Author Topic: Seeking Recommendations for Manga Without Rape (Read 1653 times)

redthunder · « **on:** January 15, 2012, 04:33:40 AM »

Wow. Please disregard this request, as it's clearly producing a ton of controversy and next to no recs (though I really appreciate the one poster who did bother recommending actual stories). If there is anyone else out there who finds sexual violence is not to their taste, however, please feel free to PM me -- I'd love to exchange recs. Thanks!

I'm a survivor of rape. Please keep that in mind when you accuse of me of deliberately seeking out rape manga. I don't. It's incredibly offensive to accuse me of doing so.

A year or so ago I hit a ridiculously long streak of manga where the main female character was either raped or seriously threatened with rape (something like fifteen series in a row). That rather turned me off manga for a while. Now I'd like to start reading it again, but I'm a bit gunshy and would rather get some suggestions than blindly pick a series only to find that it, too, contains rape.

Some extra parameters:
-I prefer completed series, but if there are 10 or more volumes out there I'll give an incomplete series a try.
-For completed series, I prefer longer stories (3+ volumes)
-I read just about everything, as long as the characterization is good. The only thing I don't want is rape.
-My absolute favorite series of all time is Gokusen (because I liked the main character. Since everyone says Gokusen is a female version of GTO, I gave that a try and lasted less than a volume since I hated the main character.)
-I'm not actively seeking anime at the moment, but my favorite anime series is Vandread, if that helps.
-Manga series that I liked and/or am currently reading: Rurouni Kenshen, Inuyasha, Full Metal Panic, Claymore, Love So Life, Fruits Basket, Skip Beat!, Bleach (back when the pacing was much, much faster and it was less focused on never-ending fights).
-Manga series that I didn't like, and/or gave up on: GTO, Naruto, Berserk, Black Butler, pretty much every manhwa I've tried (I've never actually tried a manhwa that didn't eventually have rape in it).

That got a little more wordy than I intended. Short version: good characters, yes! interesting women, yes! rape, NO!

ETA: It seems I was too specific when I said I was looking for manga without rape. What I'm actually looking for is manga without sexual violence. So while it's technically not rape when, say, a man throws a woman to the ground and rips off all her clothes (but is interrupted before the rape actually starts) it's still not something I want to read.

Thanks!

BronBron06 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 15, 2012, 05:28:25 AM »

Interesting Women lead w/ 10 or more volume (on-going)

Medaka Box
Yankee kun to Megane Chan
Yuria 100
B Gata H Kei

___

Ongoing 3 or more vol but definitely worth reading

Aku no Hana
Koharu no Hibi
Mysterious Girlfriend X
ReBirth The Lunatic Taker
Sakuranbo Syndrome

logos · « **Reply #2 on:** January 15, 2012, 05:35:11 AM »

So I don't read manga but what you're asking for is kinda...silly? I mean, don't you at least look at a synopsis of what you're gonna read?

Quote from: redthunder on January 15, 2012, 04:33:40 AM

A year or so ago I hit a ridiculously long streak of manga where the main female character was either raped or seriously threatened with rape (something like fifteen series in a row).

If you aren't specifically seeking out rape manga THEN HOW DOES THAT EVEN HAPPEN?! are you just picking up random books?

as for your request....
here's at least 1k titles that fit your request...

redthunder · « **Reply #3 on:** January 15, 2012, 05:49:28 AM »

@BronBron06 - Thank you!

@logos - ...possibly we have a different definition of rape? Because it happens a *lot* in manga, so often that reviews rarely even mention it, much less summaries. For example: Peach Girl (technically a manhwa), in which the romantic male lead *pays a man to rape the female lead* (and yes, she is raped). This is not mentioned in the summary, or in any of the reviews I read before trying it (I was getting more careful at that point). Most people, in fact, called them a "cute couple". A few other examples of manga in which the female lead is raped/almost raped (and in most, if not all, cases the rapes are not mentioned in either the summary or in reviews for the manga, because if they were I wouldn't have tried them): Ai wo Utau Yori Ore ni Oborero!, Anatolia Story, Ayashi No Ceres, Boys Over Flowers/Hana Yori Dango, Descendants of Darkness/Yami no Matsuei, Fushigi Yuugi, Gravitation, Hana Kimi, Hot Blooded Woman, Hot Gimmick, Kare Kano, Kimi Wa Petto (rape victim is a man, but it's still rape -- *and* if I recall correctly, he ends up with his rapist), Love Monster, The Sword of Paros...

billlanam · « **Reply #4 on:** January 15, 2012, 06:41:02 AM »

I've got over 350 mangas, and I'm not sure I've got even one with rape in it, certainly they can be counted on one hand at the most, your criteria for choosing what manga to read must really really make rape more likely in the manga.

I have mostly sci-fi & fantasy mangas, don't know if you're interested, since what you like may be very different from me.

redthunder · « **Reply #5 on:** January 15, 2012, 06:50:23 AM »

@billlanam: honestly, I find that people tend to forget an incident of rape or molestation or two when reading long mangas (in the past I've tried asking friends for recommendations for rape-free manga and a good thirty percent of the mangas recced actually had rape or attempted rape in them). So perhaps I should clarify what I mean by rape/attempted rape? I'm thinking my definition might not be the same as other folks here.

What I'm NOT looking for: mangas with rape (obviously), mangas where there is unwanted genital/breast touching, mangas where a woman is held down by another person as a prelude to sexual assault (even if she is rescued, which happens a lot -- seriously, I think women in manga should be required to take self-defense classes), mangas where a woman is stripped of her clothing against her will -- basically, mangas that feature anything that would utterly piss you off and/or require revenge if it happened to your daughter or your sister (or your brother or son).

As for what I read, I honestly do read just about anything if the characterization is good. My favorite anime is sci-fi and I've read quite a few fantasies that I liked (though I tend to shy away from the fantasy universes where women as a gender are treated like crap) so hit me with your favorites!

Soryon · « **Reply #6 on:** January 15, 2012, 07:01:58 AM »

Quote from: redthunder on January 15, 2012, 04:33:40 AM

A year or so ago I hit a ridiculously long streak of manga where the main female character was either raped or seriously threatened with rape (something like fifteen series in a row). That rather turned me off manga for a while.

I just dont get it. I mean, I do, but I dont.
1) Why didnt you just stop reading rape manga?
2) Why didnt you just stop reading rape manga?

I mean, you said you did that 15 times in a row. Hardly coincidence.

@below- I dunno, dude. Ive never read a manga with rape in it without knowing before hand. Also, thats a pretty broad definition of rape....

redthunder · « **Reply #7 on:** January 15, 2012, 07:31:48 AM »

I have never, ever knowingly read a manga that featured sexual violence. But the amount of sexual violence in manga (especially manga aimed at young girls) is shocking. Even in my favorite manga (Gokusen), a character who is supposed to be a lovable delinquent threatens to rape the main female character. Hell, in Samurai Champloo, Mugen threatens to rape Fuu, and they're supposed to be so close as to nearly be family.

Most of the manga I tried reading the first time around was shojo that was classified as "romantic comedy". Nearly every single one had at least the threat of sexual violence (in the form of drunk men "flirting" with women by suggesting that they go with them to "have a good time"). Most had at least one incident where a female character was pushed to the ground by someone threatening her sexually. At least a quarter had the female character actually go off with men who were clearly intending to rape her (so she could be rescued by the male who could then yell at her for being stupid).

NONE of these mangas *ever* had any mention of rape or sexual violence in their summaries or reviews. Considering just how pervasive sexual violence is in manga, however, it's quite possible readers have become so desensitized to it that they don't even notice it anymore. Lucky them. As someone who has personal history with rape, it's not something I can just skip over or ignore and while I really don't want to give up on manga entirely, right now I feel like the entire artform is a minefield of potential triggers. Honestly, though, this is probably my last attempt, because I'm starting to get the impression that there's no such thing as manga that's 100% free of sexual violence (if only because it apparently doesn't count as sexual violence unless a woman is actually violently penetrated against her will, and even then it might be considered romantic.)

logos · « **Reply #8 on:** January 15, 2012, 07:41:34 AM »

Quote from: redthunder on January 15, 2012, 07:31:48 AM

I have never, ever knowingly read a manga that featured sexual violence. But the amount of sexual violence in manga (especially manga aimed at young girls) is shocking. Even in my favorite manga (Gokusen), a character who is supposed to be a lovable delinquent threatens to rape the main female character. Hell, in Samurai Champloo, Mugen threatens to rape Fuu, and they're supposed to be so close as to nearly be family.

Most of the manga I tried reading the first time around was shojo that was classified as "romantic comedy". Nearly every single one had at least the threat of sexual violence (in the form of drunk men "flirting" with women by suggesting that they go with them to "have a good time"). Most had at least one incident where a female character was pushed to the ground by someone threatening her sexually. At least a quarter had the female character actually go off with men who were clearly intending to rape her (so she could be rescued by the male who could then yell at her for being stupid).

NONE of these mangas *ever* had any mention of rape or sexual violence in their summaries or reviews. Considering just how pervasive sexual violence is in manga, however, it's quite possible readers have become so desensitized to it that they don't even notice it anymore. Lucky them. As someone who has personal history with rape, it's not something I can just skip over or ignore and while I really don't want to give up on manga entirely, right now I feel like the entire artform is a minefield of potential triggers. Honestly, though, this is probably my last attempt, because I'm starting to get the impression that there's no such thing as manga that's 100% free of sexual violence (if only because it apparently doesn't count as sexual violence unless a woman is actually violently penetrated against her will, and even then it might be considered romantic.)

so what you actually mean is, you don't want anything whatsoever that could be considered perverted (ecchi) since you know...when you say rape most people think of what the actual word means instead of your convoluted definition...

redthunder · « **Reply #9 on:** January 15, 2012, 07:58:35 AM »

Quote

so what you actually mean is, you don't want anything whatsoever that could be considered perverted (ecchi) since you know...when you say rape most people think of what the actual word means instead of your convoluted definition...

I guess I am. So tell me -- is there any manga out there that is completely free of characters acting "perverted"? If not, please let me know, so I can stop wasting my time. Thanks.

Soryon · « **Reply #10 on:** January 15, 2012, 08:03:00 AM »

Yea, there are tons, but somehow I get the feeling that if 2 people kiss out of wedlock you will see it as tantamount to rape.
I dont read a whole ton of manga, but I have never had a rape sprung on me. You must either be doing something wrong, or have incredibly hard to fit expectations.

Quote from: redthunder on January 15, 2012, 08:05:25 AM

...I am getting a bit frustrated that what is supposed to be a recommendation post is producing next to no recommendations. Is it really that difficult to come up with a single manga title that doesn't feature sexual violence?

Well, sorry about that. The manga that I read doesnt really fit with the type of stuff you seem to like based on the first post. But I just had to point out how crazy it is that you seem to find rape everywhere you look. Not saying it isnt true, but if it is, you are obviously doing something wrong.

The best I could say that is close to what you want would be "Kaichou wa Maid-sama" or maybe "Ouran High School Host Club." I have only really been reading 4komas lately so I cant offer too much help.

redthunder · « **Reply #11 on:** January 15, 2012, 08:05:25 AM »

I like kissing! I like consensual sex! I like hugging and holding hands and dating and friendship.

I don't like when a woman is held down against her will. I don't like when a man tears a woman's clothes off without her permission. I don't like when a woman is groped (unless she wants to be groped).

...I am getting a bit frustrated that what is supposed to be a recommendation post is producing next to no recommendations. Is it really that difficult to come up with a single manga title that doesn't feature sexual violence?

Al_Sleeper · « **Reply #12 on:** January 15, 2012, 09:02:43 AM »

My Lovely Ghost Kana

redthunder · « **Reply #13 on:** January 15, 2012, 09:09:48 AM »

Thank you!

(I especially loved this comment to the torrent: "I came for the borderline hentai, I stayed for the heartwarming."

)

Al_Sleeper · « **Reply #14 on:** January 15, 2012, 10:50:12 AM »

If you are into heartwarming manga, check Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou and Yotsuba to.
Kamichu! may also suit your tastes.
Natsume Yuujinchou is bittersweet and rather serious.

redthunder · « **Reply #15 on:** January 15, 2012, 02:51:50 PM »

Thank you for these!

I think I tried Natsume Yuujinchou in the past and gave up on it after a volume or two when nothing really happened. Does it pick up after that point (possibly by picking up some more characters -- the whole 'other person who can sort of see spirits' storyline kind of petered out to nothing) or is the whole series just Natsume returning spirits' names?

Thanks again!

Al_Sleeper · « **Reply #16 on:** January 15, 2012, 04:51:49 PM »

Judging by the anime series, yes, it picks up more characters.

redthunder · « **Reply #17 on:** January 15, 2012, 05:52:35 PM »

Awesome, thanks!

billlanam · « **Reply #18 on:** January 16, 2012, 06:40:36 AM »

Tearing off clothes during a fight is just fan service, so they can see naked women, very unrealistic, since an attack that could distintegrate clothing would actually cause far more the damage to the body than to the clothing, it's not even remotely rape.

Recommendations that hopefully you'll like, though I don't see how you found so many rape ones, even with your very broad definition.

666 Satan:
A million tear drops:
+Anima:
Arcana soul:
Chinatsu's voice:
Demon diary:
Dragon half 1: Silly comedy, clothes get torn off.
Futaba-kun change:
King of thorns:
Miyori's forest:
Mushishi:
Oh! My Goddess manga: Comedy.
Ranma: Comedy.
Under the dapple shade:

Zalis116 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 16, 2012, 10:07:25 AM »

Well, I recommend avoiding anything by Yuu Watase (who wrote Ceres and Fushigi Yuugi), as she loves the "Rape as Drama" element. Examples include Alice 19th, Imadoki, and probably anything else she's written.

Ironically, ecchi/comedy shounen romance manga have considerably less sexual violence towards women elements than shoujo manga, since the males in the former are too scared and shy around women to commit any rape-like acts.

But a few others, which do not fall under the genre in the previous paragraph:

Ultra Maniac
Sugar Sugar Rune
Strawberry Marshmallow