“Rapelay” – The Aftermath
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“Rapelay,” a Japanese Hentai title by Illusion Soft, casually bypassed the Amazon Marketplace early 2009 and with little effort, “Rape Lay” became the core of industry controversy and a leading example of questionable content in video-games. Admittedly, from a Journalist’s perspective, it’s always been uncommon for me to shy away from what is widely-regarded as politically incorrect or inhumane considering this subject is befitting for a curiously concerned mind however, It’s careless presentation to ordinary consumers understandably spawned ridicule and heavy debate over its casual approach toward violent, disturbing, and immoral sexual acts. Still, others deemed the sudden up-roar over “Rape Lay” as undeserving and essentially pointless, where concerned parents and censorship nuts unrightfully chose to burden themselves with bias and singularity. While I choose to explore this topic and all my topics with a liberated mind, I remain confused on the alarming amount of consumers, gamers or otherwise, who incessantly de-value the magnitude of sex in the form of interactive media. Whether or not this medium is labeled as depraved, it nevertheless possesses an endless cycle of mass-production in countries like Japan; conversely, it demands more than just “strong opposition.” I would hope however, that the general consensus states that sex isn’t rape and rape is certainly not sex.
Admittedly, I was ignorant to the apparent distinction between watching pornography verses virtually participating in sexual abuse. There’s something uncannily sick about actively engaging in “Rapelay’s” low-grade scenes. The feeling is relatively different. It’s somehow more culpable. It’s almost terrifying to the point of me, Amanda, being unable to chug it and move-on and I’m as lenient as they come. I’ve run across a good majority of men and women who feel that RapeLay hurts the reputation of gamers and gaming in general, but I’ve found this scenario to be the problematic brainchild of the Japanese Porn industry alone—it isn’t about the video-game industry. It isn’t about gamers. It’s about consumers who understand what they’re delving into, consumers who waltz into pornography stores, not Gamestop.
Illusion Soft dismissed statutory rape as, more or less, "amusing." Bewilderment ensued.
I’ve dodged many flame wars across the internet stemming from both men and women who have chosen to distinguish themselves as the real victims of censorship. Often, avid collectors of “Hentai” or “Eroge” cite the responsibility of parents and consistently argue on the basis of a person’s individual ethics and moral code. Most of these angry arguments arise from a considerably interesting view-point; I’ve witnessed a very offended gang of middle-aged men utterly rushing to argue on the correlation between Japan’s ever-growing, pornography market as the, get this, causation for Japan’s significantly low crime rates. While I feel a tad guilty finding this reasoning as humorous, this is an understandable argument albeit unproven; are reports really to suggest that all men whom are allotted to indulge in uninhibited, psychosomatic eroticism are more likely to maintain sound behavior in their daily lives, mayhap? While there currently lies zero scientific evidence in regards to this parallel, it is noteworthy to mention that Japan places 34th on the list of countries with the highest reported crime. In the United States alone, a startling 1,800 women a day have reported sexual assault, with a staggering 60% of victims left unreported; astoundingly, these U.S. numbers remain around 20 times more than that of Japan.
Now, whether or not this easily accessible, pornographic video-game presents any underlying value in a manner that is constructive to our culture is, indeed, a totally different story. The thing is, when I initially picked-up “Rapelay,” I instantly felt like I had been removed from some big-list of morally sound people who still held a healthy dosage of decency and ethics; I didn’t know whether to install this abomination to my hard-drive or read Wikipedia for a manufacturer’s description and call it a day. Where as the content of ”Rapelay” is naturally revolting to the conscious mind, it’s more than likely assumed that a person’s intention for purchasing a “rape simulator” is not to learn about it’s notorious presence in modern-day society. If then, I’ve always had this burning desire to question both the victim and the assailant on the thin-line between fondling a woman on a subway and engaging in profane escapism on a regular basis. The problem is, I fail to see a difference that is good enough to excuse either act. In my opinion, neither is right. In my opinion, neither is healthy. In fact, I feel heavily burdened with fear as I sit here and ponder on the possibilities of games like these becoming an unfortunate, first lesson in sex 101 if it were to somehow fall into the hands of younger generations. Really, it’s as easy as a torrent.
"Rapelay" creates justification for sexual abuse and other violent crimes. Rape is minimized as an, almost, cooperative and enjoyable act. The U.N. stepped in August of 2009.
Upon starting “Rapelay,” the gamer is instructed to attack a mother and her two young daughters in a notorious location for gropers, the subway transportation system, where a reported 70% of Japanese schoolgirls have been groped. One of the daughters encountered in “Rapelay” is obviously portrayed as underage, petite, and highly-detailed with fear and inconsolable grief during each attack—hardly an image that should withstand much deserved criticism. The girl literally cries under you; this takes the cake for most disturbing moment in, well, my life. For me, the problem isn’t the definite act of sex however, it remains the role of the woman—the victim. In “Raplelay,” the women transition almost unhesitatingly from a victim of shoddy society to a willing instrument of revenge. During the storyline, the incessant assaults on these women subconsciously evolve into a twisted relationship, where the player is able to impregnate the victim and watch the girl’s stomach grow larger with each attack. Of course, the failure to convince her of an abortion leads to your demise—an indication of the only consequence and, thankfully, end to this vicious cycle. So, what’s the most horrid thing to me? As a Chikan, or pervert, players are not, initially, trained to be forceful but rather, charming. The women are inherently motioned to becoming accepting and, to be more discreet, sexually responsive after “breaking” them. It’s almost as if they begin to enjoy it. A description via Amazon stated:
“Rapelay is an offshoot of the Illusion series, Interact Play. You, like in previous installments, play as a public nuisance that gets away from captivity and starts scouting for new targets. This time around you find a family of a single mother and her two daughters. You quickly begin your hunt and capture each woman one by one. The gameplay involves an amusing training/disposition system with which to break each respective target to your liking”
I could make a bitter and sarcastic remark regarding Illusion’s idea of “amusing,” but I think it’s pretty much needless to say. The pertinent issue here is female subservience; for the most part, Japan thrives on a male-dominated culture. Around 4,000 “Chikans” are arrested each year, though many women refuse to report these men because their judgment may be obstructed by fear or embarrassment. After playing “Rapelay” myself, I’m convinced that Illusion Soft birthed an unsettling reflection pertaining to the destructive norms of a hyper-sexualized society and sadly, it’s only informative in a deplorable and revolting manner. Essentially, it fails to demoralize rape. More importantly, I feel it minimizes the reaction and experience of real-life victims. I’ve never been one to believe that video-games breed killers or thieves or rapists, but games like “Rapelay” possess the potential to enforce justification regarding sexual abuse and other violent crimes as an “outlet.” Japan is, indeed, a more sexually unreserved culture but their habits have not become well-accepted globally and copies of “Rapelay” have since become almost an impossibility to obtain thanks to Feminist and Ethics Organizations. Unfortunately, hindering “rape simulators” will hardly stop manga or other forms of entertainment featuring rape. I’m not sure what’s more implausible here, the fact that people are still defending “Rapelay” or the fact that Illusion Soft is bewildered by all the attention it’s garnered.
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