Stricter control over Japanese anime has led to many undelivered new Chinese anime in April [Anime Situation for Chinese Otaku].

My name is Baiyuan Longhoam, and I am a writer who introduces various topics related to the otaku situation in China.
This time, I would like to introduce the stricter management of new Japanese anime that started in April on Chinese video sites that distribute Japanese anime, the situation of distribution of new anime that is in turmoil as a result, and the recent trend and risks of criticism of new Japanese anime works in China.

Stricter Management of New Japanese Anime Productions Has China's Otaku Community in Turmoil

The new Japanese anime distributed in China since January was in flames due to the "Unemployed Reincarnation" related issues, but since April, the situation has been quieter this time due to restrictions or self-imposed regulations at video sites that distribute Japanese anime. However, the season starting in April has been quiet due to restrictions or voluntary regulations imposed by video sites that distribute Japanese anime.

Some believe that this regulation may be due to the recent worsening of Japan-China relations, as well as the flare-up in the Chinese two-dimensional community that began with the "Unemployed Reincarnation" flame war in January and spread to protests against the platform as a result of a heated reporting war.
However, as usual, there have been no clear reports or announcements, so it seems that the actual situation is unclear.

According to information we received from an otaku in China, the new restrictions are said to be "stricter control of video registration and number management" for Japanese anime, and this has caused chaos in the distribution of new Japanese anime in China.
As a result, even after the start of April, it is not known when the distribution of new Japanese anime titles will begin.

For some time now, Japanese anime that is officially distributed in China has been managed at the discretion of the video sites that have obtained business licenses, and distribution of new anime has started almost simultaneously with its airing in Japan.
However, from this April, it seems that registration with the relevant authorities has been strictly enforced before distribution, and the registration numbers of some works that have already been distributed are now clearly indicated on the video clips.

At the time of writing this article, there are some works that began distribution about a week late, some that began distribution not too far behind the start of airing in Japan, and some that were finally announced at the end of April, just before the Golden Week holidays in China.
There are also some works that are still in a state of uncertainty as to when they will be distributed or whether they can be distributed in the first place.　Among them are some of the most anticipated works in the Chinese otaku community, such as "86-ATS-Six," which has left many anime fans scratching their heads.

In addition, it seems that each video site has its own procedures for distribution of works, with some sites having already begun distribution of the same work, while others have yet to begin distribution.

Perhaps because the specifics of regulatory control have not been made public in the Chinese otaku community, there were many pessimistic forecasts at the beginning of the season that started in April.
In terms of how Chinese TV programs are handled for screening, for example,
"We can't distribute the productions until all the contents have been reviewed, in other words, only after they are complete," according to one source.
However, at this point, the works that can be distributed are being distributed with a delay of a few days to a week.

Some geeks in China commented, "If there is a review period, it will be from one to two weeks.
If there is a review period, it will be one to two weeks. If there is any content that is caught, it will probably be longer.
I am sure it will be longer if there are some contents that are caught.
In any case, for the time being, it seems that the situation will continue to be uncertain as to whether or not new Japanese animations can be distributed and when they will be distributed.

Since we are in such a situation, there are no clear trends in the popularity of new anime in April, but for now, I would like to introduce some relatively popular works and those with a good growth in the number of viewers.

First, "300 Years of Defeating Slime, and Before I Knew It, I Was Level Max" and"Kyokushukyudo" seem to be gaining popularity among a relatively wide range of people. Zombieland Saga: Revenge" and"NOMAD: Megalobox 2" are said to be attracting attention from the enthusiast segment and are being talked about in various ways, along with the popularity and reputation of the previous series. In addition to these, the popularity of "To the Immortal You," which began distribution late at the end of April, is also said to be on the rise.
Among other works that have been running since January, "Spider, desu dake, nanika? is also maintaining its popularity even in its second season.