Pingtung County Government officials recently issued instructions to elementary school teachers, asking them to heed any negative influence on students who immerse themselves in reading Death Note, a Japanese manga series that has recently grown in popularity on campus.
The manga describes a high school student who decides to get rid of evil in the world after he accidentally picks up the God of Death's notebook. The supernatural power surrounding the notebook kills anyone whose name is written in it, according to the manga's storyline.
As the Death Note centers on the topic of death, a film -- based on the cartoon book -- was prohibited in some countries, and its TV program is only allowed to be broadcast late at night.
In Taiwan, the film has been classified "parental," the second-lowest rating, requiring individuals under 12 to be accompanied by parents or other adult guardians and restricting children under six altogether.
The owner running manga bookstore said that Death Note is popular with students from fifth graders to senior high schools students.
A fifth-grader said that he and his classmates all read the manga without their teacher knowing, do not find the storyline frightening and enjoy reading it very much.
Officials from the Pingtung County Government's educational bureau have called on school teachers to keep an eye on their students for any negative influences the manga might have on them.
The officials also urged the teachers to strengthen talks on appreciation of life.
Hsu Wen-bin (許文彬), executive-general of the Publication Appraisal Foundation, however, was not of the opinion that Death Note is bad for students.
Since it is unreasonable to classify books or to ask parents to read the manga with their children, Hsu said the best solution is for parents to provide answers that children might have while reading the mangas.
Tongli Publishing, the publisher of the manga's Chinese version in Taiwan, said the manga actually has educational meaning as the main character receives his share of punishment in the end of the story.
Saying Death Note is a good teaching material on the values of good and bad, life and death, comics commentator Jojo suggested teachers try to understand why students like the manga rather than over-reacting and implementing a ban.
Kenting National Park service technician Yang Jien-fon (楊政峰) won a silver award in World Grand Prix Photography Awards Spring Season for his photograph of two male rat snakes intertwined in combat. Yang’s colleagues at Kenting National Park said he is a master of nature photography who has been held back by his job in civil service. The awards accept entries in all four seasons across six categories: architectural and urban photography, black-and-white and fine art photography, commercial and fashion photography, documentary and people photography, nature and experimental photography, and mobile photography. Awards are ranked according to scores and divided into platinum, gold and
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday said it opposes the introduction of migrant workers from India until a mechanism is in place to prevent workers from absconding. Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) on Thursday told the Legislative Yuan that the first group of migrant workers from India could be introduced as early as this year, as part of a government program. The caucus’ opposition to the policy is based on the assessment that “the risk is too high,” KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥) said. Taiwan has a serious and long-standing problem of migrant workers absconding from their contracts, indicating that
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
TRADE-OFF: Beijing seeks to trade a bowl of tempura for a Chinese delicacy, an official said, while another said its promises were attempts to interfere in the polls The government must carefully consider the national security implications of building a bridge connecting Kinmen County and Xiamen, China, the Public Construction Commission (PCC) said yesterday. PCC Commissioner Derek Chen (陳金德), who is also a minister without portfolio, made the remarks in a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee, after Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hsu Fu-kuei (徐富癸) asked about China’s proposal of new infrastructure projects to further connect Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties with Xiamen. China unveiled the bridge plan, along with nine other policies for Taiwan, on Sunday, the last day of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s (鄭麗文) visit
RSS