<p>The television rating system in Japan is the same as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eirin" rel="nofollow noreferrer">movie rating system</a>.</p>

<p>Their regulations are as follows:</p>

<p><strong>Unrestricted</strong></p>

<ul>
<li><p>G: General audiences</p></li>
<li><p>PG12: Parental guidance suggested. Some content may be unsuitable for children under the age of 12.</p></li>
</ul>

<p><strong>Restricted</strong></p>

<p>These are regulated, and all movie theaters are required to check for ID. Allowing in an underage child is a criminal offense.</p>

<ul>
<li><p>R15+: Restricted to teenagers 15 and over only.</p></li>
<li><p>R18+: Restricted to teenagers 18 and over only.</p></li>
</ul>

<p>It is a lot more difficult to regulate television watching than to regulate movie-watching, so just because a rating is given for a television show, it doesn't mean that it is being followed, whereas in a movie theater, at least, it can be regulated. Frequently, in America, for TV-MA, a warning will be given that the show may not be appropriate for children under the age of 17.</p>

<p>Darker than Black was actually rated TV-MA in America, not R. R is only used for movies, and Darker than Black is a TV series. The rating is given <a href="http://www.funimation.com/darker-than-black" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a>. </p>

<p>I cannot (at the moment) find what the Japanese rating is for Darker than Black, but presumably it was either R15+ or R18+.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-28T22:58:59.447Z
Side note: R15+ isn't like the MPAA's R where you can get in if accompanied by a parent. Both R15+ and R18+ are strict no-entry, like the MPAA's NC-17.
senshin
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-28T23:35:44.967Z
Are you claiming that Eirin rates TV series as well as movies? I can't find any solid sources to back that up, including their own website. Even if they do, I'm not sure that late night anime get rated.
Logan M
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-29T00:19:15.867Z
Both http://rating-system.wikia.com/wiki/Eirin and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_content_rating_systems#Japan say it, though they may be pulling from the same source/each other. I have no first hand experience, but it is from what I found.
kuwaly
CC BY-SA 4.0
2013-08-28T22:55:55.887Z
2018-07-26T07:16:01.103Z
2018-07-26T07:16:01.103Z
kuwaly
<p>For instance, the anime <em>Darker than Black</em> is R-17+ (violence &amp; profanity) in the West, but is it higher or lower in Japan?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-28T22:24:27.873Z
What type of media are you specifically referring to? Different media have different regulators.
кяαzєя
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-28T22:35:16.587Z
i am referring to anime
rtr
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-28T22:50:46.753Z
Where are you seeing this rating?
кяαzєя
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-28T23:14:20.563Z
As far as I know DTB has not been rated as "R - 17+ (violence & profanity)" by any Western TV ratings organization. [IMDB](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0995941/parentalguide?ref_=tt_stry_pg#certification) doesn't list any such rating.
Logan M
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-07-26T16:56:08.293Z
They have a rather different standard on profanity over there, one time Sonic the Hedgehog gives a very emphatic yell of "s**t" in an anime.
IG_42
<anime-history>
Is the age restriction lower in Japan than in western countries?
# Is the age restriction lower in Japan than in western countries?
Posted by: username_0 on 2013-08-28
For instance, the anime *Darker than Black* is R-17+ (violence & profanity) in the West, but is it higher or lower in Japan?
**Tags:** anime-history
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: What type of media are you specifically referring to? Different media have different regulators.  
> **username_0**: i am referring to anime  
> **username_1**: Where are you seeing this rating?  
> **username_2**: As far as I know DTB has not been rated as "R - 17+ (violence & profanity)" by any Western TV ratings organization. [IMDB](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0995941/parentalguide?ref_=tt_stry_pg#certification) doesn't list any such rating.  
> **username_3**: They have a rather different standard on profanity over there, one time Sonic the Hedgehog gives a very emphatic yell of "s**t" in an anime.  
---
## 1 answers
### Answer by username_4 on 2013-08-28. Score: 4 | Accepted answer
The television rating system in Japan is the same as the [movie rating system](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eirin).

Their regulations are as follows:

**Unrestricted**

* G: General audiences
* PG12: Parental guidance suggested. Some content may be unsuitable for children under the age of 12.

**Restricted**

These are regulated, and all movie theaters are required to check for ID. Allowing in an underage child is a criminal offense.

* R15+: Restricted to teenagers 15 and over only.
* R18+: Restricted to teenagers 18 and over only.

It is a lot more difficult to regulate television watching than to regulate movie-watching, so just because a rating is given for a television show, it doesn't mean that it is being followed, whereas in a movie theater, at least, it can be regulated. Frequently, in America, for TV-MA, a warning will be given that the show may not be appropriate for children under the age of 17.

Darker than Black was actually rated TV-MA in America, not R. R is only used for movies, and Darker than Black is a TV series. The rating is given [here](http://www.funimation.com/darker-than-black).

I cannot (at the moment) find what the Japanese rating is for Darker than Black, but presumably it was either R15+ or R18+.
> **Comments:**
> **username_5** (2013-08-28): Side note: R15+ isn't like the MPAA's R where you can get in if accompanied by a parent. Both R15+ and R18+ are strict no-entry, like the MPAA's NC-17.  
> **username_2** (2013-08-28): Are you claiming that Eirin rates TV series as well as movies? I can't find any solid sources to back that up, including their own website. Even if they do, I'm not sure that late night anime get rated.  
> **username_4** (2013-08-29): Both http://rating-system.wikia.com/wiki/Eirin and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_content_rating_systems#Japan say it, though they may be pulling from the same source/each other. I have no first hand experience, but it is from what I found.  
---
