Chainsmoker Cat, a dark comedy anime series showcasing the difficult lives of anthropomorphic cat girls, some of whom are addicted to nicotine and other substances, has been removed in Hong Kong from the Animation Crazy streaming service. Animation Crazy is an official platform run by the Taiwanese internet forum Bahamut.
Animation Crazy: Taiwan
Animation Crazy: Hong Kong
The removal seems confined to only Hong Kong; it continues to be accessible for streaming on the platform in Taiwan, as depicted above. On Facebook, the Animation Crazy (Hong Kong) page announced that they had received a communication from Hong Kong’s Department of Health indicating that the anime had breached its Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance Sections 13B and 14 “concerning the online distribution of ‘advertisements for smoking products’. (translated)” Animation Crazy expressed regret for the inconvenience and urged Hong Kong users to consider requesting a refund through various methods if they feel their rights have been infringed.
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According to the Ordinance, infringing 13B could result in a fine of 50,000 HKD (~6400 USD) “and, in the event of a continuing infringement, an additional penalty of 1,500 [HKD / 191 USD] for each day the infringement persists.”
Chainsmoker Cat features notable illustrations of drug use, such as smoking multiple cigarettes simultaneously, experiencing withdrawals, and…chain-smoking. While exaggerated for comedic effect, the anime is generally viewed as an unromantic portrayal of smoking, highlighting nicotine dependency and behavioral issues.
Although the series is still on Netflix, it seems to have also been removed from the Ani-One Asia YouTube channel in Hong Kong. The Ani-One Asia Facebook page referenced Hong Kong among Chainsmoker Cat‘s licensed regions in its announcement from July, but the series is presently unavailable for streaming in the area. It is legal for adults to acquire and smoke tobacco products in Hong Kong.
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Meanwhile in Japan, Chainsmoker Cat reportedly became a topic of discussion at a recent BPO (Broadcasting Ethics & Program Improvement Organization) meeting last month. (The anime was not specifically named but is strongly believed to be Chainsmoker Cat.) Viewers critical of the series pointed out its representations of smoking and illegal drugs; however, the BPO committee member in charge felt it remained within the limits of acceptable freedom of expression. (Mynavi News)
Otherwise, the series is experiencing significant success: it has just been announced that every volume of the manga will be reprinted following a sales boost after the favorable reception of the anime. (Denfaminico Gamer)
Chainsmoker Cat adapts the manga series of the same name by NyanNyanFactory, published in Kodansha’s Weekly Young Magazine and licensed in English by Seven Seas. Taku Kimura directs the anime at Bibury Animation Studios.
Source: Bahamut Animation Crazy HK Facebook, South China Morning Post
©Nyan Nyan Factory, Kodansha/Yani Neko Production Committee
