On Sun, 2 Feb 1997, Richard Lawson wrote:

The age of consent in Japan is 13.  Different culture, different values.

There is also the fact that this applies to the Anime only.

There was some discussion as the Anime version could go international, and
the fact that a sixteen year old boy was living and supporting himself
without parents and without the state was considered to be disbelievable
to other countries.  Since such relationships can and do happen in Japan,
a college person with a youngster would be more acceptable.  Don't ask me
why, but that is the view we get about American culture, which was the
basis for the change.

Hitomi

Ichinohei Hitomi
Hitomi@terminal.autobahn.mb.ca
http://204.112.189.3/~hitomi
"The beginings of wisdom is the ability to always ask questions."