Arcane: Netflix series censored in China

The years-awaited season 2 of Arcane continues to excite fans except for one thing: the censorship that the 4-Emmy-winning animated series was subjected to in China via the Tencent platform where it aired.

SPOILER ALERT! This article contains the main elements and reveals the ending of Arcane 2 season. Don’t read if you haven’t finished!

Romantic scenes between Wiss and Caitlin, recognized in other countries for their LGBTQ+ representation, were radically altered or even removed in China, sparking criticism and debate about creative freedom and restrictions imposed by the country’s communist regime.

In the international version, the connection between Vis and Caitlin develops into an overt romance that culminates in intimate moments that fans of the series will celebrate — moments that are important to understanding the motivations of the openly queer heroines.

However, in China, these scenes are edited to the point of removing any physical contact between the characters, thus presenting them as completely detached, distant interactions on a physical level that make no sense and are completely devoid of emotional context. In certain sequences, even Caitlin seems obscured or completely eliminated, confusing the original story – and going so far as to change their “happy ending” which makes the whole thing as absurd as ever.

China has long banned the depiction of LGBTQ+ relationships in film and television, part of a broader censorship policy enforced by bodies such as the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA). These regulations aim to preserve traditional values ​​and prevent the distribution of “vulgar” or “obscene” content. However, the censor applied Arcana It has been criticized for lacking absolute meaning, creating incoherent scenes that significantly change the narrative.

As Numerama recalls, homosexuality in China was only removed from the official classification of mental illness in 2001, and other works have experienced similar censorship, albeit in romantic web series. drug addict In 2016, or more recently, Friends, where any references to homosexuality were removed in 2022.

However, it’s important to note, as one fan on X (formerly Twitter) noted that “Fans in China really appreciate the romantic relationship between Wiss and Caitlin and condemn these censors. Some say the montage reminds them of Ghost (1990) and wonder if the atheist communist regime prefers Ghosts to the LGBT community.“

However, this is an angry topic in China – which has censored other even more minor points, such as the middle finger being replaced with a thumb in one of Jinx’s tags in the first season.

China is not the only country that censors Arcana

Other countries, such as Iran, have also pushed for changes in the series, featuring female characters in scenes that originally showed their bare skin. These restrictions reflect a culture clash in adapting content for different audiences, where censorship interferes with producers’ creative vision and alters the viewer’s experience.

Feedback from fans and the creative community

Fans of the series clearly express their displeasure on social networks and emphasize that the changes are against the spirit of the series and the intention of its creators. Some have turned to tools like VPNs to access uncensored versions, highlighting the gap between imposed restrictions and the demands of young, globalized audiences seeking authenticity in the stories portrayed on screen.

Series co-creator Christian Linke revealed in an interview with League of Legends specialist videographer Nekrit that even for its international broadcast, certain intimate scenes between Wiss and Caitlin were toned down to avoid the age rating in Prison Episode 8, which was largely reduced. Therefore, the animation team was reprimanded for not showing very mature content on screen. This highlights the constant tension between creative freedom and commercial demands in a diverse global market.

The creator of the series still offered hope to the fans: these deleted scenes may one day be shown in the director’s cut.Arcana For example. Now we can hope that the streak is over.

However, what we can remember is that the show did its best to give the LGBTQ+ community a lot of visibility: the representation of a lesbian couple in an international blockbuster is essential and therefore not insignificant in a project of this scale and quality. However, it is unfortunate that the Chinese audience could not appreciate the story as it was intended and therefore lost one of the most important storylines of the beloved series.

Arcane can be seen exclusively on Netflix. go away