Fire Force's Recent Censorship Has Some Fans Feeling Conflicted

When it comes to anime and censorship, fans tend to have strong opinions on the topic. From gore [...]

By Megan Peters - July 28, 2019 02:01 pm EDT

When it comes to anime and censorship, fans tend to have strong opinions on the topic. From gore to sex, adult topics have often been targeted by censors around the world, but the issue has cropped up for other reasons. Now, it looks like Fire Force is being affected by the issue, and fans are not sure what to make of the changes.

For those unaware, Fire Force returned from a short hiatus last week to debut a new episode. The anime was delayed a week after Kyoto Animation, one of Japan's premiere production studios, was attacked by an arsonist. More than 30 employees at the revered studio died in the fire, and Fire Force chose to delay its next episode out of respect. However, the anime returned this week with some censorship in tow.

As noted by fans, Fire Force kept censorship to a minimum, and many felt the anime would have to trim some content in the wake of Kyoto Animation's fire. After all, Fire Force touches upon the damage fires wreak and the lives they snuff out. With Japan mourning Kyoto Animation's tragedy, it would make sense for Fire Force to curtail scenes which could trigger those upset by the arson, and fans are sounding off on the decision.

You can find several reactions to the censored episode below, and you may be happy to hear most netizens are fine with the censorship. The gravity of what happened to Kyoto Animation can not be under-emphasized, and the team behind Fire Force knows that. If anything, fans are curious as to why the show doesn't simply go on a longer hiatus in order to air uncensored episodes down the line. But for now, it seems the best way fans will be able to see Fire Force uncut will be when it hits Blu-ray later this year.

So, do you have any issues with the anime being censored? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!

Fire Force was first created by Atsushi Okubo for Kodansha's Weekly Shonen Magazine in 2015 and is officially described as such: "Terror has paralyzed the clockwork metropolis of Tokyo! Possessed by demons, people have begun to burst into flame, leading to the establishment of a special firefighting team: the Fire Force, ready to roll on a moment's notice to fight spontaneous combustion anywhere it might break out. The team is about to get a very unique addition: Shinra, a boy who possesses the unique power to run at the speed of a rocket, leaving behind the famous "devil's footprints" (and destroying his shoes in the process). Can the Fire Force discover the source of this strange phenomenon and put a stop to it? Or will the city burn to ashes first?"

The Facts

Congrats the biggest censorship on the Fire Force Episode was the ending which is already accessible and they cut the death by fire intro.

Beyond that some changes in the depiction of one scene, a dimmed explosion and a smaller explosion with a fire. pic.twitter.com/41ls3t6e80
— YonkouProductions (@YonkouProd) July 26, 2019

Delay vs Censor

They need to just delay the Fire Force anime if they're going to censor it and change it
— Zehal, Deadly Sin of Gaming (@ZehalZ) July 26, 2019

Understanding

They censored a part in the Fire Force ed and I'm guessing its bc of the KyoAni fire. It kinda sucks bc they might censor some other things in the show. #FireForce #KyoAni (Uncensored one is from ep 2 and censored is ep 3) pic.twitter.com/q9546RSP7g
— Iwan 🌸 #PrayForKyoAni #KyoAniStrong (@YvanShicolito) July 27, 2019

Debating Shinra

Bruh they might as well cut shinra out of fire force if they gonna censor it he's a walking flamethrower 🤔 pic.twitter.com/6Pp1pTVkqU
— sora sky🐝 (@BrandonWooden3) July 26, 2019

Defending Censorship

People need to UNDERSTAND why they have to censor Fire Force due to the recent events in Japan. They’re going through such a hard time rn. If you actually gave a damn, just buy the blu-ray. Now, if you’re watching it for free, then you HAVE NO RIGHT to fucking complain
— ℜｴℕ🍋 (@ao_lemons) July 26, 2019

Coming To Terms

Shame that they have to censor fire force I was really getting into it hopefully this censorship doesn’t affect it to much, I understand why they have to do it, but still
— Big_T_Remmy (@SpecialMii) July 26, 2019

Put It On Pause?

if they censor fire force they might as well just take it down the whole premise of fire force is literally fire
— cyrache🔺 (@CingKusho) July 26, 2019

The Honest Truth

I really would rather they just delayed the show than censor it. Obviously it's unfair to the victims and their families to just go on airing the show, but it's also unfair to the people who've spent so many hours on the show to censor it.
— Max the Big Bad (@MaxtheBigBad) July 26, 2019