20 Anime Dubs That Censored Kisses But Kept The Bed Scenes

For years, anime released in Western countries has often been altered, leading to some odd choices in how it was presented to viewers. TV channels commonly required the removal of any romantic or sexual content, but sometimes left the surrounding scenes untouched. This resulted in confusing situations where characters might be shown sharing a close living space – like a bed or house – without any explanation of why they were so close. Often, characters who were clearly more than just friends were instead presented as ‘cousins’ or ‘roommates,’ leaving viewers puzzled by their strangely intimate actions after any romantic moments were cut. Several anime series contain examples of this awkward editing.

‘Sailor Moon’ (1992–1997)

The English dub of this anime is well-known for how it dealt with the connection between Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune. Producers believed their romantic relationship wasn’t appropriate for a young audience, so they changed it to a familial one – portraying them as cousins. However, this change didn’t work as planned. The animation still showed the characters sharing loving looks and physical touch, like holding hands. The dub continued to include scenes of them sharing private moments, such as checking into hotels or being in bedrooms together, while maintaining the cousin storyline. Ultimately, trying to hide their romance only made their closeness seem more forbidden and intriguing to viewers.

‘Mobile Suit Gundam SEED’ (2002–2003)

This animated series includes a complex and debated plotline concerning the main character, Kira Yamato, and his friend’s fiancée, Flay Allster. The original Japanese version hinted at a romantic and physical relationship between them as a way to deal with the stress of war. When the series was shown on English television, scenes suggesting sexual activity were significantly cut. However, the English dub still showed them waking up together in bed, though the accompanying dialogue was changed to imply they were just talking or offering each other support while undressed.

‘Blue Gender’ (1999–2000)

The English dub of this sci-fi horror show had trouble with its adult themes. A key scene where the characters Yuji and Marlene become intimate in a deserted hospital room was heavily altered. The dub removed the kissing and physical intimacy, but showed the characters lying together afterward. The script was changed to suggest they were simply comforting each other, even though it was obvious from their appearance they had just been intimate while they talked about non-romantic things.

‘Cardcaptor Sakura’ (1998–2000)

As a big anime fan, I was pretty bummed out when I first watched the English dub of Cardcaptors. They seriously toned down all the romantic stuff, deciding to focus more on the magical action. The biggest casualty? The relationship between Sakura’s brother, Touya, and his friend, Yukito. They cut out all their heartfelt confessions and that spark between them, but here’s the weird part: they didn’t cut out all the scenes of them being super close! Like, Yukito was always at Touya’s house, crashing on his couch and just generally being all over each other. It left this really strange impression that they were basically a couple, but the show never actually said they were. It was like they tried to make them just ‘best friends,’ but the chemistry was still totally there, just…unlabeled.

‘Neon Genesis Evangelion’ (1995–1996)

How Shinji Ikari and Kaworu Nagisa’s relationship was presented changed depending on which version you watched. Initial English translations made Kaworu’s feelings seem like a simple fondness rather than a declaration of love. Interestingly, even though the dialogue was made less romantic, the scene where they share an intimate moment in the bath remained. Kaworu still touched Shinji’s hand, creating a disconnect for many viewers who found the visuals suggested a deeper connection than the words implied.

‘Tenchi Muyo!’ (1992–1995)

This series helped create many common themes found in stories about alien girls and a human boy. When it aired on Toonami, references to multiple romantic relationships were removed, and the more suggestive behavior of the character Ryoko was softened. While romantic moments like kisses and confessions were often cut short or avoided, scenes of the girls unexpectedly appearing in Tenchi’s bedroom were frequently kept, though the explanation for their presence was altered to be less suggestive—they were often portrayed as scared or simply mischievous. Despite the attempts to present a ‘just friends’ dynamic through dialogue, the visuals often showed a teenage boy surrounded by girls, creating a contradiction.

‘Revolutionary Girl Utena’ (1997)

This unusual series has complex relationships that were changed quite a bit when it was first released in English. Throughout the show, Utena and Anthy share a dorm room and bed because of their engagement. The English dub downplayed the romantic side of their engagement, presenting it as a close friendship instead. However, the animation still showed them in very intimate sleeping positions, which the dub didn’t address. This meant that their shared sleeping arrangements felt confusing and didn’t make much sense without understanding the original romantic connection.

‘Robotech’ (1985)

This classic series blended three anime into a grand space adventure. When adapting Super Dimension Fortress Macross, the complicated love triangle between Rick Hunter and Lisa Hayes was made less intense. Although passionate kisses were sometimes cut or shown briefly, scenes of them sharing a home or being stuck together were kept. Even with strict rules about showing romance, the famous shower scene with Minmay appeared in some versions of the show. The series often used suggestive imagery while changing the dialogue to make things seem more wholesome.

‘Ranma ½’ (1989)

The story centers around a boy who magically transforms into a girl and becomes engaged to a skilled martial artist named Akane. When the series was dubbed for television, the creators had to carefully handle scenes with nudity and suggestive humor. They often removed or toned down romantic moments and kisses to keep the show appropriate for a wider audience. Interestingly, scenes where Akane and Ranma accidentally end up sharing a bed or futon – usually due to chaotic situations – were often left intact. The dub explained these moments as simply being comedic, focusing on the humor rather than the implication of the two characters sleeping near each other.

‘Dragon Ball’ (1986–1989)

The early Dragon Ball series had a lot more jokes and situations geared towards adults compared to later installments. For example, Master Roshi’s inappropriate behavior towards Bulma was often toned down or removed when the show was broadcast on television. While they cut out his direct requests for kisses or instances of him exposing himself, scenes showing the characters sharing sleeping spaces or traveling closely together remained. Dubbing often involved changing the dialogue to focus on things like food or training, even when the characters were visually in awkward or suggestive situations. This resulted in a strange contrast – characters would act embarrassed about even minor romantic interest, yet still comfortably sleep in groups.

‘Love Hina’ (2000)

This show helped make the ‘harem’ genre popular – stories where a male character ends up surrounded by multiple female love interests. The English dub toned down some of the more suggestive accidental physical contact, like groping and kissing, to make it suitable for television. However, the story is built around the characters all living together and often going into each other’s rooms, so scenes still involve the main character, Keitaro, waking up with…

2026-01-02 09:46