An Adelaide father has been given a suspended jail sentence for having more than 300 anime images that were classed as child pornography.

The 52-year-old man pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography after police raided his home in April 2012.

The District Court heard, after analysing his laptop two years later, the investigating officer found 361 anime images depicting children as well as 44 images of actual children.

He was charged with an aggravated offence of possessing child pornography relating to the images of actual children, as well as a non-aggravated charge in relation to the anime images.

Anime refers to Japanese animated productions, either hand-drawn or computer animation.

Sentencing judge, Paul Muscat, said although no actual children were exploited in the anime or cartoon images he was concerned that people who accessed those sexualised cartoon images of children may easily progress to other child exploitation material.

"[The psychologist] has expressed a view that you considered what you were doing was similar to reading or taking part in a fantasy rather than contributing to the production of child exploitation material, and thereby fostering a market devoted to enhancing or increasing the risk of actual children being exploited within society," the judge said.

"I can understand that view but it is not that great a step to then move on to viewing material of actual children.

"I do not overlook the fact that you had a number of child pornography images of actual children."

Judge Paul Muscat said the man was remorseful and ashamed about the offending.

Judge Muscat said the man was clearly remorseful, and very ashamed of the offending.

"You accept that what you were viewing was wrong, even if most of the material you were accessing was anime images of children," he said.

"You expressed to the psychologist that as the images did not involve actual children the impact of such material was not as great within the general community.

"Does it matter that most of the images you accessed on the internet were anime? On a limited assessment it must, for no actual child was being sexually abused.

"However, as I previously observed, the concern is that those who view anime will go on to view images of actual children being sexually abused."

The court heard the material was classified at the lower end of the scale.

"About 90 per cent of the total of 405 child pornography images were of anime or cartoons of children," Judge Muscat said.

"Of the remaining 44 images of actual children all but one was classified in the first category of the child exploitation material scale, which depicts children in various states of undress or sexual positions but without sexual activity."

'Fortunate to have family support'

The court heard the man had developed anxiety and depression, but had the support of his wife and two children.

The man's wife wrote a letter to the court in support of her husband.

"The family letter reveals the shock and horror in 2012 when the family was informed by the police of your use of the internet to access child pornography material," Judge Muscat said.

"Your family has supported you over the past three years while this matter has been hanging over your head.

"You have also been described by your wife as an honest, hard-working man who is loved by your family and small circle of very close friends, I have no reason to doubt that is so.

"You are very fortunate to have the love and support of such a close-knit family who have stood by you. That alone, in my view, is very conducive to your ultimate rehabilitation."

Judge Muscat imposed a prison sentence of four months, which he suspended.

He placed the man on a 12-month good behaviour bond, which will require him to undergo treatment.

Japan outlaws child pornography but excludes comics

The Japanese parliament voted last year to outlaw the possession of child pornography.

Before the laws, only the production and distribution of child pornography had been banned.

The legislation bans possession of photographs and videos depicting real children aged below 18, but it excludes sexually explicit depictions of children in comics, animation and computer graphics.

Comic artists, free-speech advocates and publishers have welcomed the move.

The comics are known as manga in Japan and account for about a third of publications sold annually.