According to her LinkedIn profile[1] and as stated on her twitter[2], Ms. Rapp is a “Product Marketing Specialist at Nintendo of America” specializing in “Public Relations and Communications” and is responsible for the marketing of several games for the company. She has been extremely vocal on cultural criticism of manga and gaming which she examines through an “academic”[3] lense. While injecting progressive views in analysis of gaming and comic book culture has been a high point of controversy, more troubling is her attitude towards children and sexuality.

At the Japan Studies Association Conference in Honolulu in 2012, Ms. Rapp presented Speech We Hate:…Anti-Child Pornography Laws[4]; a thesis which outlined objections towards laws enacting against child pornography. Her piece can be boiled down to three points; that the consequences of consuming media containing child pornography are exaggerated, that child pornography constitutes free speech, and that Japan’s laws are a byproduct of cultural imperialism from the West. What her arguments do not address is the rewarding of child rape necessitated in making such media, and in fact suggest child adult relations are only a matter of cultural norms.

Ms. Rapp’s advocacy is not limited to a single research paper. Taking to social media, the way Alison Rapp regards changes in laws is reminiscent of progressive arguments advocating sexual liberation.

While not directly involved with localizing games, Ms. Rapp’s radical stances on free expression make the company she works for come across as hypocritical in light of recent censorship issues regarding Fire Emblem Fates, Xenoblade X, and other nintendo games who’s content has been altered for the American release. These practices are currently being protested on twitter by gamers with the hashtag “TorrentialDownpour”[6]. Though, given the campaign is being spearheaded by gamers, Ms. Rapp would probably not be interested in hearing their complaints: