Is Texas banning anime? Explained
Are Texans about to lose access to the latest anime hits and top-selling manga all because of Senate Bill 20? Weebs are up in arms due to the proposed bill’s vague wording.
Senate Bill 20, which was written by a Republican majority, will criminalize the “possession or promotion of obscene visual material appearing to depict a child.” To be specific, it will target material that depicts a person under the age of 18. The bill will apply to real minors, AI-generated material, cartoons, and animation. Expect manhwa and other digital comics to be involved based on this definition.
The issue isn’t just about protecting children, but it’s also a matter of creative expression. The bill can be used as a justification to strike down virtually any anime that is deemed obscene under Texas Penal Code Section 43.21. To break it down, minor-age characters depicted committing sexual acts is enough to merit punishment. Moreover, works that “lack serious literary, artistic, political, and scientific value” under the Texas Penal Code, Section 43.21(a)(1)(B), leave the interpretation of the material to the whims of the lawmakers.
Many video games, manga, or anime imply the age of characters rather than stating them. High school anime, in particular, doesn’t normally state the age of the characters. Under Senate Bill 20, possession of popular manga like Berserk and Vagabond could essentially be outlawed due to several explicit scenes. Even viewing DanDaDan—an anime that practically took 2024 by storm—may be illegal because of some lewd episodes.
So, will anime be banned?
The criminal offense isn’t light. Those who are in possession of the obscene visual material are subject to a Class A misdemeanor. This means that offenders may receive “a fine of up to $4,000.” They may also spend up to one year in county jail. In short, anime isn’t going to be “banned” in Texas. But if the bill passes, owning and viewing anime and unspecified pieces of media in Texas may put people behind the slammer.
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