Man shocked by risque anime found at Seattle library
SEATTLE -- Travis De Nevers is shocked by his niece's find of what he describes as "extremely graphic and explicit material" at the local library.
The book is anime, a Japanese cartoon-themed genre popular with young readers. De Nevers said his niece reads romantic anime non-stop, but one particular book she recently found shocked him.
"This just blew my mind that this was in the library," he said. "It seems like a pornography novel."
Hero Heel 2 comes with a warning on the cover: "parental advisory - explicit content," and the back cover bears a rating: "M for mature audience - 18+."
"There's these two going at it, basically. So to me, it seems like a pornography novel, because the majority of it is them having sex," said De Nevers. "It's harder to get this kind of book at your local 7-Eleven than in your own government-funded library."
Library system director Bill Ptacek said the system manages more than four million items, and there is nothing deemed illegal.
"I guarantee you that there's probably something in our collection that's going to offend everybody," he said. "We really are sorry for the family that this happened to and caused concern. On the other hand, it's a great opportunity to remind parents in our library or any in across the country for parents to manage what their kids are accessing."
De Nevers said that is way he brought up the issue in the first place.
"I would just like parents to know that there are sexually-explicit material at the library for your child to check out," he said.
De Nevers said he doesn't see why the library can't first make sure the user is of age before allowing him or her to check out such books.
But Ptacek said it was the publisher who labeled the book, and the library system does not censor. He added libraries and art institutes fall under different legal guidelines.
The book is anime, a Japanese cartoon-themed genre popular with young readers. De Nevers said his niece reads romantic anime non-stop, but one particular book she recently found shocked him.
"This just blew my mind that this was in the library," he said. "It seems like a pornography novel."
Hero Heel 2 comes with a warning on the cover: "parental advisory - explicit content," and the back cover bears a rating: "M for mature audience - 18+."
"There's these two going at it, basically. So to me, it seems like a pornography novel, because the majority of it is them having sex," said De Nevers. "It's harder to get this kind of book at your local 7-Eleven than in your own government-funded library."
Library system director Bill Ptacek said the system manages more than four million items, and there is nothing deemed illegal.
"I guarantee you that there's probably something in our collection that's going to offend everybody," he said. "We really are sorry for the family that this happened to and caused concern. On the other hand, it's a great opportunity to remind parents in our library or any in across the country for parents to manage what their kids are accessing."
De Nevers said that is way he brought up the issue in the first place.
"I would just like parents to know that there are sexually-explicit material at the library for your child to check out," he said.
De Nevers said he doesn't see why the library can't first make sure the user is of age before allowing him or her to check out such books.
But Ptacek said it was the publisher who labeled the book, and the library system does not censor. He added libraries and art institutes fall under different legal guidelines.
Hmm that was an interesting anime to see. Bleach is recommend to watch!
She was just initiated into the world of yaoi (boy + boy love). Yeah, Manga, not Anime as AV3 said...
That's manga, not anime. Anime, is the Japanese word for animation. Manga, is the Japanese word for comics.Â
hahahaha what a dumb sheet. Can you say clueless? It's Anime douchbag. Get out and explore your world, you might be even more shocked what you will find in our and other cultures.
Many libraries carry DVDs, some of which are "R" rated. Some libraries subscribe to Playboy magazine. A library board of directors typically defines the type of material the library in their community purchases and makes available to the community. Librarians don't make these decisions. Librarians can make recommendations but the final decision is usually made by the library board, which takes into account community values and appropriateness, to name only two criteria. I worked in a library that had unfiltered internet computers. Library users who wanted to access an internet computer had to sign a form in which they had to comply with library policy. That meant no viewing pornographic sites or any site that could be upsetting to someone else who might happen to walk by and see someone's computer screen.  As a staff member I had to walk around the computer section and make sure that no one was viewing pornography or any other inapproprate site. We had one man who came in to look at sites that featured scenes from morgues. Inappropriate. When we caught him in the act, he was made to leave. Three warnings meant that the person was permanently banned from the interest computers. Believe me, there were plenty who were good at switching their screen from inappropriate sites to approved sites. It was a nightmare just making sure library users were following the rules. I would recommend that any public library facility that has computers for internet use have filters in place. It may step on the toes of the ACLU but it keeps people from accessing inappropriate sites that could be traumatic or upsetting for someone who may happen to look over at their neighbor's screen or happen to walk by. If you are concerned about your local library's policies for checking out or viewing material, you should request a copy from the library staff. Would you want your child sitting next to someone who is viewing pornography or sites that feature real-time scenes from morgues?
go though dad's internet history and you'll be calling child services on this fool.
I was reading a lot of sci-fi at that age, and there were many sexual themes in a lot of great novels (Brave New World, Friday, so many more...)Yeah - take your kid to the library and monitor their selections on site if it is important to you. Thankfully, my folks didn't, so I got to read whatever I wanted. Unless it had some obvious adult content on the cover, they never questioned it..
@two loons  This actually goes beyond anything with "sexual themes"...the graphic art and words would be kept at bay in any retail location and require ID to purchase. The library system already has filters on its computers that, if an underage library card holder accesses the internet, those filters are automatic. Why they can't do the same w/ graphic content, mature audiences only checkout items, I don't understand.
All I got to look at when I was a kid were the tribal women in National Geographic.
There are also all sorts of nasty men that watch porn in the open on the computers at the downtown library. Â I asked one of the librarians about it, and she said they can't do anything about it because it's free speech. Â What a bunch of pervs.
 @fabalis1 You should stand or sit in a chair behind them saying this one sucks or she isn't that hot.
 @Laura  @fabalis1 That or have youtube up and play musical selections- "All By Myself" comes to mind.
Parent responsibility....what a new and innovative idea!
Let the parents parent and let the libraries provide media for check out. I see no problem here.
If you do any research about Japanese Anime/Manga and etc, which you should if your kid watches it, you would know that they are MUCH looser on their sexual content than we are.Â
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OMG, kids and teens might learn something about sex!!!
 @mhungryÂ
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Nudity perhaps, but they really aren't that much looser on sex, at least on material aimed at a younger crowd. This particular example was of material that even in Japan would have been aimed at a mature audience, not children. While nudity may be commonly present in anime/manga aimed at a teen crowd as well as innuendo to a degree, actual sex is relatively rare outside of works aimed for a more mature crowd (although this has begun to change somewhat in recent years, as more sex is making it into teen aimed anime/manga these days). Contrast to the US, where pretty much any T-rated show on prime-time TV has sexual references or implied sex scenes everywhere, as well as many PG-13 movies have such content.
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That's why he should preview everything his child checks out. Â He has his beliefs and concerns and others have theirs. Â The book that offended him might not be inappropriate for another more mature reader. Â And with the self check out stations no library staff member is going to be able to preview his child's books for him. Â Besides, how are the staff to know where he draws the line.? Â If he's concerned (which is a good thing for a dad to be) he should show up with her, help her select stuff and take part in the process of using the library. Â It isn't the library's job to babysit his child and it isn't his job to set limits for other people who use the library.
Mental defective. The library should set aside a budget to protect his precious and unique snowflake from his own inept, repressed parenting, but he won't pony up twelve bucks to buy her a book she can read at home.
 @wysoumible Bottom line is KCLS is still partially responsible for having the book and apparently many more accessible to a child to begin with. Luckily , in this case the said Parentâs did pick up the book and looked through it so it has been brought to the publicâs attention that such explicit material is accessible to children. Public entities that are supported by the residentâs tax dollars should act in a more responsible manner keeping such material out of a childâs reach because they are vulnerable. You can nit pick it all you want. I donât see the Parentâs crying victim., I see them informing people that the material is accessible in or through our public libraries whatever the case may be, the material has no business being accessible to a child period.