Cartoons serve as a source of entertainment for various age groups including children and adults. One can enjoy their free time by watching different cartoons. However, some of these are found to be banned due to multiple reasons. The sole reason for which is the presentation of violent, controversial or inappropriate content. Additionally, some cartoons have been banned as they portrayed physical violence, racial discrimination, cultural and religious differences etc.
Banned Cartoons List 2025
The ban on cartoons or the censorship reflects the responsibility of certain authorities towards the relationship of individuals with entertainment and social values. The ban is necessary as watching inappropriate content or highly violent cartoons in the early years may affect the upbringing of the children.
The list below displays some of the cartoons that were banned due to inappropriate content for the kids or other reasons like physical violence, cultural differences etc displayed by them.
Top 10 Banned Cartoons 2025
- Tom & Jerry
- Peppa Pig
- Gravity Falls
- Batman
- Shinchan
- Talespin
- Cow and Chicken
- Steven Universe
- Tiny Toon Adventures
- Sponge Bob Square Pants
Reasons Behind Banning Of Cartoons List 2025
The cartoons have been banned considering the social values and the relationship of the population to entertainment. However, the particular reasons for banning certain cartoons have been listed below:
- Tom & Jerry – Violent content, racial content and use of offensive images. Sometimes, the cartoon has been observed to portray drinking, smoking etc which is not considered appropriate for youngsters to watch.
- Peppa Pig – The show mainly focuses on the real world situations that children may face. The cartoon was observed to be using the “society people” to refer to certain groups. However, it is a slang used in China used to refer to gangsters and less educated individuals. Thus, it was banned in China.
- Gravity Falls – In the cartoon Gravity Falls, Dipper Pines and his sister Mabel explore the fictional gravity with their uncle, Grunkle Stan. The show was streamed on Disney channel and was an award winning show. However, the symbol on Grunkle Stan’s fez was taken off as it resembled an Islamic iconography. Additionally, some phrases were censored as the pieces included offensive language.
- Batman: Brave and The Bold – The cartoon usually displayed content friendly to the youngsters and children. However, one episode out of the lot was found to have sexual references and a song was found to be performed that was considered “sexually suggestive”. The episode was found to be not aired but released as a bonus episode for the next season.
- Shinchan – This Japanese series portrays the life of a 5 year old, his family and friends. The cartoon was found to be filled with dark humor not suitable for children. The cartoon was thus banned in India as it was considered to be a bad influence on the kids.
- Talespin – The cartoon was banned as an episode displayed Baloo the Bear delivering a surprise gift to Thembrian High Marshall, which was later found to be a time bomb. Thuis, the cartoon was banned for having terrorist themes.
- Cow and Chicken – This was a comedy cartoon that displayed the relationship between a Cow and her brother Chicken. An episode of the cartoon showed a group of ladies who entered their home and started nibbling on their carpet. The episode seemed to be filled with sexual stereotypes and was criticised by parents.
- Steven Universe – The character Steven Universe was seen to be residing with a group of Aliens known as Crystal Gems. The cartoon was considered controversial because of the reference to LGBTQ themes.
- Tiny Toon Adventures – Certain episodes of this cartoon were removed as they had drinking, smoking and other such irresponsible behaviours portrayed in it.
- SpongeBob Squarepants: The cartoon’s episode was not aired yet but was found to have a scene where the characters break into a lady`s house and steal her garments. The scenes and behaviour is not something that parents would have liked and wanted their offspring to watch.
FAQs For Banned Cartoons List 2025
Name some cartoons that were banned?
Cartoons like Tom and Jerry, Batman, SpongeBob Squarepants and Shinchan were banned.
What is the reason behind banning cartoons?
The cartoons were banned as they had sexual or violent references, displayed inappropriate behaviour or had scenes of smoking, drinking etc. which is not suitable for the children.
What if the episodes of the cartoon having inappropriate references are already aired?
The authorities take full responsibility and can remove an aired episode to ensure children watch appropriate content only.