Anime Game Hides Characters After Apple Flags Artwork as Potentially Offensive

A Japanese gacha game has temporarily obscured many of its characters on iOS after Apple flagged parts of its artwork as “potentially offensive to some users.”

The developers of the fantasy mobile RPG Twinkle Star Knights responded by replacing affected illustrations with full black silhouettes so the title could remain available on the App Store.

According to Automaton, the issue began in August when an update for the game failed Apple’s review process. Apple highlighted concerns related to several character illustrations and animations. A revised version was also rejected, with reviewers indicating that artwork dating back to the game’s 2023 launch might need to be altered.

Apple’s App Store guidelines are widely known for applying strict standards regarding suggestive imagery, fantasy violence and content that could be considered offensive, and gacha titles often receive closer scrutiny due to the nature of their character designs.

The publisher issued an apology to iOS players and released a limited cloud version of Twinkle Star Knights while the artwork underwent revisions. However, the updated visuals were rejected again. Even after changes were made to the designs of a number of female characters, Apple maintained that the game remained “in violation of guidelines.”

After more than two months of back-and-forth with reviewers, the developers introduced a temporary solution: any artwork cleared internally appears as normal, while all remaining assets still under review have been replaced with silhouette placeholders. This approach is described as uncommon within the gacha space but has enabled the game to stay online.

It is not yet known when the revised artwork will return. For now, Twinkle Star Knights remains available on both the App Store and Google Play, though with large sections of its cast still displayed as shadow figures.