According to Business Solution in Hong Kong, China, the Taiwanese streaming platform "AnimeFever" has suspended the official distribution of Bibury Animation Studio's "Nico Nyanko" in Hong Kong. This decision stems from a letter by the Hong Kong Department of Health, which stated that the program violated local regulations prohibiting online advertising for smoking products.
According to reports, the Department of Health notified AnimeFever of the violation on August 17, leading to an immediate suspension of broadcasts on the same day. The core issue seems to be not just the depiction of smoking itself, but the appearance of real cigarette brands such as Japan's Mevius. Under Hong Kong regulations, content may be banned if it is deemed to objectively endorse or encourage smoking, regardless of whether tobacco manufacturers provided sponsorship.
However, Netflix Hong Kong appears unaffected, with the anime still available on the platform. Nevertheless, the Department of Health told the South China Morning Post that it had instructed two online streaming platforms to cease distributing the problematic content.
Meanwhile, the anime "Nico Nyanko" has also sparked controversy in Japan. The country's television broadcasting ethics regulator recently reviewed the show's content in response to viewer complaints alleging that the program "depicts smoking and self-injection of drug-like substances." Although the anime was ultimately ruled to fall within the scope of creative expression, it continues to face scrutiny due to its provocative themes.