Throughout history, several animes have been banned in different countries for reasons ranging from conflicts with religious norms to depictions of extreme violence or explicit sexual content. Although most of these series are available on international platforms, some titles remain banned in specific regions.
7. Sailor Moon
The magical girls classic was banned in Saudi Arabia due to the presence of strong female protagonists, considered incompatible with the country's traditional values. The censorship also extended to other series of the genre, eliminating a large part of the “magical girl” titles from local television.
6. Elfen Lied
Recognized for its explicit violence and its portrayal of abuse and discrimination, Elfen Lied was banned in China and Russia. In 2021, Russian authorities argued that its graphic scenes could affect minors. Despite the restrictions, the anime continues to be valued for its treatment of psychological themes and its influence on modern anime.
5.Death Note
The story of Light Yagami and his deadly notebook was censored in China and Russia for its themes of extreme justice and violence. In China, the ban also extended to manga, after students tried to recreate the “death notebooks” in schools. In Russia, the series was removed from several platforms by court order in 2021.
4. Hetalia: Axis Powers
political satire Hetalia: Axis Powers personifies countries with caricature features, which caused South Korea will request its withdrawal in 2009. The depiction of the country was considered offensive, leading to its removal from local broadcasts. Since then, the anime remains unable to be officially broadcast in South Korea.
3. Record of Ragnarok
This series that pits gods against humans generated controversy in India for its representation of the god Shiva. Faced with pressure from religious groups, Netflix India temporarily removed the anime in 2021. Although it was not a legal ban, the measure amounted to a partial veto within the country.
2.Kite
The 1998 OVA directed by Yasuomi Umetsu was banned in Norway for including an explicit scene of sexual assault on a minor. The uncensored version was considered a violation of local child pornography laws, and only edited versions circulate in several Western countries to this day.
1. Midori: The Camellia Girl
Released in 1992 and directed by Hiroshi Haradathis film is one of the most disturbing in anime history. His depiction of physical and sexual abuse led to Japan will order the destruction of original copies in 1999. Although a censored version remains available, the original footage remains banned in much of the world.
The restrictions on these works open a constant debate about the limits of fiction and artistic freedom within anime. Each case reflects profound cultural differences and the way in which audiovisual content is interpreted according to the values of each country.
Do you think there should be censorship in anime when it addresses extreme or controversial topics?
