Winnie the Pooh Gets Censored in a Recent Kingdom Hearts 3 Article
Chinese game site A9VG edited out Winnie the Pooh in a recent article on Kingdom Hearts 3. The censor is due to Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s sensitivity to repeated comparisons to the character. The character is also regularly censored on social media platforms in China.
American friend: why tf is Winne the Pooh banned in China fam?
Me: *sends image below*
Friend: Thinned skinned WTF pic.twitter.com/1eBOcMYW1U
— Benjamin Haas (@haasbenjamin) July 18, 2017
“Unfortunately, Square Enix does not have a comment to share at this time,” a Square Enix representative said.
In another recent act of censorship, the movie Christopher Robin was banned in China, likely due to its Pooh comparisons. However, it’s interesting to note that other Chinese game sites still ran images of the character. A9VG was probably just being cautious.
Currently, a Chinese language Kingdom Hearts 3 is underway, although it’s not certain if Winnie the Pooh will make an appearance.
Here’ Square Enix’s snippet about the game:
“Kingdom Hearts III tells the story of the power of friendship as Sora and his friends embark on a perilous adventure. Set in a vast array of Disney worlds, Kingdom Hearts follows the journey of Sora, a young boy and unknowing heir to a spectacular power. Sora is joined by Donald Duck and Goofy, two emissaries sent by King Mickey from Disney Castle, to stop an evil force known as the Heartless from invading and overtaking the universe. Through the power of positivity and friendship, Sora, Donald and Goofy unite with iconic Disney-Pixar characters old and new to prevail tremendous challenges and persevere against the darkness threatening their worlds.”