Porn 'anime' boasts big U.S. beachhead: Porn 'anime' boasts big U.S. beachhead.

Publication: Japan Times (Tokyo, Japan)

Bookmark this article Print this article Link to this article Email this article Digg It! Add to del.icio.us RSS

COPYRIGHT 2006 Japan Times

Byline: Jun Hongo

Jul. 11--The popularity of Japanese animation overseas was again highlighted in Anime Expo 2006 in California earlier this month, but a growing boom in the genre's pornographic segment is raising eyebrows among the world's fans of Pokemon and other less-graphic content.

"The best-selling product overseas now is a pornographic makeover of 'Gundam Seed,' " said Masuzo Furukawa of Mandarake Inc., referring to a popular Japanese animation.

Mandarake, based in Nakano Ward, Tokyo, specializes in the sale of toys and used "manga" comic books. The company and similar shops have seen overseas sales of sexual "anime" grow in the last couple of years.

"Up until several years ago, it was mostly...

Read the full article for free courtesy of your local library.