You may have heard it from various newsgroups, gossips and one particular book back in 1955 that sensationalized the very term that would have most normal people lose their lunch. But honestly, it's a kind of reality that is already happening, and usually well hidden in the dark.

Kodomo no Jikan is a poignant story from the brainchild of Watashiya Kaworu, which focuses on kids and and the act of maturing way too much for their own good. Of course, we tend to scold kids to stop acting like brats, but if faced in a situation where a girl would 'playfully' invite a 23-year-old teacher Aoki Daisuke to acts of... erm... debauchery... what can morality do?

Sure enough, the fan service (for the usual freaks) were more accidental and highly coincidental where adults would pass it off as innocent teasing. But in the eyes and mind of protagonist (or might as well anti-hero) Kokonoe Rin, she is one child who has gone through a personal life-altering event that forced her way to grow up rather prematurely. The same thing would go through her surrogate father and cousin Kokonoe Reiji, who has to struggle to keep up with his financial intake to support a child at the same time with his own personal demons of his childhood, thus the adult-hating adult becomes overprotective to the point of being obsessive towards Rin.

In all things insanity, Kodomo no Jikan is a kind of morality set in comic format as an eye opener for those who fear to tread through the subject. Japan has been a nation full of diverse fetishes and fads ranging from shops selling high school girls' used underwear to loli fashion. The present world has placed a boon that protects children from such realities, while only a number may use it to their advantage in order to gain a favor or two. Either the teacher was caught in a trap or willingly sets it off himself, the artist of Kodomo no Jikan abuses the very rules that governments from all nations to protect children, has found a way to gain a foothold into power.

Kodomo no Jikan is considered as the comic world's uncharted territory, where risk is involve for those who wish to enter. A little perverse, funny, clever, dramatic, as well as moving, this is one story that has broken through the boundaries between conservative ideals to realistic acceptance.

And until now, people still find it hard to tell a child on where babies come from.

I liked the manga when it was about a teacher troubled because of a confused girll with serious problems at home, all about sensitivity i said...

The end changed it all, i'm not going to spoil you, but i needed to change my coment to say i'm dissapointed. There's no sensitivity anywhere now

What a letdown.

... Last updated on May 28th, 2013, 3:02pm

Reading the comments of some put off by the theme, It seems that apparently elementary teachers never get tempted, and kids don't experiment with their bodies.

A daring theme in this manga indeed. Somehow I'm getting the vibe that the teacher will turn into a full blown pedo and get jailed after. It would definitely be interesting to see if the apparently 'pure motives' of the teacher get twisted after repeated seduction attempts. Then again, I've read far enough to realize the author is going on a roundabout way of explaining love, not sexual love, but love for a fellow human being/child.

It also deals with the question:
Where is the line of showing affection for a child begin and when does it begin to be considered over the top? Will hugs be considered an act of sexual harrasment? If the kid kisses the teacher innocently, must it be a 'dirty' act? Will dads be barred from hugging their daughters or mothers from hugging their sons because it may invoke feelings of passion? Just because there are a few pedophiles who can't differentiate between mature love and child love, we should henceforth ban all kinds of contact between genders just because they 'may' lead to promiscuity?

In this story, the kids are growing into pubescence, and are having crushes on the teacher/each other, coupled with the fact that they started finding out about sex from various sources, and are still unclear about what's acceptable and what is not.

The adults are trying to set a better example, but are also ridden with the problem of how to explain 'love' to children, and how that it doesn't necessarily involve sex, when it's a love between parent and child, or love between a child and a mentor (in this case, the teacher)

The author being a woman, and most of the readers don't get the point of the story, but lambasts it because it shows sexy kids, which shouldn't necessarily provoke any sort of sexual response or embarassment in the first place, unless they are tempted themselves. What next? Dads can't change diapers for their infant daughter because it involves the dad touching/seeing female genetalia upclose? *facepalm*

... Last updated on August 19th, 2012, 10:41pm

Modern society has elevated the protection of children to such a level that an adult acting in a kind, genuinely caring manner, can be percieved as a malicious sexual predator, prowling for their next victim. We have reached the level of paranoia, and show no signs of slowing our progress toward an overprotective insanity that is, in the end, a detrement to society, rather than a benefit. Children are important, and should be protected, but the extent to which we have taken it, mostly thanks to mass media, is absurd.

I open my comment on this title with the preceding statement for a very specific reason: Kodomo no Jikan contains controversial material depicting children in an unapologetically realistic manner. It explores a fact often overlooked by adults hellbent on sheltering their children from anything even remotely related to sex: children are sexual beings, capable of feeling everything an adult does, and often without the proper foresight or warning (probably due to said overprotectiveness.)

To anyone enraged over the alleged "loli fanservice" in this title, I implore you: please stop being a part of the problem, and understand that everything depicted in this series is deliberate and with purpose. That purpose is to clearly depict, in an accurate-to-real-life-children manner, the characters portrayed in the story. A story which explores, in-depth, the physical, emotional, and sexual growth a child experiences while maturing, and the difficulties associated with incorporating that growth into their everyday lives. This title dares to explore—and illustrate—the child pshyche, and touches on many topics, including family, friendship, parenthood, self-discovery, sexuality, psychological trauma, love, responsibility, death, separation, trust, honesty... I could go on for a while. So many important themes are approached in such an honest, deliberate, straightforward manner, that it becomes infuriating to see the blatant ignorance of people despising this title because of its child-oriented sexual content.

You don't have to enjoy reading about little kids depicted in this manner, but please don't ignorantly claim this title is somehow socially dangerous without even admitting it could possibly contain important messages and themes addressing something all too often ignored by a culture hell-bent on sheltering children well beyond the necessary.

... Last updated on June 29th, 2014, 3:27am

Stop using the comment section to get out your stand on the entire "children and sex" issue or your morals, we DON'T CARE what you think; and frankly want to read a comment on the manga itself.

That said...

KnJ touches a lot on confused emotions; due to drastic circumstances happening in a person's life. Parental feelings kick in for many of the characters; making it quite enjoyable to read. I wouldn't recommend this manga for anyone who is very strictly set on the rules of society and it's morals; because it does indeed take a somewhat open mindset to put up with a few situations in this manga.

As for the plot, it certainly does draw you in but as I've said; very touchy. The art is pretty good and gets better as the series goes on; so for those that dislike the earlier drawings you may find it more to your taste later on.

... Last updated on February 25th, 2010, 5:57am

I was really impressed with this manga. Excellent story and char development, kept me entertained with funny jokes and play on words, but also with a much deeper meaning behind it all. Don't let the negative comments dissuade you, you will be missing out on an excellent manga. I can't say it enough, I had a lot of fun with this one.

I've been there and back again on this series, and I almost want to stab those of you that are saying: "This is just perverted and stupid" or "This will be a great series for you perverted people." So, before I stab you, I feel like a few things have to be understood, so you don't wonder why this knife is sticking into your abdomen.

First off, this series includes sexual references and jokes that MAY seem disturbing to you at first, but you really have to read the entire plot to understand "why" Kokonoe Rin acts the way she does, and It all becomes clear within the first two to three books. This I can guarantee, after the second book, you won't look at either her or Aoki with the same eyes, because after understanding what Rin went through as a child and to see Aoki's acute FATHERLY and PROTECTIVE instincts towards her (especially after finding out about her current living conditions and her mom), the true meaning and understanding of their relationship becomes absolutely clear as crystal, and then your somewhat narrowsighted view on Kodomo no Jikan would be something even for you to laugh at.

Now that that's out of the way. Anyone of you who DISAGREES with what I have posted so very clearly in a way you can all understand, follow these instructions.

While carrying these thoughts in your mind, read all of the Manga series up to Book # 6 Chapter # 1 (36) And wait a day. Just 24 hours. See what your now correctly placed emotions will do to you. Now, read through to the end of book 7 (49) and let your emotions speak. Listen to them. Read the rest of the series. Then and only then, come back to this thread, thank me for opening your eyes, and probably lend a link to my post so that the other misguided souls can find safehaven in emotions which are truly righteous and free. Then every last one of you can pay penance by patiently waiting for the next scanalator by SaHa. (Thank you, there's no question that I owe you a cookie.)

From now on, percieve love and emotion with your heart, not with your eyes, not with your mind. Don't get caught in thoughts of a society where there is a broad black line between right and wrong. Because there is no such thing. What we percieve as right or wrong IS based on morals, nothing else than the pure self-interpretation of the emotions that are evoked by each page. I'm guessing many of you didn't get past the second or third chapter, and if that's true, you weren't even close to coming to the direct moral clashes in the end of 1st/start of 2nd volume. Let the story develop. I don't like using sharp metal to get my point through, that's why I'm suck a good speaker =D

here's a starting point

http://www.mangafox.com/manga/kodomo_no_jikan/

The only meaning that you need is inside you. As clear as daylight it shines, all you must do is look for it. It will take time to find the right direction, but follow your heart. It will lead you true.

-The Scribe

At first I felt guilty for reading this manga. The anime adaptation didn't help this feeling either, capitalizing on all the fan-service and "loli" theme; didn't help that feeling of guilty, too, that this series got translated by a guy that receives comissions for working on hentai (mainly on lolicon and worse material) and that I had to get out of my way and lurk around dark places to read it. But, against all the odds and feelings of discomfort over those years, I continued to get the scanlations for this tale that screams "truth" and "change" all over the place, like the best novels and dramas that are out there.

This series is taboo, yes - but it isn't as cheesy as, say, Oreimo and isn't, for the most part, played for laughs or manga and anime stereotypes (even if those are, sadly, present); this series has nudity and sexual innuendo but, at the same time, questions the very reasons that make us erase those topics from child upbringing - be it at school or at home - and end up leaving room for the emergence of bigger problems.

"Children are people too, so they also have desire, and end up wanting to know love and to experience carnal feelings". This manga throws this sort of inconvenient truth at our faces at each page, while questioning the processes that end up hurting adults on the long term. No chapter can be taken out of context for that matter, and a careful / open-minded read is necessary to truly grasp the authors intentions.

... and, well: Don't forget that the author is a woman. More than once, to my dismay, girls told me things like "the first time I fell in love I was 9 years old", or "the first time I really liked someone I was 12" with the most straight face, like it is completely normal; this was in real life, and the one shocked was me, not those girls. Those children, now women in their mid twenties, are not sick nor crazy, and there is nothing to be so shocked about children growing up: Sick is a society that doesn't want to discuss those "inconvenient" topics, that doesn't want to see it... and that gives space for those who abuse those children's naive desires and dreams. Series that treat those topics superficially or "for laughs" end up reaching cult status, while reading something like "Kodomo no Jikan" can actually make random people accuse you of being a pedophile.

... Well, I'm glad that there are people with enough disposition to go out of their ways and give us such touching, awe inspiring and mind changing stories - even if this sick industry asks for loli fanservice in order to boost sales.

And about the ending,

... Last updated on July 10th, 2013, 7:50am

Do not listen to the haters, this is a well put together story far from the best but is pretty damn good however the subject matter is not for everyone and its only for those that can keep a mind mind about it, Most of the low raters, do not like the content and are just proving to be arrogant do not follow their flow, like I said this is not for everyone but its still a pretty deceit story even with the loli content and ecchi.

One of the very few emotionally genuine pieces of fiction I've ever read, and one that doesn't use the cheap tricks of shallow fantasy to get there. It's a damned shame that the racier parts of it denied it a professional English-language release, and ironic too, as it rather realistically depicts a child with a pretense of precocious sexuality and makes several arguments against adults who’d exploit such a thing. It would certainly be far easier just to appeal to Japan's lolicon demographic with cheap fantasy, something a great many series are guilty of in small ways, but Watashiya chooses the harder, better route. This single title has made her one of my most respected authors.