Why The Classic Post-Apocalyptic Anime Akira Is Banned In Russia

It's not unheard of for mega-popular anime movies and TV shows to get restricted or completely banned in certain countries. Just think of "Dragon Ball" and its many iterations, like the awesome fighting game "Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero," that faced serious censorship due to its extremely violent scenes, sexually elaborate themes, and explicit nudity. Or "Death Note" (both the original manga and the TV series that adapted it), which has been heavily censored and even banned in countries like China and Russia. So it's no surprise that Katsuhiro Otomo's brutal 1988 cyberpunk epic, "Akira," received the same treatment in Russia in 2021.

According to Vice, a Russian court in St. Petersburg had banned Otomo's classic (alongside the popular anime series, "Attack on Titan") due to a ruling that argued the film's content can "harm the health and mental development of children." As reported by the Russian-owned news agency RIA Novosti, translated by Vice, a number of experts testified that the films can cause "'violent' behavior in children" and potentially lead to self-harm. 

The St. Petersburg Oktyabrsky District Court said in a statement that graphic content, such as that seen in "Akira" and other similar media, "undoubtedly harms young children's spiritual and moral education and development and contradicts the humanistic nature of upbringing inherent in Russia." Unsurprisingly, the country also banned other Japanese anime such as "Inuyashiki" and "Tokyo Ghoul" earlier that year.

Based on Katsuhiro Otomo's 1982 manga series of the same name, "Akira" follows Kaneda Shotaro (Mitsuo Iwata), a biker gang leader, in the dystopian future of Neo-Tokyo, following a world war that destroyed the city three decades ago, and where the government ran scientific experiments on children that have spiraled out of control. In his crusade against gangs and other organizations, Kaneda attempts to save his friend Tetsuo (Nozomu Sasaki), who develops hard-to-control psychic powers after suffering a motorbike accident.

Considering that "Akira" is a post-apocalyptic parable about rebelling against a corrupt and rotten government (among other things), it's no wonder that it's not welcome in a country like Russia. Add to that its fever-dream visual style, ominous setting replete with violence and destruction, and the deeply critical and philosophical anti-government themes, and you have yourself an extremely thought-provoking piece of cinema straight from Japan. To say that it's not an easy film to watch and digest would be an understatement.

"Akira" had an underwhelming box office in its original release, but nonetheless stood the test of time to become a lauded cult classic. Today, it's considered one of the most influential anime of all time, having a significant impact on both adult animation and cyberpunk.