8 Forgotten Anime Controversies That Stirred Drama but Quietly Faded Away
Anime, as a creative and boundary-pushing medium, has never shied away from controversial storytelling, provocative imagery, and bold character portrayals. While some anime scandals have left lasting impacts, others — surprisingly — were swept under the rug and forgotten over time. Whether it's due to censorship, cultural insensitivity, or behind-the-scenes drama, these eight anime controversies once caused a stir but are now rarely talked about. Here's a deep dive into the shocking moments anime fans barely remember.
1. Lycoris Recoil’s Poisonous Eyecatcher Debacle
Near the end of Lycoris Recoil, an eyecatching scene showed the main characters, Chisato and Takina, casually placing red spider lilies in their mouths like cigarettes. The problem? Spider lilies are toxic — ingesting them can be deadly. This seemingly aesthetic shot accidentally promoted a fatal action, sparking outrage. The studio quickly replaced the scene, but it opened discussions about how anime visuals, no matter how stylized, can send dangerous messages.
2. Interspecies Reviewers Was Too Hot for Streaming
This fantasy anime boldly featured explicit themes surrounding interspecies brothels and highly sexualized succubus characters. While fans praised its comedy and fearless content, platforms like Funimation dropped it almost immediately. Despite initial buzz and debates on censorship and artistic freedom, the controversy vanished just as quickly as it appeared — but it remains one of the boldest anime to ever get canceled mid-season by mainstream services.
3. Record of Ragnarok Offended Indian Audiences
In Record of Ragnarok, the inclusion of the Hindu god Shiva as a combatant caused a significant backlash in India. Many fans considered it disrespectful to depict a religious deity in a fictional battle royale. Netflix responded by delisting the anime entirely in the Indian region. Despite this being a major moment in anime's clash with cultural boundaries, the discussion disappeared from the global community’s radar soon after.
4. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Quran Controversy
The 1993 OVA version of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure sparked outrage when antagonist DIO was shown reading the Quran. This scene, which wasn’t in the manga, was seen as associating the Islamic holy text with villainy. The fallout was so intense that the OVAs were pulled, manga panels were redrawn, and even the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs had to get involved. Today, this controversy is rarely remembered, but it once shook the anime industry’s international reputation.
5. The Wind Rises Offended Everyone for Opposing Reasons
Hayao Miyazaki’s The Wind Rises, a biopic about aircraft engineer Jiro Horikoshi, found itself in hot water with both Japanese nationalists and Korean critics. Some accused Miyazaki of glorifying war machinery; others said the film was anti-patriotic. Ironically, the film was never meant to be political — Miyazaki intended it to honor creativity, not warfare. Despite the noise at the time, the film is now mostly remembered for its beauty, not its divided reception.
6. School Days and the Dark Origin of the “Nice Boat” Meme
School Days ended with a gruesome twist: a violent murder that echoed real-world tragedy. Just before the finale aired, a young girl in Japan committed a murder using an axe — eerily similar to the anime’s plot. The episode was postponed and replaced with footage of a boat sailing, giving rise to the internet meme “Nice Boat.” What many fans don’t realize is that the meme was born from a moment of national mourning, making it one of the darkest memes in anime history.
7. Kokoro Connect’s Real-Life Bullying Scandal
Behind-the-scenes drama can be just as shocking as the anime itself. Voice actor Mitsuhiro Ichiki was cruelly tricked into thinking he had earned a role in Kokoro Connect, only to be mocked in public and given a “fake” role as PR. Fans condemned the incident as bullying and harassment, with long-lasting backlash against the production team. Today, few remember Kokoro Connect the anime — but the scandal still lingers for those who witnessed it.
8. Aya Hirano’s Blacklisting Over Personal Life
Aya Hirano, the voice of Haruhi Suzumiya, faced severe backlash not for her performances but for openly discussing her sex life. In a culture that often demands “purity” from female idols, Hirano’s honesty led to her being blacklisted and receiving death threats. Though her career has since rebounded with roles in One Piece and The Rose of Versailles, the industry’s treatment of her remains a cautionary tale of how personal freedom can clash with outdated expectations.
Final Thoughts
While some anime controversies echo for years, others vanish without a trace. These eight examples show how complex — and sometimes unfair — the anime world can be. Whether it’s due to cultural sensitivities, industry politics, or misguided decisions, these scandals once set the community on fire, only to be buried by time and new headlines.
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