Florida District Bans Popular LGBT Manga, Recommends Chainsaw Man Instead

Another day, another book ban. That is is how lit lovers often feel these days as various counties across the United States are coming down hard on libraries. From sexual identity to political exploration, any and all topics seem ripe for the picking when it comes to bans. This is very true for manga as well, and now, a county in Florida is making headlines for banning a rather PG title only to suggest Chainsaw Man in its place.

And no, we aren’t joking here. Brevard County, Florida really went there. This week, the school board hosted a meeting where it banned Sasaki & Miyano from schools after a complaint was lodged. The unnamed member who complained wasn’t pleased that Sasaki & Miyano – a manga – read from right to left. And as the series is a BL title, its LGBTQ+ content was cited as grounds for banning.

“This material could be very offensive to a student,” the complaint reads. “I do not believe there is any value in making homosexual books available at school.” Despite not having read any reviews of Sasaki & Miyano, the member went on to suggest other titles they felt were appropriate for school libraries. And this is where things get… wild.

“Here are other alternatives: Chainsaw Man, To Your Eternity… The Seven Deadly Sins, A Silent Voice, Sailor Moon,” the complaint reads. While titles like A Silent Voice are most certainly focused on adolescent themes, it goes without saying a few of these manga titles feel contradictory here. 

The Rise of Banned Manga

For instance, Chainsaw Man is an adult-focused series filled with unsavory topics from suicide to grooming and sexual assault. That does not even touch about the graphic nature of its violence. Chainsaw Man has earned its solid MA rating, so it is hard to see it fitting in a middle school library. And when it comes to series like Sailor Moon, well – they deal with LGBTQ+ themes as well.

This complaint kickstarted the campaign that pushed Sasaki & Miyano out of Brevard County school libraries, and this ban is just one of several to go down recently. It wasn’t long ago that manga titles like Assassination Classroom were targeted by school boards and politicians by its name alone. With books and manga under fire across the country, fans are now using social media to better educate those interested in the mediums about what to read. So to put things simply, if you feel like Sasaki & Miyano is to your taste, maybe think twice about Chainsaw Man. Both series are incredibly good, but they could not be more different.

What do you make of this latest round of manga banning? Are you surprised by the decision? Give me a shout at @meganwpeters with your take! You can also let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram.