That's a curious convention about United States cartoons. They can't show female nudity as people presumably think it's sexual, even when the context is nothing like that. It seems laughably illogical. The closest thing I can think of in U.S. cartoons is one brief scene of "A Goofy Movie", and that was because it was a toddler age girl.

Of course, the Japanese don't have this convention at all. Anyone who's seen plenty of episodes of "Doraemon" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7otvXbrj20s) can attest to that. :D
Well, Japan had a law for hentai for a long time. To prevent actual nudity from being portrayed, the Japanese Gov't made a law that said pubic hair could not be displayed. Since you couldn't be nude without that happening, it stopped a lot of porn.

However, the hentai studios got around this law by drawing their human characters with absolutely no pubic hair. You got to give it to the Japanese to have the hutzpah to give the Gov't the finger and get away with it, too.

[Rud]

perhaps one day america will be as liberal as the Japanese.

[Gokou Ruri]

perhaps one day america will be as liberal as the Japanese. Uh, we don't censor our porn, though.. Japan still does.

[Master Moron]

Could it be that "Doraemon" is more world known than it once was because of the internet, and now the makers of Doraemon might not want to be most well known for Shizuka's many nude scenes? Then again, the link I provided was of a Spanish language dub. So apparently they've been showing Shizuka's nude scenes in some Western markets with little problem.

Boys may be able to show penises in Bart Simpson-style gags, like in Crayon Shin-Chan. But the girls' g-spots apparently is still very taboo, regardless of the context. I remember when the Digimon Tamers did their nude spirit evolutions the artists drew a beam that covered up Rika's g-spot, even though she wasn't being drawn anatomically correct in the first place.

G-spot? Uhhhh...you can't see the g-spot.


Well, Japan had a law for hentai for a long time. To prevent actual nudity from being portrayed, the Japanese Gov't made a law that said pubic hair could not be displayed. Since you couldn't be nude without that happening, it stopped a lot of porn.

However, the hentai studios got around this law by drawing their human characters with absolutely no pubic hair. You got to give it to the Japanese to have the hutzpah to give the Gov't the finger and get away with it, too.

Don't most porn stars shave their pubic hair anyway?

[Gokou Ruri]

Don't most porn stars shave their pubic hair anyway? It doesn't have anything to do with public hair (well, it does, but the law also applies to genitalia, so not drawing public hair doesn't work)

Suwa Yuuji got fined 1.5 Million Yen for making a pornography comic without censoring it, and all his stuff was pulled from store shelves and a lot of stores closed down their adults-only sections because of the case. If you don't censor (adult) genitalia in Japan, even if it's direct to DVD/shrink-wrapped comic, you can go to jail and/or get fined millions of yen. Applies to real-life, animation, comics, and games.

[RAINMAN]

That's really only for dubs of Japanese shows; American and French shows can get away with it.

Though they did show Rini topless a few times in the Sailor Moon dub, but since she's a kid, I guess its okay.


In the RW dub,when kayrau change out of her battle outfit,her butt was shown for a couple sec and it was not censor either. How did graz get away whit that one, I will never know?:o

[Baltofan]

Dale is naked shortly in Adventures in Squirrelsitting. :sweat:

[HG Revolution]

Uh, we don't censor our porn, though.. Japan still does.

So? It's porn. I'd rather have plenty of smart, risque, mature shows and no porn than porn and a lot of dumbed down crap.

[Gokou Ruri]

So? It's porn. I'd rather have plenty of smart, risque, mature shows and no porn than porn and a lot of dumbed down crap. What's that have to do with nudity?

[HG Revolution]

What's that have to do with nudity?

You can have stuff with uncensored content such as nudity and such without being pornographic. Stuff Americans are often iffy about. I mean, Ranma 1/2 couldn't air on American TV uncut without being on a premium channel, yet Japan got away with it just fine. When people are talking about making America more liberal and such, I think they mean that American TV stations could get away with airing something like Ranma, not something like Urutsukidoji.

[Alph]

I think TV stations should be allowed to show whatever they want. Of course, here in America it's generally the Networks that censor stuff.

[Gokou Ruri]

You can have stuff with uncensored content such as nudity and such without being pornographic. Stuff Americans are often iffy about. I mean, Ranma 1/2 couldn't air on American TV uncut without being on a premium channel, yet Japan got away with it just fine. When people are talking about making America more liberal and such, I think they mean that American TV stations could get away with airing something like Ranma, not something like Urutsukidoji. But Ranma's nudity is suppose to be for pornographic/sexual reasons.. it's a fanservice show. Though to be fair, Ranma aired pre-Evangelion, so it wouldn't fly on Japanese TV anymore either.


I think TV stations should be allowed to show whatever they want. Cable networks can show whatever they want, but most of them choose not-too because advertisers won't advertise with them if they showed questionable content.

[HG Revolution]

But Ranma's nudity is suppose to be for pornographic/sexual reasons.. it's a fanservice show. Though to be fair, Ranma aired pre-Evangelion, so it wouldn't fly on Japanese TV anymore either.

There's a difference between nudity/sexuality for the sake of comedy or drama and flat-out porn. Most of Ranma's nudity seemed to be comedic and certain scenes wouldn't make as such sense without the nudity. Big difference between it and hentai.

[Jave]

But Ranma's nudity is suppose to be for pornographic/sexual reasons.. it's a fanservice show.Fanservice is not porn, and neither is Ranma 1/2. While there are a few graphic moments of nudity, it's very sparse, and the plot doesn't depend on it. Pornography exists for no other purpose that to show hardcore stuff, and Ranma 1/2 certainly doesn't fit that bill, since most episodes don't really have any nudity.

[Gokou Ruri]

There's a difference between nudity/sexuality for the sake of comedy or drama and flat-out porn. Most of Ranma's nudity seemed to be comedic and certain scenes wouldn't make as such sense without the nudity. Big difference between it and hentai.


Fanservice is not porn, and neither is Ranma 1/2. While there are a few graphic moments of nudity, it's very sparse, and the plot doesn't depend on it. Pornography exists for no other purpose that to show hardcore stuff, and Ranma 1/2 certainly doesn't fit that bill, since most episodes don't really have any nudity. Maybe not porn, but it's still pretty much there for T&A.

My point was I don't see how nudity matters for a smart or mature story, since anything that would place that much focus on naughty bits is only doing so because it sells.

[HG Revolution]

My point was I don't see how nudity matters for a smart or mature story, since anything that would place that much focus on naughty bits is only doing so because it sells.

Nudity isn't necessary for a story at all. That said, if it is part of said story, then it probably shouldn't be censored.

[DrTooth]

Sort of on topic. What was the deal with cartoon characters that only wear a shirt (no pants) that always seem to cover up their crotch area when their shirt is taken off?

[Ducard]

It's amusing when cartoon characters mimick human behavior; sometimes the less sense it makes in a story's context, the funnier it gets.

[Kentaro Doe]

Wendy appeared nude in that South Park episode where she got implants.

[J'onn J'onzz]

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/1476/screenshotqx3.png

[Ray Pointer]

I think the answer is in how nudity is used. If it is done tastefully and artistically, it isn't offensive. We have many classical pieces of art that display the beauty of the human form in the nude. In fact, it is a requirement of anyone entering the Animation field to have samples of "Life Drawings," which are nude studies in their portfolios.

It is not so much the "nakedness" for its own sake that is the problem, but the emphasis on its use and context. The acceptance of nudity is really based on raising the perceptions and sights of the mainstream since too much of our "culture" continues to be steeped in vulgarity and smut, giving yet another meaning to the expression, sighting "The bottom line."

[ThePeterNetwork]

It is not so much the "nakedness" for its own sake that is the problem, but the emphasis on its use and context. The acceptance of nudity is really based on raising the perceptions and sights of the mainstream since too much of our "culture" continues to be steeped in vulgarity and smut, giving yet another meaning to the expression, sighting "The bottom line."

If I may go off topic to comment on the quoted:

The reason our culture is steeped in vulgarity and smut was that such things were taboo, and human nature has an unnatural inclination towards the taboo. What is interesting to know is that while sex and sexuality is censored here in the US (like many of the edited anime that involve nudity), in Europe (and to some extent, Asia), violence is primarily censored.

I believe this dates back to the early 16th century when the early European government comprised mostly of church and state officials, and the early settlers in the America who wanted to govern themselves with their own laws. I may or may not be correct in this, so feel free to confirm or correct.

[Ray Pointer]

If I may go off topic to comment on the quoted:

The reason our culture is steeped in vulgarity and smut was that such things were taboo, and human nature has an unnatural inclination towards the taboo. What is interesting to know is that while sex and sexuality is censored here in the US (like many of the edited anime that involve nudity), in Europe (and to some extent, Asia), violence is primarily censored.

I believe this dates back to the early 16th century when the early European government comprised mostly of church and state officials, and the early settlers in the America who wanted to govern themselves with their own laws. I may or may not be correct in this, so feel free to confirm or correct.

Much of the prudishness and suppression about nudity and sexuality has its roots in The Puritans, who were a religious group who were forced from England to Holland for a period, then forced out to America due to their attempts to impose their sentiments upon the societies of their former countries. They were the "Moral Majority" of their time, but had not become a major influence in the government.