11. Mr. Osomatsu
Mr. Osomatsuis a comedy anime based on the 1962 mangaOsomatsu-kunabout six mischievous siblings who always manage to get out of trouble. The anime follows them as adults, and features a lot more adult humor accordingly.
The first episode ofMr. Osomatsuis packed with parodies of famous anime series, includingAttack on Titan,Kuroko’s Basketball,Dragon Ball Z, and several others—and that’s why it was banned.
While most anime series are banned for violence or sexual content,Mr. Osomatsu’s first episode ran afoul of copyright laws. Western countries have Fair Use policies, but in Japan, the rights of intellectual property owners are protected much more strictly.
Related:The Best Non-Japanese Anime From China, Korea, and Elsewhere
10. Attack on Titan
Attack on Titanmight be one of the most popular mainstream anime series of the modern age, but that’s not enough to keep it from being banned by world governments.
While this anime series full of monstrous creatures that feast on humans is thrilling and packed with plot twists, the eponymous Titans are so gruesomely violent that many find the animation disturbing.
Along with dozens of other animes,Attack on Titanwas banned in China for excessive body horror.
But on top of that,Attack on Titanwas also banned for promoting opposition to authority. (The societies in the show can be interpreted as real-life analogues of the relationship between Japan and China.)
Related:The Scariest Anime Characters Who Are Creepy and Horrifying
9. Death Note
Death Noteis a psychological thriller with lots of crime, injustice, violence, and death. It’s a must-watch for fans of dark and mysterious cat-and-mouse stories with smart characters.
It starts with Light Yagami, a high school student who finds a “Death Note” that lets him kill anyone by writing their name in its pages.
Light uses this power to massacre criminals and purge immorality, but he eventually becomes the target of an elite investigation squad.
Death Notewas banned in China because it influenced real-life children to begin writing the names of those they hate in their own mock Death Notes.Death Notewas also banned in Russia for its depictions of violence, crime, and murder.
Related:The Most Cerebral Anime Series for Philosophical Thinkers
8. High School DxD
High School DxDis a popular anime series involving a guy who’s reincarnated as a devil after death. With his perverted mind, he plans to build a harem and be the Harem King as he rises in ranks.
The series was banned in New Zealand for containing too many sexually suggestive scenes with its cast of young characters. Touching on topics of sex and harem, it was deemed too close to child pornography (possibly even crossing the line at times).
Other sexually suggestive anime series, likePuni Puni Poemy, have also been banned in New Zealand for the same reason.
Related:The Most Sexualized Anime Characters Ruined by Fan Service
7. Parasyte: The Maxim
Parasyte: The Maximis an anime series about alien parasites arriving on Earth and infecting humans, allowing the parasites to disguise themselves as humans with altered physical and psychological states.
The main character is Shinichi Izumi, who managed to avoid total possession by restricting the parasitic infection to his hand—so now his hand has a mind of its own and can shift into murderous shapes.
It’s a brutal, violent, and bloody anime series with lots of body horror. With all the slashing, stabbing, and dismembering,Parasyte: The Maximwas declared “too disturbing” and was thus banned in China.
Related:The Most Brutal Anime Series of All Time, Ranked
6. Tokyo Ghoul
Tokyo Ghoulis one of the best anime series of all time if you want a dark, thrilling, and horrific mystery plot.
The story involves a young boy who’s attacked by a ghoul and miraculously survives as a half-ghoul. Now he must consume human flesh to continue living, all while co-existing in human society.
Both anime and manga formats ofTokyo Ghoulwere banned in China because it started a body stitching trend among youths. (One of the characters inTokyo Ghoul, Jūzō Suzuya, has stitches on his face and people were imitating it because it looked cool.)
Of course, there’s also the fact thatTokyo Ghoulis extremely violent and gruesome. This led to the anime being banned in Russia for its depictions of crime, murder, and violence.
Related:The Best Anime Series With Zombies
5. Voltes V
Voltes Vbegan airing in the Philippines in 1978. It’s a story of family, mystery, and a giant robot fighting off an alien invasion—a giant robot composed of five different machines, each piloted by a different character. (Sounds a bit likePower Rangers, huh?)
One year later, in 1979,Voltes Vwas banned in the Philippines for “excessive violence” and its harmful influence on children. According to reports, parents and guardians pleaded the government to cease airing the show for the sake of their kids.
As a result,Voltes Vwas taken off the air along with several other mecha animes, includingFighting General DaimosandMazinger Z. It would be another two decades before the ban was lifted.
Related:The Best Mecha Anime Series of All Time, Ranked
4. Record of Ragnarok
TheRecord of Ragnarokanime series centers around a tournament that will determine the future of mankind’s existence. It’s a series of battles between two sides: one, the gods and deities of different cultures and mythologies, and two, select representative human beings.
On top of this unique plot, the series inserts backstories into every fight, expanding the lore even more and making the series more than just empty-headed action-heavy scenes.
However,Record of Ragnarokgot banned in India because of its “inappropriate” and “trivialized” depiction of the country’s deity, Lord Shiva. (In India, concepts of Hinduism must be used and depicted properly based on the teachings and writings of their religion.)
Related:The Best Anime Series With Greek Gods and Heroes, Ranked
3. Pokémon
There’s so much to love about the TV seriesPokémon, including the cute creatures and the adventures of Ash Ketchum. Plus, the protagonist isn’t always the winner, which subverts the overused shonen trope.
Despite being an action-packed series involving trained (and untrained) Pokémon battles, thePokémonanime series is actually pretty light on violence, blood, and gore.
However, many Islamic countries banned thePokémonanime series for its central concept of evolution, which is said to contradict the fundamental teachings of Islam.
Some countries also banned certain episodes for their controversial topics that resemble real-life disasters and events.
Related:The Strangest Pokémon Ever Created
2. KonoSuba (And Other Isekai Animes)
Over the last decade, the isekai genre of anime grew into a huge hit and spawned many big-name series. The main idea of isekai anime involves characters brought to another world—either summoned by a magical force or getting reincarnated and given a new life.
The frequent use of reincarnation in the isekai anime genre is why the Russian government banned several popular isekai anime series, including fan-favoritesKonoSuba,That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, andMushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation.
Supposedly, the concept of isekai anime promotes reincarnation beliefs, giving people the idea that there will be another life after death (which “might” lead to suicidal tendencies).
Related:What Is Isekai? The Best Isekai Anime Series of All Time
1. Assassination Classroom
Assassination Classroomis a fun anime series with a heartbreaking ending. It centers on a class of high school students who are tasked with killing their “alien” teacher, who poses a great threat to the planet.
Based on this premise,Assassination Classroomwas banned in both Florida and Wisconsin because it supposedly promotes violence in school. (The anime has scenes where students wield guns, knives, and high-caliber firearms, all while trying to kill their teacher.)
On top of that,Assassination Classroomwas also banned because of its fan service: the sexualization of its student characters.
Read next:What Is Dark Anime? The Best Dark Anime Series, Ranked
