Ruth: So, Tres, you read a lot of comics. Don't you find them really violent in Japan?
Tres: Yeah, there are violent comic books. There are sexy comic books. There are comic books I wouldn't show to mygrandmother.
Ruth: But compared to the comic books in America?
Tres: Yeah, I think in the United States, first of all, the idea of reading a comic book is a bit different. Adults don't read comic books as much as they do here in Japan, so if I really wanted to find a violent, or a comic book that had explicit content, then I'd have to find a special shop, most likely I would have to be 21 or over, just to get into that shop, whereas here in Japan, just go to your local supermarket and there you are.
Ruth: Do the comics have any warnings on them for violence?
Tres: In the Unites States? I believe they would, and I've never shopped for comic books in the United States, but I think they would have something. What about Ireland? How is that?
Ruth: I don't read a lot of comics myself, but both my brother and sister are quite into manga and comics, and I know for Christmas my sister bought my brother a comic called "The Punisher" which was quite violent in places but on the front of comics like that, there's always a sign that says, "Parental Advisory" to warn people that the contents might be explicit. My cousin also works drawing comics for a living and some of the comics that he's given to us have been quite violent, but nothing compared to the ones in Japan.
Tres: What do you think about the comics in Japan? Do you ever sit down and read the violent ones or?
Ruth: No, I don't really like violent comics. I've read more girlie comics, romance ones instead like Fushigi-yugi and that kind of thing
Tres: There's no sexual content in those comics whatsoever?
Ruth: No, I think they were based for primary school children. There was no violence at all.