There has always been books and other materials that get flack for their content and manga is no exception. This year’s Banned Book Week began on Saturday, September 25 and will run till October 2, 2010. According to the American Lilbrary Association website, 460 titles were challenged — meaning that someone campaigned for their removal from at least one public library or school — in the United States throughout 2009 alone. Of those 460 titles, several manga has been challenged in their presence at libraries including well known titles Death Note and Dragon Ball.
Banned books doesn’t stop at books in libraries but also includes materials being sold in retails from Kinokuniya’s banning of bishoujo manga to legal cases in which handling obscene material can land you in jail.
