Shotacon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Shotacon (ショタコン shotakon?), sometimes shortened to shota (ショタ?), is a Japanese term for a sexual complex where an adult is attracted to an underage boy, or in which two underage boys are attracted to one another. In the Western world, it is used to refer specifically to artwork or manga depicting pre-pubescent or pubescent boys, and sometimes older characters that are considered child-like or otherwise cute. These works are often sexual in nature; some common themes include yaoi (homosexual relationships), cross-dressing, and incest with an older sibling or other family member. The female equivalent of shotacon is lolicon.
Though shotacon typically features relationships between two boys of the same age or between boys and men, a related but less common genre is straight shotacon. Straight shotacon features young boys, but includes women or girls as pairs for them. Anime with straight shotacon themes are more common than homosexual shotacon themes. One successful pornographic straight shota anime series is Kodomo no Jikan, which spanned seven hentai animated episodes and three manga volumes. Most hentai anime run for only one or two episodes.
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[edit] Controversy
While still relatively unknown to most of the Western world, shotacon and lolicon artwork is sometimes criticized as being the moral equivalent of child pornography. However, many shotacon fans contend that different audiences enjoy shotacon themes for different reasons, and that is not limited to adults who are sexually attracted to young boys. Also, they argue, shotacon can serve as a harmless alternative to pornography involving real children, or illegal relations for those who do. As boys are stereotypically perceived as being interested in sex at a younger age than girls, shotacon is generally somewhat more well-received and less stigmatized than its female counterpart. It is often used as a comedic device to diffuse potential controversy. In addition, many male fans of manga and other forms of media enjoy mild shotacon themes as a form of wish-fulfillment due to the use of older, attractive women in a sexually dominant position or as an instructor. Some feel this balances out the stereotypical female-exploiting nature of hentai themes which idealizes virginal, submissive girls and portrays men as overly aggressive partners.
[edit] 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. In that anime and manga series, Shōtarō is a young detective who is never afraid to speak his mind to others (including grownups). In addition to being the young owner and custodian of a giant robot, Shōtarō frequently outwits his adult adversaries and helps to solve cases. He is almost constantly around a few of his close adult friends, such as the chief of police, Inspector Otsuka, and the inventor and scientist, Dr. Shikishima, who knew Shōtarō's father. Disregarding a few situations in which his physical limits became a disadvantage, he acted largely as an adult would, despite being a young boy. The appearance of his character was considered cute by some viewers, as evidenced by the etymology of the term "shotacon". Shōtarō is also a common name for young male characters in anime and manga.
Where this shotacon concept developed is hard to prove, but one of the earliest roots of this syndrome can be traced to readers responses to detective series written by Edogawa Rampo featuring cool detective Kogoro Akechi. In the series, Yoshio Kobayashi and his friends form "Shōnentanteidan" (Junior Detective Group, similar to the Baker Street Irregulars of Sherlock Holmes) to aid Mr. Akechi. Kobayashi was written as a perfect young teenager who, some might say, had a strong "dependency" on Mr. Akechi. Every time he appeared, he was either worried about Akechi's well-being or helping Akechi set the trap for criminals. On the numerous occasions that the boy was captured, Akechi swooped in for a timely rescue. Kobayashi even shared a home with Akechi, who happened to be unmarried. In short, he acted almost as though he were Akechi's wife.
[edit] Shotacon as a meme
Bridget, a crossdressing young boy from the video game series Guilty Gear became infamous on image boards like Futaba Channel and 4chan as a shotacon sex symbol, whose cuteness was lauded by otherwise vehemently straight fans. Usually depicted in his blue nun habit, he became instantly recognizable even when his origin and sex were not. Canonically, he dressed as a girl to avoid the superstitious persecution of twins, and has an honest desire to become more manly. Fanworks usually depict him in a feminine or even lolicon style of dress; but nearly always anatomically male. Shotacon themes are also found in other humorous contexts.
[edit] Shotacon publications
Shotacon stories are commonly released in semi-monthly anthologies, such as the publications below that feature the work of many artists. They are also released as individual manga volumes by a single artist, or through other methods. Typically, soft core shota works are made by females for females and hardcore pornographic works are made mostly by homosexual males for other males. In this regard, shotacon is one of the few, if only, manga and anime aimed for gay audiences.
- Koushoku Shounen no Susume (好色少年のススメ)
- Shounen Ai no Bigaku (少年愛の美学)
- Shounen Shikou (少年嗜好)
[edit] Shotacon anime
- Boku no Pico (ぼくのぴこ)
- Enzai (冤罪)
[edit] Shotacon video games
- Enzai (冤罪)
[edit] 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 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.
- Loveless is an example of a shonen-ai series that evokes the spectre of shotacon. One day Ritsuka Aoyagi meets a man called Soubi Agatsuma, who claims to be the friend of his dead brother. With the desire to know about his brother's death, Ritsuka becomes friends with Soubi. Because Ritsuka is 12 years old and Soubi is his 20 year old stalker, the series evokes shotacon themes, even though it isn't technically shotacon.
- The series Ouran High School Host Club features a shota character, Mitsukuni Haninozuka nicknamed "Honey-kun." 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, one of the oldest hosts, being a senior in high school.
- 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 the series has not established his age or mentioned Mamoru having skipped any grades. A Japanese high school freshman is normally 14 or 15-years old. The official Mamoru-kun website, www.megadere.com, lists Mamoru's height as 155 centimeters (5 feet 1 inch) which would make him either a normal-sized 12-year old boy or a very small 14-year old. Further evidence in case for his shota status is the official site calls him a "boy" (男の子) instead of "youth" or "teenager" (少年) used to describe his male classmates.
[edit] 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.
[edit] See also
