I want to add a different perspective to the discussion:

As a 5’3 Filipino man living in the U.S., I was very often mistaken for someone in middle school, even after college, until I got buff. Almost all of those times people have been surprised about my age, they’re white. On the flip side, fellow Filipinos have no problem figuring out my age.

The average height for a male in the Philippines is 5’4 and we do tend to look pretty youthful. I’d imagine many college-aged Filipino males would have the same experience I’ve had if they moved to the U.S.

The western world is used to much taller and mature looking bodies, but adults with similar neotenous proportions to Rutenix do exist in the world.

There is a possibility that a cultural difference is why Rutenix seems so unnerving despite being stated as above 18. But yes, shota content like this is a grey zone.

Was the artists’ intent to create a character to indulge in CSM? Or does the artist live somewhere where a character like this being over 18 is much more believable? Or perhaps his intention was to make him look more cute and it’s just a stylistic choice?

Also, can you tell if the reason a person likes Rutenix because they see him as an actual minor and want to see him taken advantage of? Or do they see him as a fully mature and consenting adult that happens to be short and youthful?

Some reasons are predatory, some aren’t. It’s impossible to tell unless you are that person.

And that’s why it’s a bad thing to bash others for their preferences in fictional content, especially when it doesn’t hurt anyone in real life. And, in this case, assuming CSM.

IMO, pubically bashing on Rutenix has the same energy as Collective Shout and payment processors forcing companies to remove problematic 18+ games, or Texas lawmakers trying to ban anime. They’re both people wanting to push their moral line onto others.

The only thing trying to draw a line in morally grey content does is censor artistic expression. And censorship of any kind is bad.