A little late, but I need to chime in on this:
"Open-minded"? Obviously the people that say this is disgusting don't have an open mind. Art work featuring cute little girls (in a way that could be interpreted as sexually attractive) ("loli") is very commonplace in Japan (relative to America). Admittedly, Takamichi does the covers for an 18+ manga magazine featuring "loli" characters, but that's because the mentality is that 2D (art on screen/paper) and 3D (real life) are completely separate.
Objection-ers tend to think that this is sending the message that pedophilia is acceptable because elements of it are used here, but Japanese do not typically associate it as such because, frankly, it's not real (it's 2D). It's the exact same thing as violent gory video games where you brutally massacre people, become part of a street gang and deal drugs to win. What message is that sending? That it's OK to commit crimes? That it's OK to kill those guys that piss you off? No, because it's just a game. Not the exact same thing? Right, the only difference is that it uses elements of sex instead of killing of human life.
I kind of like the artbook from reading this review, but I'm no pedophile! That's unthinkable. Feels like a crazy witch/communist hunt if someone were to say that to me. Do not mix what you see rendered on screen or drawn on paper with real life. All artists and their publishers *no matter what the content* often remind people of that statement in one way or another. Until people embrace this separation concept, there will always be people that are disgusted by it by taking it seriously (i.e. bringing it into real life). Still happens occasionally for violent art as well.
Anyways, the review is great and objective. You did not make any mistake in reviewing the artbook. Please do not refrain from reviewing any others.
If people don't like it, they can just not look at it. But they shouldn't be accusing people of bad things for liking or drawing *any* certain kind of art.
A little late, but I need to chime in on this:
"Open-minded"? Obviously the people that say this is disgusting don't have an open mind. Art work featuring cute little girls (in a way that could be interpreted as sexually attractive) ("loli") is very commonplace in Japan (relative to America). Admittedly, Takamichi does the covers for an 18+ manga magazine featuring "loli" characters, but that's because the mentality is that 2D (art on screen/paper) and 3D (real life) are completely separate.
Objection-ers tend to think that this is sending the message that pedophilia is acceptable because elements of it are used here, but Japanese do not typically associate it as such because, frankly, it's not real (it's 2D). It's the exact same thing as violent gory video games where you brutally massacre people, become part of a street gang and deal drugs to win. What message is that sending? That it's OK to commit crimes? That it's OK to kill those guys that piss you off? No, because it's just a game. Not the exact same thing? Right, the only difference is that it uses elements of sex instead of killing of human life.
I kind of like the artbook from reading this review, but I'm no pedophile! That's unthinkable. Feels like a crazy witch/communist hunt if someone were to say that to me. Do not mix what you see rendered on screen or drawn on paper with real life. All artists and their publishers *no matter what the content* often remind people of that statement in one way or another. Until people embrace this separation concept, there will always be people that are disgusted by it by taking it seriously (i.e. bringing it into real life). Still happens occasionally for violent art as well.
Anyways, the review is great and objective. You did not make any mistake in reviewing the artbook. Please do not refrain from reviewing any others.
If people don't like it, they can just not look at it. But they shouldn't be accusing people of bad things for liking or drawing *any* certain kind of art.