The Impact of the “Senate Bill 20” on Manga and Anime in Texas
The authorities in Texas, United States, have recently passed a law known as “Senate Bill 20” (dubbed Anti-Anime by fans) to crack down on the sale and possession of manga or anime that depict characters who are minors or appear to be minors in sexually explicit scenes. However, the broad wording of the bill has raised concerns about its potential impact on a wide range of works.
Implications of the Legislation
The new law criminalizes material featuring “obscene” scenes with characters who may be perceived as minors, with penalties including possible imprisonment. This includes not only real images but also comic books and animation. The legislation has already had repercussions on publishers like JAST USA and its J18 Publishing, which have been banned from Texas conventions and had volumes of their works removed from stores in the state.
Challenges Faced by Local Businesses
Local businesses like Kaboom Comics in Texas are also feeling the effects of the new law. Andrew Balderas, the manager, made the decision to remove early volumes of Dragon Ball from his shelves out of concern that certain scenes between Goku and Bulma could potentially violate the legislation, despite their comedic nature being overlooked. While the law was originally aimed at combating the creation of inappropriate images using artificial intelligence, it has inadvertently targeted Japanese works and caused controversy in the community.
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