Blood censorship in China
The Chinese government has censored the display of blood in various industries, particularly in the film, television, video game and anime industries.
Anime
[edit]The Chinese government has repeatedly censored anime shows that the country considers immoral, especially those that include bloody and violent scenes. Blood-C, a Japanese anime television series, has been banned since it includes a "particularly bloody" scene which may cause "extreme discomfort".[1] In 2021, China announced they would ban violent, vulgar, and bloody children's TV shows. A statement released by the National Radio and Television Administration said that "the content of broadcasts should be healthy and progressive and should promote truth, good, and beauty in cartoons".[2] In Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, female characters wearing revealing clothing, such as Nezuko Kamado's advanced demon form, have been censored, and the blood in the anime has also been censored.[3]
Television series
[edit]The battle part of first episode of the eighth season of Game of Thrones is cut in China.[4]
Video games
[edit]The display of blood in Chinese game industry is strictly limited, if not banned. Before 2019, blood in many games cannot be red.[5] The new ban prohibits the presence of any blood.[6] Peacekeeper Elite, a battle royale game developed in China, has no blood or death. When players get eliminated, they wave goodbye to the player who eliminated them.[7] The version of Diablo IV set for release in mainland China in 2025 has removed depictions of blood and skeletons.[8]
References
[edit]- ↑ Kelion, Leo (1 April 2015). "China cracks down on violent anime online cartoons". BBC News. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
- ↑ Schlitz, Heather (27 September 2021). "China bans violent or vulgar cartoons and anime as its crackdown on the entertainment industry continues". Business Insider. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
- ↑ Reyna, Leo (3 November 2025). "Demon Slayer Has a Chance to Overcome a Massive Censorship Problem". CBR. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ↑ "Game of Thrones: Chinese fans angry as censorship results in 'castrated' debut". The Guardian. Agence France-Presse. 16 April 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
- ↑ Ye, Josh (5 December 2018). "No blood, no gambling: Four ways games are changed for China". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
- ↑ Liao, Rita (22 April 2019). "China's new gaming rules to ban poker, blood and imperial schemes". TechCrunch. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
- ↑ Holmes, Oliver (15 July 2021). "No cults, no politics, no ghouls: how China censors the video game world". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
- ↑ Zwiezen, Zack (10 November 2025). "Diablo 4 In China Censored, Blood And Skeletons Removed". Kotaku. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
