| Katsucon Sunday - Kondom |
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It was one of the rare manga titles that has bounced
between publishers. It started with Antarctic Press, then moved to Dark
Horse. What book has generated that attention from companies and readers?
It's Insect Hunter, released in the U.S. as Bondage Fairies. This graphically
X-rated title is drawn by the artist who uses the pen name of Kondom, who
traveled with his wife, Marito, to Katsucon. By the way, "Kondom" is a
double pun. the Japanese writing of the name also can mean "insect." |
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As Kondom sat at his table in the Katsucon artists'
alley, he answered some questions through an interpreter. Why did he switch
from horror comics to erotic manga? "It's probably because I'm kind of
perverted." What inspired him to create Bondage Fairies? "Ever since I
started drawing, I drew small cute things. Insects have a hard exoskeleton
and people are soft. I thought it would be interesting to play that off." |
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There's a long tradition of erotic art in Japan dating
back to the era of the pillow books. While erotic manga flourishes in Japan,
it's (sometimes barely) censored to remove the most obvious images of genitalia.
"I think it's ridiculous. It ticks me off," he said Kondom doesn't censor
his work. He draws what he wants and lets the publisher stick white pieces
of paper over the potentially offending parts. |
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In spirit, Bondage Fairies resembles some of the
most intense doujinshi self-published manga from Japan. That material leads
to criticism that the manga can hurt children and is demeaning to women.
Kondom disagrees. "People who read these books are adults ad this doesn't
affect children," he said. |
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