Banned Animes have been a topic of discussion for a long time amongst avid anime watchers worldwide. There are various reasons as to why some of these shows and movies have faced such a firm reaction. While some of the stories are known for pushing the boundaries of artistic expression and storytelling, meanwhile some have been outright banned for their crude humour and inappropriate material that sparked controversies.
The list contains some of the biggest names that are extremely popular within the anime community, which have been banned in some regions. However, a few of the shows are banned in Japan itself due to their explicit themes and overtly graphic content. Nevertheless, the anime industry continues to evolve, and the debate over banned anime remains a complex and multifaceted subject, shaping the way creators and audiences engage with this beloved art form
10 Banned Animes That Created Controversies
Midori
The story of Midori: Shōjo Tsubaki follows a girl who gets conned into joining a circus after her mother passes away. She is forced to join a freak circus show where she is mentally, physically and sexually abused constantly. The film is directed by Hiroshi Harada and adapted from the manga by Suehiro Maruo. Due to the display of abuse against children and animals in graphic details, the anime has been banned almost everywhere, including Japan. Moreover, the content of the film was so disturbing that even of the film has also been destroyed.
Tokyo Ghoul
Based on the manga series written and illustrated by Sui Ishida, the story follows a world where both humans and ghouls exist. However, one day a boy named Ken Kaneki is bitten by one and turned into half human and half-ghoul who goes through life trying to survive and accept his new life. The anime showcases brutal scenes of physical violence, which can be triggering to most audiences. In many countries, the show has been censored or outright banned for the gory content and psychological story.
Attack on Titan
Written and illustrated by Hajime Isamaya, you have to be living under a rock if you have not heard about this anime series. The show took over the world by storm for its incredibly intricate story and amazing characters. However, the plot consists of major character deaths and showcases their demise in the most horrific ways. In China, the show is deemed to be inappropriate for children due to its violent content and has faced a ban in the country.
Puni Puni Poemy
The anime is a spin-off from the Excel Saga anime and manga series. The story follows a girl whose parents are killed by a mysterious alien, and now she has to take on the role of saving the day. However, the show is not as straightforward and cute as it seems. The story contains sexual content involving minor characters, which sparked controversy. The vulgar and nudity has been deemed to be inappropriate for young children, and hence, it is banned in New Zealand.
Death Note
The show remains one of the most popular ones among others. Even if you are not an anime fan, you are bound to come across the name of the show. The story follows a student named Light, who gets ahold of a diary whereupon writing a person’s name and cause of death; they immediately meet their demise. The plot contains a lot of psychological elements, which are considered to be brutal and horrific. Due to its themes of death, murder and violence, the show has been banned in China.
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Kite
The story of the anime follows a girl named Sawa, whose parents die as a result of a double assassination. Later on, she also becomes an assassin and uses bullets to kill people and make them explode. However, although it has a lot of violent scenes, it is not the sole reason for why it is banned. The show contains explicit scenes of sexual assault on a minor and due to Norway’s strict rules, the country has banned the anime.
Pokémon
Undoubtedly, the anime series has to be the most popular one around the world. The target audience of the series is children; however, even adults enjoy the show to this day. But even such an innocent anime has been banned due to unfathomable reasons. In Saudi Arabia, it is deemed that the show promotes gambling and Jewish sentiments. Moreover, many theories have also been raised surrounding the Zionist conspiracy, and hence, the show has been banned in the country since then.
High School DxD
The story revolves around Issei Hyodo, a high school kid who is killed by a girl on their first date. However, he was brought back from the dead by a devil, and now he must serve her for his entire life. Despite its high viewers rating, the show has faced multiple censorships and has even been banned in some regions due to its content. The plot contains a lot of sexual scenes involving nudity which has been considered inappropriate for certain audiences.
Excel Saga
Directed by Shinichi Watanabe, the story follows a secret organisation at play which plans to take over the world. The show is a parody and a comedy anime series. However, the anime series is available to watch everywhere except for the last episode because it contains violent and sexually explicit content. Moreover, the director of the show purposely went too far and got the episode banned so that it remains unforgettable throughout the years.
Record of Ragnarok
The anime series displays various gods from heaven who fight each other for their own objectives. Although the story is not outlandish, the show still got banned because it contains certain elements which have been deemed offensive. In India, the show is banned and opposed by the President of the Universal Society of Hinduism for the inaccurate portrayal of the God Shiva in the show. It is said to have to contain moments trivialising the diety and hurting religious sentiments.
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