ASPERBURG

>a more traditional approach of closely monitoring children's access to media It may not be intuitive, but in my view, closely monitoring children's and adults' access to media (ascetism) is not necessarily unique to so-called traditional approach in West; it can also be found in progressivism. Let me give you an example. Have you seen the new anime "The Elusive Samurai" that recently started airing? This work is currently very popular in Japan, and I watch it every week. The story is about Hojo Tokiyuki, a historical figure from medieval Japan. Since the protagonist is a historical hero of Japan, the author has depicted him as a beautiful, alluring and erotic young boy. His beauty, elegant, sexy and enchanting appearance symbolizes heroism, power, genius, divinity, nobility, superhuman qualities, a promise of victory, destiny, regal qualities, virtue, and divine protection. Naturally, such a portrayal has provoked backlash from Western viewers. I cannot in good faith recommend anyone I know watch the Elusive Samurai https://www.reddit.com/r/TheElusiveSamurai/comments/1epq0f4/i_cannot_in_good_faith_recommend_anyone_i_know/ Look, ascetics are harshly criticizing "The Elusive Samurai." They claim the work is sexual. They also criticize others who do not condemn it, seeing their silence as a sign of moral decay. The Eastern sense that beauty, youthfulness, allure and eroticism can symbolize virtue is alien and difficult to understand for Western ascetics. Therefore, Western viewers cannot help but see such temptation as problematic and unacceptable. They view this portrayal as a harmful influence on society and believe that removing it would lead to social progress. They consider the author to be an anti-social figure who brings about social regression and destruction. They demand the exclusion of the author and the work. Furthermore, they argue that those who tolerate such expressions are complicit in social evil and should be denounced as accomplices and punished together. What is noteworthy is that despite being extremely ascetic, s/he does not use any religious language in their criticisms. This is not accidental but a deliberate avoidance. They exclusively use modern sociological vocabulary. It is probably clear that they are not necessarily traditional religious people—perhaps they are left-wing or progressives, but I don’t know. However, in the belief that responsible citizens should contribute to the improvement of both themselves and society through asceticism, the left and right, conservative and progressive forces in the West share the same perspective. Western thought often competes for the status of being the most ascetic and virtuous. Isn't that interesting?

>If I'm understanding that correctly, what ages are we talking about here? Well, first of all, I think that Japanese world view lacks the strong belief, as held by Western societal norms, that there is an age group that absolutely should not be exposed to sexual content at all. However, since this alone might be difficult for Westerners to imagine, I believe it is appropriate to provide examples for the sake of accuracy and persuasiveness. Example 1: Ribon Shueisha's most popular girls' manga magazine. The primary readers are girls from elementary school age and above. I was an avid reader of it at the time. Although it is relatively restrained by Japanese standards, it generally includes themes that Western parents would consider problematic, such as free love between boys and girls, kissing, caressing, marriage, contraception, divorce, homosexuality, cross-dressing, injuries, crime, nudity, makeup, beauty, and fashion. Example 2: Monthly CoroCoro Comic A monthly manga magazine published by Shogakukan. The primary readers are elementary school boys. I rarely read it, so I am not familiar with its content, but I know that it generally includes sexual expressions that Western parents would consider problematic, such as nudity or homosexuality. Example 3: Monthly Sixth Grader(月刊小学六年生) A grade-specific learning magazine formerly published by Shogakukan. The primary readers were sixth-grade boys and girls in elementary school. It has since been discontinued. I was an avid reader of it at the time. It generally included themes that Western parents would consider problematic. Its popular serialized feature was the "Erotic Art Gallery," which solicited erotic drawings from readers and published the best submissions. These examples illustrate that, in the Japanese publishing industry, at least some publishers assumed that sixth-grader chldren (around the age of eleven) can appreciate and create erotic works. Additionally, it points out that children under ten who are exposed to such expressions are generally not considered to be facing any particular issues. The divorce rate in the States in 2023 was 40%, whereas Japan saw a 1.2% divorce rate in 2023. That’s impossible! You must be misunderstanding something. If my memory serves me correctly, the divorce rate in Japan is around 40%, which should be comparable to that of the United States.

Your question is quite broad, so the answer will take some time; please be patient! Regarding sex education for Japanese youth, I have already provided a response, so I'll start with that. My reflections on sex education in the East and the West are as follows: In Japan, it is not only considered natural but also healthy for children entering puberty to start showing interest in sexual matters. Books, manga, anime and games for young boys and girls often include many sexual expressions, and parents feel happy about their children's growth when they show interest in such expressions. Conversely, they may worry about delayed development if their children do not show interest. Furthermore, Japanese society generally believes that allowing children to freely read their favorite manga, watch their favorite anime and play their favorite games contributes to their happiness and growth. Therefore, prohibiting or excessively restricting manga and games is often seen as cruel abuse. On the other hand, in the West, where desires including sexual desire have traditionally been seen as vices and abstinence is believed to promote human growth, the common view is that letting children read indecent comics will not result in them becoming decent adults, and sexual expressions are considered unsuitable for children. In Japan, it is common knowledge that sexual desire is a natural and fundamental human need. However, in the West, due to new and old values like christianity and feminism, this understanding is not as universally accepted, despite long-standing efforts in sex education. As a result, there is still a strong belief that it is abnormal for girls and children to have sexual desires, attributing it to negative influences from media. It is thought that sexual awakening can and should be prevented through regulation. Protecting children from such media is seen as a parental responsibility. Parents are expected to monitor all the programs their children watch and the games they play. Parents who fail to do so are considered neglectful and unfit, often facing severe criticism, strict social sanctions, and even legal penalties. The media is regarded as having significant social responsibility, requiring strict educational considerations and being readily subject to regulation. Therefore, the kind of erotic manga for children that is abundant in Japan is completely beyond the understanding and imagination of Westerners. For a Japanese parent to feel deeply moved by discovering erotic manga hidden in their adolescent child's room, thinking, "Ah, my child is at an age where they are interested in these things," is a common parenting experience in Japan but something Westerners might find hard to relate to.

>At the risk of sounding a bit silly here, it's been fun to sit and have a fleshed-out conversation with you, being in your lovely country I have admired and dreamed of going to for years. The perspective is interesting and it's a lot of fun. I appreciate your kind words about my country:) Thank you for the enjoyable conversation too! I have always admired your lovely country too and it's been wonderful to discuss with you. >many of our cities have become way more liberal on such issues in recent years Western asceticism can be found in a wide range and is both extremely ancient and continuously evolving. It appears in traditional religions such as Christianity, as well as modern ideologies like liberalism. All of these have advocated for some form of asceticism. For example social constructivist feminism is a type of liberalism but campaigning worldwide to restrict freedom of expression. In both 2015 and 2022, they influenced the United Nations to urge Japan to abolish freedom of expression, demonstrating their significant international influence . >a distraction from more important things Your efforts to avoid sexual expressions and focus on more valuable matters are commendable. By honing yourself, you will become a fine person. However, I fear that Japanese people may not understand this. When you say "more important," it stems from the notion of looking down on sexual expressions. Westerners believe that glamour, sexual love, and the temptation of beauty come from evil, and they encourage avoiding these to pursue self-improvement. Japanese people do not share this sense. Moreover, Japanese people believe that sexual expressions itselves have value. We actually equate eroticism with the "more important things". We equate eroticism with divinity, Buddhahood, virtue, strength, and justice. For the same reasons, those in the sex industry are not seen as being in a lowly profession. >I wish people would consider stop making easier money off something as base to a human as sex appeal Your efforts to criticize people in the sex industry and to encourage others to avoid such professions are commendable, but you need to be cautious when doing this in Japan. In the West, professions related to sexuality are considered lowly, and people engaged in such work are unconditionally seen as having low status, being antisocial, and causing harm to people and society. Thus, few people dare to defend those in such professions, and often the individuals themselves wish to quit, making it less problematic to discriminate against them. However, Japan is different. In Japan, there is a tradition of valuing and respecting eroticism, beauty and aesthetics, coupled with a strong Confucian belief that no occupation is inherently lowly. Consequently, the sex industry is not easily regarded as a lowly profession, and your criticism may be perceived as mere occupational discrimination. Moreover, indiscriminately discriminating against someone of higher status can be seen as an egregious act of disrespect, leading to social repercussions. This is particularly dangerous if the person you discriminate against is beautiful and sexy or a distinguished creator of such content. In Japan, being more beautiful and sexy than you or be capable to create such contents means being more divine and noble than you. Additionally, based on the Confucian value that social contribution is made through taxation, if the person is a high taxpayer, they may easily be regarded as having a higher social status than you. In Japan, many people in this profession have a strong sense of self-respect, working with professional pride. It is not considered an especially easy job, either. Moreover, what may be beyond the comprehension and imagination of Westerners is that such professions are often aspirational in Japan, respected, and supported by a devoted fanbase. Therefore, if you discriminate with the same sense as in the West, the person may not retreat or hide as their Western colleague,s but might react vehemently and counterattack. In that case, Japanese society, including people of high social status, will publicly side with them and criticize you. Everyone would do so, and I would likely do the same. >damaging to the pleasure centers of the brain due to abuse of dopamine, and trains the brain to put too much emphasis on the act of sex. >I battled it as a teenager, and can say from someone who has experienced both sides up close and personal, that I am genuinely a happier person with it not in my life. Actually, one concept that is common knowledge in the East but not well-known in the West is the existence of the three basic desires: the desire for food, the desire for sex, and the desire for sleep. These three desires are considered a kind of survival instinct and are believed to be inherent in all healthy humans. All Japanese learn about the three basic desires in elementary school. So Japanese people usually do not believe that sexual expressions destroy the brain. Additionally, you mentioned that you wished you had had fewer opportunities to be exposed to sexual expressions when you were young. This statement is very strange to Japanese people because it sounds similar to saying you wished you had suffered more from hunger and sleeplessness when you were young. In Japanese society, where pornography is rampant and everyone grows up surrounded by it, I have never met anyone who has said such a thing. Even though Japanese people are accustomed to such expressions from a young age, no one has had their brain destroyed by them. Why should you be an exception? First of all, survival instincts, including sexual desire, do not disappear just because you eliminate pornography. Just as the desire for food and sleep does not disappear even if you deprive someone of food or sleep, it only intensifies in a state of deprivation. Suppressing survival instincts is as difficult as overcoming the fear of death. Inhibiting the three basic desires can cause extreme stress and pain comparable to torture, and the person subjected to this may react as if their life is threatened. This can lead to intense excitement, increased aggression, and the risk of mental illness and physical harm. This is why in ascetic societies, rape and violent crimes are rampant. In fact, in the West, the crime rate is several times to dozens of times higher than in Japan. While abstinence and self-discipline are important, it is crucial to practice them within reasonable limits in consultation with medical professionals. Especially for children, abstinence should be exempted. This is because when the three basic desires are obstructed during childhood, it can hinder healthy development and lead to obesity, sleep disorders, abnormal sexual desires, and failures in love and marriage. I didn't ask you to justify yourself. I said stop because it's unpleasant. Think for yourself about what is appropriate to post. If you're unsure, show it to your mother before sending it.

Well It seems that your mother raised you to persistently send disgusting and sexual images to women who don't want them.

"I don't know, you disagreed with me and my assessment." What I meant is it's obvious that large breasts are drawn that way to add a variety of sex appeal. There's no point in debating that. The important thing is not that it is sexually appealing or not but that, while in Japan, eroticism is generally regarded as sacred and good, in the West it is traditionally considered demonic and evil. Additionally, in Japan, artists who express themselves freely are praised, whereas those who are restrained are looked down upon. In contrast, in the West, those who exercise self-control and refrain from free expression are respected, while those who are openly free are criticized. "Westerners ask this question?" Of course. Easterners would not ask such a question because it is obvious. "They don't already know by how obvious it is?" The reason Westerners ask this question is not because they genuinely don’t understand why breasts are emphasized; that’s irrelevant. They are not asking about the reason for the emphasis on breasts but are questioning the moral implications of emphasizing them. "Are you saying you believe a Japanese person in New York City (for example) saying that large anime breasts are sexually appealing when watching an anime would be considered strange enough to lose social status?" In Western cities like New York, it's not advisable to be too overt about discussing breasts. Openly praising sexual attractiveness, or freely enjoying sexual expressions or fantasies, as Japanese people often do, can be seen as extremely irresponsible and antisocial from a Western perspective. "It is, in fact, destructive to the brain and the more consistently you watch it the more damage can be done." Then, I guess our Japanese brains must already be completely destroyed, haha. In Japan, it is common knowledge that sexual desire is a natural and fundamental human need. However, in the West, due to new and old values like christianity and feminism, this understanding is not as universally accepted, despite long-standing efforts in sex education. As a result, there is still a strong belief that porn is destructive to the brain and it is abnormal to have sexual desires. In West, Sexual desires is often attributed to negative influences from the media and this kind of claim is frequently used as theoretical ammunition by asceticists who aim to impose expression restrictions. "In regard to asceticism, only in some areas. " Based on my observations, asceticism, especially the restriction of entertainment, diet and sexual activity, has been seen throughout Western civilization across both ancient and modern times. Western asceticism can be found in a wide range and is both extremely ancient and continuously evolving. It appears in ancient religions much older than Judaism, traditional religions such as Christianity and Islam, modern ideologies like socialism and Nazism, as well as emerging ideologies such as environmentalism and feminism. All of these have advocated for some form of asceticism.

"My original reason for entering this thread to begin with, and that's the reason why some manga breasts are drawn large." Isn't that obvious? You can tell just by looking. What is there to debate? "This doesn't play into my original reason for entering this thread to begin with," The original reason of this article is not to discuss why manga characters' breasts are drawn large from a biological perspective, but to clarify why Westerners ask such questions, the ideologies behind these questions, and how we should respond. "You're 100% right that these things contradict one another quite often, but this was the top result I received when I searched 'percentage of male and female manga readers.'" The article you sent described only the magazine sales situation of a single publisher, Shueisha, and did not study the gender ratio of manga fans in Japan. As I repeat, the claim that there are significantly more male fans than female fans is highly unbelievable. It goes against intuition, and statistically, the gender ratio should be balanced or slightly in favor of females. " I don't think Japan has anything to fear in terms of liking sexual things, and anyone who would go after them should drop the stone and look at some numbers." I have doubts. At least in the West, making such a claim in public is dangerous for someone trying to gain social status. They would immediately face social pressure and could end up socially ruined. I don’t necessarily think that Westerners should put down the stone though. Western asceticism is a motivation to refine oneself and strive to become a virtuous person, which I believe is a respectable virtue in itself. It’s just that since we don’t hold the view that pornography destroys the minds of the young in the first place, so we need to learn Western thinking to defend ourselves accordingly. By the way, wasn’t Japan the biggest exporter of porn?

"Fact still remains that emphasized larger chested manga girls are drawn that way to add a variety of sex appeal." You can tell it just by looking at it lol. The point of this article is that in Western culture, licentiousness can sometimes be demonized, so it can be dangerous to praise such a picture carelessly from an Eastern perspective. Well, think about it. If a Japanese person who knows nothing about Western culture or ways of thinking were to give the kind of answer you mentioned to a question like the one in the title from a Westerner, the respondent would find themselves in quite a difficult position in Western society, wouldn't they? This article explains Western culture so that those who are asked questions like the one in the title by Westerners can protect their safety and social standing while responding. In Japan, what is considered good sex appeal is traditionally viewed as a demonic and immoral trait in the West. This article alerts Japanese readers to the fact that flaunting beauty or sexual attractiveness, openly praising someone’s beauty or sexual attractiveness, or freely enjoying sexual expressions or fantasies, as Japanese people often do, can be seen as extremely irresponsible and antisocial from a Western perspective. '"According to Anime News Network in 2019, approximately 67.5% of manga readers are male." I've read various market surveys, but I don't think that number applies to Japan at all. It seems disconnected from the reality in Japan. Are you misunderstanding something about the study, or is the study itself incorrect? Was that survey even conducted on Japanese people in the first place?

Here's the English translation of your text: --- "Actually, I love the art style. That's why I used it." LOL, I apologize for that. "And yes, Disney started pretty much the whole animation industry, though I'm sure Betty Boop and others helped. You certainly weren’t going to blame it on Olive Oyl, were you?" I’ve never heard of any of these names before. Is there any evidence that they had such a significant impact on Japan's expressive arts scene? And It’s news to me that Disney was a pioneer in sexual expression in the West. "But if you prefer something more classical..." Unfortunately, I don’t particularly like classical styles, and I wasn’t asking you to send me art that fits my personal taste. What I am asking is for you to send me artwork that is at least minimally adequate and necessary to support your claim, ideally something that is better drawn and not unpleasant from a general perspective.

"Sometimes people want their characters to have a little extra sex appeal." Now, how about that? Depending on how you phrase it, responding as you suggested to a question like the one in the title from a Westerner could be dangerous in some cases. If you are perceived as endorsing the sex appeal of manga characters, you might be seen as unvirtuous, evil, and irresponsible, and could face social sanctions. "According to Anime News Network in 2019, approximately 67.5% of manga readers are male." That may be true in the West, but it's different globally. For instance, in Japan, more than half of manga readers and creators are women. Isn't that also the case in China, South Korea, and Taiwan? Btw In Japan, in general, manga aimed at women tends to be more sexual than that aimed at men anyway. This might be surprising from a Western perspective, but the very idea that women prefer sexual works less than men is a uniquely Western superstition. Incidentally, I've heard that Japanese manga exported to the West sells well among women compared to Western comics. This might be because traditional Western comics lack works that meet women's needs. "If every single one of them was massive then I'd wonder why so much emphasis, but since only some are large the answer becomes quite clear." Rather than just focusing on breast size, you should pay attention to whether they are depicted sexually. The very notion that large breasts are more sexual than small or flat chests is not at all Japanese. In Japan, small breasts have a sex appeal that large breasts do not, and debating which is more erotic is considered nonsensical.

Since the topic is what it is, it can't be helped that you post sexual images to illustrate your argument. However, all the Western images you send are crude, vulgar, and extremely unpleasant to look at. If you're going to send something, please send more beautiful pictures. Surely, there are well-drawn Western pictures, right? Also, I'm sorry, but I want to confirm what you are trying to assert. Are you claiming that "in Western animations, as in Japanese animations (or even more so than in Japanese animations), women's breasts are emphasized, and it was originally started by Disney"?

In many cases, Japanese creators are indifferent to what American audiences are looking for and do not think about catering to them. They do not know what Americans want in the first place, and even if they have the opportunity to find out, the values are so different that they often cannot understand.

Well, Westerners might feel safer with that, but it's not a Japanese way of thinking. Japanese creaters and fans are more likely to try to spread the greatness of their fetishes.

I'm honored by your compliment, Teacher! If there are any other common questions about anime or manga that you encounter as a moderator of your anime club, please let me know. I might consider them for my next project. >As for myself, I see it, and sometimes it's just there, and other times it's emphasized for both comedy and/or sexualization. And I react on a case by case basis, but I don't think too much about it. Often, there isn't a specific meaning or reason behind it. In Japan, erotic content is generally seen as a good thing. Essentially, if all other conditions are the same, people think that choosing the erotic option is better. Therefore, creators make everything as erotic as possible within the limits they have, unless there is are speciific reasons not to do so.

Perspectives to be added： In Japan, it is not only considered natural but also healthy for children entering puberty to start showing interest in sexual matters. Books, manga, and anime for young boys and girls often include many sexual expressions, and parents feel happy about their children's growth when they show interest in such expressions. Conversely, they may worry about delayed development if their children do not show interest. Furthermore, Japanese society generally believes that allowing children to freely read their favorite manga and play their favorite games contributes to their happiness and growth. Therefore, prohibiting or excessively restricting manga and games is often seen as cruel abuse. On the other hand, in the West, where desires including sexual desire have traditionally been seen as vices and abstinence is believed to promote human growth, the common view is that letting children read indecent comics will not result in them becoming decent adults, and sexual expressions are considered unsuitable for children. In Japan, it is common knowledge that sexual desire is a natural and fundamental human need. However, in the West, due to new and old values like christianity and feminism, this understanding is not as universally accepted, despite long-standing efforts in sex education. As a result, there is still a strong belief that it is abnormal for girls and children to have sexual desires, attributing it to negative influences from media. It is thought that sexual awakening can and should be prevented through regulation. Protecting children from such media is seen as a parental responsibility. Parents are expected to monitor all the programs their children watch and the games they play. Parents who fail to do so are considered neglectful and unfit, often facing severe criticism, strict social sanctions, and even legal penalties. The media is regarded as having significant social responsibility, requiring strict educational considerations and being readily subject to regulation. Therefore, the kind of erotic manga for children that is abundant in Japan is completely beyond the understanding and imagination of Westerners. For a Japanese parent to feel deeply moved by discovering erotic manga hidden in their adolescent child's room, thinking, "Ah, my child is at an age where they are interested in these things," is a common parenting experience in Japan but something Westerners might find hard to relate to. Well, it's unfortunate, but cartoons are already quite niche in Japan. Naturally, cartoon porn is even more niche. The logic that Western cartoon porn should be popular in Japan just because there are vending machines for used panties is nonsensical. I didn't think the picture you sent was any good either. It's a poorly drawn picture. Many other Japanese people would likely feel the same lol

Well, I wonder. It doesn't really look like the kind of art that Japanese people would like. While cartoon porn is popular in the West, it is very niche in Japan.

Perspectives to be added： - In Japan, showing anger over small matters is considered a sign of baseness, foolishness, or weakness, whereas in the West, it is seen as a manifestation of strong ethics and is regarded as a virtuous attitude. - In the West, the concept of sexual contents aimed at women often does not even exist in societies, as it has been traditionally believed that women do not have sexual desires.

Thank you for your reply! Japanese people don't often think in the way you described. I won't say it's nonexistent, but it's rare. At least, I can't think of any examples off the top of my head.

Nice to meet you, ANIMEFORUM！ ! During my time studying in Europe, I was often asked the question mentioned in the title, and I have been contemplating how to interpret and answer it even after returning to Japan. I have now written down my thoughts and posted them on note. I have also prepared an English version as I would like to hear the impressions and opinions of Westerners. If possible, I would love for you all to read it and point out any mistakes from a Western perspective. If you find it interesting, please upvote and comment! Thanks! How to Respond to "Why Are Girls' Breasts Emphasized in Japanese Anime?" from Foreign Friends Understanding the Concept of "Virtue" To understand Western criticism of manga and anime, it is necessary first to grasp the underlying ideology, the concept of "virtue." "Virtue" refers to the qualities that drive a person to do what is right and avoid what is wrong. In the West, it encompasses the standards, actions, and attitudes that respectable members of society are expected to follow. In "virtue," particular emphasis is placed on abstinence, typically encompassing the prohibition or limitation of consumption, drinking, makeup, sexual activity, masturbation, entertainment, and adornment. Abstinence has been a consistent thread through Western thought and religion, from traditional religions like Christianity and Islam to modern ideologies such as socialism, feminism, and veganism. Many Westerners believe that imposing strict limits on sexual and dietary practices not only refines oneself as a person but also promotes societal progress and improvement. It is also believed that many social problems stem from a lack of virtue, and that encouraging widespread abstinence will solve these issues. Consequently, people who are perceived as indulgent in sex or food are often harshly criticized, with calls for their punishment and purging viewed as virtuous political opinions that garner broad support. Historically, in the West, there has been a tendency for citizens to welcome restrictions on freedoms, especially regarding expressions deemed unvirtuous. Those considered unvirtuous may face severe social sanctions, including societal ruin or death. Differences in Perceptions of Beauty In general, beauty and eroticism are seen as positive attributes in Japan. Beautiful and erotic things are regarded as divine and sacred. When Japanese people encounter such entities, they feel spiritually cleansed, and they express their awe using religious vocabulary like "godlike"（神 Kami）and "sacred" (尊い tootoi). In anime and manga culture, beauty and eroticism are often used as symbols of power, justice, divinity, and virtue (the Japanese concept of virtue, not the Western "virtue"). Historical figures, Gods and Buddhas are frequently depicted as beautiful and sexually attractive men and women. In contrast, in the West, beauty and eroticism have historically been viewed as wicked temptations that lead people (especially men) and society astray from the righteous path, considered attributes of the devil. Young, beautiful, and sexually attractive women have traditionally been expected to hide their hair and skin, avoid makeup and adornment, and strive not to tempt men, which is seen as virtuous and responsible behavior. In Western tradition, this can be seen in traditional clothing designed to conceal hair and skin, such as habits and niqabs. Freedom in Japan vs. the West In Japanese, "freedom" is a Buddhist term translated from the Sanskrit word "svayam," meaning independence and being unrestricted. An enlightened Buddha is "free," and this state of liberation from all restraints is considered "freedom" and a desirable state to attain. Therefore, in Buddhist cultures, including Japan, freedom is often viewed as an unconditionally good state, representing a process towards nirvana that all people should strive for. Conversely, in the West, freedom is seen as a test from Yahweh, interpreted as a practice where one must continually choose good over evil. Thus, in the Western perspective, freedom itself is not inherently good; it becomes virtuous only when one overcomes the temptation of evil and consistently chooses morally good actions. Westerners call the force that prompts one to do good and avoid evil "conscience," and acting according to this conscience is considered "true freedom," distinguished from mere freedom. Those who pass Yahweh's judgment are believed to be liberated from the freedom to choose between good and evil in the afterlife, achieving a state free from sin (which, in Japanese terms, would be an "unfree" state). When encountering the chaotic and uninhibited trends on platforms like Twitter or 5chan, Japanese people might be both appalled and impressed by the sheer freedom, feeling a renewed appreciation for their Japanese identity. However, from a Western viewpoint, such freedom is seen as evil, a fearsome chaos that conflates good and evil, indicative of a lack of conscience, and something that must be regulated. Moreover, while in Japan, unfreedom is often associated with shame, weakness, baseness, foolishness, poverty, or disability, and sometimes even becomes a target of contempt or discrimination, in the West, people who impose unfreedom on themselves and proudly display their level of unfreedom, encouraging others to do the same, are respected. Summary In the West, matters related to sex are often religious and ideological taboos, making them highly sensitive topics. Expressing seemingly trivial opinions or revealing sexual preferences can lead to social ruin, unlike in Japan. Therefore, it is crucial to understand Western viewpoints and recognize where potential pitfalls lie. Ideally, we should strive for mutual understanding through frank cultural exchange, but in the West, it is not advisable to argue casually about delicate topics like sex with someone you do not know well. While Japanese social pressure might lead to something as minor as a flat tire, Western social pressure can lead to serious personal harm. Always be cautious! How to Respond to "Why Are Girls' Breasts Emphasized in Japanese Anime?" When responding to Westerners' questions about why girls' breasts are emphasized in Japanese anime, it is essential to be mindful of their perspective, where adults vehemently criticizing and ostracizing the depiction of young, beautiful women may seem peculiar to Japanese eyes but is seen as a virtuous and responsible stance in the West. If someone you recommended an anime to reacts by saying they aren't interested in such explicit content and runs away, don't laugh or persist in recommending it. They likely have ideological or belief-based reasons for abstaining from watching such anime. If someone reacts by calling you a degenerate or immoral for liking such anime, do not get angry. Provoking their sense of justice could lead to a dangerous situation. Even if surrounded by an angry crowd, do not apologize, cry, flee, or let them see your fear. Losing face and social standing could escalate the situation to lynching. Stay calm and composed, smile, and nod in agreement until their excitement subsides. Once they calm down, compliment their virtue: Praise points: * Strong sense of social responsibility. * Strong sense of justice. * High sense of purpose. * Willingness to sacrifice for their beliefs. * Well-educated. * Actively spreading their beliefs.