Several Chinese brands announced the severance of their business relations with streaming service Bilibili accusing the platform of "tolerance of misogynistic content." According to reports, the case that instigated the controversy is the anime adaptation of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, which Bilibili was streaming on a parallel basis with Japan until its removal last Sunday.
The Global Times portal reported that the series is polarizing the population in China and that some have criticized it for "violating mainstream values and morals, as well as being inappropriate for underage audiences." However, the series reportedly held a 9.2 out of 10 rating on Bilibili, although it was heavily criticized on the review platform Douban, with 72% of users giving it the lowest rating.
According to Variety, a group of female Bilibili users accused the platform of "tolerating misogynistic and sexually suggestive content" and marketing it to mainstream viewers. Bilibili reportedly shut down the accounts of many of these individuals, while overlooking male users who have also criticized the site's handling of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation.
Contact lens company Sigo, cosmetics brands UKISS and Spenny, sanitary napkin distributor Sofy and skin care products company Lin Qingxuan are among the brands that have cut ties with the platform. Sofy stated via social network Weibo that it "strongly opposes and strongly condemns any form of insulting behavior or comments against women. We respect women and care for them."
The South China Morning Post reported that Bilibili made the following statement: "Respect is the cornerstone of the community and the basic guiding principle for Bilibili's operations. This includes respect for users, content creators, different genres, various interest groups and social circles." The platform intend to continue to moderate and remove content and "problematic accounts" that attempt to disrupt the already established order.
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation generated controversy on Bilibili when popular Chinese influencer LexBurner expressed disparaging comments towards the series and its followers. In a live broadcast last February 1, LexBurner called fans of the show as "the lowest link in the social hierarchy." The video has since been removed from his channel, although recordings of the audio are on record. LexBurner apologized for his comments and the platform issued a statement informing that the streamer has been suspended for "inappropriate comments." He will also face legal action against him for breaking the terms of his contract with Bilibili.
Finally, at the time the platform stated that the episodes had been removed due to "technical issues". At the time of writing, the first four episodes remain removed from the platform and the fifth episode has not been released. It goes without saying that China is one of the countries that contribute the most to the anime industry, especially through streaming on Bilibili, so the absence of the series in China will surely be a hard blow to the production.
The series has been airing in Japan since January 10 and is confirmed to have a total of 23 episodes, with its broadcast split into two parts that will air separately. Although it has not been officially confirmed, the distribution of its volumes indicates that the first half will have eleven episodes, while the second half, which is estimated to premiere in the Summer-2021 season (July-September) will have twelve episodes. Finally, Funimation holds the distribution rights.
Synopsis of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation
Killed while saving a stranger during a traffic accident, a 34-year-old NEET is reincarnated into a new world of magic under the name of Rudeus Greyrat, a newborn. With knowledge, experience and regrets from a past life, Rudeus vows to lead a full life and never repeat his mistakes.
Now gifted with tremendous magical power, as well as the mentality of a grown man, Rudeus is seen as a potential genius by his new parents. Soon, he finds himself being trained by powerful warriors, such as his father, a swordsman and a wizard named Roxy Migurdia. But despite his innocent exterior, Rudeus is still a perverted otaku, and uses his vast knowledge to make women his own that in his previous life he never enjoyed.
Source: South China Morning Post (Jane Zhang)
(c)理不尽な孫の手/MFブックス/「無職転生」製作委員会
