The Ministry of Culture continues checking anime and manga for possible “bad influence” and banning them if proven so, including punishing the Internet companies hosting them.
An anime is Japan’s take on cartoons and manga is its own version of comics. Manga are usually made into animated series, sometimes even into films.
An article posted on March 31, 2015, on the website of the Ministry of Culture says that the ministry will be removing anime and manga that are found ”vulgar,” containing “erotic elements” and/or showing or promoting “crimes against public morality, pornography, violence and terrorism.”
The ministry that said such online comics and shows are damaging the minds of children and may lead to “juvenile delinquency.”
The ministry didn’t detail the kind of punishment to be given to the Internet companies that will host these anime and manga. It already investigated iQiYi, Sohu, Tencent, Yokou, and the “Potato Net.”
On June 8, the ministry said in a statement that it already punished 29 Internet companies guilty of “illegal contents.” Sohu and iQiYi were among them.
Below is the alphabetical list of banned anime/manga:
From A-C: “Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero,” “Afro Samurai,” “Another,” “Assassination Classroom,” “Attack on Titan,” “Black Butler,” “Blood-C,” “Claymore” and “Corpse Party.”
From D-O: “Dance in a Vampire Bund,” “Date A Live II,” “Deadman Wonderland,” “Death Note,” “Devilman Lady,” “Devil May Cry,” “Elfen Lied,” “Ergo Proxy,” “Girls Bravo: Second Season,” “High School DxD,” High School of the Dead,” “Inferno Cop” and “Kanokon.”
From P-Z: “Parasyte,” “Psycho-Pass,” “RIN-Daughters of Mnemosyne,” Sakura Diaries,” “Samurai Bride,” “School Days,” “So, I Can’t Play H!” “Strike the Blood,” “Sword Art Online II,” “Terror in Resonance,” “Tokyo ESP,” “Tokyo Ghoul A,” “Tokyo Ravens,” “The Skull Man,” “The Testament of Sister New Devil” and “Those Who Hunt Elves.”
The ministry is only bent on establishing a “good cultural environment” in cyberspace to ensure and protect the “healthy growth of minors.”
So, is your favorite anime/manga blacklisted?