When it comes to anime, few series escape oversight from censorship. Whether from Japan itself or the global market, censorship has a long history with anime. We have seen every series from Sailor Moon to Attack on Titan get raked over by censors. Now, the hottest anime of 2024 is contending with censorship, and Dandadan is drawing ire after episode three was hit hard by censors.
The ordeal came to light this past week as Netflix brought Dandadan episode three to life. It was there fans watched as Seiko Ayase made her long-awaited debut. The spirit medium is perhaps known best as Sexy Granny and for good reason. Despite being Momo’s grandma, the older woman defies any stereotype tied to her age. Not only does the woman know how to kick butt, but Seiko does not limit her wardrobe. She wears all sorts of revealing clothes, but fans in China did not get to see that firsthand.
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DANDADAN DEBUTS AS ONE OF ANIME’S HOTTEST NEW SHOWS
As you can see below, the censors in China painted over several scenes of Dandadan. In episode three, the streaming service BiliBili surprised fans by covering up Seiko. From her chest-baring tops to her short shorts, Seiko’s outfits were being a modest makeover. The edit might not be a critical one, but it has left Dandadan fans scratching their heads. Seiko is defined in part by her sexy appearance, but the look was washed out by censors.
Here in the United States, the anime wasn’t touched by any sort of makeover. Seiko’s outfits appear as intended by Science Saru, but that did not happen for BiliBili users. Censorship struck once again, and that trend will continue as Dandadan goes on. Seiko’s wardrobe is not modest in any way, so future episodes will have to account for her style.
With this censored episode in mind, fans watching Dandadan on BiliBili are using social media to share their anger. Dandadan is an edgy show, and that truth is made clear in episode one. From Momo’s alien abduction to Turbo Granny’s introduction, the supernatural anime is meant for a more mature audience. There is no telling how else Dandadan will be throttled by censorship overseas. And of course, such a fate is not unique for anime.
THE TROUBLED TIE BETWEEN ANIME AND CENSORSHIP
When it comes to global censorship, anime has a troubled history. America was forced to dictate guidelines for anime censorship when 4Kids Entertainment and Cartoon Network began airing more anime titles. A slew of content was flagged for censorship including alcohol consumption, smoking, graphic violence, bloodshed, sexual content, offensive language, and more. Places like 4Kids Entertainment took editing even further with various localization efforts. The licensor wanted to make anime titles more palatable for young fans, so series like Pokemon transformed rice balls into… donuts. You know, because that definitely makes sense.
These days, streaming services stateside and globally have their own censorship guidelines to abide by. Some content can be put behind age restrictions, but that is not always the case. And in some countries like China and Thailand, these edits are taken to the extreme. Thanks to differing cultural customs and religious values, every nation is a bit different when it comes to censorship. For instance, some nations in Asia censored ,’s nudity by putting shirts on all of the titans. So really, Dandadan‘s recent run-in with censors was tame.
What do you make of this latest censorship incident? Are you keeping up with Dandadan now that it is live? Give me a shout at @meganwpeters with your take! You can also let us know what you think over on X (Twitter) and Instagram.