Obscene Anime Figurines Raid
Wondering why your order for that Chu Chu Astram figurine hasn’t arrived yet in your local figurine store? Well, chances are it may have been consficated. Harian Metro, a Malay-language tabloid did a special investigative report on anime figurines, and reported it to the authorities, who promptly took action.
Young collectors with fetish for obscene dolls
PORNOGRAPHIC dolls, which can cost up to RM200 each, have flooded the local market and are being snapped up by well-off young collectors.
Harian Metro reported that collecting these dolls was a hobby to some, especially children from wealthy homes, according to the Home Ministry Quranic text control division central enforcement unit head Mohd Rizal Abidin.
The dolls were being sold in shopping malls in the Klang Valley.
“The traders told us that most of these dolls are popular with teenagers who bought them for their own private collection, or as gifts for their friends.
“Action has to be taken as such pornographic dolls affect society’s moral values,” he said after raiding several premises which sold such dolls in Bukit Bintang, Subang Jaya, Petaling Jaya and Brickfields since last Monday.
Mohd Rizal said they confiscated 114 dolls valued at about RM10,000.
(source: The Star Online)
The original report can be found here, courtesy of Google Cache.
Selling Indecent Toys (retrieved 12th August 2008)
I like it how the reporter grossly generalizes that these figurines are mainly bought by ‘anak orang kaya’ (children of rich people). I’m hardly wealthy, and I know quite a number of collectors who aren’t rich either - we just save our money like anybody else.
This incident reminds me of the infamous KOSMO! incident two years back, when the tabloid reported that anime was animated sex. Well, glad to see yet another tabloid of journalistic integrity picking up the pace!
Figure Mall’s Kevin is understandably pissed about this. Valho has a more reasonable outlook on the whole situation, though Setsuna is panicking.
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I have to admit that some of it is really the shop owner’s fault. Of late I’ve noticed that the anime toy stores have gotten more and more forward in displaying the more fanservice-y stuff, probably as a way to entice fanboys to come in and get them.
What these people forget is that many children — and their parents — cannot tell the difference between what toys are meant for children and what are well, not. And the ecchi ones are displayed at exactly the height level of kids. I’ve seen at least one incident when a five year old heads straight to the display of a figurine store thinking it’s a doll store. I mean seriously; not only is it an even more blatant display of sexuality than the sex shop just several shoplots over, it also makes me feel dirty for stepping inside the store.
Goodness, I sound so conservative lately.
[...] Harian Metro officially made a complaint after that. The story on Danny Choo’s blog and also FatCatLim. Looking back, both side was overreacting BADLY. Both felt that they were right and the other side [...]