Library Wars

Passed in the year 1989 within the universe of the series, the Media Betterment Act (MBA) is a law that allows a military force called the Media Betterment Committee to destroy and censor any media they deem problematic. They operate under the guise of protecting public morals. This forces regional governments to take extreme measures to protect freedom of expression.

The Library Defense Force (LDF) is an armed military organization established by regional governments to protect books and library patrons from the Media Betterment Committee. They engage in literal, often violent armed conflicts to defend the right to read. The main character, Kasahara Iku, joins the force after a mysterious librarian saved her favorite book when she was younger.

While the story is fictional, it is heavily inspired by the real-life Statement on Intellectual Freedom in Libraries of Japan from 1979. The author, Hiro Arikawa, wrote the light novels as a reaction to rising censorship laws in Japan. The concept mirrors the real-world battle between pro-censorship groups and library advocates.

The Library Wars anime, officially titled "Library War," was produced by Production I.G and directed by Takayuki Hamana. It aired in 2008 as a 12-episode television series, which was later followed by an OVA and a theatrical movie. Production I.G is highly renowned for its work on other military and tactical anime like "Ghost in the Shell" and "Psycho-Pass."