Balancing TV Regulation with Program Creativity
―Is too much regulation making cartoon programs no longer fun for children?―

　As times change, cartoon films also change to reflect the times. “Doraemon” is a cartoon film started in 1979 and targets elementary school children. In 2005’s renewal, the way violent scenes were written was changed. Also, in a cartoon film, “Crayon Shinchan”, started in 1992 and targets kindergarten- and elementary-school children, violent scenes and lewd expressions were altered. Some people say, “These changes are too educationally considerate that there are risks that the good part of cartoon films diminishes.”

How have catoon films changed?
　Since it started in 1979, a cartoon film “Doraemon” has been broadcasted for 30 years, targeting elementary school children. This is a story of a cat-typed robot named “Doraemon” who comes from the future to help change the future of Nobita, a 11 year-old boy. Doraemon not only tries to help Nobita mature as person, but helps him when he gets bullied by his classmates, Gian or Suneo, or when he gets in trouble, using many special devices that Doraemon has brought from the future. This cartoon film keeps getting favorable responses from many parents, and ranks high in “TV programs that parents want their children to watch.”

　“Crayon Shinchan” started in 1992 and is also a cartoon film that has been broadcasted for as many as 19 years. The protagonist is Shinnoske Nohara, a 5-year-old kindergarten child. Shinnosuke, called “Shinchan”, is a very mischievous, childlike boy. He often does or say dirty things such as showing his bottom and penis, and gets scolded and is socked by his mother, Misae, for doing these things. Because of these, “Crayon Shinchan” has been elected as one of “TV programs that parents do not want their children to watch” several times. “Doraemon” and “Crayon Shinchan” seem to be of a totally different type. However, they have one thing in common that both are long-lasting cartoon films targeting children. The commonality is that violent scenes or lewd expressions have been decreased or expressed indirectly in recent years. In “Doraemon,” for instance, when bully Gian hits Nobita, clouds of dust appear and we cannot actually see the scene clearly.

　Likewise in “Crayon Shinchan”, when Shinchan gets socked by his mother, we cannot see the scene but only hear the sound of it.

　Furthermore, Shinchan tends to show his bottom less than before, which can make Shinchan less attractive to children.


Parents’ criticism changed cartoon films.
　Behind such changes in cartoon films, “There may have been complaints from parents,” says, Kazuya Tatekabe, an ex-voice actor of Gian, the bully in “Doraemon,” and Keiichi Hara, who was a director of “Crayon Shinchan.” Hara explains, “Shinchan often shows his bottom or does mischiefs.

　Keiichi Hara Was a director of a cartoon film,”Crayon Shinchan”. He also directed a awarded movie.

　The higher audience rating ‘Crayon Shinchan’ gets, the more children tend to start emulating what Shinchan does in TV out of amusement. And the more children emulate, the more annoyed adults such as parents get. Then, when such children’s behaviors continue, people start to consider ‘Crayon Shinchan’ as being outrageous. This phenomenon is not only limited to matters of ‘ Crayon Shinchan’, but also of any other TV programs with high audience ratings, for they are influential.” He continues, “What TV producers make is often influenced by the program’s audience rating. When rating is getting higher, the TV people just do not care about any complaints that they receive. However, once it starts to go down, they start to listen to these complaints, and try to answer them. Many violent or dirty expressions are getting regulated. People in TV tend to think that the cause in decreasing rating lies in the viewers’ complaints.” He elaborates, “Viewers who criticize about violent or lewd scenes are in most cases just wanting to criticize about something.” “Violent scenes certainly affect children, but it is only temporary and does not affect personality formation,” an educator and the vice president of Shiraume Gakuen University, Toshiyuki Shiomi explains. “Rather,” he says, “children living today release their energy by watching something violent whereas children in old days released by playing outside.

　Toshiyuki Shiomi Wrote an educational book out of family of “Crayon Shinchan.”

　Children nowadays can also feel as if the characters were acting in place of them. To be a balanced man, this experience is essential.” Furthermore, Yasuyuki Yokoyama, an establisher of “Study of Doraemon,” and Tatekabe also says, “It’s not good, or rather, bad to control violent or dirty scenes too much out of educational consideration for children. By watching such scenes, children gradually learn what is good and what is bad by themselves. I think expressions in cartoon films changed due to parents’ voice. This change reflects social phenomenon. I, however, think that teaching by negative examples is necessary for children, so I think such control is not good for children.”

Essence of stories should be protected.
　Hara says, “In ‘Crayon Shinchan’, he certainly often does vulgar things, and Misae always uses her fists for that. But, Shinchan basically does not segregate people. Rather, he is very honest and equal to everyone. If you watch ‘Crayon Shinchan’ well, you cannot say ‘It’s not good for children because it contains violent scenes.” About controlling graphic description, Yokoyama says, “Protagonists of cartoon films do not get old. That does not mean that they do not have to change at all because they do not get old. Cartoon films do and should reflect the times, and at the same time, they should keep their essence, or they will not last long.” Shiomi says, “Shinchan is getting less mischievous, which makes Shinchan less attractive than before. If this continues, Shinchan will be less popular, and new TV programs that replace ‘Crayon Shinchan will be born.” Yokoyama again says, “A cartoon film, ‘Doraemon’ contains dream by existence of Doraemon and special devices from the future. Little bit of jokes and adventures are also mixed up and make up the essence of this film, and ‘Doraemon’ should never lose that.” Lastly, Kazuya Tatekabe, who had been a voice actor of Gian until 2005’s renewal explains, “In ‘Doraemon’, we can see dream everywhere in children’s daily life. I wish ‘Doraemon’ to inherit this for a long, long time.”


　Kazuya Tatekabe Served as an ex-voice actor of Gian of “Doraemon” for 26 years.


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Opposition
　Cartoon films should be regulated Teruyoshi Sasaki, a professor at International Christian University, studies how violent scenes in media affect children. According to him, behaviors that children show by emulating cartoon film characters are only a fad. “However, the theory that violent scenes are good for children because children watch the scenes to release the accumulated energy is called catharsis theory (※). Feshbach proposed this in the 1970’s but people hardly support it nowadays. Rather, the learning theory that opposes the catharsis theory is more popular now.” Learning theory explains that when a person watches something violent, the person tends to emulate it for just a short period. “The change observed in recent cartoon films is not a bad one. It’s rather good. I want cartoon films that can attract many children’s attention, such as ‘Crayon Shinchan’ and ‘Doraemon’ to involve contents that viewing children can grow honestly and well,” he says.


※An experiment Feshbach did to prove the catharsis theory
　The experiment takes place in two domitories. Students in one dormitory can watch TV programs that contain violent scenes, and students in another can watch TV programs that do not contain violent scenes. This experiment is continued for 6 weeks. As a result, former students showed less violent behaviors than the latter students. Later, it is pointed out that students’ backlash towards not being able to watch popular TV programs that contain violent scenes accounted for this result.

BY Riyo Matsushita

EDITOR Ayuko Kiyoshi