Anime controversies over the years have been about all sorts of topics.
- Shounen.
- Characters.
- Change of plots.
- Endings.
- Voice actors and scandals.
Etc.
But the biggest anime controversies have been rooted in double standards and hypocrisy when you peel back the layers.
Let’s talk about it.
1. Uzaki Chan being “childlike” and sexualized
The Uzaki Chan controversy started in 2020. I remember it like it was yesterday.
First, it began with the manga being announced (anime adaptation, I should say), and that spiralled into accusations of Uzaki being “childlike” and being an anime character fit for pedos.
This led to Kaho Shibuya airing out the drama and feeling insulted, seeing as she, like Uzaki, is a short girl with a similar physique that the internet loves to shame and stereotype.
At the heart of it all, this controversy boiled down to ONE thing: hypocrisy.
Male characters are never treated this way by their drooling fans, but once the shoe is on the other foot, the psychological projection is outrageously hypocritical.
It’s almost ironically sexist.
2. My Hero Academia’s female characters
Time and time again, since MHA gained traction after 2016/2017, it found itself in random internet controversies that reeked of double standards and hypocrisy.
Of course, it was always framed as a patriarchal argument or one where “misogyny” is at the forefront.
It’s true, My Hero Academia does have attractive female characters who are aesthetically pleasing. This is nothing new in any form of media.
But the anime also has stereotypically attractive Men that women like the look of, and often draw fan art of so they can fulfil their sometimes weird fantasies and fetishes.
The outrage was always one-sided. It was never about real justice, a real issue, or a real problem that needed addressing.
Entitlement is what it was all about and arguably still is.
3. Redo of Healer: Cancelled, Yet Game of Thrones Was Applauded for Worse
Redo Of Healer was designed for controversy based on its backstory for its main character, the happenings of the series, the story, the revenge arc, and so much more.
But double standards struck again in the Western world.
Keyaru, the MC, is gang banged, tortured, drugged, abused, battered, and traumatised beyond belief. This detail goes unnoticed, being a man.
The moment Keyaru understandably sought revenge for these actions against the culprit (a woman, among others), the fake outrage began across social media.
Compare this to Game Of Thrones which did MUCH worse, but was praised, liked, enjoyed, and probbaly won awards for that shit.
It’s not just a double standard, but it’s a double standard between anime and Western films where anime is the victim.
Though in the anime community, there are clear double standards as well, with controversies like this.
4. World’s End Harem being criticised by mothers in Japan
Mothers in Japan criticised this anime, with claims like “women aren’t machines for breeding” and things of this nature, all while conveniently ignoring the fact that men are being used for sex, manipulated, and forced to comply for the woman’s benefit.
It was overblown, as usual, but more importantly, it was again rooted in the tired old trope of hypocrisy and double standards.
This stretched of course to social media with nonsensical talking points that focus on keywords rather than intelligent arguments or criticisms.
Attention is the currency, but honesty is dismissed.
Anime Sauce Finder
Tip: Use clear anime scenes or high-contrast manga/doujin pages. Avoid edits, memes, or blurred images for best results.
Note: Uploads must be under 10MB. Anime detection is highly accurate. Manga and doujinshi results may vary based on clarity and source availability.
5. My Dress Up Darling’s controversy
My Dress Up Darling focuses on Marin Kitagawa, an Otaku girl who loves cosplaying. To that end, she ends up on talking terms with a guy who can design these outfits (before becoming romantically interested, of course).
In one scene, he is seen measuring Marin for legitimate reasons, and of course, this ended up getting censored in places like South Korea.
Ironically, the censoeship made it look even MORE lewd than it needed to be,
Then you have the conversations about the anime and its “fanservice” (which is code for attractive women in anime) being a problem or unnecessary.
The trend here is clear. The trend of double standards that is.
When an anime equivalent is made with male characters in mind for female fans to drool over, these kinds of conversations and criticisms never make it to a news article, a video, or an unnecessarily big controversy in the first place.
Controversy #2
A new figurine (statue) of Marin Kitagawa has been released. A swimsuit figurine with her black swimsuit is seen early in the anime.
It’s the episode where Gojo is measuring her body to create a suitable cosplay.
You have a perfect replica on the left with a base, and a completely LEWD version to the right.
This has stirred a lot of controversy on Twitter because of:
- Marin Kitagawa’s given age.
- The fanservice aspect.
And of course – the fact that it’s a woman’s body, which is heavily policed when it comes to anime, despite being praised if celebrities and regular women do it in real life.
“Empowerment” in real life, and “disgusting” if it’s anime or fictional.
I have no opinion on it since I wouldn’t buy it. But there is some hypocrisy at play when you look at those criticizing it.
It’s the same old scapegoat story, which anime is a punching bag for.
In the end, these controversies are like any others: they’re absolute drivel. No substance or relevance whatsoever.
We live in times where people are angry at fiction but lax about real-life issues or the real-life equivalent of what they criticise in fiction. And we live in a time where people spend time outraging instead of turning off the things they don’t like
Related: The HYPOCRISY Of Toxic Female Anime Fans And Yaoi Fangirls
6. Goblin Slayer’s first episode
Goblin Slayer’s reputation came from the first episode back in late 2018. This anime is self described. Slaying goblins is an obsession for the main character (trauma related).
When unsuspecting amateur adventurers enter a cave and one of them gets snatched and r*ped by Goblins, all hell breaks loose, but one woman in particular is saved just in time, and she is the priestess who becomes part of the main story.
Goblins r*ping a woman and savagely beating her is, of course, the controversy, and on the surface, it’s easy to see why it riled people up.
But male characters get beaten to death, and even worse, for entertainment, many times it’s not even because they’re a villain either.
Do as I say, but not as I do!
7. Nezuko’s design after “growing”
Nezuko is seen as the cute little sister of Tanjiro, which she absolutely is, and she is indeed innocent. Somehow, she became a demon, but is able to restrain herself in part because of her mouth guard.
In one episode later in the series, she grows and gains a noticeably larger physique, and the internet does what it does, hyper focused on her breasts as if that’s all their minds can see.
This led to talking about her age and trying to equate it to “human” logic.
This coming from people who watch the same anime, with scenes of male characters literally being naked in some parts, stereotypically muscular and all, and nobody says a word.
But a little “growth” on a female character was a problem.
8. The Rising Of The Shield Hero R*pe accusation
This might be the most hypocritical controversy of all time in the anime industry.
When Naofumi, the MC, enters a new world he didn’t ask to be a part of, he meets the red-headed princess, and everything seems chill between the characters.
He’s clearly inexperienced and innocent, but that changes. She accuses him of r*pe, the whole kingdom believes it, and he’s banished. Naofumi becomes depressed, has little trust in people, and is understandably angry at the world.
Yet the fact that this r*pe accusation took place was enough for women across social media and blogs to call the anime “misogynistic”.
And also claim the anime is for incels.
Why such a violent response? It highlights a real-world issue of false accusations, which have been demonstrated too many times since 2019, hence the mass projection from many people attacking the anime series (CBR, Anime Feminist, among too many others grandstanding).
Relevant: The Truth About Anime Misogyny That Needs To Be Heard
9. Invisible Girl’s MHA cover
Invisible Girl, as the name implies, is invisible, and the anime decides to NOT show how she looks in any capacity. The manga later down the line had its own ideas.
On the cover, it shows Invisible Girl big-breasted, chested, and “thicc” for the first time, showing how she looks without the invisible cloak, you could say.
Predictably, this caused outrage on Twitter because the audacity of a woman being attractive in an anime context is somehow outrageous and immoral, even if the same thing on Instagram or modelling magazines with REAL women is so-called empowerment.
Again, no point in the series when male characters are half naked, close to it, etc, Is there ever a problem or controversy. It’s simply sexism disguised as genuine criticism.
Not to mention a double standard that has different standards if the woman is real (Instagram, models, OF, etc).
Accessories
Hoodies & Sweatshirts
Hoodies & Sweatshirts
10. Local Anime Translator says Manga Is SEXIST
“This was the one thing I hated about following manga in Young Jump: every single issue has some hot babe in a bikini on the front, advertising her “sexy photos inside!” It’s 90% manga, 10% gravure, targeted towards teens and young adults.
It’s so brazenly gross and sexist.” – Katrina Leonudakis
And then there was the situation of a local translator in the USA complaining about Shounen anime and manga, and the fact that it caters to boys and men with fanservice, sexy women, and traits they like in women.
I mean that’s the point of Shounen. The term translates to “boy”. It’s aimed at boys and young men as well. It’s supposed to cater to them; that’s how they stay in business and how Shounen is the #1 anime genre.
Just like YAOI caters to female anime fans who like gay men kissing and sleeping with each other, and being feminine. Yet the latter is never criticised by men to the point of a controversy, only the other way around.
In the end, most anime controversies are deeply rooted in double standards and hypocrisy, mainly for the entitlement and benefit of those doing the criticising.
But as time shows, these double standards never work because anime continues to produce these kinds of shows, write these kinds of manga, create these kinds of hentai, and cater for these types of Doujinshi or light novels.
Shouting into the void won’t get you what you want, except more frustration, but a loud minority of in particular, don’t seem to understand that anime can’t be dictated to as a foreign product.
