Lolicon: Difference between revisions
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The Japanese abbreviation of the English phrase "Lolita Complex." The term refers to the book ''[[Lolita]]'' by [[Vladimir Nabokov]], which describes an older man's illicit sexual affair with a twelve-year-old girl. Sometimes written as "roricon" or "rorikon" due to the inexact mapping between Japanese and English phonemes. Not so much an [[Anime Trope]] as a Japanese cultural trope, this is the term used to describe the fetish/fascination some mature people have for underage girls, particularly [[Joshikousei|sailor-suited schoolgirls]]. There is an entire industry in Japan devoted to providing legal but schoolgirl-themed pornography, taking advantage of the [[Kawaisa|cute]] [[Kawaiiko|childlike appearance]] some Japanese women maintain well into their twenties. |
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Because the characters in anime are often young by convention, many fans think that a character can only be [[Lolicon]] if she is twelve or younger. Exceptions are granted if the other character in the relationship is a ''lot'' older. |
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Pedophiles are bad, right? There are few things you'll get more agreement on than that, especially when they're open about it. But sometimes the damaging nature of pedophilia is glossed over and played for laughs or as being harmless, thus resulting in the trope known as '''Lolicon'''. |
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[[Lolicon]] themes are far more common in [[hentai]] material, but can still be found here and there in mainstream anime. One particular device used to skirt the boundaries of taste and legality is the exotic being (alien, creature of magic, robot or the like) which takes the form of an underage human girl, but is in fact [[Really Seven Hundred Years Old|for all other practical purposes an adult]]. Interestingly enough, Nabokov himself addressed the subject with far less sympathy and jocularity, describing said older man in his book as "a vain... cruel... hateful person." Nabokov's Lolita was also portrayed in a not very sympathetic light, as she consciously seduced him their first time to manipulate him, and was by no means unwilling or innocent in the affair.<ref>Maybe. One must remember that Humbert is an [[Unreliable Narrator]], and is prone to projecting the way he wants things to be over what actually ''is''. Even so, he admits that Lolita frequently cries herself to sleep, although he mischaracterizes the reason. See our page on the novel for more information.</ref> |
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Put simply, a lolicon is a pedophile. But instead of the usual villainous or disgusting attitude normally attributed to one, they are instead treated as being a little creepy, but ultimately harmless. Instead of being played to repulse the audience, a lolicon is normally a humorous figure. [[Values Dissonance|Because of Western media views]], you are highly unlikely to see a '''Lolicon''' outside of Japan derived works such as Anime, [[Visual Novels]] or [[Video Games]]. |
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Another reason why lolicon is fetishized by people may be because ''some'' of them just view it as a substitute for their [[fetish]] for [[Pettanko|flat-chested, but otherwise well-developed]], women. |
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Note: Despite this being largely a Japanese trope, it does not actually signify that the Japanese are more approving of pedophilia. On the contrary, the Japanese are just as disapproving as Western countries. Thus, calling yourself a lolicon in real life would be a bad idea if you were visiting Japan, as in normal conversation it ''does'' simply mean pedophile. Adding on to that, not all pedophiles in a Japanese work are lolicons. If they are actually taken seriously and as having something that is genuinely wrong with them, they are at best a subversion of Lolicon. |
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Oddly enough, many idols among the fetish are from [[Shoujo Demographic|shoujo]] series intended for girls. However, this may have more to do with the innocent fetish the younger female ''audience'' has with having a cool older boyfriend. On the other hand, some [[Moe]] series tend to be more blatant in their aims. |
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Compare with [[Shotacon]]. The whole thing may be the result of an accidentally compromising situation, making this [[Mistaken for Pedophile]] instead. |
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The trope ''may'' have a ''slight'' [[Freudian Excuse]], at least in anime; after WWII, the Japanese constitution was amended to outlaw all public exposure of adult genitalia (which of course in part led to the codification of [[Naughty Tentacles]]) or pubic hair, but not ''children's'' genitalia - making every female in Japanese entertainment retain prepubescent traits. It's just as lame as most Freudian Excuses, though. |
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See also [[Joshikousei]] and, for teacher-student relationships, [[Hot for Student]]. Compare with [[Shotacon]]. |
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[[Category:Example Sectionectomy]] |
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[[Category:Tropes About Perverts]] |
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[[Category:Lolicon]] |
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[[Category:Youngsters]] |
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Revision as of 22:01, 5 May 2016
The Japanese abbreviation of the English phrase "Lolita Complex." The term refers to the book Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, which describes an older man's illicit sexual affair with a twelve-year-old girl. Sometimes written as "roricon" or "rorikon" due to the inexact mapping between Japanese and English phonemes. Not so much an Anime Trope as a Japanese cultural trope, this is the term used to describe the fetish/fascination some mature people have for underage girls, particularly sailor-suited schoolgirls. There is an entire industry in Japan devoted to providing legal but schoolgirl-themed pornography, taking advantage of the cute childlike appearance some Japanese women maintain well into their twenties.
Because the characters in anime are often young by convention, many fans think that a character can only be Lolicon if she is twelve or younger. Exceptions are granted if the other character in the relationship is a lot older.
Lolicon themes are far more common in hentai material, but can still be found here and there in mainstream anime. One particular device used to skirt the boundaries of taste and legality is the exotic being (alien, creature of magic, robot or the like) which takes the form of an underage human girl, but is in fact for all other practical purposes an adult. Interestingly enough, Nabokov himself addressed the subject with far less sympathy and jocularity, describing said older man in his book as "a vain... cruel... hateful person." Nabokov's Lolita was also portrayed in a not very sympathetic light, as she consciously seduced him their first time to manipulate him, and was by no means unwilling or innocent in the affair.[1]
Another reason why lolicon is fetishized by people may be because some of them just view it as a substitute for their fetish for flat-chested, but otherwise well-developed, women.
Oddly enough, many idols among the fetish are from shoujo series intended for girls. However, this may have more to do with the innocent fetish the younger female audience has with having a cool older boyfriend. On the other hand, some Moe series tend to be more blatant in their aims.
The trope may have a slight Freudian Excuse, at least in anime; after WWII, the Japanese constitution was amended to outlaw all public exposure of adult genitalia (which of course in part led to the codification of Naughty Tentacles) or pubic hair, but not children's genitalia - making every female in Japanese entertainment retain prepubescent traits. It's just as lame as most Freudian Excuses, though.
See also Joshikousei and, for teacher-student relationships, Hot for Student. Compare with Shotacon.
- ↑ Maybe. One must remember that Humbert is an Unreliable Narrator, and is prone to projecting the way he wants things to be over what actually is. Even so, he admits that Lolita frequently cries herself to sleep, although he mischaracterizes the reason. See our page on the novel for more information.