Otaku Culture

China censors a waifu in Vinland Saga

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In previous articles, we've already talked about the censorship of multimedia content in China, especially that related to anime. Unfortunately, many of these alleged censorship claims turn out to be false and social media users simply share them to make them go viral.

Media censorship in mainland China is generally in the hands of the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA), with a strict rating system: either a film is suitable for all ages or it is rejected, with no intermediate ratings. Approval criteria are often arbitrary, vague, or secret, making it difficult to determine in advance what will pass the evaluation, fostering an industry of self-censorship.

And that's what brings us together today, from popular Twitter user “d0nut (@d0nut2x)”Shared a comparison of the second episode of the second season of“Vinland Saga“, showing a curious censorship that no one can explain.
In one specific scene, Olmar is seen in a room with a young woman. The two chat for a while, but Olmar leaves when he learns that the girl's family is trying to use her. The girl in question appears nude, albeit covered by a sheet. However, in the episode allegedly censored in China, the girl was completely removed, rendering the scene meaningless.

Of course, there is always the possibility that someone made an edit to make it trend on social media, as has already been proven with the alleged censorship of “Kimetsu no Yaiba” and “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni”, which turned out to be false. While access to broadcast content in China is difficult, there are a variety of segments on Bilibili, China's video platform, that show the scene from the "Vinland Saga" unchanged.

So is it a lie to go viral on social media? Everything could point to yes, considering that the original scene is shown unchanged in Bilibili. However, there is always the possibility that the footage will come from Chinese television, where there is even more control. In any case, whether true or not, the news did not go unnoticed:

  • «Wait, is he talking to himself? Isn't his dad holding the cup at the door? If he's not there, why does he run away and say no one respects him? I have so many questions.».
  • «The damn communists erased my girl, I can't hate Beijing anymore».
  • «The guy forgot to take his schizophrenia medicine».
  • «I can't believe they messed up one of the best written characters like this.».
  • «Wait, this isn't real, is it?».
  • «Have they sheathed their swords again?! How's the first season going? Are they fighting with sticks and balloons? Is Thorkell playing dodgeball?! Is he actually playing with Thorfinn?».
  • «I knew it! Women don't exist».
  • «Source? I doubt it's real, since Chinese movies have semi-nude scenes, not to mention anime.».
  • «This kind of censorship makes my hair stand on end.».

Source: Twitter