China’s 38-Anime Blacklist: What’s Behind the Ban

China has a reputation for being tough on foreign media, and anime is definitely not getting a pass. According to reports, regulators have blocked 38 anime series in the country. Some of the choices are obvious. A few are head-scratchers. Here is what got sidelined, and why.

The titles China cut off

1. Attack on Titan (premiered April 7, 2013) - IMDb 9.1
2. Death Note (premiered October 4, 2006) - IMDb 8.9
3. Highschool of the Dead (premiered July 5, 2010) - IMDb 7.1
4. Ergo Proxy (premiered February 25, 2006) - IMDb 7.9
5. Parasyte (premiered October 9, 2014) - IMDb 8.2
6. Claymore (premiered April 4, 2007) - IMDb 8.0
7. Another (premiered January 10, 2012) - IMDb 7.5
8. Elfen Lied (premiered July 25, 2004) - IMDb 7.8
9. Afro Samurai (premiered May 3, 2007) - IMDb 7.6
10. Tokyo Ghoul √A (premiered January 9, 2015) - IMDb 7.5
11. Sword Art Online II (premiered July 5, 2014) - IMDb 7.5
12. School Days (premiered July 4, 2007) - IMDb 5.9
13. Tokyo Ravens (premiered October 9, 2013) - IMDb 7.2
14. Devil May Cry (premiered June 14, 2007) - IMDb 7.4
15. Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne (premiered February 4, 2008) - IMDb 7.0
16. Testament of Sister New Devil (premiered January 8, 2015) - IMDb 6.5
17. Terror in Resonance (premiered July 11, 2014) - IMDb 7.8
18. Corpse Party (premiered July 24, 2013) - IMDb 6.3
19. Strike the Blood (premiered October 4, 2013) - IMDb 6.8
20. Blood-C (premiered July 8, 2011) - IMDb 6.2
21. Deadman Wonderland (premiered April 17, 2011) - IMDb 7.0
22. Date A Live II (premiered April 12, 2014) - IMDb 6.9
23. Psycho-Pass (premiered October 12, 2012) - IMDb 8.1
24. Devilman Lady (premiered October 10, 1998) - IMDb 6.4
25. Tokyo ESP (premiered July 12, 2014) - IMDb 6.2
26. El Cazador de la Bruja (premiered April 3, 2007) - IMDb 6.7
27. Inferno Cop (premiered December 25, 2012) - IMDb 6.5
28. High School DxD (premiered January 6, 2012) - IMDb 7.5
29. Samurai Girls (premiered September 4, 2010) - IMDb 6.4
30. So, I Can't Play H! (premiered July 6, 2012) - IMDb 6.1
31. Girls Bravo II (premiered January 27, 2005) - IMDb 6.3
32. Kanokon (premiered April 5, 2008) - IMDb 5.8
33. Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero (premiered July 6, 2012) - IMDb 6.8
34. Sakura Diaries (premiered May 21, 1997) - IMDb 6.3
35. Assassination Classroom (premiered January 10, 2015) - IMDb 7.9
36. Black Butler III (premiered July 11, 2014) - IMDb 8.1
37. Skull Man (premiered April 29, 2007) - IMDb 6.6
38. Dance in the Vampire Bund (premiered January 7, 2010) - IMDb 6.5

Why these shows got the axe

China runs some of the strictest content rules anywhere, especially around violence, religion, sexuality, and anything that looks like it challenges authority. A lot of anime leans into darker, edgier storytelling, so it is an easy target for those guidelines.

To be fair, other countries have banned titles too. For context: Sailor Moon has been blocked in Saudi Arabia, Kite is banned in Norway, and Russia and New Zealand have taken action on various shows. So it is not purely a China-only phenomenon.

The curveball

What stands out here is that even some relatively mild series made the cut, including ones that are typically fine for 13+. That points to a broader posture about foreign media rather than just content warnings. Remember, major platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube are restricted there too. If you are trying to keep a tight grip on outside influence, anime lands on the same pile.

Does this change anything for fans outside China?

Not really. If you are watching from overseas, these shows are still available, still getting praise or dragged as usual. And yes, a few of these titles do push boundaries, so some of the bans will make sense to some audiences. Ultimately, each country filters media through its own laws and values. The anime industry in Japan is not the villain here; creators are telling the stories they want to tell.

Curious where you land on this: overly cautious gatekeeping, or a predictable move given the rules?