Dragon Ball Daima: Mr. Popo disappears from screen in France and Germany

Censorship hit Dragon Ball Daima again, and this time it happened to Mr. Popo in Europe. French channel Gulli hid the character in some scenes of the November 4 broadcast, according to user @Sekai_DB. They didn't change his color or replace him: they simply adjusted the framing so he wouldn't appear on screen.

The strangest part is that his dialogue is still there. In several sequences Mr. Popo can be heard speaking, but the viewer can't see him. The voice floats while the camera shows something else. It's not the first time this has happened: in Germany, Toggo Plus had already done the same in late August.

A controversy that goes back years

Neither Gulli nor Toei Animation has explained why they made this decision. It's also unknown whether the order came from the broadcasters or from the Japanese production company itself for the versions it distributes in those countries. What is clear is that Mr. Popo's design —completely black skin, red lips, and heavily exaggerated features— has been at the center of the debate for years as a stereotypical and racist representation of Black people.

The discussion isn't new and goes beyond Daima. Some viewers believe his appearance reproduces offensive stereotypes, while others think removing him from scenes alters the original work. They prefer the character be contextualized rather than hidden with editing tricks.

What about Mexico?

So far there are no reports of such an edit in Latin America. Crunchyroll announced in June 2025 that all 20 episodes of the series would be available with Latin Spanish dubbing starting July 1, and the catalog offers Japanese and Latin Spanish audio. That doesn't guarantee that every version available in Mexico is free of any editing, but it does mark a difference from the cuts in European television broadcasts.

The story of Dragon Ball Daima takes Goku and his friends to the Demon Realm after a conspiracy turns them into children. The series exploring that world doesn't confirm anything about Mr. Popo's origin or serve as an official explanation for his design. Those are different things, and it's best not to mix them.

We'll see if Toei Animation or the European channels say anything in the coming days. Meanwhile, the version we see in Mexico remains without reported changes. Do you think Mr. Popo should be edited or the work left as originally released? Tell us in the comments.