American ‘Normalization of Censorship’ Bans Controversial Shonen Jump Series 50+ Times in U.S. in Just 1 Year

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A recent report shows that book censorship is rising in U.S. schools, and the popular manga anthology, Shonen Jump, is now often being targeted. This trend suggests that censorship is becoming more common in schools over the past year.

According to a report by PEN America, public schools are seeing increasing demands to remove books from their libraries. Between July 2024 and June 2025, the organization documented 6,870 instances of book bans in 23 states and 87 school districts. Although this is a decrease from the 10,046 bans recorded in the previous year (2023-2024), it’s still more than double the number from 2022-2023 (3,362). Notably, this year’s list included a Japanese manga artist for the first time: Yusei Matsui’s *Assassination Classroom* was banned 54 times. The manga tells the story of students who are assigned the task of assassinating their new teacher—an alien with superpowers who threatens to destroy Earth if they don’t succeed before graduation.

Yusei Matsui’s Assassination Classroom Gets Banned Over 50+ Times Amid Censorship Escalation

The manga *Assassination Classroom* has often faced challenges from those seeking censorship because it shows students using guns and deals with violent themes. This became a real issue when a Florida school, Gifford Middle School, removed three volumes from its library in March. Soon after, the Elmbrook School District in Wisconsin did the same, taking five volumes off its digital shelves. Then, school districts in South Carolina’s Horry County began considering removing the series as well. In each instance, the decisions to ban the manga came after parents and concerned groups complained that it encouraged violence.

I’ve been watching the increasing challenges to books in schools, and it’s not just about violence anymore. Recently, the Brevard County School Board in Florida removed a book from its libraries, even though a committee recommended keeping it. One board member who supported the removal claimed the book was potentially offensive and worried it might encourage readers to explore certain sexual orientations. This seems to be part of a larger pattern, as highlighted in a PEN report, where people wrongly link LGBTQ+ identities with sexually explicit content. It’s striking that Florida has led the country in book bans for the third year in a row, with 2,304 bans, followed closely by Texas (1,781) and Tennessee (1,622).

From July 2022 to September 2023, the manga series *Assassination Classroom* was banned in at least 15 school districts across the U.S. It wasn’t the only one; *My Hero Academia* and *Soul Eater* were also removed from schools due to content considered unsuitable for students. Most of these bans happened in states with Republican leadership, driven by conservative and religious groups working to take these materials out of school libraries.

A ‘Normalization of Censorship‘ is Currently Underway in America

Book banning is increasing and has evolved into a new form of censorship, according to PEN America. Kasey Meehan, director of their Freedom to Read program, explains that pressure to restrict books now comes in many forms, including confusing laws and policies, and inaccurate labeling of books as inappropriate. This has led to a troubling rise in everyday book removals and a growing acceptance of censorship over the past four years, reaching levels never seen before.

A new report cautions that public education is being undermined as teachers and school districts give in to pressure from extremist groups. These groups, promoting views against diversity, equity, inclusion, and LGBTQ+ rights, are creating fear through threats of funding cuts, harassment, and even police intervention, leading to censorship.

According to Sabrina Baêta, a senior manager at PEN America, the growing number of book bans is linked to the current political environment. She believes a rising trend of censorship, encouraged by the White House, threatens essential American values like free speech and the ability to explore ideas openly. Baêta argues that these restrictions hinder progress towards a fairer and more knowledgeable society by limiting students’ access to information and discouraging reading.

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2025-10-16 05:06