Anime has gained fashionability all throughout the world as a kind of entertainment; still, not every nation allows all anime to be broadcast or distributed there. Certain anime have been known to be banned in China specifically because of their themes or substance. The top ten anime series that China has banned, along with explanations for their bans, are as follows
1. Attack on Titan
Due to its graphic violence and overtly anti-authoritarian undertones, the popular anime series Attack on Titan was outlawed in China.
Synopsis: In a world where humanity lives inside cities surrounded by enormous walls due to the Titans, giant humanoid creatures who devour humans seemingly without reason, a young boy named Eren Yeager decides to join the Survey Corps, a military organization that fights Titans outside the walls.
2. Death Note
Death Note is banned in China because of its depiction of violence, death, and its themes of supernatural power, and the use of the Death Note notebook to kill people. Additionally, the Chinese government is sensitive to media that depicts rebellious or non-conformist behavior, and the series' protagonist. The government also has concerns about the impact of such media on young people and its potential to encourage criminal behavior.
Synopsis: Light Yagami, a high school student, finds a supernatural notebook that grants him the power to kill anyone whose name and face he knows. He starts using it to create a better world, but his actions attract the attention of a mysterious detective known only as "L."
3. Highschool of the Dead
Highschool of the Dead Because of its violent violence and sexual nature, this anime was outlawed in China.
Synopsis: A group of high school students and their school nurses survive a global zombie outbreak and try to find their families and a safe place to live.
4. Tokyo Ghoul
Tokyo Ghoul Because of its graphic delineations of blood and violence, this anime was outlawed in China.
Synopsis: In a world where ghouls, creatures that eat human flesh, live among humans in secrecy, a college student named Kaneki is turned into a half-ghoul after an accident. He struggles to adapt to his new life while also being hunted by the authorities.
5. Parasyte: The Maxim
In China, this anime, Parasyte, was outlawed for its delineations of brutal violence and fleshly horror.
Synopsis: Parasitic aliens have invaded Earth and taken over human bodies. Shinichi Izumi, a high school student, is infected by one of these parasites but manages to keep his own personality intact and fights against them.
6. Psycho-Pass
Pyscho-Pass Because of its violent themes and anti-authoritarian rudiments, this anime was outlawed in China.
Synopsis: In a future society where everyone's mental state and personality can be quantified and monitored by the Sibyl System, a team of police officers known as the Enforcers and Inspectors must track down criminals who are judged to be a threat to society based on their "Psycho-Pass."
7. Naruto
Due to its violent delineations and themes of revolution, the anime Naruto was outlawed in China. In the anime series, Naruto Uzumaki, a youthful ninja, learns to become the most important ninja in his community and guard his comrades.
Synopsis: Naruto follows the story of a young orphan boy named Naruto Uzumaki who dreams of becoming a Hokage - the strongest ninja in his village. However, Naruto carries a secret within him: he is the host of the Nine-Tailed Fox, a powerful and dangerous creature that attacked his village when he was a baby. Along with his friends and fellow ninja-in-training, Naruto navigates through various challenges, battles, and personal struggles, all while trying to prove himself and protect his village.
8. Steins gate
Blackjack; Gate Because of its depiction of time trips and anti-authoritarian sentiments, this anime was outlawed in China. The show centers on a group of musketeers who unintentionally figure out how to shoot textbooks into history and now have to deal with the fallout from altering the report.
Synopsis: Steins;Gate is a Japanese sci-fi anime that follows the story of a self-proclaimed mad scientist, Rintaro Okabe, who together with his friends, discovers the possibilities of time travel through their microwave oven-turned-time machine. The group soon realizes the severe consequences that come with altering the past, and Okabe must race against time to prevent a catastrophic event from happening. The show explores themes of the consequences of time travel, the cost of changing the past, and the value of friendship in the face of danger.
9. Sword Art Online
Sword Art Online Because of its definition of violence and its sundries of virtual reality, this anime was outlawed in China.
Synopsis: In the near future, a virtual reality massively multiplayer online role-playing game (VRMMORPG) called "Sword Art Online" is released. The players soon find out that they cannot log out of the game and that dying in the game means dying in real life.
10. Death Parade
Because of how it portrays death and the afterlife, this vitality was outlawed in China.
Synopsis: "Death Parade" is an anime series that explores the afterlife, where the dead are sent to either be reincarnated or sent to the void. The series focuses on the mysterious bar known as Quindecim, where deceased souls are judged through a series of games that test their true nature and intentions. The bartender, Decim, oversees these games, along with his assistant, a woman named Chiyuki. As the series progresses, the true purpose of the games and the bar's existence are slowly revealed, leading to a dramatic and emotional conclusion.
In conclusion, the anime industry has faced several bans in China due to various reasons such as inappropriate content, political sensitivity, and depiction of violence. The bans have resulted in significant losses for the industry, as China is a massive market for anime. However, the government of China is determined to maintain its strict censorship policies, and it remains to be seen how the anime industry will adapt to these restrictions in the future. Nevertheless, the global popularity of anime continues to grow, and fans of the genre around the world remain eager to watch and support their favorite shows.