The TV anime Yani Neko (also known as Nico Meow Meow in some regions), which premiered in July and is based on the manga of the same name, has garnered significant attention and praise from fans for its highly realistic and gritty portrayal of smokers and various addictions. Its high production quality and absurd storyline have made it a hit.
However, Taiwan's anime streaming platform, Bahamut Anime Crazy, announced on August 17 that Yani Neko would cease streaming services in Hong Kong due to advertising regulations. Today, August 20, Taiwan also announced that it had received notification from the distributor that the content violates relevant provisions of the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act. Following notification from the competent authority, the platform must comply and immediately remove the series. This has sparked widespread outrage among fans and even caught the attention of Japanese media.
The series, known as Nico Meow Meow in Hong Kong, drew considerable attention there. Following the news of its removal, several Hong Kong media outlets, including Ming Pao, interviewed the Hong Kong Department of Health. A spokesperson for the Department of Health stated that the public had lodged complaints regarding the anime content streamed on multiple platforms, pointing out the repeated and clear appearance of tobacco products and brand names in the series.
According to Hong Kong's relevant smoking regulations, if a work depicts or mentions smoking, tobacco products, and their packaging, it may be deemed to involve tobacco advertising. If brand names or trademarks further appear, it could also be considered advertising content. However, the regulations do not universally prohibit all works from featuring smoking scenes. If tobacco products appear only incidentally, without any remuneration involved, or if the depiction is intended to discourage smoking, exceptions may apply. The regulatory framework is currently being adjusted.
(This situation has also sparked discussion in Japanese media reports.)
Concurrently, on August 20, Bahamut Anime Crazy also posted an announcement on its official fan page in Taiwan, stating that due to the anime's content violating relevant provisions of the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act, and following notification from the competent authority, they must comply and immediately remove the series.
Interestingly, other streaming platforms in Taiwan, such as Netflix, still offer Yani Neko, and the Ani-One Chinese official anime channel continues to stream it on YouTube, seemingly unaffected. However, it remains to be seen if they might follow suit.
In other words, this incident isn't simply a blanket ban because "smoking scenes appeared in the anime." Instead, it involves the repeated appearance of actual tobacco product brands within the work, and the significant role smoking plays in the plot, which likely triggers regulations concerning tobacco advertising.
This means that currently, the impact is primarily on certain streaming platforms, and not all broadcasting channels have ceased offering the series. Nevertheless, further review by relevant authorities is pending, and the official response remains to be seen.