Talk:Ken Kaneki/@comment-187.56.168.197-20151226151651/@comment-25047329-20151226212907

I don't know about Japan or the rest of the world, but here in the U.S. the average age for first intercourse is 17. There are a lot of misconstrued ideas about sex, especially by young people. For one it's seen as a right of passage to become a "real man". Sex is also strongly associated with power. Not necessarily relationship wise, but it's seen as something that comes with a position of power; something that's "earned" just for having it.

Kaneki being a 22/23 year-old man revered as powerful since he was 19 and currently having a high social standing within his circle still being a virgin is seen as a bit atypical. At least by my cultures' standards (granted, it depends on who you ask. There are still plenty of sexually conservative Americans, but I think they may be the minority by comparison now). It's something that I see pop up every now and then, his power being equated to sexual prowess in some way (not in this particular thread, just generally speaking).

/one perspective