While anime has never been bigger in the United States of America, this doesn’t necessarily mean that it is safe from censorship. There have been plenty of examples of anime streaming services passing on more mature entries in the medium, while various manga books, in recent years, have been banned from school libraries countrywide. Apparently, in a recent police report, it appears as though one man had enough and went to an extreme in trying to “unblock their anime.’ So extreme was the threat that it caused not only a police response, but also hit headlines like wildfire.
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A Texas resident has been charged with a third-degree felony for “terroristic threats,” seemingly calling the Governor’s Office in an attempt to unban anime. While it isn’t clear what law in Texas bans the anime that the perpetrator is referring to, the statement clearly proved that the thirty-five-year-old was willing to go to extreme lengths to get his point across. The statement in question, which landed Texas resident Joseph Roy Ozment in hot water last month, was, “I don’t know which one of you sons of b****es passed this motherf***ing bill to get this damn s*** blocking my motherf***ing anime, but you whole a** motherf***ers need to unpass this s***. Y’all are f***ing ridiculous with your b**** a****. My Google Account says I’m f***ing over the age of eighteen, and your dumba** is passing these dumba** laws. I’m a f***ing stab every godd*** one of you b****es. Unlock my f***ing anime!”
The Punishment Fits The Crime
While Ozment has yet to be sentenced, there is the possibility that he could see serious jail time depending on how the case is ultimately ruled. The offender is facing the possibility of spending ten years in prison, with up to $10,000 USD in fines should he ultimately be convicted. In Texas, streaming services like Crunchyroll, Netflix, and many more are not banned, though in order to access “adult websites,” you need documentation proving you are over eighteen. In 2023, Texas passed a law requiring all netizens to share their identification to get access to adult-oriented sites, which might be what Ozment was referring to.
One of the biggest examples of anime and manga that have been banned around the country is Assassination Classroom, especially when it comes to libraries. While the anime is available to be streamed, the manga copies of the original stories are routinely stricken from physical locations. For those who might not be familiar with the premise, Assassination Classroom follows an extraterrestrial teacher who is looking for his students to assassinate him before he destroys the world. With the students packing serious heat and willing to go the distance to kill their sensei, it makes sense that this would be a story far more likely to be banned.
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