A Russian court decided to ban the popular anime series Death Note, Inuyashiki, and Tokyo Ghoul. The Russian authorities support this decision arguing that many teenagers have recreated violent scenes from these anime. The move has caused these series to be removed from various streaming sites, causing outrage among many Russian otakus.
A source from a local newspaper revealed that the St. Petersburg court alleged that the episodes of the forbidden anime contained cruelty, violence and murder. Opinion on how harmful anime is seems to be very widespread in Russia, since in December 2020 five lawsuits were issued against 49 websites that broadcast anime. Detractors of Japanese animation have also called for other series, such as Naruto, Elfen Lied and Ishuzoku Reviewers, to be banned.
Those behind the ban on these animes have declared how dangerous their plots and characters can be for children living in this age. Death Note was already in the sights of many parents in Russia since 2013, after a teenage girl committed suicide by throwing herself into the void while she dressed similarly to Light Yagami during a similar scene in the anime.
Although these bans have been applied to specific anime, rumors have spread that the censorship agency Roskomnadzor will start treating other similar series with the same measure, resulting in their total ban. We can only hope the best for Russian otaku, and that they can find a way to continue enjoying anime and manga without trying their luck against the law of their country.
Social Media Author: [RonLaoHu]
