Fans of an anime can look forward to a new video game adaptation – just not in Australia. Because there, the title is banned, even though it is sold in other countries for under 18s.
What kind of video game is this? Next year, the first real fighting game based on Hunter x Hunter is set to release. In Hunter x Hunter Nen x Impact, players can choose from a large selection of characters from the anime and compete in 3v3 tag team battles. The goal is to defeat the opponent with different combo attacks.
Characters include protagonist Gon Freecss and Killua Zoldyck. In online mode, two players can duel each other. Alternatively, fights against CPU opponents are also possible. The title is set to release for both Steam and PS5.
Overall, the anime title sounds like many other beat ’em ups that originated from animes. Other games like Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm are available in Australia and only require parental guidance for players under 15 years old. However, Hunter x Hunter has been completely banned from sale.
To give you an impression of the game, we are showing you the trailer for Hunter x Hunter Nen x Impact here:
Australia has a reputation for banning video games quickly
What is the reason for the ban? The Australia Classification Board (ACB) is responsible for granting approval for video games. However, on their official page, they have not stated a reason why the video game based on Hunter x Hunter cannot be sold in Australia.
What could be problematic? There could be two possible reasons for the refusal:
- Possibly, sexual acts involving characters under 18 could be a reason. Some characters are still under 18, and games like Blade Runner: Enhanced Edition have been banned for this reason in the past.
- The trivialization of drugs could also be a reason. In Hunter x Hunter, the drug D² is a theme. Other video games like Wasteland 3 were originally not approved for sale for this reason.
However, these are just speculations. We will likely never know the true reasons.
Why is Australia so strict? Australia has been enforcing strict guidelines for several decades to classify video games. In the past, numerous games such as Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number and Risen have been banned. Other games like South Park: The Stick of Truth and The Witcher 2 were at least approved after re-evaluation.
In contrast to Australia, Hunter x Hunter Nen x Impact is rated even for ages 12 and up in Germany by the USK. Here, sensitive themes such as death, bullying, and addiction, as well as violence, have led to the age rating.
The manga of Hunter x Hunter has still not been completed. Yoshihiro Togashi, the creator of the story, has revealed how the manga will end. He has already divulged the ending in case he were to die unexpectedly: Author reveals the ending of the manga he has been drawing for 25 years in case he dies
