I agree with you DeadHead. Like it always is, censorship will come for these games, then something else tomorrow, and it will keep going til there's no one left to defend the right for some to consume questionable material in their privacy, featuring fake characters and no one getting hurt.

Sure, its never been proven, but what if such material is keeping a lot of bad folk in check?? Think about that carefully, because this is something even the west could benefit from if tested out, since we still don't know what to do with such people. This rape game cat has been out of the bag for ages, and there's no way its returning, regardless of a ban. Its damn hard to legislate this when rape has such a history in japanese society and culture.

Don't forget what happened, when alcohol was banned during the U.S depression. Nature will always find a way.

@The White Light

Should child porn be legal? No.

Obviously not, because actual people are harmed in the process of creating it, unlike with the process of creating these video games.

Should there be games where you go around and shoot minorities as a form of ethnic cleansing? No.

This would, indeed, be utterly tasteless if it were produced, yes. Would it cause people (who weren't already predisposed to so anyway) to suddenly want to go out and get their lynch on? No way to know for sure, but I'm betting on no, until it is proven beyond a shadow of a doubt otherwise. Should it be banned out of hand just because someone (like, say, you) simply doesn't like it? No.

Should there be games centered on sexual violence against women? No.

And yet, there are such games already in existence. However, it should be noted that the world hasn't exploded into an orgy of rape as a result.

Would any of these inspire actual aggression? I'm not sure.

Only in people already predisposed to act that way, most likely, if even that. Normal, functional human beings, however? Not so much.

However, there's no reason to allow these ideas be promoted or to allow people to take some perverse relish in them.

Why? Is there any (good) reason NOT to do these things, as long as nobody is being harmed by it? As long as I don't have to hear about it, and as long as nobody is being definitively hurt by it, I don't give a crap WHAT video game you play in the privacy of your own home.

Should pornography or any depiction of rape be made illegal? Of course not.

Um, then what is your point with the previous paragraphs?

There are ways to actually defend these ideas without having to resort to the blanket argument of free speech. You cannot do the same with these "rape" games.

Says you. And yet, people have done so and continue to do so. Effectively, I might add. Just because you personally don't follow their reasoning doesn't automatically make it invalid. And the "blanket" argument of free speech is no less valid or powerful a defense than any other, despite what you say.

They offer no benefit, only harm.

Again, says you. Would you care to cite some research to back up this dubious claim? What harm is being offered? Granted, I agree that there really isn't any redeeming benefit to it, but at least I am aware that this is merely my opinion on the subject at this point, and not etched-in-stone fact. I don't think there's any harm coming from it either, however, unless you count the feelings of extreme rage and offensive calls to ban everything engendered in the people who don't like it.

As others have mentioned, your rape statistics at best only feebly support your argument. There's so many goddamn factors you're not taking into consideration and there's no fucking control group to compare. If you think that the presence of such game actually reduces rapes (all other things held constant), then you are a FUCKING STUPID PIECE OF SHIT.

And if you think the presence of such games actually increases rapes (all other things held constant), then you are also a "FUCKING STUPID PIECE OF SHIT". Given, of course, that there's so many goddamn factors that you're not taking into consideration and there are no fucking control groups to compare and all that. No evidence, one way or the other. Therefore, all other things held constant, if the occurrence of actual raping isn't being quantifiably swayed one way or another by the existence of things like this, then what purpose is there to banning these things at all (aside from promoting the feel-good nanny state where the government is the be all and end all, alpha and omega, supreme authority on letting you know what is or isn't good for you to think about, or, worse, is or isn't allowed for you to think about)?

Mind you, I'm not all rah rah yay rape games, but I'm also not someone who is going to, irrationally and based on little more than powerful emotional response and little else, call for the banning of things that do not directly affect me or anyone else. My being squicked out by them isn't a good enough reason, in my opinion.

i strongly agree with mr bradrick rice

I saw this coming. It's sad really, but they'll get used to it. Here, in the US, we're already used to this. I mean, look how effective censorship is here. At this rate, we'll have to smile everytime we pass by the dark window in our homes, and any one who thinks diferently will be taken away to that very special room, by the big men in uniforms.

I'd say it's at least good because it shows no tolerance for the act itself, much like with our banning of virtual depictions of child abuse. Banning its production is fine. Criminalizing possession, however, is an entirely different matter.

Daedhead8

"we have to fight censorship in all of it's forms"

No, we don't. I think there are lines to be drawn.

Simple. A cat is fine too. Just move on to that.

Wait, that actually sounds like furry pron. Fuck, excuse me while I wash my hands in bleach.

Alright. Now the whole world of chicks are willing to have sex with you, instead of you raping them. That makes thing better. Surely.

I'm all for an open and free exchange of ideas as well as being very anti censorship. But I think you have to question the mindset of people who "get off" on rape games for a start. Second quoting rape statistics is notoriously meaningless as it represents the number of REPORTED rapes. But by your logic we should have games which depict sex with children as that would stop people actually don’t it... actually I don't doubt that but I also think it glorifies it.

I think I stand on the side of banning this sick filth this time (and only this time).

http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/05/29/media-invents-eroge-ban/
has this been posted yet?

Fucking ignorant people putting shit on the japanese peoples head.