Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions U.S. Release Allegedly Won’t Be Censored

01/08/2017 07:11 pm EST

When it comes to anime, fans have a few nasty things to say about censorship. Series like Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z, and Bleach have all been plagued by over-the-top censors who have scrubbed everything from names to book titles. It's not uncommon to see dark topics erased from anime projects when they are licensed abroad, and things such as nudity and violence are wiped clean if at all possible. For popular anime series, these censorship issues have given fans headaches for years, but it seems like things may be taking a turn for Yu-Gi-Oh! these days.

UP NEXT: Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side Of Dimensions English Sneak Peak Released

The long-running shonen series is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and it is doing so in style. In late January, the newest Yu-Gi-Oh! movie is set to make its U.S. debut when Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions hits theaters on Jan. 27. When fans learned the movie was being dubbed into English, they pleaded for 4K Media to keep the movie uncensored in order to please its now-older audience. And, over on Youtube, the official Yu-Gi-Oh! has hinted the movie will be released with few touch-ups.

The official trailer for Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions is flooded with thousands of comments, and the channel has done its best to respond to curious fans. When Joshua Channell said he hoped that the English version remains faithful to the Japanese film, the channel said that "the only visual changes to the English theatrical version are cards and signs."

Then, when user Lil Duelist complained about the movie's PG rating, the channel had this to say:

"That's what you're getting. The movie hasn't been, nor will it be, censored or cut for the theatrical or home video release. The changes in the English version are English cards and signs appearing in the film. If the Japanese version had been rated by the MPAA it would receive the same rating because it's the same film."

If those words ring true, then it looks like Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions will be allowed to keep its edgier, more violent aesthetic. Of course, 4K Media may still tinker with the characters' names and the film's theme music, but it appears that all the original visuals will be left untouched.

Here's the official synopsis for Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side Of Dimensions:

"In Yu-Gi-Oh! THE DARK SIDE OF DIMENSIONS, the stakes have never been higher; the rivalries never as fierce; the risks never so great. One wrong move—one card short—and it's game over for good. A decade in the making, Yu-Gi-Oh! THE DARK SIDE OF DIMENSIONS features new designs and an all-new story from the original creator of the global phenomenon, Kazuki Takahashi. His masterful tale features anime's most beloved characters in their long-awaited return: Yugi Muto, Seto Kaiba and their faithful friends Joey Wheeler, Tristan Taylor, Téa Gardner and Bakura. It's the most highly anticipated re-YU-nion ever!"

More Yu-Gi-Oh!: Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side Of Dimension Trailer / Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Dark Side Of Dimensions Banks Big At Japanese Box Office / Check Out A Yu-Gi-Oh! Cafe / Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium Puzzle Jewelry /

Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side Of Dimensions will screen in U.S. theaters on January 27, 2017. In Spring 2017, a brand-new Yu-Gi-Oh! anime is also set to hit televisions thanks to TV Tokyo.

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