Shin-Chan has been a favourite among the kids from the ’90s. The Japanese manga captured the attention of Indian kids and has since made a place in the hearts of cartoon lovers. The show was super popular and became a sensation among the kids back in the day. However, its laughter was not just reserved for children; parents, too, enjoyed watching the show with their little ones and laughing away the stress of their day.
Nonetheless, the show was initially heavily censored to adhere to Indian guidelines. In a conversation with Hindustan Times, the show’s director, Masakazu Hashimoto, has now revealed that he was unaware of any issues with Shin-Chan.
Shin-Chan director, Masakazu Hashimoto, reflects on the show being censored in India
Masakazu Hashimoto is all set to bring Shin-Chan to India for some adventures with his next film. However, he had an ulterior motive behind the same. The director revealed that he wanted to bring ‘Shin-Chan’ to India so that he could also have the opportunity to visit the country. During his visit to Delhi, he spoke to HT and shared:
“The first Indian film that I saw was Muthu: The Dancing Maharaja (starring Rajinikanth, the 1995 film has been popular in Japan). Since then, I thought India would be a good fit for Shin Chan. I knew if I made him come to India, I would be able to come here for location hunting too!”
Shin-Chan has been a part of the lives of millions of children in India. However, during the conversation, he was informed how the immense popularity also came with immense criticism for the show’s content, leading to several scenes being censored. Masakazu revealed that he had no idea there were issues with the show’s censorship.
Masakazu Hashimoto revealed that Shin-Chan has evolved over the years
In the same conversation, Masakazu revealed that Shin-Chan has undergone several character developments since its initial days. He shared that he, too, has children now, and he would never allow them to do certain things that ‘Shin-Chan’ did. He reflected on how far the show had come and stated:
“I wasn’t aware of the censorship issues in india, but Shin Chan has changed over the years. In Japan, it is not censorship, but there are regulations on what is suitable for children. That is not bad because it is protecting them. For example, I am now blessed with children, and I ask them not to show their butts. Because Shin Chan is the children’s hero, everything he does is copied, mimicked by them.”
Masakazu Hashimoto reflects on why Indian animation has not gained traction despite the rise in the anime industry
In the same conversation, Masakazu Hashimoto was asked why Indian films never gain traction despite having accepted animated films from around the world. For the unversed, Mahavtar Narsimha did exceptionally well earlier this year, but it was a rare exception. The Shin-Chan director reflected on the same and stated:
“There are several reasons. For example, in Japanese animation, the producers are well aware that it is going to be shown to a global audience so it’s very high quality. In India, it’s not just Japanese content but also other international content available too, which Indian audiences are ready to accept.”
What are your thoughts on Shin-Chan director, Masakazu Hashimoto’s revelations? Let us know.
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