Rurouni Kenshin

[LumRanmaYasha]

Watsuki let us down after all, though not in a way I dare expected. It's sad that someone who made a series beloved by children turned out to be a pedophile creep. I won't forsake the series and go out and burn my books because there's still a lot of good about it, but I condemn Watsuki and will never read another one of his series and especially anything new he makes from now on. It's such a shame the Hokkaido arc had to be aborted because of this because it was starting so good, but I don't think I would finish it even if he does return to it at some point.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Someone really needs to do something about this problem in Japan. It really seems to pop up all the time, and it's gotten to the point that it is never surprising anymore when someone is revealed to have it. This is some devastating news, and I hope he finds help to fix himself.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I'm not going to lie, this news really stings. It's terrible in any regard to see someone have such a disgusting and immoral side to them, but it can be especially devastating when it's someone who's work you have admired.

Like Lum it's not going to necessarily change my outlook on his previous work. Stuff like Rurouni Kenshin is an amalgamation of his work in combination with assistants and editors, and it still means a lot to me and will continue to do so. That said, I also have no desire to continue to read any of his work that's put out going forward, knowing what I do about him now.

This news just really depresses me more than anything else.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Someone really needs to do something about this problem in Japan. It really seems to pop up all the time, and it's gotten to the point that it is never surprising anymore when someone is revealed to have it. This is some devastating news, and I hope he finds help to fix himself.

Looking at things on a broader scale this isn't merely just a Japan problem. If the last several weeks have taught us anything, we have sickos of all kinds hiding in plain site all over the world. People like Harvey Weinstein and Andy Signore may not be guilty of indulging in child pornography, but it doesn't make their deeds any less terrible than Watsuki's.

I'm just hoping that the entertainment industry in general can get a good shake-up from these incidents and be more strict against weeding out people of this nature.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Someone really needs to do something about this problem in Japan. It really seems to pop up all the time, and it's gotten to the point that it is never surprising anymore when someone is revealed to have it. This is some devastating news, and I hope he finds help to fix himself.

Looking at things on a broader scale this isn't merely just a Japan problem. If the last several weeks have taught us anything, we have sickos of all kinds hiding in plain site all over the world. People like Harvey Weinstein and Andy Signore may not be guilty of indulging in child pornography, but it doesn't make their deeds any less terrible than Watsuki's.

I'm just hoping that the entertainment industry in general can get a good shake-up from these incidents and be more strict against weeding out people of this nature.

Agreed about that. These are problems that need to be caught sooner and nipped in the bud straight away.

[gunswordfist]

Yeah, this shouldn't be just put on the Japanese.

[Markness]

I still like RuroKen because it was made by Watsuki before he became the man he is now. He'll probably get blacklisted for this, though.

[gunswordfist]

Hopefully his career is completely dead and he spends years in prison.

[Markness]

It's a shame really. I loved his art style and wanted him to do another manga.

[Dr. Insomniac]

This makes Misao's character arc and her relationship with Aoshi and Kenshin awkward to reread in hindsight.

[VLordGTZ]

Hopefully his career is completely dead and he spends years in prison.

The maximum sentence he can be given is apparently one year in prison with a penalty of 1 million yen.  Whether Watsuki's career will end, is anyone's guess.  If Shuiesha prevents Watsuki from publishing more manga with them, there's a risk that he will leave and take Rurouni Kenshin with him, which they probably don't want to lose since it's a best-seller.  At the same time, it's hard for me to imagine any other publisher being willing to take him after this, and maybe Watsuki will give up on manga as a result.

Thinking about it, this is a pretty different situation from Shimabukuro's child prostitution scandal since based on the known evidence and Shimabukuro's claims, he didn't know the girl that he payed was under aged since he met her on an anonymous hookup site.  Watsuki, on the other hand, is fully admitting to being sexually attracted to young children.  Shimabukuro was able to continue his career because (while not acceptable by any means) what he did was an accident, but Watsuki was 100% intentional in his actions.  I doubt anyone at Shueisha will bail him out of this situation.

[Daikun]

The maximum sentence he can be given is apparently one year in prison with a penalty of 1 million yen.

Seriously? That's a goddamn slap on the wrist.

[Dr. Insomniac]

The maximum sentence he can be given is apparently one year in prison with a penalty of 1 million yen.

Seriously? That's a goddamn slap on the wrist.

Yeah, that's really lax. But at least he'll probably be blacklisted from publishing a manga again.

[Avaitor]

Aren't Japan's child pornography law a lot less strict than their penalties for drugs?

This is a rough one, as Kenshin is a series that I really like, but this is inexcusable. I feel better about having not get to the Hokkaido arc.

[gunswordfist]

I am stunned that that would be the maximum. I also didn't even know he could keep/receive the rights to his series. I know jackshit about Japanese law and how manga works.