Why This Topic Landed in Japan

The show airs freely in Japan, so seeing it pulled overseas threw the differences in local rules into relief and tied into a familiar debate about where free expression ends and public-health regulation begins. Hong Kong's streaming platform stopped the title after the health department flagged the clearly drawn real cigarette brands (such as Mevius) as tobacco advertising under the smoking ordinance, and Taiwan followed. That the show is a satirical comedy poking fun at smoking, yet was treated as an "ad," was part of what caught people's attention.

Key Reaction Themes

  • Acceptance of stricter overseas tobacco rules — "If real brands show up that clearly, regulation is inevitable," and "it's less about free expression than local advertising and public-health law."
  • Irony of content versus regulation — "The show draws smokers as pathetic; treating it as an ad is ironic."
  • Skepticism about the show itself — "What's even funny about this anime?"

What Japanese Netizens Are Saying

'Yanineko' pulled from overseas streaming (Hong Kong, then Taiwan)

A streaming halt over depicting real cigarette brands prompts reactions on whether the rules are fair and on how the show reads.

shiroi
shiroi
@68Shiroi
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【声明全文】アニメ『ヤニねこ』が香港で配信停止処分…衛生当局から“喫煙条例違反”指摘　タバコの銘柄がハッキリ描かれ「広告に該当する」 0115765.com/archives/201375

0115765.com【声明全文】アニメ『ヤニねこ』が香港で配信停止処分…衛生当局から“喫煙条例違反”指摘　タバコの銘柄がハッキリ描かれ「広告に該当する」 | オタク総研香港のアニメ配信プラットフォーム「動画瘋（巴哈姆特）」は17日、日本国内で今夏放送中のTVアニメ『ヤニねこ』について、香港地域での配信を同日付で停止したことを明らかにした。 運営会社は同日、香港衛生署...
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がいらくGairaku@台湾-FF首日F34次日F40
がいらくGairaku@台湾-FF首日F34次日F40
@Gairaku_tw
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【悲報】現在台湾のアニメ配信サイトに 『ヤニねこ』全部配信中止しました…… いま台湾の掲示板に大炎上中です……

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電ファミニコゲーマー
電ファミニコゲーマー
@denfaminicogame

TVアニメ『ヤニねこ』香港の一部サイトで配信停止。現地の喫煙条例に違反、衛生署から書簡を受ける news.denfaminicogamer.jp/news/2608192s ウェブ上の製品広告や喫煙を助長する内容について厳しく定められている。「実在のたばこ製品やブランド名が反復的且つ明瞭に描かれている」との苦情が市民から寄せられていた

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Sources: Yahoo! news, 2ch

Comments:

  • "So getting high on 'vitamin pills' is fine, huh, lol."
  • "So Hong Kong got strict about tobacco at some point."
  • "Well, it can't be helped. Japan got the green light, but there are plenty of countries where you're out the moment you're caught."
  • "But Nya hasn't done anything wrong."
  • "What's even funny about this anime?"
  • "Yanineko acts like a heavy smoker, but what it actually smokes is Mevius — you'd think it could at least smoke Seven Stars."
  • "Show the brand of the drugs it's shooting up too, then."
  • "Smoking scenes being the problem — how dumb is that."
  • "T-Taiwan, you too?!"
  • "Japan, land of advanced free expression."