Dark Anime Product Videos Partially Removed From Online Platforms

China Central Television (CCTV) reported on April 18, 2026, that several online platforms have begun removing products and videos related to the Japanese anime series “Tokyo Ghoul” following a broadcast highlighting concerns over banned content. The report, aired on the CCTV News Channel, stated that as of 3:00 pm that day, some related products had been taken down from the JD.com shopping platform, and certain dark anime videos were removed from social media platforms including Douyin, Xiaohongshu, and Bilibili.

The CCTV segment, titled “Who is giving the green light to the banned ‘dark anime’,” specifically addressed the continued availability of “Tokyo Ghoul” merchandise and videos despite the series being banned in mainland China since June 2015 due to its depictions of violence, horror, and death. While JD.com and select social platforms acted on the report, the broadcast noted that related products remained available on other major e-commerce sites such as Pinduoduo and Taobao at the time of the report.

This enforcement action aligns with broader industry efforts to combat unauthorized distribution of anime and manga content. In 2024-2025, the Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA), a Japanese anti-piracy group representing major publishers including Aniplex, Kadokawa, Shogakukan, Shueisha, Studio Ghibli, and Toei, filed over 600,000 removal requests globally, achieving an 80.6% compliance rate across platforms. CODA has worked with international partners such as the Motion Picture Association through the International Anti-Piracy Organization (IAPO) to strengthen copyright enforcement.

Similar large-scale removals have occurred in the manga sector, exemplified by a May 2025 incident in which MangaDex removed over 700 titles following coordinated DMCA notices from publishers such as Square Enix, Kodansha, Shueisha, Shogakukan, Kakao, and Naver. The takedown, facilitated by anti-piracy firm Kameso, was described by site moderators as unprecedented in scale, significantly impacting access to fan-translated works on the platform.

These developments reflect ongoing challenges in regulating digital content across borders, particularly for media classified as restricted in certain jurisdictions. While platforms like JD.com, Douyin, Xiaohongshu, and Bilibili have responded to recent regulatory feedback, the persistence of banned anime products on other services underscores the complexity of enforcing content restrictions in global digital marketplaces.