Catgirls are not the only extreme example of sexualization of minors in anime. They are just among the most popular, and the most widespread in the mainstream

Let’s get something straight. There’s an awful lot of misinformation going around. One of popular ones is that catgirls are for some reason the most extreme example of sexualization of an underage girl (like, better known as pedophilia). Hell, a few idiots like to claim that catgirls are an even MORE extreme example of sexualization of underage girls than the concept of lolis. While there is a certain percentage of overlap between catgirls and lolis, we all know damn well that not all catgirls are lolis. However, ALL lolis are underage. And since ALL lolis are underage, it would have to make lolis the most extreme example of sexualization of minors. <br><br>So no. Catgirls aren’t the most extreme example. They are just the most recognizable one. They are an integral part of any mainstream media that delves into anime. This makes them more recognizable. However, if we are being completely honest then there’s a shitton of other stuff that’s even more extreme and i’ll explain why. <br><br>First off I think it’s important to acknowledge that this stuff isn’t necessarily hentai. Some of it might be, but a lot of it is still just regular regular anime designed to appeal to the more general audience. Let’s start with the obvious. That would be the lolis. While lolis themselves are extremely common, i’m going to refer to a very obscure genre. It’s called “bunny girl”. It’s essentially a fusion of nekomimi and loli. A fushion of cat and rabbit, where it’s popularized the image of an underage girl with the features and fur of both a cat and a rabbit. You can find these in more anime shows like Bunny Girl Senpai, which have the bunny girls in the foreground. More examples are in My Dress-Up Darling, where the bunny girls are depicted as a form of idolization. This is not all however. <br><br>If you look really deep into the depths of japanese h-doujin, then you’ll find a whole bunch of other shit. I’ll only do a brief overview, you can find the rest yourself. One of the most prominent ones is the concept of "hannyo". Hannyo is essentially the image of a young girl possessed by a malevolent spirit, which is a spirit from japanese folklore. The concept of hannyo isn't very widely known. It is however becoming increasingly popular, especially in western media. To give an example, I'd like to point towards The Grudge. While this isn't really an anime used to sexualize a girl, it is an example of how the western media is becoming more and more familiar with the concept of hannyo. The sexualization of hannyno is more widespread in h-doujins.<br><br>Another sexualization that’s becoming more widespread in h-doujin is the sexualization of baku. Baku is a part of japanese folklore known to eat nightmares. In more recent years however, the concept of baku has also been used to sexualize a girl. While not as popular as catgirls themselves, it has become notcable to the point where it is featured on popular websites like Reddit. It's used as a kind of animal ears like the nekomimi. It’s not used in any mainstream media, but it has definitely been growing in popularity.<br><br>In conclusion, while catgirls are indeed an extreme example of sexualization of minors and are a popular one at that, there are even more extreme examples that you can encounter when digging deeper.