The Only Non-Graphic Cover for Shōjo Tsubaki

⚠️ Assault Victims: Read with Caution

While the “ahegao¹” face first appeared in 60’s Japanese porn as a way to avoid censorship- Suehiro Maruo, an ero guro artist, saw it’s unnatural appearance and connected it with assault. While he was the first one to depict it specifically as a face connected to assault, he wasn’t the last.

1. Not to be confused with ahoge. ↩︎

Shōjo Tsubaki , published September 25, 1984, depicts gruesome acts of physical & sexual violence against a 12 year old girl. Suehiro Maruo also single-handedly created many other comics featuring violence against women, children, and even animals.

Suehiro Maruo used the “ahegao” face, which includes the unnatural combination of an outstretched tongue, crossed eyes, and usually crying and/or flushed, to depict a “forced orgasm” on the victims’ faces while being sexually and physically assaulted.

This depiction comes from the false stereotype that Asian, specifically Japanese, women are submissive, easily overpowered/manipulated, and that they want and/or deserve abusive treatment.

⚠️Description of Sexual Assault
“They watched the girl enter a stationary store and decided to ambush her. The two Marines bound the girl with tape, pulled her shorts and underwear down to her ankles, and after the three men raped her, remarked that the girl looked like she enjoyed it.” – White Sexual Imperialism

“Ahegao” is a forced expression that abusers see as the perfect depiction of “wanted assault” and continues to be used today to depict the sexual assault of an Asian woman, femme, or child, thanks to Suehiro Maruo’s work being the earliest example of it’s use as such.

What started as a poor attempt of avoiding censorship was seen by abusers as a face depicting their perversions and thanks to white women who perform the “ahegao” face for profit to their questionable fan base, it’s been normalized as “just a silly face”.

Many Asian women and feminine presenting people have suffered immense harm from those that share Suehiro Maruo’s mindset and continue to to this day, however- you are not owed their stories in order to believe them.

The reality is, the “ahegao” face today in porn is a manifestation of the stereotype that Asian, specifically Japanese, women are submissive, easily overpowered/manipulated, and that they want and/or deserve abusive treatment. Willingly performing the “ahegao” face, as a non-Asian woman or femme presenting person reclaiming their power, despite being told it’s harm only helps predators stay hidden and their victims silenced.

So- please, just uncross your eyes or put your tongue back in your mouth. It’s not that hard.