Creator on Nymphet Cancellation

An entry at something called Japanator notes that Kaworu Watashiya, the author of Kodomo no Jikan, which was to be known here as Nymphet before the plug was pulled on the project, has written at some length about the project's stillbirth and the corresponding controversy. As written about in multiple sources over the last several days, a decision was made by the American publisher Seven Seas to pull their translated version of the project. According to statements this decision was made over the series subject matter: a child's sexually-implicative pursuit of an adult teacher.

I think the cartoonist's view is worth reading, even though I'm not sure the creator has the clearest grasp on the exact notions that caused the project to be pulled. Rather than some quality in certain details from the second volume to the first, I think what's driving the car in this case is the fact that among those things that audiences in different cultures may find funny that American audiences tend to find objectionable is personal or sexual discomfort that involves a taboo relationship of some sort or a societally responsible line inadvertently being crossed. Although you might see some elements of that vein of humor in a lot of titles, including kids' books, a series where such a notion is the central concept and that situation is relayed to the reader in a variety of ways would very likely become quickly problematic for its North American publisher. To me that seems pretty straightforward decision-making, although maybe I'm missing some complexities and hidden depths.

this was e-mailed to me, which likely means someone prominent had it up first; my apologies for not being able to provide you credit
 
posted 3:06 am PST | Permalink
 

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