Entertainment
Dark Psychological Anime Banned From Television Is Now Streaming
By Zack Zagranis
| Published
Paranoia Agent is the best anime you’ve never seen. The twisted, psychological thriller was originally deemed too intense for both Japanese and American broadcast standards and was eventually aired in both markets in a heavily edited format. Luckily, the entire uncut series is available to stream on anime streaming service Crunchyroll.
Paranoia Agent is the brainchild of creator Satoshi Kon. Kon was initially a feature film director responsible for such anime classics as Perfect Blue and Tokyo Godfathers. During the production of his films, however, Kon found himself with an excess of story ideas and themes that didn’t fit with any of his projects but intrigued him nonetheless. As a result, the director decided to take these discarded concepts and weave them into a television series.
Prior to the creation of Paranoia Agent, the creator had spoken at length about the filmmaking process and its rigidity, how he would work for two years on the same project, being in “the same mood” and using the same method over and over again.
The flexibility of television enticed Kon because he wanted the freedom to explore a variety of themes and topics rather than be confined to a single concept throughout a feature film. Kon was also drawn to the speed at which television animation is produced vs. movie animation because it allowed him to “Realize instantly what flashes across my mind.”
The result was 2004’s Paranoia Agent—a frightening mix of anxiety-inducing thrills and dark themes that made viewers question the sanity of the characters on screen as well as their own. Paranoia Agent revolves around a mysterious assailant known only as “Lil’ Slugger” who skates around on rollerblades attacking seemingly random victims with a dented golden baseball bat. Each episode focuses on a different victim and the detectives working to catch Lil’ Slugger.
Paranoia Agent Censored
The series features the usual adult anime tropes, plenty of nudity and profanity, but it’s Paranoia Agent‘s dark, taboo themes that got it temporarily banned in certain countries. Scenes like the one in episode 8, where a character commits suicide, caused the anime to be partially banned in Japan after being deemed “too harsh” by the Japanese government. This partial ban meant the anime had to air on Wowwow, a Japanese satellite station, rather than on the country’s regular broadcast channels.
Meanwhile, in North America, the series was initially banned from airing on TV and was only available on DVD in late 2004. The following year, a censored version of Paranoia Agent began airing on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim late-night programming block.
Along with being scrubbed of any references to suicide, this watered-down version of the series also took great pains to remove any nudity and swearing that might offend sensitive US audiences. The suicide scene was also removed before the series aired in the UK.
Paranoia Agent has been compared to the works of David Lynch for its, at times, dreamlike, surreal quality, as well as Kon’s other psychological thrillers Paprika and Perfect Blue.
In 2020, Adult Swim again aired Paranoia Agent, this time in a form closer to its original vision. This new edit included the blurring of certain body parts during nude scenes instead of cutting the scenes out completely, and an intact suicide episode, albeit with ads for suicide prevention airing before and after.
Satoshi Kon’s dementedly brilliant debut anime was unanimously praised by critics and audiences alike, despite most of those audiences being unable to experience the series as intended.
Paranoia Agent‘s Rotten Tomatoes score is as high as it can be, at an impressive 100% critic approval rating. The site’s consensus praises “Anime auteur Satoshi Kon” for bringing his “feverish vision” to television and delivering a “disturbing meditation on individual and societal anxiety.”
Paranoia Agent has been compared to the works of David Lynch for its, at times, dreamlike, surreal quality, as well as Kon’s other psychological thrillers, Paprika and Perfect Blue. The feeling among many fans is that Paranoia Agent isn’t something you turn on to zone out to, but rather a deep experience that will stick with you for a long time, whether you want it to or not.
You can check out Paranoia Agent right now courtesy of Crunchyroll , where the anime is streaming in its original format.
Entertainment
Did An Overlooked TV Show Already Spoil The Third Superman Film?
By Chris Snellgrove
| Updated
Part of why James Gunn’s Superman was such a good movie is that it was a relatively self-contained adventure that still planted interesting seeds for future projects. One of those seeds was the surprise appearance of a party-loving Supergirl, which set her up for her own solo spinoff film. Lex Luthor’s arrest, meanwhile, set up his fun cameo in Peacemaker and his future appearance in Superman: The Man of Tomorrow. We also saw Superman’s evil clone disappear into a black hole, which some fans saw as the end of his story. However, many others are convinced that this is setting him up to be the Big Bad of a future DCU film.
For example, it’s possible that the clone ended up in a different universe. That universe may be the DCU’s version of Earth 2, a world ruled by an evil Justice League. If so, the clone may reappear as Ultraman, who is the leader of that evil league in the comics. However, there is a different theory: based on his outfit in Superman, the clone may eventually resurface as Doomsday, the villain capable of outright killing Superman. It’s a cool theory, but if James Gunn chooses to go this route, audiences will be unimpressed. Why is that? Simple: this exact plot already appeared in the TV show Superman & Lois!
Attack Of The Clone
Early on in Superman, we discover that our titular hero has, shockingly, gotten his butt kicked by a guy named the “Hammer of Boravia.” Who could actually go toe to toe with the Man of Steel? Eventually, we learn the surprising truth: the Hammer of Boravia is actually Lex Luthor’s pet clone of Superman, one who can be given remote commands during battle. It looks like the clone might actually beat Superman near the end, but he gets tossed into a black hole. But fans have long suspected he might have ended up somewhere in the multiverse, especially after Peacemaker confirmed the existence of other realities.
One theory is that he ended up on Earth 2, from which he will eventually lead an evil Justice League. However, other fans have theorized that he could come back as Doomsday. While the clone doesn’t have Doomsday’s rocky face, he did wear a suit and mask very similar to what Doomsday wore in the comics, right down to the goggles. While this would be cool onscreen, it would also be more than a bit derivative. In Superman & Lois, Bizarro was an evil Superman clone that Lex Luthor transformed into Doomsday. Should this happen in the DCU, it may cause some fans to worry that James Gunn is officially out of ideas.
A Classic Comic Villain Returns
Obviously, all new comic book media borrows from what came before, so the DCU was always destined to have some similarities to previous DC media. Nonetheless, a major part of this cinematic universe’s success has been surprising us with beloved characters who are very different from previous onscreen appearances. Superman & Lois was a great show, one that all DC fans owe it to themselves to watch. But if Gunn ends up stealing the show’s idea of turning an evil Superman clone into Doomsday, future DCU movies may bomb like Supergirl did. After all, why head to the theater for a “new” story when you can just watch the reruns they stole from?
Obviously, we don’t know what the future holds (if anything) for the evil Superman clone. Should he return as Doomsday, Ultraman, or even just as himself, it won’t be until the third Superman film at the absolute earliest. Of course, we’ll be lucky to have a DCU by then; with Supergirl being a critical and commercial flop, Warner Bros. may completely reevaluate its approach to future superhero movies. That may mean getting a new leader to bring this cinematic universe to life. Who will it be? One thing’s for sure: it’s not going to be a clone (evil or otherwise) of James Gunn!
Entertainment
Marvel’s Most Underrated Villain Just Returned, And Nobody Noticed
By Chris Snellgrove
| Updated
Who do you think Marvel’s most underrated villain is? The answer is Baron Zemo, the Big Bad of Captain America: Civil War. He didn’t have superpowers or high-tech gear; instead, he just had a big brain and a burning hatred for the heroes who had ruined his life by getting his family killed. In this way, he’s the most relatable villain in the entire MCU. After all, who wouldn’t want to burn the entire world down if it meant getting revenge on those who took everything from you? Later, the villain returned in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, where he helped create a hilarious meme (“he’s out of line, but he’s right”).
Sadly, Zemo has not returned to the MCU since then. While he could make a surprise appearance, he’s not one of the many characters confirmed to appear in either Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars. Now, however, the villain has returned (sort of) in the last place you’d expect to find him. Zemo actor Daniel Brühl recently appeared in a German trailer for Marvel’s collaboration with Magic: The Gathering. As an added bonus, he actually looks more comic book accurate than he ever looked in the MCU!
The Legend Of Zemo
The entire trailer is in German, but don’t worry: the video above has English subtitles, so you can follow along. The first thing you see in the trailer is Daniel Brühl dressed as Baron Zemo. This includes wearing a very striking purple trench coat. While this might make MCU fans think about other villains (most notably, the Purple Man from Jessica Jones), the garment is meant to be an homage to how Zemo dresses in the comics, where he always wears a purple mask and (mostly) purple clothes. Brühl doesn’t mask up in the commercial, but for longtime comics nerds, it’s fun to see him rocking his signature color.
The trailer begins with Brühl surveying his Marvel-themed Magic: The Gathering Cards. Unsurprisingly, he is putting together a villain deck. We then cut to the bespectacled leader of a group of Magic players. He is alarmed that someone (in this case, Zemo) has already pulled a Thanos card, and he calls his buddies to help assemble a powerful hero deck. The drama (including a brief supervillain speech from Brühl) is very tongue-in-cheek and mostly serves as an excuse to show off various cards (many of which do, to Hasbro’s credit, look very beautiful).
A More Comic Accurate Fit
The plot culminates with Zemo calling the leader of the heroic players, demanding to meet. alone, at sundown. Initially, it looks like they are about to engage in a Wild West-style duel, only using cards instead of guns. The other man brags about all of the hero cards he brought with him while Brühl looks down, quite confidently, at his Baron Zemo card. The last thing we see is a comedic shot of the two actually sitting down and playing Magic, where Brühl is surprised that the other player managed to destroy his Loki card.
So, is this a canonical MCU appearance from Baron Zemo? Nope. The commercial intentionally avoids giving the character a name; instead, it simply hints at who he is through the character’s outfit and his preference for the Zemo card. The biggest hint, of course, is bringing back Daniel Brühl, who is having the time of his life here. Maybe he’s actually a fan of Magic: The Gathering, or maybe he just gives every project his all. Either way, his performance in this silly commercial is just as great (and just as weirdly intense) as his performance in Captain America: Civil War.
Whether or not you’re likely to buy Marvel’s Magic: The Gathering cards (personally, I tapped out of this game when half of the releases switched to licensed IPs), this commercial is fairly charming. It captures the emotional highs and the goofy lows of getting with your buddies (and maybe even your frenemy) for a fun bit of tabletop gaming. Mostly, though, this commercial is fun because of Daniel Brühl. His performance is charming and charismatic, leaving Marvel fans to ask Kevin Feige just one question: when are you going to bring back Baron Zemo for real?
Entertainment
How to watch Canada vs. Morocco online for free
TL;DR: Live stream Canada vs. Morocco in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free on ITVX. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN, an Official Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has entered the next round of knockout fixtures, and it all starts with Canada vs. Morocco. The co-hosts will need to do something special to knock out this talented Morocco side. They’ve looked really impressive thus far, but did need to rely on penalties to overcome the Netherlands in the Round of 32.
The winner is likely to meet France in the next round.
If you want to watch Canada vs. Morocco in the 2026 FIFA World Cup from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Canada vs. Morocco?
Canada vs. Morocco in the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off at 1 p.m. ET on July 4. This fixture takes place at the Houston Stadium.
How to watch Canada vs. Morocco for free
Canada vs. Morocco in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is available to live stream for free on ITVX.
Mashable Top Stories
ITVX is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock ITVX to live stream the 2026 World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.
Live stream Canada vs. Morocco for free by following these simple steps:
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Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)
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Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
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Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
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Visit ITVX
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Watch Canada vs. Morocco for free from anywhere in the world
$12.99 only at ExpressVPN
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the 2026 World Cup without actually spending anything. This obviously isn’t a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Canada vs. Morocco (plus more World Cup fixtures) before recovering your investment.
ExpressVPN’s regular 30-day money-back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the FIFA World Cup between June 10 and July 11. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for sport, but you will need to pay the monthly rate. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.
What is the best VPN for ITVX?
ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on ITVX, for a number of reasons:
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Servers in 105 countries including the UK
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Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
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Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
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Fast connection speeds free from throttling
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Up to 10 simultaneous connections
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99. That covers you for the duration of the World Cup.
Live stream Canada vs. Morocco in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free.
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