Japanese Version of GTA V Censors Violence And Sex Scenes

[BlameTheWizards]

Japanese Version of GTA V Censors Violence And Sex Scenes


Trevor, Grand Theft Auto V's resident sociopath, gets a little bit tamer for the Japanese release.



Grand Theft Auto V is a game that pulls very few punches, unless you live in Japan, in which case you're getting some of the violence and sex censored out.

Some of the most extreme examples of censorship from the game include Trevor doing...well, pretty much anything, as far as Kotaku could find. Remember the scene at the start of the "Scouting the Port" mission, where he pulls down his pants to show off his junk? In the censored Japanese version, the animation is the same but the pants never even come off, so it looks more like Trevor's just really proud of his jeans.

Also altered is the scene which first introduces Trevor, which most GTA V fans will recall involves him having sex with another character's girlfriend on a kitchen counter. Unless you're playing the Japanese version, in which case its Trevor just casually standing behind the girl and watching TV.

And the game's infamous torture scene? It's not even playable in the Japanese version. You see the cinematics that would bookend each round of Trevor beating his hostage from the American version, but in the Japanese game you don't actually hit him with anything.

One other, non-Trevor change, is a paparazzi mission where Franklin gets some shots of a young celebrity having sex. Japan instead has Franklin catching her in the act of smoking, because apparently filling your lungs with nicotine is just as devastating to a celebrity career as a seedy sex tape. Kotaku has asked Rockstar for a reason for the cuts, but have not yet received an answer.

It's not the first time a game in the Grand Theft Auto series has has been altered to be more acceptable overseas. When Grand Theft Auto IV was released back in 2008, Rockstar censored material in order to get it on store shelves <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/82957-Grand-Theft-Auto-IV-Censored-For-Australia>in Australia.

Source: <a href=http://kotaku.com/gta-vs-sex-and-violence-toned-down-in-japan-1451971234>Kotaku

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[josemlopes]

Oh Japan, your sexual censuring is hilarious considering what usually comes out of you.

First the veins in Saints Row's dildo and now this. To be honest american censuring doesnt make all that much sense either, (making a skirt 2 inches longer because "Oh lord, I see a panty shot!")

 

[CardinalPiggles]

I'd be surprised if the game went uncensored in every country. The torture scene made me personally feel very uncomfortable (in more than one way).

General psychotic behaviour and random sex scenes is one thing, but torture in which the game has you in control of it is another.

I'm not saying it shouldn't be there because it's good character development for Trevor, but some classification boards don't see it that way.

 

[Eric the Orange]

The sex bit is interesting considering japans eroge game market. (that's porn games BTW).

 

[WouldYouKindly]

It's because Japan is a lot more conservative a society than we typically think. I don't think the violence censoring was necessary, even more so than the U.S. they're fine with violence, but the sex censoring is more necessary, though they could have just thrown some pixelation censoring down, they didn't need to completely change the scenes to fit the local laws. However, I have no idea if a game can be denied classification in Japan.

 

[Eric the Orange]

but the sex censoring is more necessary

you know they have an entire business based around games where you have explicit sex right? Games that would never fly in the US. remember the Rapelay controversy?

 

[Blaster395]

but the sex censoring is more necessary

you know they have an entire business based around games where you have explicit sex right? Games that would never fly in the US. remember the Rapelay controversy?

It is, however, an industry of very small studios that will do fine from 10,000 sales in obscure web-based or specialist stores.

GTAV is something that needs to be sold in more mainstream stores to return a profit. Self-censoring it is likely the requirement for that.

 

[LysanderNemoinis]

It's funny, about the bit where the celebrity is caught smoking instead of having sex. In America, it would be the other way around. Sex tapes are fine, but God help you if you're caught smoking.

 

[WouldYouKindly]

but the sex censoring is more necessary

you know they have an entire business based around games where you have explicit sex right? Games that would never fly in the US. remember the Rapelay controversy?

And in exactly none of those will you ever see uncensored genitals in the official release.

They won't ban sex, but they won't let you see a dick.

 

[Queen Michael]

Man, that sucks. Either don't release the game or release it as it should be. Here's how I'd look hearing about this if I were Japanese:

 

[Rad Party God]

This reminds me of the silly censorship the japanese version of Metal Gear Solid had.

 

[Someone Depressing]

What?

How?

Japan, don't you have other problems to be dealing with? Like staggeringly low birth rates and too many old people? Not extending sidekick characers' skirts to avoid panty shots?

I don't undestand you, Japan. Only you could censor what basically makes a franchise a franchise.

 

[Eric the Orange]

but the sex censoring is more necessary

you know they have an entire business based around games where you have explicit sex right? Games that would never fly in the US. remember the Rapelay controversy?

And in exactly none of those will you ever see uncensored genitals in the official release.

They won't ban sex, but they won't let you see a dick.

Um, yes, yes you do. I could cite examples but that ould be against forum rules.

 

[BarelyAudible]

I wonder if Japan has this conversation every time we edit guns out of their thirty minute toy commercials? "But, all Americans have guns! Some can't even climax sexually without a gun!"

 

[Quantum Glass]

This can't be true! If this is true, then that means that not all foreign stereotypes are accurate depictions of their respective cultures!

I refuse to accept this! It must be some mistake, or a forgery!

Oh, the humanity!

 

[DonTsetsi]

but the sex censoring is more necessary

you know they have an entire business based around games where you have explicit sex right? Games that would never fly in the US. remember the Rapelay controversy?

And in exactly none of those will you ever see uncensored genitals in the official release.

They won't ban sex, but they won't let you see a dick.

Um, yes, yes you do. I could cite examples but that ould be against forum rules.

You see it on the version sold outside of Japan, though.

 

[djl3485]

Porn was first seriously restricted in Japan in the Meiji Era, when materials deemed ?injurious to public morals? were banned [thanks to the introduction of Victorian morals from the West]. After Japan?s defeat in WW2, American occupation authorities changed many of Japan?s laws to guarantee freedom of speech and expression. Sadly, the occupation authorities decided that the pre-existing law regarding pornography didn?t need to be changed. It has remained in effect to this day.

Not seeing how that is blamed on the U.S. occupation. So it's the U.S. fault they didn't change the law?

 

[Metalrocks]

im a bit surprised about the violence part. i have a bunch of japanes animations and some of them are extremely gory, like the newer version of hellsing. and some anime/movies of them contain sex and nudity.