Is Texas banning anime that sexualizes underage characters?

A new Texas bill has sparked widespread debate on social media due to its possibility of criminalizing anime featuring underage characters in “obscene” ways. The bill was passed anonymously by several state senators. 

It’s worth noting that Senate Bill 20’s main focus isn’t only anime but cartoons or animations whether AI-generated or not, created with this type of material in mind. Many popular anime, manga, and games depict minors in “obscene” ways due to the target audience being of that age, so Texas might target several beloved franchises and titles.

Is Texas banning anime that sexualizes underage characters?

The statement was issued on March 12 and read, “I named SB 20 as a priority because Texas law must do more to eliminate all types of child pornography and stop the crimes that result from it. SB 20 keeps Texas up to date with advancements in technology and cuts off any loopholes in the law to protect our kids.”

According to Anime Hunch, the new bill will take effect on Sep. 1, 2025, if passed by the Texas House of Representatives and made into law. The bill also states that Individuals who violate the new law will face jail time with penalities that could escalate to felony charges.

The bill also references section Chapter 43 of the Texas Penal Code which depicts the “obscene” materials “of a child younger than 18 years of age engaging in activities” described as a portrayal of sexual conduct.

Several anime fans have expressed their concern over the new bill and described it as “very broad” and “dangerous.”

A social media user on Musk’s X (formerly known as Twitter) wrote, “This could be extremely dangerous. Texas is the anime capital of the US. CR has its main studio in Dallas, the same with HiDive and others. If this is not handled correctly and carefully, it could destroy anime in the US.”

Another added, “That’s a very, very broad brush that will affect more than Anime. Disney better watch out with Tinkerbell for example. Obscene by whose standards?”

Examples of anime featuring underage characters in “obscene” ways

For example, Persona is a video game franchise developed by Japanese developer Atlus. Most of its games take place in high school and allow players to date underage characters due to the main characters being similar in age. Moreover, the fourth and fifth installments bring up topics about the sexual exploitation of minors as an issue.

Moreover, shonen anime such as Bleach, Naruto, Fire Force, Gurren Laggan, and many more showcase underage women characters in sexual ways due to the main demographic being Japanese males in their teens.

The Monogatari series is considered one of the most problematic since it depicts a 1000-year-old+ vampire as a child while the main character who is also a minor is showcased interacting indecently with child-like girls who are claimed to be over 18 in both the anime and light novels.