Anime is truly a global phenomenon. Right now, the genre of the day is isekai, in which the protagonist is reborn into a world totally different from their original home. This genre has seen a tremendous boom in popularity in recent years, which has sadly made it a target to be reigned in by censors in Russia.
The country has had quite a history in keeping certain anime from premiering there, with many of these choices stemming from their supposed "danger." Though often seen as somewhat toothless, Russian censors' approach to restricting anime viewership has resulted in something of a cold war between them and the medium.
The latest anime to be caught in Russia's crossfire are Konosuba and ever-popular That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. The latter show, in particular, is known for its quirky sense of humor, somewhat silly premise and great worldbuilding, but none of that matters compared to what is seen as its offensive concept.
An official Russian court ruling has banned the titles due to their supposedly teaching the idea that death leads to reincarnation into a more fulfilling life. The fact that said life would apparently be free from the rule of parents was a particularly sore point for the Russian courts. Also of note was the fact that the reincarnated life was supposedly a far more colorful and indulgent affair, full of vice. To be fair, Russia does have a notably high suicide rate, ranked third globally in suicides by the UN. Thus, for as questionable as the censorship is, it may have a somewhat humanitarian goal.
It's also worth noting that this only bans the shows on Russian streaming sites such as Animejapan.tv, so there are likely several workarounds for fans to watch to series through. Sites such as these actually host the shows illegally, so in theory, the ban would only seem to crack down on the pirating of the anime more than the shows themselves. Unfortunately, with services like Crunchyroll blocked in the country as well, legal means to watch these isekai might be few and far between, as well.
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Bur it isn't just isekai that's under assault, as several other anime have also been banned in Russia, many of them for similar reasons. Earlier this year, Death Note, Tokyo Ghoul and Inuyashiki were also banned, with their violent content being deemed inappropriate for children. The court also suggested putting other popular anime, such as Naruto, on trial. This means that some of the biggest franchises in anime would become contraband in one of the world's biggest countries, one which is becoming increasingly involved in global affairs as a whole.
Ironically, Russian President Vladmir Putin has actually starred in a manga or two. One of these manga, Ride-On King, is actually an isekai very obviously lampooning the Russian ruler, namely his meme-worthy moments of riding horses while shirtless -- the manliest way to do it. The battle manga Golosseum also features a Putin stand-in, and its often violent content would likely get it banned in Russia, as well. It's still unknown what effect this will have on the ever-growing popularity of isekai and anime in general in Russia, though it's likely to cause local otaku to simply seek out alternative means to watch their favorite shows.
