Streaming Platform Pulls Anime Series Over Hong Kong Smoking Ad Rules
SCMP · 2 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago5 MIN
Summary
Animation Crazy, a streaming platform operated by Bahamut, a prominent Taiwanese internet forum and news website, announced on Monday that it would immediately suspend the broadcast of the Japanese anime series Chainsmoker Cat in Hong Kong following a letter from the city's Department of Health. The authorities alleged that the show's content violated the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance, which prohibits advertising smoking products on the internet. The platform expressed deep regret and apologized to its Hong Kong users while announcing refund arrangements for affected subscribers. Meanwhile, the series remains accessible on Netflix in Hong Kong.
Key Points
- Animation Crazy, operated by Taiwan's Bahamut forum, received a letter from Hong Kong's Department of Health regarding the anime Chainsmoker Cat
- The series allegedly contravenes the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance, which bans smoking product advertisements on the internet
- Under the ordinance, offenders face a HK$50,000 fine upon summary conviction plus HK$1,500 for each day the offense continues
- The anime centers on Yaniko Sato, a character addicted to smoking, based on a manga serialized in Japan in 2023
- The anime adaptation premiered in July 2024, with the TV series still available on Netflix in Hong Kong
- The platform will suspend the show immediately and offer refunds to affected Hong Kong subscribers
- The show depicts a catgirl character living a chaotic底层life due to smoking addiction, touching on addiction and discrimination themes
- In Japan, parent groups complained about the content, but the Broadcast Ethics Organization ruled it creative freedom aired at late-night hours
Why It Matters
This incident underscores Hong Kong's stringent enforcement of online advertising regulations related to public health, even when the content involves fictional characters rather than explicit product promotion. The case may set a precedent for how streaming platforms handle content that authorities perceive as promoting or normalizing smoking, particularly when it reaches audiences in jurisdictions with strict tobacco advertising laws.
This incident underscores Hong Kong's stringent enforcement of online advertising regulations related to public health, even when the content involves fictional characters rather than explicit product promotion. The case may set a precedent for how streaming platforms handle content that authorities perceive as promoting or normalizing smoking, particularly when it reaches audiences in jurisdictions with strict tobacco advertising laws.