Ad description
Three paid-for YouTube ads for CTW Inc, a video-game company, seen in June 2025:
a. The first ad featured an image of two anime girls, both with large eyes and open mouths. Both looked at the viewer over naked shoulders. Text below stated, “Official High School […] All rise for the gentlemen’s harem […] titillating browser game. Don’t look away!”.
b. The second ad featured an image of three anime girls, all with large eyes and two with rosy cheeks. Text in the image stated, “boobtastic game”, “Get your hands full!” and “high school”. Text below stated, “A New Boobtastic Game Is Here […]”.
c. The third ad featured an image of an anime girl with large eyes and an open mouth. The profile of her large breast was visible. Her thigh, buttock and string-style knickers were partially obscured by the word “SUMMER”. Other text in the image stated, “HIGHSCHOOL”. Text alongside the image stated, “A New Boobtastic Game is Here” and “All rise for the gentlemen’s harem […] titillating browser game. Don’t look away!”.
Issue
Three complainants, who believed the ads portrayed someone who seemed to be under 18 years of age in a sexual way, challenged whether the ads were irresponsible, offensive and harmful.
Response
CTW Inc said they had withdrawn the ads. They recognised that the ads did not conform to UK advertising standards and societal expectations. They said they were reinforcing their review and approval processes, and would take steps to comply with the CAP Code in future.
They explained that the ads were based on a Japanese anime TV series called “High School DxD”, which was well-known globally. They provided evidence of its popularity outside of Japan. Their aim had been to reproduce its tone and themes, which were playful and parodic.
They said that a humorous emphasis on breasts had long been part of the anime series and gave examples. A Japanese term used in comedic anime and manga to evoke light-hearted amusement in an exaggerated way had been translated into English as “boobtastic”. CTW Inc had since recognised that it would not be perceived in the same way in the UK and they would avoid such expressions in the future.
They also explained that “harem” was an established theme from the series also used in related merchandise. They said it was another part of the series’ comedic tone and had long been used in its promotional material. Their intention had been to reflect that, rather than to sexualise the content of their ad.
CTW Inc said that their ads were intended to reproduce faithfully established elements from the original anime series as appreciated by its fanbase, including its tone, humour and motifs, not to sexualise the content. They provided examples of promotional material for, and merchandise from, the anime series that had been drawn on in their ads.
Assessment
Upheld
The CAP Code stated that marketing communications must not portray or represent anyone who is, or seems to be, under 18 years of age in a sexual way. It also stated that marketing communications must not contain anything that was likely to cause serious or widespread offence or include gender stereotypes that were likely to cause harm or offence.
Ads (a), (b) and (c) all featured images of anime girls with large eyes who appeared young and below the age of 18.
Ad (a) showed two anime girls with open mouths and naked shoulders. Text in ad (a) referred to “High School”, implying they were under 18 years of age. Text also stated, “gentlemen’s harem” and “titillating” which the ASA considered were sexual references.
Ad (b) also referred to “high school”, suggesting the three anime girls featured were under 18. The ad also included the text, “boobtastic”, “Get your hands full!” and “Boobtastic”, which we also considered were sexual references.
In ad (c) much of the anime girl’s large breast, as well as parts of her thigh, buttock and string-style knickers were visible. The text included “HIGHSCHOOL”, implying she was under 18, as well as “Boobtastic”, “gentlemen’s harem”, and “titillating” which, as noted above, were sexual references.
We considered that the way the anime girls were depicted in ads (a), (b) and (c), including the ads’ use of poses, open mouths and partial nudity, alongside text such as “gentlemen’s harem”, “titillating”, and “boobtastic”, invited the viewer to perceive them as sexual objects.
Ads (a), (b) and (c) referred to high school and featured anime girls of youthful appearance, partial nudity and sexualised poses, and contained sexual references in relation to those girls. We therefore considered that ads (a), (b) and (c) breached the Code by representing someone who seemed to be under 18 in a sexual way and were irresponsible. We considered that by sexualising female characters in a way that objectified them, and by portraying them as stereotypical sex objects, the ads were also offensive and included a harmful gender stereotype.
The ads breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 1.3 (Social responsibility), and 4.1, 4.8 and 4.9 (Harm and Offence).
Action
The ads must not appear again in the form complained about. We told CTW Inc to ensure that their future ads were socially responsible and did not cause serious or widespread offence, and not to feature harmful gender stereotypes by objectifying and sexualising women. We also told them not to represent anyone who was, or seemed to be, under 18 years of age in a sexual way.
