10 Banned Anime From Around The World (And Why)

Anime means a lot of things to different people. Some look at it as a children's medium, others think of it as a niche genre for losers, and then there are those who see it as a wonderfully fun slice of entertainment. But, alongside them are certain people who fully believe it can be dangerous.

There are many ways to get a TV show banned, especially in certain countries. Each nation has a different set of guidelines and regulations to dictate what they are willing to show or censor, and this means that a hit in one country might not even be available in another.

The medium of anime is no stranger to such affairs, as there are plenty of popular shows that have been slashed by the scythe of censorship and outright banning when shown in specific places. It's easy to see why certain shows might drum up controversy, but some of the reasoning for their embargos might surprise you.

These following titles have many things in common; they are all fun, unique and popular. But, most of all, they are prohibited in places you might not expect.

That's right, Pokémon, the beloved cultural icon that has charmed almost every generation of viewers is banned somewhere. Although most of the world adores this franchise, not everywhere sees it as something so innocent. In fact, some countries consider it entirely against their ideologies.

Saudi Arabia's official religion is Islam, which means Pokémon crosses plenty of lines against that faith. This comes from the fact that a major focus of the series is evolution. Watching your favourite pocket monsters grow and evolve is fun enough for some, but for Saudi Arabia, it's considered unconstitutional, as it goes against the word of the Qu'ran.

Of course, this doesn't mean every citizen disagrees with the theory, but it is undoubtedly enough ammunition to leave this formative anime by the wayside. Plus, when Pokémon Go! released, it was also banned as it was considered a form of gambling, which is also against the belief system.

It's a real shame that young Pokémon fans couldn't grow up watching it. Still, there is some drip-feeding here and there with merchandise and online streaming, so that's something at least.