Eirin
Encyclopedia
is the abbreviated name for , Japan
's movie regulator. Eirin was established on the model of the American Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America's Production Code Administration in June, 1949, on the instructions of the US occupation force
. The original name, Eiga Rinri Kitei Kanri Iinkai (Motion Picture Code of Ethics Committee), was condensed after independence, during reorganizations in 1956, to Eirin Kanri Iinkai, but was already colloquially known as Eirin.
Eirin is analogous to the Motion Picture Association of America
in the United States
, and the British Board of Film Classification
in the United Kingdom; it classifies films depending on their suitability for minors
, depending on whether they contain sexual
or violent
material. Such classification has been described as censorship
by some , since a film that is denied certification by Eirin is effectively unreleaseable. In practice, films are nonetheless released, with "offending items" fogged or digitally tiled. This is the source of some bemusement in Japan, which has traditionally been liberal in this area.
Just as with equivalent organisations in other countries, Eirin's defenders argue that its independence shields film makers from the more draconian alternative, political censorship by government. In the case of the controversial film Battle Royale
, director Kinji Fukasaku
seemed to accept this view, when he withdrew an objection to Eirin's R-15 rating of his film, to support Eirin against threats from politicians over the film.
Eirin has in the past denied the release of certain films to theaters entirely, such as Kei Fujiwara
's grotesque horror film
Organ, which was released directly to video
amidst protests from family watchdog groups.
During the opening credits (or in some cases, on the copyright screen immediately following the ending credits) of an Eirin-approved film, the Eirin logo
is displayed prominently underneath the movie's title.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
's movie regulator. Eirin was established on the model of the American Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America's Production Code Administration in June, 1949, on the instructions of the US occupation force
Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers
Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers was the title held by General Douglas MacArthur during the Occupation of Japan following World War II...
. The original name, Eiga Rinri Kitei Kanri Iinkai (Motion Picture Code of Ethics Committee), was condensed after independence, during reorganizations in 1956, to Eirin Kanri Iinkai, but was already colloquially known as Eirin.
Eirin is analogous to the Motion Picture Association of America
Motion Picture Association of America
The Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. , originally the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America , was founded in 1922 and is designed to advance the business interests of its members...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and the British Board of Film Classification
British Board of Film Classification
The British Board of Film Classification , originally British Board of Film Censors, is a non-governmental organisation, funded by the film industry and responsible for the national classification of films within the United Kingdom...
in the United Kingdom; it classifies films depending on their suitability for minors
Child
Biologically, a child is generally a human between the stages of birth and puberty. Some vernacular definitions of a child include the fetus, as being an unborn child. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority...
, depending on whether they contain sexual
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
or violent
Violence
Violence is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes. violence, while often a stand-alone issue, is often the culmination of other kinds of conflict, e.g...
material. Such classification has been described as censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
by some , since a film that is denied certification by Eirin is effectively unreleaseable. In practice, films are nonetheless released, with "offending items" fogged or digitally tiled. This is the source of some bemusement in Japan, which has traditionally been liberal in this area.
Just as with equivalent organisations in other countries, Eirin's defenders argue that its independence shields film makers from the more draconian alternative, political censorship by government. In the case of the controversial film Battle Royale
Battle Royale (film)
is a 2000 Japanese film directed by Kinji Fukasaku based on the novel of the same name. It was written by Kenta Fukasaku and stars Takeshi Kitano. The film aroused international controversy.A sequel, Battle Royale II: Requiem, followed...
, director Kinji Fukasaku
Kinji Fukasaku
was a Japanese film actor, screenwriter, and best known as a celebrated and innovative filmmaker. He was born in Mito, Ibaraki, Japan, and died in Tokyo, from prostate cancer...
seemed to accept this view, when he withdrew an objection to Eirin's R-15 rating of his film, to support Eirin against threats from politicians over the film.
Eirin has in the past denied the release of certain films to theaters entirely, such as Kei Fujiwara
Kei Fujiwara
is a Japanese actress, cinematographer, editor, writer and film director. Her first role was in the American film, The Neptune Factor, but she is perhaps best known for starring in the Japanese cult film, Tetsuo: The Iron Man...
's grotesque horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
Organ, which was released directly to video
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
amidst protests from family watchdog groups.
During the opening credits (or in some cases, on the copyright screen immediately following the ending credits) of an Eirin-approved film, the Eirin logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
is displayed prominently underneath the movie's title.
Ratings
On May 1, 1998 http://www.eirin.jp/english/008.html four rating categories were introduced:Unrestricted
- G: General Audiences. All ages admitted. Most films from the Disney and Studio GhibliStudio Ghibliis a Japanese animation and film studio founded in June 1985. The company's logo features the character Totoro from Hayao Miyazaki's film My Neighbor Totoro...
catalogs and the DoraemonDoraemonis a Japanese manga series created by Fujiko F. Fujio which later became an anime series and an Asian franchise...
, Detective ConanCase ClosedCase Closed, known as in Japan, is a Japanese detective manga series written and illustrated by Gosho Aoyama. The series is serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday since February 2, 1994, and has been collected in 73 tankōbon volumes as of September 2011...
, PokémonPokémonis a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
, One PieceOne Pieceis a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It has been serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump since August 4, 1997; the individual chapters are being published in tankōbon volumes by Shueisha, with the first released on December 24, 1997, and the 64th volume released as...
, Pretty CurePretty Cureis a Japanese magical girl anime metaseries created by Izumi Todo and produced by ABC and Toei Animation. The first program Futari wa Pretty Cure debuted in 2004 and has continued with sequels and spinoffs into the current series Suite PreCure♪ airing in 2011 as part of Asahi Broadcasting...
, UltramanUltra SeriesThe is the collective name for all the shows produced by Tsuburaya Productions featuring Ultraman, his many brethren, and the myriad Ultra Monsters. The Ultra Series is one of the prominent tokusatsu superhero genre productions from Japan, along with Toei produced series Kamen Rider, Super...
, and Harry PotterHarry Potter (film series)The Harry Potter film series is a British-American film series based on the Harry Potter novels by the British author J. K. Rowling...
franchises, as well as the individual film Terminator SalvationTerminator SalvationTerminator Salvation is a 2009 American science fiction action film directed by McG and starring Christian Bale and Sam Worthington. The fourth installment in the Terminator series, the film is set in 2018 and focuses on the war between Skynet and humanity, with the human Resistance fighting...
are rated G.
- PG12 (PG-12): Parental Guidance Requested. Some material may be unsuitable for children under 12. Accompanying parent or adult guardian is desirable. Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade WorksFate/stay nightis a Japanese visual novel developed by Type-Moon, which was originally released as an adult game for the PC. An all-ages version of Fate/stay night, titled Fate/stay night Réalta Nua, was released for the PlayStation 2 on April 19, 2007, and features the Japanese voice actors from the anime series...
, Fist of the North Star: The Legends of the True SaviorFist of the North Star: The Legends of the True Savioris a Japanese animated film series produced by TMS Entertainment and North Stars Pictures based on the manga Fist of the North Star written by Buronson and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara...
, Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni, Crows ZeroCrows ZEROis a film based on the manga Crows by Hiroshi Takahashi. The film was directed by Takashi Miike, written by Shogo Muto and stars Shun Oguri and Takayuki Yamada...
, GantzGantz (live action films)Gantz is a series of two Japanese live action films. The first was titled simply Gantz and the second titled Gantz: Perfect Answer. Both were based on on the original manga series Gantz by Hiroya Oku...
, Tales from EarthseaTales from Earthsea (film)is a 2006 Japanese animated fantasy film directed by Gorō Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli.The film is based on a combination of plots and characters from the first four books of Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea series: A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan, The Farthest Shore and Tehanu. The...
, Princess MononokePrincess Mononokeis a 1997 epic Japanese animated historical fantasy feature film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli. is not a name, but a general term in the Japanese language for a spirit or monster...
, Terminator 3: Rise of the MachinesTerminator 3: Rise of the MachinesTerminator 3: Rise of the Machines, commonly abbreviated as T3, is a 2003 science fiction action film directed by Jonathan Mostow and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nick Stahl, Claire Danes and Kristanna Loken...
Sex and the City, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, Shutter Island, and most Resident Evil, Pirates of the CaribbeanPirates of the CaribbeanPirates of the Caribbean is a multi-billion dollar Walt Disney franchise encompassing a series of films, a theme park ride, and spinoff novels as well as numerous video games and other publications. The franchise originates with the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, which opened at Disneyland in...
, Lupin IIILupin III, also known as Lupin the 3rd, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kazuhiko Kato under the pen name of Monkey Punch. The story follows the adventures of a gang of thieves led by Arsène Lupin III, the grandson of Arsène Lupin, the gentleman thief of Maurice Leblanc's series of...
, and Godzilla films are rated PG-12.
Restricted
- R15+ (R-15): Restricted to mature audiences 15 years and over. No one younger than 15 admitted. Battle RoyaleBattle Royale (film)is a 2000 Japanese film directed by Kinji Fukasaku based on the novel of the same name. It was written by Kenta Fukasaku and stars Takeshi Kitano. The film aroused international controversy.A sequel, Battle Royale II: Requiem, followed...
series, the Saw film series, Sweeney Todd, The DescentThe DescentThe Descent is a 2005 British horror film written and directed by Neil Marshall. The film follows six women who, having entered an unmapped cave system, become trapped, and are hunted by subterranean flesh-eating humanoids....
, South Park: Bigger, Longer & UncutSouth Park: Bigger, Longer & UncutSouth Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut is a 1999 animated musical comedy film based on the animated television series South Park, created by Matt Stone and Trey Parker. The film was directed by Parker, who also stars along with the rest of the regular voice cast from the series, including Stone, Mary...
, 300300 (film)300 is a 2007 American fantasy action film based on the 1998 comic series of the same name by Frank Miller. It is a fictionalized retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae. The film was directed by Zack Snyder, while Miller served as executive producer and consultant...
, Kill BillKill BillKill Bill Volume 1 is a 2003 action thriller film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It is the first of two volumes that were theatrically released several months apart, the second volume being Kill Bill Volume 2....
, The TerminatorThe TerminatorThe Terminator is a 1984 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron, co-written by Cameron and William Wisher Jr., and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, and Linda Hamilton. The film was produced by Hemdale Film Corporation and distributed by Orion Pictures, and filmed in Los...
, Terminator 2: Judgment DayTerminator 2: Judgment DayTerminator 2: Judgment Day is a 1991 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and written by Cameron and William Wisher Jr.. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, and Edward Furlong...
and DoomsdayDoomsday (film)Doomsday is a 2008 British science fiction film written and directed by Neil Marshall. The film takes place in the future. Scotland has been quarantined because of a deadly virus. When the virus is found in London, political leaders send a team led by Major Eden Sinclair to Scotland to find a...
are rated R-15. - R18+ (R-18): Restricted to adults 18 years and over. No one younger than 18 admitted. Lust, Caution, Ai no CorridaIn the Realm of the Sensesis a 1976 Franco-Japanese romantic drama film directed by Nagisa Oshima. It is a fictionalised and sexually explicit treatment of an incident from 1930s Japan, that of Sada Abe...
, Crank: High Voltage, Eastern Promises, Eyes Wide ShutEyes Wide ShutEyes Wide Shut is a 1999 drama film based upon Arthur Schnitzler's 1926 novella Traumnovelle . The film was directed, produced and co-written by Stanley Kubrick, and was his last film. The story, set in and around New York City, follows the sexually-charged adventures of Dr...
, Jackass: The MovieJackass: The MovieJackass: The Movie is a 2002 American reality film directed by Jeff Tremaine with the tagline "Do not attempt this at home." It is a riskier and uncensored continuation of the stunts and pranks by the various characters of the MTV television series Jackass, which had completed its unique series...
, BullyBully (film)Bully is a 2001 independent American drama film, based on actual events, starring Brad Renfro, Bijou Phillips, Rachel Miner, Michael Pitt, Leo Fitzpatrick and Nick Stahl. The story concerns the plot to murder a mutual friend of several young adults in Southern Florida, in revenge for his continual...
, and films of the pinku eiga genre are rated R-18.
See also
- Computer Entertainment Rating OrganizationComputer Entertainment Rating OrganizationThe is a Japanese entertainment rating organization based in Tokyo. rating video game content in console games with levels of rating that informs the customer of the nature of the product and for what age group it is suitable...
– The Japanese rating system for video games - Motion picture rating systemMotion picture rating systemA motion picture rating system is designated to classify films with regard to suitability for audiences in terms of issues such as sex, violence, substance abuse, profanity, impudence or other types of mature content...
External links
- Eirin's homepage (Japanese & English)
- http://www.midnighteye.com/interviews/kinji_fukasaku.shtml