12 Banned Anime From Around The World

Where It's Banned: Japan What It's About: Twelve-year-old Midori is conned into joining a traveling freak show. She’s forced into difficult and degrading labor, and mistreated by both her boss and her employer. When illusionist Wonder Masamitsu joins the crew, she forms a romantic relationship with him that she thinks could change her life. Why It's Banned: It’s uncommon to see anime banned in its country of origin. Shoujo Tsubaki is a bit of a cult classic, but it’s definitely not for the faint of heart. In one particularly disturbing scene, Midori is forced to watch a man slay a group of puppies. He sexually assaults her afterward. This is just one of many violent and graphic scenes featured in the film.

Where It's Banned: Norway What It's About: Kite follows a teenage orphan, Sawa, taken in by a detective after her parents are murdered. Instead of providing a stable home for her, the detective trains her as an assassin. The anime follows Sawa's attempts to escape this terrible lifestyle. Why It's Banned: One especially graphic scene depicts the sexual assault of a minor. According to Norwegian law, this constitutes child p*rnography. It cannot be sold or screened anywhere in the country. Although not outright banned in many other nations, Kite is still difficult to obtain due to limited printing or heavy editing.

Where It's Banned: Saudi Arabia What It's About: In a world inhabited by creatures called Pokémon, people dedicate their lives to befriending them, understanding them, and training them for battle. Ash Ketchum dreams of becoming a Pokémon Master, which means capturing every kind of Pokémon out there and winning a wide range of tournaments. Why It's Banned: In 2001, Saudi Arabia banned the Pokémon card game. In 2016, the ban was revisited to include Pokémon Go, a popular mobile game that involves capturing Pokémon in real-world locations. Saudi Arabian authorities consider the franchise anti-Islamic and believe it promotes gambling. In addition, the fact that the Pokémon evolve promotes Darwin’s theory of evolution, which is generally not accepted by Islam. Authorities also state the cards contain symbols from religions they label “deviant,” including Christianity, Judaism, and Shinto.

Where It's Banned: India What It's About: Gods from all over the world are convening to make an important decision about whether to let humanity continue. Brunhilde, one of the 13 Valkyries, suggests a tournament in which the strongest human warriors fight the gods for the right to survive. It’s up to Brunhilde to select the right lineup from the annals of human history. Why It's Banned: The series depicts deities from a variety of cultures, including the Hindu god Shiva. American Hindu activist Rajan Zed protested what he saw as a disrespectful depiction of Shiva, and urged Warner Bros. Japan to reconsider the portrayal. According to Section 295(A) of the Indian Penal Code, "outraging the religious feelings of any class of [citizens of India]" with "deliberate and malicious intention” is against the law. Foreign parties are still liable for this. Netflix responded by removing Record of Ragnarok from streaming in India, but keeping it elsewhere. The company also stated in an email to Zed that “We at Netflix respect all religions, communities and their cultures and traditions. The stories that are on our service are not intended to be disrespectful or hurt the sentiments of any community or group.”

Where It's Banned: China What It's About: Eren Jaeger and his friends desperately want to see the rest of the world, but they’re trapped behind a wall that protects them from giant human-eating monsters called Titans. When the wall is breached, they decide to join the Survey Corps, a group dedicated to eradicating the creatures. It turns out, however, that the Titans hold some terrifying secrets, and that the world is very different from what Eren and his group once believed. Why It's Banned: Attack on Titan was one of 38 anime and manga titles banned by China in 2015. The bans impacted series the Chinese Ministry believed included “scenes of violence, p*rnography, terrorism and crimes against public morality." Attack on Titan is an exceptionally violent series, featuring graphic scenes of people being eaten alive.

Where It's Banned: France What It's About: Kinnikuman is a superhero, but he’s not particularly good at his job. The pressure increases when he discovers he's actually the prince of an alien planet. To prove his worth, he must defeat multiple enemies and enter tournaments. Why It's Banned: In 1990, France banned the series because a character named Brocken Jr. was depicted as a “good Nazi.” His design featured a military uniform with a swastika, but the uniform later changed - likely due to the controversy it caused. Swastikas often appear in anime as ancient Buddhist iconography, but that clearly wasn’t the intended meaning here. Because of Brocken Jr., only 49 of Kinnikuman's 109 episodes aired in France.

Where It's Banned: New Zealand What It's About: Poemy Watanabe is a 10-year-old girl with dreams of becoming a voice actor. These dreams seem fairly unobtainable, as she has no skills. However, her life changes when an alien invasion results in her obtaining magical powers. Why It's Banned: The miniseries depicts sexual content involving a minor, which goes beyond the type of fan service common in anime, as the character in question is only 10. According to the New Zealand Classification Office, the series was banned because it supports “the exploitation of children and young persons for sexual purposes." The ban was reversed in 2021 after a member of the public requested a review. As of 2024, Puni Puni Poemy has a rating of R16, which means it's forbidden to New Zealand viewers younger than 16.

Where It's Banned: Japan What It's About: Il Palazzo is the leader of ACROSS, an organization bent on taking over the world. This is easier said than done, so he decides to start with Fukuoka. To accomplish this task, he enlists the hyperactive Excel and the sickly Hyatt. However, the two of them are significantly more likely to screw things up than to make any progress - and they’ll do it in the most ridiculous way possible. Why It's Banned: Most of Excel Saga is perfectly fine to watch in Japan, but the final episode was forbidden to air because the creators violated broadcast rules by making it too long, too obscene, and too violent. The episode was included in DVD sales, but wasn’t shown on TV. Ironically, its title was “Going Too Far," which was spot-on for the creators’ intentions.

Where It's Banned: Russia and China What It's About: After a date goes horribly awry, college student Ken Kaneki wakes up in the hospital with ghoul organs transplanted into his body. This turns him into a half-ghoul, so he has no choice but to eat human flesh if he wants to survive. He seeks out refuge with Anteiku, a group that helps ghouls acquire a food supply through peaceful means. However, the ghoul community is under serious threat from all sides, and Kaneki will have to adjust, fast. Why It's Banned: In 2021, Tokyo Ghoul was banned in Russia alongside other series, including Death Note and Inuyashiki. According to the St. Petersburg Court System, “Every episode contains cruelty, murder, violence.” It’s not clear which series this statement was referencing, but that's certainly an accurate description of Tokyo Ghoul. China banned the entire series due to its extreme violence, which violates Chinese public morality.

Where It's Banned: Australia What It's About: When a shut-in gamer named Takuma Sakamoto is summoned to an MMORPG as a Demon King named Diablo, he’s nearly enslaved by his summoners, but he ends up becoming their master instead. The first season centers around their attempts to undo the contract. During the second season, Omega, Diablo is mistaken for a god. Why It's Banned: The Australian Classification Board gave the series a rating of RC or “refused classification.” This means it cannot be sold or imported into Australia. However, a loophole permits streaming, so the series is still technically available within Australia. The board did not provide a reason for the ban.

Where It's Banned: Japan What It's About: Things aren’t going well for the Matsuno sextuplets. Although they’re in their 20s, they don’t have jobs; they’re not in school; and none of them have found a girlfriend. This comedic series alternates between absurdism and actual commentary on the lives of Japanese youth. Why It's Banned: The first episode of Mr. Osomatsu was removed from most platforms because it violated copyright laws. It features a cascade of parodies of countless anime, from Naruto to Yowamushi Pedal. In the US, this would be acceptable under fair use, but Japanese copyright law is not as permissive.

Where It's Banned: Russia & China What It's About: A teenage boy named Light Yagami finds a notebook that ends the life of anyone whose name is written inside it. He decides to use this to eliminate crime and become a god-like figure. However, first he’ll have to outsmart the world’s greatest detective, “L.” Why It's Banned: The first bans came in 2005 from the school board in Shenyang, China, after middle school students were discovered writing the names of their classmates and teachers in notebooks designed to look like Light's. The board worried this endangered the physical and mental health of the students. The ban soon spread to cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Lanzhou. In 2015, Death Note was banned across the whole nation by the Chinese Ministry of Culture. Russia also outright banned the series.