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Shotacon (ショタコン, shotakon^?) is a Japanese abbreviation for the Shōtarō Complex, a term describing affinity or sexual preference for underage boys.^[1] Outside Japan, shotacon refers primarily to artwork that depicts Shōtarō-like characters (shotas) in cute or sexual ways. The term "Shōtarō" itself comes from the name of a main character in the 1956-1966 manga Tetsujin 28-go, an energetic, prepubescent boy detective. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Sexual orientation refers to the direction of an individuals sexuality, usually conceived of as classifiable according to the sex or gender of the persons whom the individual finds sexually attractive. ... Example of several Japan Post mascot characters on official postage stamps. ... Human sexuality is the expression of sexual feelings. ... This article is about the comics published in East Asian countries. ... Gigantor (originally Tetsujin-nijÅ«hachi-gō 鉄人28号, literally Iron Man #28) was a manga by Mitsuteru Yokoyama published in 1958 which was later made into several anime series, the first in 1963. ... A male Caucasian toddler child A child (plural: children) is a young human. ...

Modernly, shotacon artwork appears in numerous pornographic doujinshi and in anime as fanservice. As with its female equivalent, lolicon, the most explicit forms of shotacon artwork depict child sexual abuse and have been the subject of legal controversy. Pornography (from Greek πορνογραφια pornographia — literally writing about or drawings of harlots) is the representation of the human body or human sexual behaviour with the goal of sexual arousal, similar to, but (according to some) distinct from, erotica. ... Dōjinshi (; also romanized as doujinshi) are self-published Japanese works, including but not limited to comic books (manga), novels, fan guides, art collections, and games. ... Fanservice or fan service (Japanese simply saabisu, service), is a vaguely defined term used in visual media — particularly in anime fandom —to refer to elements in a story that are superfluous to a storyline, but designed to amuse or excite the audience. ... Lolicon art often depicts childlike characteristics with likely double meanings. ... Child sexual abuse is an umbrella term describing criminal and civil offenses in which an adult engages in sexual activity with a minor or exploits a minor for the purpose of sexual gratification. ...

Controversy

This article or section deals primarily with the United States and does not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article or discuss the issue on the talk page.

Like lolicon, shotacon often depicts children in sexual situations with adults or other children. While the shotacon community argues that drawn art is protected under freedom of speech, critics claim shotacon is a direct offshoot of child pornography and may lead to child sexual abuse, backed by studies done on the subject by the NHC (formerly the National Children's Homes).^{[citation needed]} Supporters argue shotacon is fictional drawings and therefore not child pornography (a view supported by Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition) because no child has been harmed in its creation, and that no study has ever linked shotacon to child sexual abuse. Image File history File links Gnome-globe. ... Lolicon art often depicts childlike characteristics with likely double meanings. ... This article is about the general concept. ... Child pornography refers to pornographic material depicting children. ... Child sexual abuse is an umbrella term describing criminal and civil offenses in which an adult engages in sexual activity with a minor or exploits a minor for the purpose of sexual gratification. ... Ashcroft vs. ... Child sexual abuse is an umbrella term describing criminal and civil offenses in which an adult engages in sexual activity with a minor or exploits a minor for the purpose of sexual gratification. ...

Shotacon has dubious legality in many parts of the world. The sale, but not possession, of shotacon is outlawed and punishable by imprisonment in some regions of Japan, but is legal in others.^{[citation needed]} The United States PROTECT Act of 2003 prohibited obscene or sexual drawings of children, while the Supreme Court in Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition ruled that such legislation is unconstitutional. Shotacon is illegal in Australia, Canada, Sweden, Norway, and South Africa, but prosecutors do not typically press charges unless other crimes are present. Since most shotacon is trafficked internationally (such as through the Internet), national legal prohibitions are difficult to enforce. For other uses, see Law (disambiguation). ... The PROTECT Act of 2003 authorized fines and/or imprisonment for up to 30 years for U.S. citizens or residents who engage in illicit sexual conduct abroad. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      The Supreme Court of the United States (sometimes colloquially referred to by the... Ashcroft vs. ...

Origins

The term "shotacon" is a Japanese portmanteau of Shōtarō complex, a reference to the young male character Shōtarō (正太郎) from Tetsujin 28-go. Abbreviated and contracted words are a common feature of Japanese. ... Gigantor (originally Tetsujin-nijÅ«hachi-gō 鉄人28号, literally Iron Man #28) was a manga by Mitsuteru Yokoyama published in 1958 which was later made into several anime series, the first in 1963. ...

In the anime and manga series, Shōtarō is a bold, self-assertive young detective who frequently outwits adult adversaries and helps to solve cases. Throughout the series, Shōtarō develops close adult friends, and acts within the adult world despite being a young boy. His bishounen cute embodied and formed the term "shotacon", putting a name to an old sexual subculture. Animé redirects here. ... This article is about the comics published in East Asian countries. ... Bishōnen (美少年. ... Knut, a young polar bear at the Berlin Zoo, has been referred to in news media as cute.[1] Cuteness (in the American English form of the word, the British English form of cute meaning clever, shrewd, or sly - stemming from the word acute) is a kind of attractive beauty...

Where the shotacon concept developed is hard to pinpoint, but some of its earliest roots are in readers responses to detective series written by Edogawa Rampo. In his works, a character named Yoshio Kobayashi of "Shōnentanteidan" (Junior Detective Group, similar to the Baker Street Irregulars of Sherlock Holmes) forms a deep dependency with adult protagonist Kogoro Akechi. Kobayashi, a beautiful teenager, constantly concerns himself with Kogoro's cases and well-being, and for a time moves in with the unmarried man. The adult-boy relationship in part inspired the evolution of the shotacon community. Edogawa Rampo Edogawa Rampo (江戸川 乱歩 Edogawa Ranpo), born Tarō Hirai (平井 太郎 Hirai Tarō, October 21, 1894 - July 28, 1965) was a Japanese author and critic. ... A portrait of Sherlock Holmes by Sidney Paget from the Strand Magazine, 1891 Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, who first appeared in publication in 1887. ... Kogorō Akechi (明智小五郎 Akechi Kogorō) is a fictional character and the creation of Japanese mystery writer Edogawa Rampo. ... This article is about a living arrangement. ...

Audience

The shotacon community is predominately male, while females often enjoy softcore shota, heterosexual and homosexual males are more likely to enjoy hardcore works.^{[citation needed]} Because of common themes, yaoi audiences sometimes "drift" into shotacon. For example, shipping pairs, while yaoi in nature, often involve pubescent or prepubescent characters. One of the most argued points of the 'Shota Culture' by women is that they are not attracted by the child-like qualities of the boys. Most in fact, do not think of the boys as being children, but just young looking males. Another term would be 'chibi-sex' ('chibi' deriving from the japanese super-deformed cute characters). To some, shotacon is considered child-pornography, while to others it is considered 'chibi-sex'. (As stated, the 'chibi-sex' concept is usually used by women in the shotacon fandom) Shipping, derived from the word relationship, is a general term for fans emotional and/or intellectual involvement with the ongoing development of romance in a work of fiction. ...

Shotacon publications

Shotacon stories are commonly released in semi-monthly anthologies. Sometimes, however, mangakas will publish individual manga volumes.

Male oriented shota manga anthologies:

• Koushoku Shounen no Susume (好色少年のススメ)
• Love Shota (らぶショタ)
• Otoko Musume no ko HEAVEN (男娘の子HEAVEN)
• Shounen Ai no Bigaku (少年愛の美学)
• Shounen Iro Zukan (少年色図鑑)
• Shounen Shikou (少年嗜好)
• Shounen Yuugi (少年遊戯)

Female oriented shota manga anthologies: This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

• Mousou Shounen (妄想少年)
• Shota Comi (ショタコミ)
• Shota Mimi Love (ショタみみＬＯＶＥ)
• Shota Tama (ショタ魂)
• Shounen Romance (少年浪漫)

Shotacon anime

• Boku no Pico (ぼくのぴこ)
• Enzai (冤罪)
• Papa to Kiss in the Dark

Boku no Pico (My Pico) ) is a shotacon anime produced by Natural High in Japan in 2006. ... Enzai (in kanji: 冤罪 - False charge) is a Yaoi game made by the Japanese software house Langmaor. ... Papa to Kiss in the Dark ) is a light novel series by Nambara Ken with shotacon themes. ...

Video games with Shotacon content

• AM 2:00 ~Neko to Tsukiyo no Buranko~
• Enzai (冤罪)
• Teikoku Sensenki +18 Add-On Disc Sen Yoru no Yume
• Zettai Fukujuu Meirei
• Laughter Land
• Lasting Snow
• Dolly Night
• Kannagi no Tori
• Bokura wa Minna Koi wo Suru (Nous Tous Chute Dans L'amour)
• Miracle Hearts

Enzai (in kanji: 冤罪 - False charge) is a Yaoi game made by the Japanese software house Langmaor. ... Also known by the name Absolute Obedience. ...

Non-hentai series with shotacon themes

Many series make use of shotacon themes or evoke the fetish through stalker-like characters.

• The shounen series Negima stars a capable if beleaguered ten year old teacher in a situation somewhat similar to a harem series, and contains frequent playful asides regarding the shotacon fetish. The class representative, Ayaka, has been referred to as a shotacon (craddle robber in the Del Rey version) by fellow classmates.

• Haunted Junction is a fairly conventional high-school ghost-hunter series. One of the trio of main characters, though, is a teenage girl with a self-declared Shota complex; she takes it as a matter of pride that she only has crushes on boys 12 years or younger.
• The series Ouran High School Host Club features a shota character, Mitsukuni Haninozuka nicknamed "Honey."(or Hani, a shortened version of his name) He is one of the hosts who caters to the fetishes of young ladies at a high-class school. His childish habits (especially going around with a stuffed bunny doll) and short stature makes him appear to be around elementary school age. He is, however, the eldest of the hosts (the second-eldest being his friend Takashi "Mori" Morinozuka), being a senior in high school.

• In the anime Vandread, Jura Basil Elden (30s), ever since the birth episode, continuously pesters Hibiki Tokai (in his teens) to have a baby, even though neither know how to.

• In the first series of Steel Angel Kurumi, Nakahito, a prepubescent boy, becomes the focus of affection of Kurumi, Karinka, and Kagonei, all full-grown young women.

• Mamoru-kun ni Megami no Shukufuku wo!'s title character is a very young-looking high school freshman who is endlessly pursued by an older female senior. With his baby face, innocence, and small height, Mamoru is thought to be a shota character, although he is 14 years old. The official Mamoru-kun website, www.megadere.com, lists Mamoru's height as 155 centimeters (5 feet 1 inch) and the series addresses Mamoru's unhappiness with his extremely short height for his age - he has the height of a 10 or 11-year old. Evidence in case for his shota status is that the official site calls him a "boy" (男の子) instead of "youth" or "teenager" (少年) used to describe his male classmates.

• The shoujo series MeruPuri features a girl named Airi who eventually falls in love with a very young prince known as Aram. Although Aram transforms into a seventeen year old everytime he is exposed to darkness, his true age makes him quite a bit younger than Airi.

Shōnen (少年), commonly spelled shounen, is a Japanese word usually translated as young boy, although it is commonly used to refer to males of up to high-school age as well. ... Negima: Magister Negi Magi ) is a manga and anime series by Ken Akamatsu, known for his best selling title, Love Hina, which contains a large amount of Fan service/ecchi scenes. ... Haunted Junction is a horror / comedy anime and manga series created by Nemu Mukudori. ... Serialized in LaLa Original run August 5, 2003 – Ongoing Volumes 11 (ongoing) TV anime Director Takuya Igarashi Studio Bones Licensor VAP FUNimation Entertainment OnMedia Network Animax, NTV Tooniverse Original run April 5, 2006 – September 26, 2006 Episodes 26 Ouran High School Host Club ) is a manga series by Bisco Hatori... Honey Mitsukuni Haninozuka ) is a fictional character in the manga/anime series Ouran High School Host Club by Bisco Hatori. ... Vandread ) is an anime series directed by Takeshi Mori and created by GONZO and Media Factory animation studios. ... Vandread ヴァンドレッド ) is an anime series directed by Takeshi Mori and created by GONZO and Media Factory animation studios. ... Serialized in Monthly Ace Next Original run May 10, 1999 – April 4, 2000 No. ... Serialized in Dengeki hp Publish date September 25, 2003 No. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Serialized in LaLa Shojo Beat Original run August, 2002 – September, 2004 Volumes 4 MeruPuri, originally titled MeruPuri: Märchen Prince ), is a 4 volume manga series by Matsuri Hino. ...

Publications against shotacon

In Japan a few works critical of shotacon exist as well. Most of them are not very popular or are not translated for release outside of Japan. One of the few comics in the western world that deals critically with the subjects of shotacon and abuse is the German manga style comic Losing Neverland. There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ...

See also

Look up Shotacon in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Pederasty
• Shōnen-ai
• Yaoi
• Lolicon, the female equivalent of shotacon
• Hentai

Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wiktionary (a portmanteau of wiki and dictionary) is a multilingual, Web-based project to create a free content dictionary, available in over 151 languages. ... Pederasty or paederasty (literally boy-love, see Etymology below) refers to an intimate or erotic relationship between an adolescent boy and an adult male outside his immediate family. ... “Boys Love” redirects here. ... Cover of Selfish Love by Naduki Koujima. ... Lolicon art often depicts childlike characteristics with likely double meanings. ... Hentai tankōbon on display in Japan Hentai )   is a Japanese word that can be used to mean metamorphosis or abnormality. In Japan hentai has a strong negative connotation, and is commonly used to mean sexually perverted. In the West the term is used as slang for sexually explicit or...

Footnotes

2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (common) era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 21st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Comipedia, Shota manga anthologies