A Republican lawmaker has explicitly mentioned the manga series Goblin Slayer by Kumo Kagyuu when asked about recent campaigns to ban “obscene” and “pornographic” content from American schools.

Republican state representatives in Texas distributed a signed letter from over 20 government officials to school districts across the state. This letter suggested schools pledge to no longer purchase books from vendors which supply “pornography”.

Local newspaper Houston Chronicle reached out to signatories of the letter to try and get more specific insight into why they signed the document. Representative Jeff Leach in particular said: “I know it when I see it” and made reference to Goblin Slayer; showcasing the nebulous definition of pornography and obscenity in US law which is often left to “local standards”.

Other books referred to by lawmakers include the western graphic novel Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe.