Yes, The New Season Of ‘High School DxD’ Is Censored

It may have taken some time, but High School DxD made its long-awaited anime return this week. After a short delay, the premiere of the show’s fourth season went live, and fans were quick to check out the bouncy debut. So far, the show seems pretty status quo, but there is one thing fans need to know about the anime’s simulcast.

Yes, High School DxD Hero is censored — for now, at least.

If you have watched the first episode of High School DxD Hero, you will have seen just how the anime is censored. When any one of its girls hit the screen with their chests bared, fans aren’t able to see any skin. The show will either use its logo to cover up the girls, or High School DxD will default to using some conveniently placed steam to keep things PG-13.

Of course, fans of High School DxD shouldn’t be too surprised by this initial censorship. When the anime’s previous seasons went live, each of their simulcasts were censored at first. The only uncensored versions of the anime airing live are the ones from AT-X in Japan and illegal streams.

If you are curious as to why the show is censored at first, then you can blame it all on premium cable. Much like HBO or Showtime in the US, the network High School DxD uses in Japan is a top-tier one. Japanese fans have to pay extra to add networks like AT-X to their cable plan, and they are often pricier than additions which US fans can opt into. As such, AT-X only allows the anime to be simulcast if it is censored for audiences who aren’t paying directly for the premium cable channel. Then, in a few months, that exclusive licensing deal dissolves and opens up sites like Funimation all of its uncensored masters.

If you are not familiar with High School DxD, then you should know the series is one rooted in supernatural adventures and gratuitous fan service. The story follows a boy named Issei Hyodo who is best known for his perverted ways. After being asked on a date, the boy is killed when the girl turns out to be a fallen angel. Issei is revived by a busty classmate of his named Rias who is a devil herself, and she contracts the boy to become her new pet as she reincarnated him into a devil during his resurrection.

What do you think about this censorship debacle? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics, k-pop, and anime!