Anime provides us with a sense of escapism, and that’s all this medium has been doing for us for all these years, arguably better than any other medium. However, it now seems that, according to China, this escapism is getting a bit too much, and they’re willing to ban certain shows to put an end to it.
A Chinese news website, Mantan, recently revealed some possible upcoming anime policies in China that might be extremely worrying for the Japanese anime industry. But what exactly are these policies?
Although China is one of the biggest consumers of anime, their new policies might ban anime that revolves around overthrowing the government or middle school romance. Now, for those who already know about China’s policies, it shouldn’t come off as a huge shock, but still, it’s a concerning topic at hand to discuss.
The industry might be in trouble because of China’s new anime policies
Censorship has always been an annoying factor for Chinese fans of any foreign show. But recently, it seems it has taken a stricter turn, which might even affect the anime industry as a whole! According to the Chinese news website, Mantan, any anime that involves overthrowing the government is now off-limits in China!
But that’s not all! Even some of our favorite middle school romance animes are also getting axed. This means that many coming-of-age anime shows are being banned as well from Chinese Television. It’s a significant blow to the anime industry, especially for shows like Dandadan, Attack on Titan, etc, which rely heavily on these themes.
Even in Japan, the situation isn’t much better. The production teams are seeing a significant scarcity to get national clients, and it’s also getting harder to get sponsorships for such anime shows compared to dramas and variety shows. As a result, airing certain genre-centric anime during prime time is becoming increasingly difficult.
However, there’s one breakaway from this unforgiving situation. Online platforms are still available for anime fans to enjoy their favorite shows. In fact, Mantan suggests that this shift might open up new opportunities for Chinese residents to explore anime on alternative streaming platforms.
How worrisome China’s new Anime policies actually are
It’s extremely funny how China’s censorship policies work, often resulting in some of the most hilarious edits. A notable example would be Bilibili’s altered version of the recently released anime, Dandadan.
Shortly after its international release, people noticed a few odd changes in China’s version of the anime’s episodes. They completely removed Seiko Ayase’s cleavage shots, and her cigarette was replaced with a lollipop!
However, this is still nothing compared to how China often outright bans many anime titles. Elfen Lied, Tokyo Ghoul, and Death Note are just a few examples of popular shows that didn’t make the cut. But the good thing is, despite these restrictions, anime fans have found ways to access the shows they want to watch!
For anime fans, it’s exciting to see the current state of the industry. With a wide variety of works available on online platforms now at convenient times, there’s never been a better time to be an anime enthusiast. The industry has come a long way in the past five years, and even with China’s restrictive policies, its future looks bright.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
