Cartoon Network Censored Neon Genesis Evangelion

In 2003, Cartoon Network surprised “Neon Genesis Evangelion” fans by airing the first two episodes of the iconic anime during its “Giant Robot Week” special in the United States. However, fans of the series noticed a strange alteration in Misato Katsuragi's bathing scene. In the original version, Misato appears naked while taking a bath, but in the Cartoon Network edition a one-piece swimsuit was added.

This modification attracted attention, since it censored a scene in which, clearly, the character should be naked because he was in the bathroom. The alteration generated criticism and was seen as another example of the controversial censorship decisions of Cartoon Network, which ultimately decided to cancel the airing of “Evangelion” after just those two episodes. Years later, the series was broadcast uncensored on other channels and platforms, such as Adult Swim and PBS, although the latter was dubbed in English by ADV Films, but respecting the original content.

The reactions of fans on social networks and forums were immediate when they remembered this. Here are some translated and adapted comments about this curious episode of censorship:

«The Swimsuit Fetishist: Prize or Award?».
«It's better than what the Chinese do».
«I miss the original dubbing; In the Netflix one I feel it is very exaggerated».
«Today they would have blamed the glass generation».
«It's like Flanders who bathes in a bathing suit so as not to sin.».
«Not even on Chilean open TV did they dare to censor Evangelion (Chilevisión 1998)».
«When they showed it on open TV in Mexico in the early 2000s, I remember that it had no censorship, I don't remember if it was on channel 11 or 22; They were already late, I guess because of those scenes and the fights».
«Cartoon Network has always been known for censoring scenes».
«I would be fascinated to see how they would censor the rest of the show».
«That was the first time I saw Evangelion. I barely remember the censorship, but then it came back in 2005 on Adult Swim».
«A couple of years earlier, my local PBS station aired the entire Evangelion series. It was the English dub by ADV, but unedited, including the end credits music.».
«Was there really a plan to broadcast the entire series? The idea that some executives thought to '4Kids-ify' Eva seems too good to be true, and I'm interested in this story».