In Russia, Anime Watches You. According to a report by the Russian state news agency, RIA Novosti, the Saint Petersburg State Court, Russia, has banned local television stations and streaming platforms from broadcasting some popular Japanese anime content. The reason is that anime with violent content can damage moral development and also affect children's mentality.

According to the Moscow Times, this prohibition is a direct policy of the Prosecutor's Office of Saint Petersburg, Russia. With this court ruling, the state government has a legal basis starting mid-July 2021 to remove Anime content for adults from YouTube, Rutube, and also the Watch.Cartoons streaming site.

The goal is so that these anime cannot be accessed by internet users with an IP address identified as coming from Saint Petersburg. Curious about what Anime are banned from in Russia? See the following list to find out! 

1. Attack on Titan

Attack on Titan, which tells the story of humanity's war against Titans, is banned from broadcasting due to a court decision by the Russian government. Attack on Titan Live Action Movie is also being banned in Russia. A number of psychologists were presented by the prosecution to prove the dangers of this anime.

The psychologists at trial acknowledged that anime with themes of violence or war can lead to violent behavior in child audiences, as well as a tendency to self-harm. This popular story from Hajime Isayama does feature the character Eren Jaeger who seems to often injure himself to turn into a Titan. 

2. Akira

Akira is a classic anime from the 1980s that tells the story of a future set in 2019, it was banned due to a court decision of the Russian government. As reported by VICE World News, the reason they submitted the idea of ​​​​this ban to the court is because this anime can hamper their spiritual and moral development, and the values ​​displayed are also contrary to the situation in Russia,

A written statement from the Saint Petersburg Prosecutor's Office made a popular legendary anime like Akira also banned from being aired. The Saint Petersburg prosecutor's office also rejected a request for an interview by VICE World News regarding the anime's ban. Because the court proceedings are not open to the public, the profiles of several psychologists who criticize the anime cannot be verified.

3. Death Note

Death Note, is a story about a book belonging to the god of death, was banned due to a court decision by the Russian government. Ironically, in Death Note live-action, it is shown that the Shinigami's death book was found and used by a young man from a snowy area in Russia.

In fact, Death Note is accused of inspiring a teenage girl in Russia to commit suicide in 2013. Quoted from Japan Today, the war to ban anime in Russia probably started in 2013. At that time, dozens of parents petitioned and urged parliament to ban the broadcast of Death Note. Anime and manga about angels of death who work with psychopathic teenagers to create a new world are considered to have a bad influence on teenagers.

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4. Inuyashiki

Inuyashiki is an anime about a psychopath and is banned from broadcasting because of a court decision by the Russian government. The science fiction anime from MAPPA Studio is indeed synonymous with violence.

The depiction of same-sex love, as shown by Inuyashiki, is another reason why the Russian government has banned anime, according to a report by gaming site Igromania. President Vladimir Putin is also known as a person who has a fairly firm policy towards LGBT elements in his country.

5. Tokyo Ghoul

Tokyo Ghoul, which tells about the feud between humans and man-eating creatures, is banned from broadcasting due to a court decision by the Russian government. The violence displayed by Tokyo Ghoul shows a lot of eating human flesh and blood makes this anime unfit to be broadcasted in Russia.

Russia is not only active in banning the screening of these controversial anime. In 2017, China turned out to have already banned and censored several anime that featured stories about terror. As a result, anime such as Terror in Resonance, Death Note, and also Tokyo Ghoul can’t air in China.

6. Elfen Lied

This old anime titled Elfen Lied was produced in 2004, and is also banned due to a court decision by the Russian government. The cruel and sadistic gore dish made this anime also blocked in Russia.

Sexual elements makes this anime even more prohibited to be broadcasted. The darkness of the story about the fate of children who are bullied because they were born as dangerous humans and were locked up for a long time without clothes by the government, becomes the reason why Elfen Lied is in Russia.

7. Mortal Kombat: Scorpion’s Revenge

Mortal Kombat: Scorpion's Revenge is banned due to a court decision by the Russian government. In addition to Japanese anime, animated content that smells of violence is also indeed prohibited by the trial in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

The battle of life and death as well as vulgar scenes in Mortal Kombat are the reasons for the broadcasting ban, especially when showing the sadistic ultimate moves called Fatality.

8. Happy Tree Friends

Happy Tree Friends, a cartoon from the United States, is also banned due to a court decision by the Russian government. The short animated series that shows cute animals that torture each other intentionally or unintentionally can harm the mentality of the children who watch it.

The vulgarity of this cartoon containing mutilated cute characters is worrying the parents. They are afraid that the innocent little children would act out their scenes in the real world.

Those are the 8 banned anime in Russia. Do you think these shows deserve to be banned? Write your opinion in the comment section.

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