This 2000s Horror Series Was Forced to Pull One Episode From TV Because It Was Too Disturbing

Horror fans who were of appropriate age in the 2000s likely have fond memories of the Showtime anthology series Masters of Horror. The program, which ran for a grand total of two seasons, features a self-contained story in each episode. Every series installment, of course, boasts a bona fide master of horror at the helm. Filmmakers like Joe Dante, Don Coscarelli, John Carpenter, Tobe Hooper, Dario Argento, Stuart Gordon, Larry Cohen, and more all directed episodes. While many of the hour-long short films produced as installments of the series live in infamy, none is steeped in more controversy than Takashi Miike’s “Imprint.”

”Imprint” was earmarked as the 13th episode of Season 1 of Masters of Horror. The original aim was to run the episode on January 27, 2006; ultimately, though, the powers that be at Showtime decided against airing the episode.

Why Is Masters of Horror’s “Imprint” Episode So Controversial?

Miike’s episode is based on the novel Bokke e, kyōtē by Shimako Iwai. His screen adaptation includes graphic depictions of aborted fetuses, along with incest and other decidedly taboo themes that Showtime determined weren’t suitable for broadcast, even on premium television.

Showrunner Mick Garris revealed in a 2022 interview with Dread Central that the network gave him a series of parameters that each episode had to exist within. Showtime told Garris that they wouldn’t sign off on frontal male nudity, adults killing children, or adults engaging in sex acts with minors, along with a couple of other directives Garris doesn’t explicitly name. The showrunner reveals that while Miike’s episode violates none of the taboos marked as off-limits by the network, the powers that be at Showtime still couldn’t bring themselves to air it. According to Garris, the suits were “freaked out by its intensity.”

While it might seem like banning the episode from broadcast would be detrimental to Miike’s career, many fans say the decision had the exact opposite effect. In cases like this, censorship has the potential to play on our curiosity, making us want to seek out that which has been rendered too taboo for our consumption. This tendency is especially true among horror fans. Many of us are drawn to the genre because we like the extreme, and we enjoy subversive art that challenges the status quo. Facing heavy themes in a safe space has the potential for catharsis, after all.

Following Showtime’s decision to pull the episode from broadcast, “Imprint” eventually debuted on DVD on September 26, 2006, allowing people to draw their own conclusions on the controversial episode. Speaking of the film’s physical media release, Walmart fanned the flames when they took a page from Showtime’s playbook and refused to distribute the episode on DVD. While that likely prevented some fans from seeing the episode, it probably inspired just as many to find a copy elsewhere and make up their own mind.

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In the years since various bans were imposed, “Imprint” has emerged as a fan-favorite series installment, particularly for those fond of Miike’s decidedly extreme style. The controversial episode is set in the 1800s and follows Christopher (Billy Drago), an American who returns to Japan with designs on reconnecting with Komomo (Michié), a sex worker he fell in love with and previously promised to bring back to the States with him. Following his return to Japan, Christopher is devastated to learn that Komomo has perished. Worse yet, a fellow sex worker tells him that Komomo killed herself when he didn’t return as quickly as he’d promised.

All things considered, “Imprint” features some really controversial themes and will likely be hard for many viewers to stomach. With that said, those with a strong stomach and a high threshold for gore should consider giving the film a shot. Sometimes subversive art resonates in a way that safer fare does not. If you’re keen to do so, you can find the episode on physical media. It is also presently available to stream on Tubi.

Have you seen “Imprint?” If so, what do you think of the heavy and often graphic themes depicted within? Let us know in the comments section.