Comics not just for kids

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The promising comic and animation market in China is in urgent need of a rating system to protect children from unsuitable content and to prepare the industry for future development overseas, said experts at the International Forum on the Development of Animation and Games Industries on Nov 7 in Beijing.

"I hope I will have access to comics made for my age group when I am 60. The comic and animation industry is not only for children," said Wang Ning, general manager of Beijing Total Vision Culture Spreads Company.

Wang was referring to the recent debate on whether there should be a rating system in China's comic and animation industry. The discussion was prompted by China Central Television's criticism of the violent and sexual content in many Chinese comics and animations in September.

The idea that comics and animation are for children is deep-rooted in many Chinese parents' minds, and it is common to see all kinds of comics and animation on the shelves of children's sections in bookshops that have not been graded, despite some content being for adults, said Wang.

Japan and some Western countries have a rating system that classifies different content into different age groups. Some animations in the West have parental-guidance warnings or restrict viewers under a certain age.

However, in China, all animation is directed at the children's market. "It's bad for our children. It's also bad for the whole industry's future development," said Wang.

Authors of comics and animations don't know who their readers and viewers are, which influences their creation, Wang added.

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