Bullwhips vs. Octopi in Japan

The land of tentacle porn considers loosening up on Robert Mapplethorpe:

A Japanese publisher who tried to print images of male genitals taken by late US photographer Robert Mapplethorpe said Thursday he was hopeful the top court will lift an eight-year ban on the book.

Pornography is widely available in Japan and legal for personal use. But laws on public morals forbid the import of material that clearly depicts genitalia, causing frequent disputes as censorship is at officers' discretion.

Despite the ban, Asai said the book remained in the National Diet Library, which keeps copies of all books published in Japan.

Comments

John-David | November 16, 2007, 11:37am | #

I'm surprised they didn't just publish the pictures with that shitty porn mosaic they use on all their "good stuff".

joe | November 16, 2007, 11:38am | #

"Bullwhips vs. Octopi in Japan"

I'd buy that movie.

Chucklehead | November 16, 2007, 11:38am | #

Despite the ban, Asai said the book remained in the National Diet Library, which keeps copies of all books published in Japan.

It's kept in the Ben Dover Reading Room.

thoreau | November 16, 2007, 11:44am | #

Normally it's pretty easy to declare a thread winner. But this topic will probably whip us into a frenzy of creative posting, making the winner impossible to judge.

Kubi | November 16, 2007, 11:46am | #

forbid the import

Does anyone know if this phrase is completely correct and domestically-produced genitalia-showing porn is OK? If so, I would wonder if this began as a protectionist policy enacted after a fierce lobbying effort by Big Porn.

Reinmoose | November 16, 2007, 11:49am | #

If so, I would wonder if this began as a protectionist policy enacted after a fierce lobbying effort by Big Porn.

Actually, it was by Big Balls, but you were close.

Bingo | November 16, 2007, 12:06pm | #

Anyone familiar with "tubgirl" can attest that genitalia is one of the least offensive things in japanese pornography.

Reilly | November 16, 2007, 12:20pm | #

Does anyone know if this phrase is completely correct and domestically-produced genitalia-showing porn is OK?

No, both imports and domestically produced uncensored porn are illegal.

Jay | November 16, 2007, 12:21pm | #

That's nuts

Warren | November 16, 2007, 12:43pm | #

No, both imports and domestically produced uncensored porn are illegal.
We've got wires crossed somewhere.
Pornography is widely available in Japan and legal for personal use.
I can assure you Japanese porn is the most uncensored sexual obscenity mankind has ever produced.

daniel k | November 16, 2007, 1:08pm | #

I look forward to the day when through the miracle of genetic engineering we can have suction cups on our penises. (or is it penisi? or penisuses?) O lets just say octodicks

Franklin Harris | November 16, 2007, 2:35pm | #

Japanese obscenity laws are a holdover from the U.S. military occupation. In general, they prohibit the depiction of male or female genitalia and pubic hair. And they are sometimes thought to be one reason for the prevalence of "tentacle porn" in anime and manga; i.e., can't show a penis, show 1,000 writhing tentacles attacking a classroom full of schoolgirls instead. This is at least an overstatement, however, as tentacle porn in Japan predates WWII.

Japan's censorship has, in fact, been relaxed somewhat in recent years, but I'm not certain exactly to what extent.

matthew hogan | November 16, 2007, 3:24pm | #

Man, a National Diet Library! The obesity health nazis have really outdone themselves is Japan.

(Yes, I know what it means.)

T | November 16, 2007, 5:00pm | #

Historical note for you, Franklin. Japanese tentacle pron goes back to at least the mid 19th century. I've seen sourced and documented netsuke from that period with women getting felt up by octopi. It's a longstanding cultural weirdness.

VM | November 16, 2007, 5:30pm | #

mmm... sushi for dinner tonight... mmmm. uni.

juris imprudent | November 16, 2007, 8:13pm | #

Normally it's pretty easy to declare a thread winner. But this topic will probably whip us into a frenzy of creative posting, making the winner impossible to judge.

Well thoreau, could we settle on an eight-way tie?

Franklin Harris | November 16, 2007, 10:17pm | #

I've seen sourced and documented netsuke from that period with women getting felt up by octopi.

That's actually a rather famous print by Hokusai, whose name escaped me when I posted this morning.

zig zag man | November 16, 2007, 10:53pm | #

I, for one, welcome our tentacle porn loving overlords.

wally the Bird | November 18, 2007, 4:27pm | #

Robert Maplethorp the one who received funding via the tax payers from the NEA for his dirty art projects and the liberal go gaga for his trash