Russia’s federal media watchdog, Roskomnadzor, has officially blocked MyAnimeList, one of the world’s largest databases and social networks for anime and manga fans. The site, which allows users to rate, review, and track content, has over 18 million registered users.
According to the agency, the platform was banned for promoting LGBTQ+ content and information, which the government deems extremist.
Access to the platform was restricted on Oct 22, 2025, according to the unified register of domain names banned in Russia. In an official explanation, Roskomnadzor cited the “systematic posting of materials containing information promoting non-traditional sexual relations and/or preferences” as the reason for the block.
The ban was justified under Federal Law No. 149-FZ, “On Information, Information Technology, and the Protection of Information”.
This action is the latest in a series of blocks targeting anime and manga platforms in Russia. In February 2024, Roskomnadzor restricted access to three other popular anime websites: jut.su, AnimeGO, and YummyAnime.
Representatives for YummyAnime speculated that the reason was likely anime containing LGBTQ+ propaganda, which is banned in Russia. The team also pointed out that they received no warning letter and only discovered the block by checking the registry themselves.
Other anime-focused websites, including Anime Club, WikiAnime TV, and Amedia Online, were similarly blocked in January. In response to its ban, AnimeGO announced via its Telegram channel that it had moved to a new domain.
This pattern of enforcement mirrors other recent actions by the agency. For a similar reason, access to the online community for Wattpad writers and readers, and the online gaming platform Roblox was restricted.
According to Roskomnadzor, Wattpad ignored requests to remove prohibited content, which included publications containing LGBTQ+ propaganda. At the time of the blocking in June this year, 130 pages containing illegal content were identified on the platform. Consequently, Wattpad’s owner was subject to three administrative fines totaling 5.3 million rubles (~ USD 66,247) for failing to remove this prohibited information.
At that time, Roskomnadzor had similarly emphasized that these platform could be reopened. The agency stated that access would be restored once the prohibited information was removed and the content was brought into compliance with Russian law.
Following that request, Roblox complied with the law’s requirement to remove the prohibited information and the platform was back online.
Even before the crackdown on LGBTQ+ content, anime and manga have been a consistent target of Russian censors. In 2021, a St. Petersburg court banned the online distribution of several popular series, including Death Note, Tokyo Ghoul, and Inuyashiki, citing the violent content in these series and their influence on teens.
Source: RBC
