The year 2026 has stood out as a defining period for the anime landscape, with each seasonal lineup bringing distinct trends to the forefront. The summer slate, in particular, carved out a unique identity by heavily featuring mature, adult-oriented titles. Things kicked off with the strong debut of Smoking Behind the Supermarket With You, which quickly ascended to become one of the top-rated series on Crunchyroll for the year. Yet, it was another mature series, Chainsmoker Cat, that truly dominated fan discussions. Centered around a nicotine-addicted cat girl, the show’s provocative premise naturally stirred up significant controversy.
Following the release of its first seven episodes, the series has faced partial removal from a major streaming outlet. Medialink Entertainment’s Ani-One Asia announced that it would halt the rollout of new episodes to comply with regional government regulations. The Taiwanese-based platform pulled the show after receiving a letter from the Hong Kong Department of Health, which argued that the series breached local public health ordinances regarding tobacco. Consequently, the anime has vanished from Ani-One Asia’s YouTube channel across several Asian territories, though the platform plans to resume weekly releases following a brief hiatus next week.
Netflix Continues to Be Home to 2026’s Strangest Adult Dark Comedy Anime
Rather than general mature themes, the core issue behind the ban of Chainsmoker Cat appears to stem from indirect product placement. Statements from the Taiwanese Health Promotion Administration’s Tobacco Control Division highlight that the protagonist, Yani Neko, explicitly smokes a real-world Japanese cigarette brand. This pushed the conflict into the territory of unlawful tobacco marketing. Fortunately, devoted followers of the dark comedy do not need to panic, as the series remains fully accessible elsewhere.
Netflix has hosted the uncensored version of the show since its debut and intends to keep doing so once regular broadcasting resumes. Instead of a standard narrative installment next week, viewers will receive a special cast-focused episode. Despite the hurdles, the series has proven to be a wild, unpredictable ride that has kept the community thoroughly engaged with its bizarre sense of humor.
Between Yani Neko’s relentless smoking and her chaotic, unkempt lifestyle, the show has ironically inspired some viewers to steer clear of such destructive habits. Fears that the show would glamourise smoking have largely backfired, pushing audiences in the opposite direction instead. While the controversy caught many by surprise, it centers on an entirely unexpected detail. Fans can rest easy knowing that Netflix will continue delivering weekly, uncensored episodes of Chainsmoker Cat, cementing its status as one of the most talked-about adult experiments of 2026.