crime

Manga/anime creator Kenya Suzuki arrested for importing child porn from Europe

32 Comments
By Casey Baseel, SoraNews24

"Please Tell Me! Galko-chan" debuted in 2014, and the manga about high school girl Galko and her friends got a 12-episode anime TV series adaptation in 2016, has had five collected volumes published so far, and is still in continuing serialization through online manga service ComicWalker. All in all, it’s a solid success for Galko creator Kenya Suzuki, even if it hasn’t reached the cultural phenomenon-level of popularity as, say, "Demon Slayer" or "Attack on Titan."

Suzuki is now at the center of attention, though, from the police, as the manga author was arrested for importation of child pornography,

The 40-year-old Suzuki’s arrest stems from a total of six photo albums containing nude photos of children that were sent to him from Germany via registered mail. The albums arrived in Japan split into two shipments, which arrived in September and October of 2020 and were discovered by customs officials in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture.

On Monday, Kyodo news service reported that Suzuki has been arrested on suspicion of importing prohibited items in violation of customs laws, and that a police search of his home in Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture, found 46 books containing child pornography. In regard to the books sent to him from Germany, Suzuki told the police “No matter what, I wanted photos of nude children from overseas, which you can’t get in Japan.” Due to the structure of the Japanese language’s grammar, it’s unclear if by “photos of nude children from overseas” Suzuki was referring to nude photos of non-Japanese children specifically, or simply to photos from overseas of nude children regardless of the children’s nationalities.

Earlier this month, Suzuki was reported as missing on Twitter from someone claiming to be an acquaintance. The tweets, sent on Dec 14, say that Suzuki was not in his home, answering his mobile phone, or responding to emails, and had not been seen since Dec 8. The Twitter user also said that Suzuki’s family had reported him as missing to the police, and in a follow-up tweet on Dec 14 said that he had been safely found.

Coincidentally, the report of Suzuki’s arrest came one day after the announcement of a new TV anime series for "Rurouni Kenshin," whose creator was also arrested on child pornography charges in 2017, prompting a seven-month hiatus for the "Rurouni Kenshin" manga. As of this writing, "Please Tell Me! Galko-chan" remains available on ComicWalker.

Source: Kyodo via Livedoor News via Jin, Matome Matome, ComicWalker

Read more stories from SoraNews24.

-- Half-dozen of manga’s greatest creators have at-home drinking party, make one-of-a-kind artwork

-- Rurouni Kenshin manga restarts serialization just seven months after author’s child porn arrest

-- Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art forced to cover up “obscene” photos following complaint

© SoraNews24

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

32 Comments
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Japan must be paradise if you're a pedo. This moron got caught bringing kiddie porn INTO Japan?!

5 ( +25 / -20 )

The tweets, sent on Dec 14, say that Suzuki was not in his home, answering his mobile phone, or responding to emails, and had not been seen since Dec 8. The Twitter user also said that Suzuki’s family had reported him as missing to the police, and in a follow-up tweet on Dec 14 said that he had been safely found.

This is happened whether you just a suspect which necessarily guilty or actual criminal, they'll take you in their custody without anyone know where you are for days.

https://izanau.com/article/view/police-arrest-and-interrogation-in-japan

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Who cares who he is. There are thousands of creators and authors every years. There are bound to be a few crazy ones among them. Just glad the police are doing their job. I also hope they make contact and inform Germany to try to catch the guys too who are exploiting children there.

-2 ( +10 / -12 )

Oh no!

-14 ( +2 / -16 )

cover

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaWQY_eQUF4

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Yet another sick manga pervert. Not exactly a shock anymore.

Lock him up.

6 ( +14 / -8 )

Due to the structure of the Japanese language’s grammar, it’s unclear if by “photos of.....

What’s the point of this sentence, the structure of the language....

It is clear pictures were sent to him. Who cares of the nationality of the kids. It is not relevant for such an act

0 ( +6 / -6 )

The problem should be dealt at the core.

Stop idolizing and sexualize half children and stop this ridiculous “cuteness” thing.

When a country keep adoring girls barely more than teenagers for maiding,singing and so on you havr men like this one.

3 ( +15 / -12 )

This is no big deal in Japan. Just ask Nobuhiro Watsuki(aka Rurnouni Kenshin artist), who received a 200,000 yen fine for his crime and walked away.

Unless he is wanted in Europe and is extradited on Child Porn charges in Europe, then he's screwed.

1 ( +12 / -11 )

@David Brent

Japan must be paradise if you're a pedo.

It is.

@jkctlr89

Why is this such a problem here?

Child porn used to be legal in Japan, was made illegal only due to foreign pressures ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.

0 ( +15 / -15 )

@Samit Basu

That's good news.

Hopefully Suzuki gets off too.

-12 ( +3 / -15 )

Pedos really deserve the death penalty.

-12 ( +5 / -17 )

Pedos really deserve the death penalty.

Good thing you stated that opinion, I don't think people really cared about pedos before. You've opened our eyes.

-8 ( +6 / -14 )

My wife once overheard a conversation between 2 local men at a bar and they mentioned their preference is 12 year old females ... that is their "sweet spot"... so yeah they like kiddies here and its disgusting!

4 ( +12 / -8 )

hope that this stranger will get punished.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

So many manga and anime are about underage girls in short skirts with upskirt panty shots, are we really surprised?

Ever since the '90s, when more of this type of manga started to proliferate, the manga world has been invaded by perverts.

0 ( +8 / -8 )

Who woulda thunk it - though simply looking at his 'art' might be a clue.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

WOW.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Pedophiles will use some uncensored manga to condition children that some behaviors are ‘acceptable’. @Johansawada 11:15am She didn’t also happen to overhear their occupations ?:

Dec 22, 2022 - https://japantoday.com/category/national/200-teachers-disciplined-for-sexual-assault-in-fiscal-2020 -

Much of the commentary there describes similar accounts such as hers:.

@Johansawada 11:15am: “My wife once overheard a conversation between 2 local men at a bar and they mentioned their preference is 12 year old females ... that is their "sweet spot"... so yeah they like kiddies here and its disgusting!

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

He was most likely just looking for ideas for his child sex manga.

-4 ( +6 / -10 )

Due to the structure of the Japanese language’s grammar, it’s unclear if by “photos of nude children from overseas” Suzuki was referring to nude photos of non-Japanese children specifically, or simply to photos from overseas of nude children regardless of the children’s nationalities.

Because one is better/worse than the other?

Who wrote this garbage?

THEY'RE BOTH DISGUSTING, IMMORAL and ILLEGAL.

0 ( +8 / -8 )

Due to the structure of the Japanese language’s grammar, it’s unclear if by “photos of nude children from overseas” Suzuki was referring to nude photos of non-Japanese children specifically, or simply to photos from overseas of nude children regardless of the children’s nationalities.

And how is the English you used any different?

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

Due to the structure of the Japanese language’s grammar, it’s unclear if by “photos of nude children from overseas” Suzuki was referring to nude photos of non-Japanese children specifically, or simply to photos from overseas of nude children regardless of the children’s nationalities.

Actually that is just as unclear in the English translation. Be that is it may, it is irrelevant to the charge of buying child porn.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

That’s just a slap on the wrist in Japan, isn’t it? A minor offence

Japan - probably the only country in the world where you’ll get in to more trouble for possession of a tiny amount of marijuana than possession of child pornography.

That’s so, so wrong.

3 ( +9 / -6 )

Fetishizing young girls in manga merely but a symptom of the porn addiction pandemic in Japan.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Due to the structure of the Japanese language’s grammar, it’s unclear if by “photos of nude children from overseas” Suzuki was referring to nude photos of non-Japanese children specifically, or simply to photos from overseas of nude children regardless of the children’s nationalities.

They could've asked him.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

“No matter what, I wanted photos of nude children from overseas, which you can’t get in Japan.”

They won't charge him. They'll put national pride over his anime before the lives and safety and mental and physical health of children, especially if foreign. They won't ban his work, either. I'd bet it becomes even more popular domestically.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Who the hell downvotes comments? Hateful introverted drones who are in denial perhaps?

I found a nice 2018 article from the BBC documenting exactly that. Also actual interviews with producers of such material, where children under 6 are brought by their mothers to be photographed and filmed. I don't believe I can't link it on here, but look it up. It's called "Is Japan turning a blind eye to paedophilia?"

Now regarding the guy on the article, I'm sure they're gonna slap his wrists, just like they did with the Kenshin artist. A 1500$ fine and 7 months comic ban. This alone shows that nothing has changed, these are ridiculous punishments. I love how stuff became illegal in 2014 (!!!!!!!!) and only after foreign pressure and only because they were too scared to lose the rebuild-Japan-Olympics. I don't know what to vomit for first.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

Who the hell downvotes comments? Hateful introverted drones who are in denial perhaps?

Japanese netto-uyokus and their Western fascist friends. As Japan Today becomes increasingly popular, it attracts more fascists of all kinds to this place. Of course, the LDP is also paying Internet trolls too!

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Quite often it seems that a genius in one direction will have extreme tastes in another.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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