6 Biggest Anime Controversies That Tore Divided Fans & Critics

Controversy can be the price of popularity. As a medium, anime has never escaped the clutches of controversy. Tons of anime cross the line, featuring extremely graphic content, cultural insensitivity, and even industry issues like censorship, AI usage, creator misconduct, dark themes, inappropriate scenes, or international cultural clashes.

Anime fans are no stranger to controversies, especially when it comes to series ending. Some controversies are well worth the heat, like when Amazon came under fire for using AI to create English dubs for Banana Fish and Vinland Saga, or when Devilman Crybaby (2018) was called out for the series’ extreme violence, but others can divide fandoms in two.

6

Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! (Poster/Design Controversy)

Uzaki-chan Wants To Hang Out! is a Japanese rom-com/slice of life anime with two seasons. Uzaki-Chan is the story of a college student Hana Uzaki, who catches wind that her high school senior, Shinichi Sakurai, attends the same school as her. While watching Shinichi, she discovers that he’s a loner and makes it her mission to hang out with him. In 2019, Uzaki-chan sparked controversy over a campaign poster released in collaboration with the Japanese Red Cross Society, aimed at promoting blood donation.

The poster featured Hana Uzaki, in a black shirt with a tray of drinks balanced on one hand with text that read, “Senpai! Have you still never donated blood? Perhaps…you’re scared of needles?” Critics pounced on the Japanese Red Cross Society, accusing them of objectifying Uzaki. This led to an immense online drama where fans had to argue that Uzaki was a fictional character. The debate intensified when some fans started creating their own fixed and redesigned versions of Uzaki.

5

Goblin Slayer (Episode 1 Outrage)

Goblin Slayer series is a dark fantasy/adventure anime that aired from 2018 to 2023. Set in a world where goblins wreak havoc, Goblin Slayer is the story of a 15-year-old Priestess who joins a guild of young adventurers to investigate the disappearance of women, when her team runs out of luck due to an already laid ambush. In their turmoil, a Goblin Slayer suddenly arrives and slays all the goblins.

Goblin Slayer Episode 1 generated extreme backlash due to its brutal, unexpected sexual violence and gore. The episode features goblins murdering men and assaulting women. Many fans felt that the gore, assault, and violence came too early and were also unnecessary in the anime. Defenders claimed the scene was essential to set the tone and showcase how dangerous the goblins are, and how it establishes the titular Goblin Slayer’s unquenchable desire to exterminate them.

4

The Rising of the Shield Hero (Slavery/False Accusation Plot)

Just like Goblin Slayer, The Rising of the Shield Hero had its own share of controversy, starting from the first episode. Four gamers are transported to a fantasy universe (Melromarc), as heroes to protect the kingdom. Each is empowered with different weapons: sword, spear, bow, and shield, to defend the kingdom from waves of enemies that constantly threaten it. Among the four heroes is Naofumi Iwatani, whose weapon is the Shield.

Because his weapon is for defense and not attack, Naofumi is labeled the weakest. Soon, the other three ditch him and the only person to stick with him is Malty. Malty later revealed herself to be the kingdom’s Princess Malty S. Melromarc, and followed it up by falsely accusing Naofumi of assaulting her. She also stripped him of his belongings. Malty’s betrayal and accusations turned Naofumi into a social pariah. While alone, he bought a demi-human slave, Raphtalia, from a slave trader. Later on, he gets an egg that hatches into a bird-like monster and names it Filo.

The Rising of the Shield Hero garnered serious controversy as critics argued that the false accusation storyline was problematic and mirrors harmful real world stereotypes. Critics also argued that the slavery plot promoted misogynistic themes and justified slavery. Fans and defenders argued that critics who heavily attacked the show only watched the first episode and did not follow through to see how the plot’s points were addressed. They explained that the series was more about the trauma of betrayal, the dangers of systemic corruption, and the growth of a character in a hostile environment, not a promotion of real world misogyny or slavery.

3

Berserk 2016 (CGI Issue)

Berserk 2016 is a dark fantasy anime series based on Kentaro Miura’s manga series of the same name. Berserk 2016 is the second TV series adaptation of the manga. The first anime adaptation of the same name was released in 1997. This is the story of Guts, a swordsman who attracts demons due to a demonic mark on his neck. His goal is to exact revenge on his former best friend Griffith who is responsible for his demonic mark.

The controversy in this series stems from the use of 3D computer-generated imagery (CGI). No doubt, the visual quality is poor, and might even be passed off as an old video game instead of a modern anime, but some fans felt it was overblown to the extent that people claimed that Berserk was entirely unwatchable, which is untrue. The CGI looks bad, but it doesn’t ruin the plot. Berserk’s animation also gets better after the first three episodes.

2

Re: Zero (Subaru’s Behavior In Season 1)

The first season of Re:Zero – Starting Life In Another World aired in 2016 and sparked serious controversy during Arc 3 (episodes 13–18). Re:Zero is the story of a high school student Subaru Natsuki, who is suddenly summoned into a different world. While searching for his summoner in the new world, he is attacked and later saved by a silver-haired girl. Still in the new world, Subaru is attacked and killed. He resurrected in the same spot he was summoned, and upon his resurrection, noticed that he has the “Returns by Death” ability.

The outburst in this series was centered on the protagonist Subaru, who critics called arrogant, entitled, manipulative, annoying, and antisocial. Some anime fans went as far as asking for his character to be canceled. Defenders claimed that Subaru’s behavior was designed to be atrocious to highlight the psychological damage caused by his circumstances.

1

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation (Protagonist’s Morality)

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation is a 2021, Isekai anime based on the light novel series Mushoku Tensei, written by Rifujin na Magonote. Mushoku Tensei follows Rudeus Greyrat, a 34-year-old slacker who is reincarnated with his past memories intact. In his past, he was a lowlife pervert. The series came under fire after early episodes features Rudeus (mentally an adult) groping his cousin while she sleeps.

Critics said that the show forced you to watch a morally broken character instead of a fantasy hero. Defenders argued that while Rudeus was garbage, the story depicted the slow process of Rudeus unlearning his disgusting habits and selfish tendencies.Some fans doubled down that the outburst came from people who have not watched the full show, or who confuse the Light Novel’s Redundancy chapters with the main anime adaptation.