CATDOLL: Domestic animation classification: a big demand but difficult to implement

On June 8, the Ministry of Culture released the first batch of anime works included in the "blacklist". A total of 38 animations were removed from the shelves due to violations. A number of online animations such as "Tokyo Ghoul Season 2" and "Attack on Titan" were included in the "blacklist" due to violations. 29 websites were given warnings, fines and other penalties for providing online animations that contain content that induces minors to commit crimes and exaggerates violence and pornography. 8 websites were shut down.

Anime works such as "Death Note" and "Attack on Titan" are on the list, and the reason for the investigation is that they contain content that induces minors to commit crimes and exaggerate violence, pornography, and terrorist activities. Once the news was released, many anime fans called for China to establish a rating system, but industry insiders said that rating is not realistic for anime that mainly targets the young children market in China .

Animation faces the most stringent regulation in history

On the 8th, the Ministry of Culture announced penalties against 29 online animation companies including LeTV, iQiyi, Sohu, and Tencent, and shut down eight illegal animation websites including "Manga Island" and "Sasa Animation Network". 38 online animations including "Tokyo Rhythm", "Blood-C", and "High School of the Dead" were included in the "blacklist", and no unit or individual is allowed to provide them.

Industry insiders said that this punishment is extremely serious. Not only is the area of ​​punishment large and the punishment is severe, but the long-rumored "blacklist" has finally landed. Gong Zhigang, general manager of Yakaka Animation, said: "This notice was issued by a ministerial unit, and it is the most stringent rectification in the history of the animation industry." Gong Zhigang believes that the spread of violent and terrorist animations on the Internet has not been a matter of one or two days. In the past, the competent authorities adopted a relatively mild guidance, but now they are directly punished and banned, which shows the country's firm attitude. However, the punished unit is very secretive about this move. The editor-in-chief of Tencent Video Animation Channel told reporters: "There is nothing to talk about, it is just to implement the regulations."

In the notice, the Ministry of Culture stated that in the future, the "blacklist" system will be improved, and more animations involving violence, terrorism, and pornography will be banned. "This is the 23rd batch of investigations, which shows that animation review will become a normal practice in the future, rather than a surprise inspection."

The rating system clarifies the "bottom line" of animation

Before the release of the "blacklist", two banned lists were circulated online. Classic anime such as "Detective Conan", "One Piece" and "Sailor Moon" were included in them. Although it was eventually proved to be a false alarm, it still triggered speculation among many anime fans: "If this continues, will we only be able to watch "Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf" in the future?" The 38 banned works are basically Japanese anime, but their audiences cover age groups from primary and secondary school students to adults in their twenties and thirties. The ban was issued to protect minors, which made many people feel that it was difficult to judge the definition of the boundaries of violence, terrorism and pornography by the competent authorities based on this "blacklist" alone. "Where is the classification agreed upon? Why is it a one-size-fits-all approach again?" Industry insiders also said that the reason why violent, terrorist and pornographic anime can spread and become popular on the Internet shows that the public has such needs. The classification system can solve this problem legally and in compliance with regulations, and can clearly define the "bottom line" and "red line" of anime, so that websites have a basis to rely on and establish a self-examination system.

Gong Zhigang said that Japanese anime films are classified into different levels. "There are many violent and terrorist anime in Japan, but they will not be spread among young children. They have many ways to avoid it. For example, Death Note will be broadcast late at night, when children are basically asleep, and the needs of adults are met." The editor-in-chief of Tencent Animation said: "The market needs a rating system, but the construction of the system must be led by the management department."

Gong Zhigang believes that, for now, it is not realistic to classify animation. Because in China, 80 to 90 percent of animation audiences are teenagers and children . "If animation is regarded as an artistic form, then it is understandable that it involves violence and pornography, just like movies. If it is regarded as a work that carries the function of subtle education, then violence, terrorism and pornography should obviously not appear."

This rectification is a wake-up call for domestic animation

In this notice, Japanese violent and terrorist animation was severely punished. Is the spring of domestic animation coming? Many netizens even believe that this rectification is paving the way for domestic animation. However, the editor-in-chief of Tencent Animation disagrees with this statement, "This is not good for domestic animation, and the competent authorities will strengthen the control of domestic animation." Gong Zhigang said: "In fact, violent and terrorist animation only accounts for a small part of the animation market and is not mainstream. This rectification will not affect the development of the animation industry, but it has given a clear direction to domestic animation companies. Animation companies themselves must first exclude content involving violence, terror, and pornography."

Although domestic animation is unlikely to contain violent, terrorist, pornographic and other content under the censorship system, there are some bad signs. For example, the recently popular "Flying Saucer Talk" vents around social hot spots by using profanity. "Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf" once caused two boys to imitate "Big Big Wolf roasting lamb" and suffer severe burns. "Boonie Bears" was also criticized for its obscene language and misuse of guns. When "Pokemon" familiar to domestic audiences was broadcast in the United States, all the scenes of guns, cigarettes and other children-unsuitable scenes in the film were replaced with lollipops, kitchen utensils, etc. This situation may also appear in domestic animation in the future. Bad plots in animation may be included in the key supervision scope in the future.