Translating “Lolicon”

The meaning of words can alter significantly depending on context and culture. Even if the word is the same, it can mean radically different things from one person to another.

Bearing that in mind, at least in the context of Japanese otaku culture and otaku fiction, translating the Japanese usage of the word “lolicon” into English is normally relatively straightforward. At least within the realm of fiction, I would argue that a lolicon is usually means “someone that is attracted to cute young girls.” In Japanese fiction, the world lolicon usually does not have strong negative connotation. For better or for worse, the word lolicon tends to be treated playfully in Japanese fiction, especially since the 2000s.

While world Lolicon term originates from Nabokov’s Lolita, i.e. Lolita complex, the gravity of the concept substantially weakened in the context of Japanese fiction and the fandom that revolves around it. Even today, usage of the word lolicon does not invoke strong universal revulsion in Japan. Sometime it does, sometime it doesn’t. You see female Japanese Vtubers use it causally from time to time. The weight of the meaning is different from the English word “pedophilia.”

For that reason, I would argue that “pedophile” and “lolicon” are not words that are mutually interchangeable in the Japanese language, especially within the context of Japanese otaku subculture. If the original text (anime, manga, game, etc.) used the word lolicon without aiming to assert a strong negative connotation, then a translation of that text should strive to maintain the same nuance. Disagreeing on the subject matter is fine, disguising the author’s intent is not.

It’s important to note that the Japanese language does have words that invoke strong negative connotation that could be used to denote the criminal and/or exploitative dimension of a relationship between minors and adults. ペドフィリア (pedophilia) or ペド (pedo) is used in Japan. So is 小児性愛 (shouniseai) and 児童性愛 (jidou seiai.)

ロリコン (Lolicon) is occasionally used by the Japanese news media, but its usually only used by tabloids for sensational headlines. I can’t recall coming across a mainstream news publication / new program describing a child molester as being a lolicon.

I was born and raised in Japan, and I’ve been translating manga and anime into English for over 30 years. You may not agree with me, and that’s fine, but please do note that I’m not alone in pointing this out.
Manga Answerman – Is Translating ‘Lolicon’ as ‘Pedophile’ Accurate?
Deb Aoki tackles the Hensuki episode controversy

Even looking up the word in Wikipedia points out how translating lolicon into pedophilia is extremely misguided and dangerous.
Lolicon – Wikipedia
“Cultural critics responding to lolicon generally emphasize it as distinct from attraction to real young girls.”

Here another quote from the Wikipedia entry on lolicon.
“Feminist Chizuko Ueno argued that lolicon, as an orientation towards fictional bishojo, is ‘completely different from pedophilia’, and characterized it as a desire to ‘be part of the ‘cute’ world of shojo’ for male fans of shojo manga who ‘find it too much to be a man’.”

People are free to judge the content as they see fit, but trying to project a worldview upon others that don’t share that worldview will more that likely meet considerable pushback.