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This is an incomplete list of media which are exceptions to guidelines at different age ratings (such as one F-word in a film rated PG-13 by the MPA).

ACB (Australia)[]

  • American Pie Presents: Beta House - Rated MA 15+ despite realistic ejaculation scenes.
  • American Pie Presents: The Book of Love - Rated MA 15+ despite simulated abhorrent sexual conduct.
  • Castle Crashers - Rated PG despite containing high amounts of cartoonish blood and gore. Remastered version rated M.
  • Cuties - Rated MA 15+ despite having sexualised images of under 16s which is illegal under Australian law.
  • Dragon Ball (Collection Part 2) - Rated PG despite containing brutal bloody moments of violence.
  • Goldeneye - Rated PG despite having sex-related violence.
  • Julie & Julia - Rated PG on appeal despite an F-word not usually being allowed at the PG rating.
  • Megan is Missing - Rated MA15+ despite its graphic scenes of sexual violence; the guidelines at MA15+ read "Sexual violence may be implied, if justified by context." Was refused classification in New Zealand.
  • Men In Black 2 - Rated PG despite containing alien genital nudity.
  • Nymphomaniac - Rated R18+ despite containing unsimulated sexual activity.
  • Pride - Rated M despite containing brief full-frontal sexual nudity.
  • Rocketman - Rated M despite a use of 'c**t', which usually results in a MA15+.
  • Romance - Rated R18+ despite containing unsimulated sexual activity.
  • Scary Movie 4 - Rated M despite a comical exaggerated erection scene.
  • Silverball Product Version 8 - Was initially refused classification due to nudity tied to incentives/rewards (at this time there was no R18+ rating). Rated M on appeal due to the argument of the distributor that the nudity was 'incidental'.
  • Sleuth - Rated M on appeal despite its three uses of 'c**t' (a word that is usually an automatic MA15+), which the Review Board said was "infrequent and justified by context."
  • Steins;Gate - The only MA15+ rated game that was given consumer advice of "references to sexual violence". (Australia's game classification guidelines state that "sexual violence, implied or otherwise, is not permitted" within the G, PG, M and MA15+ classifications, and that implied sexual violence is restricted to R18+ and will not be visually depicted, interactive, contextually unjustified or linked to incentives or rewards.)
  • Twister - Rated PG despite some F-word usage.

Age rating system for North American manga releases[]

  • Dragon Ball Z - Rated All Ages despite containing intense fantasy violence and bloody moments. Same for full color version.
  • Hellsing - Originally rated 13+ for violence and mild language despite containing graphic violence and strong horror. Later re-rated 16+.
  • Rave Master - First volumes were rated Youth despite containing bloody moments. Later they were re-rated Teen.
  • Yu Yu Hakusho - Rated Teen despite some scenes of graphic violence.

BBFC[]

  • Akira - Formerly an exception: Contains strong bloody violence and sexual threat which is not normally permitted at 12. Some time later it was re-classified 15.
  • Black Christmas (2006) - Rated 15 despite containing sadistic gore on the level of torture porn.
  • Cuties - Rated 15 despite having sexualised images of underage persons which is normally forbidden under BBFC guidelines and UK laws - Protection of Children Act 1978.
  • E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial - Contains use of mild language that would normally only be passed at 'PG'. The BBFC have stated that the film would likely not be passed at 'U' if submitted today.
  • The Final Destination (2009) - Rated 15 even though a majority of the deaths are extremely grisly.
  • Gemini Man - Rated 12A/12 despite a use of 'motherf**ker', which usually results in a 15.
  • Happy Tree Friends - All UK video releases had been rated 12 despite the high amounts of cartoonish gore/graphic images.
  • Hell Girl (episode 7) - Contains 13 F-words. The disc with the episode on it was rated 12 for "moderate sexuality, language and infrequent horror".
  • His & Hers - Rated U despite containing one use of 'feck' which usually is an automatic 12/12A.
  • Justice League The Flashpoint Paradox - Initially rated 15 for 'strong violence and injury detail' but four years later it was re-rated 12 uncut for 'moderate fantasy action violence'. Retained its 15 rating in Ireland.
  • The King's Speech - Contains 18 F-words. While originally classified 15, it was rerated 12A after an appeal; the current consumer advice reads "Contains strong language in a speech therapy context".
  • Leave No Trace - Initially rated PG, but when submitted for home video release it was noted that there was a written 'motherf**ker' tattoo which increased the rating to 12 despite this word not normally being permitted at either category.
  • Maid to Order - Rated U despite a use of the word 'f**k'.
  • Mid-August Lunch - Rated U despite a use of 'son of a bitch'.
  • Men (2022) - Rated 15 despite containing a graphic scene where men graphically give birth to each other.
  • Princess Mononoke - Contains moderate bloody fantasy violence that is usually not allowed at the 'PG' rating. Rated 12 in Ireland.
  • The Secret of Mamo - Contains female nudity and sexual content which is not normally permitted at 12. Applies only to the Manga UK dub. The Geneon dub was later classified 15 when released in 2008.
  • Shrek 2 - Rated U despite 2 uses of 'bloody' as an expletive.
  • There Will Be Blood - Initially classified 12A, the distributor appealed the decision as they wanted a higher rating which led the film to be re-rated 15 for strong violence.
  • Twister - Formerly an exception: Contains infrequent strong language which is not permitted at PG. These scenes were later cut for the home video release. Rerated '12' in 2024.
  • Watership Down - Formerly an exception: Contains moderate animated violence and infrequent mild language that are not usually permitted at the 'U' rating. Rerated 'PG' in 2022.

ESRB[]

  • 2064: Read Only Memories - Formerly an exception: rerated 'T' with a 'Mild Language' descriptor despite presence of the F-word. After complaints, the ESRB changed the rating back to M.
  • Attack of the Mutant Penguins - Was rated K-A (the early equivalent to E) despite having a large amount of green gore from non-human characters.
  • Banjo-Tooie - Rated E despite a depiction of realistic blood during the Lord Woo Fak Fak boss fight.
  • Crazy Taxi - The Dreamcast version features an uncensored version of "Way Down The Line" that contains the F-word despite its T rating.
  • Dance Paradise - Rated T despite a single, fleeting visual depiction of the F-word in graffiti in the background of a music video.
  • ESPN X-Games Snowboarding - The only game that received an E rating that was given a "Strong Language" descriptor.
  • Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver - Initially rated T only for being re-rated M when the PS1 greatest hit edition and Dreamcast version were released.
  • Megaman Battle Network 2 - Rated E despite containing mild swearing and innuendos.
  • One Last Breath - Rated T despite a single, fleeting visual depiction of the F-word.
  • The Orion Conspiracy - Contains multiple unbleeped F-words despite its T rating.
  • Rocksmith - Rated T. Several DLCs were released uncensored on the original release, such as Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" ("Seemed a harmless little f**k"). (Despite the 'music downloads not rated by the ESRB' statement in the rating, the ESRB still has a rule that the downloads cannot exceed the game's actual rating.) When Rocksmith 2014 was released, all these DLC were changed to clean versions.
  • Snatcher - One of the first games rated by the ESRB; contains a substantial amount of gore that would likely not be allowed in a T-rated video game today.

FPB[]

  • 127 Hours - Rated 13LV despite graphic images of self-mutilation.
  • Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero - Rated PG despite injury detail and blood.

ICAA[]

  • Breakfast at Tiffany's - Rated first Adulto, then 17 (later 18) despite the film being rated M (later GP and PG) in USA and AL or TOUS in Benelux, it was later rerated to 16 when ICAA made a 16 rating in 2013, some viewers look like the eight in the 18 look like a three, making 13.[1]

IFCO[]

  • The Angel's Share - Rated 15A cinema and 15 video uncut despite several uses of 'c**t'. Rated 18 uncut (15 cut) in the UK.
  • Frost/Nixon - Rated PG despite several uses of strong language. Rated 15 in the UK.
  • J. Edgar - Rated 12A in theaters despite two uses of 'c**ksucker', which are normally forbidden below 15A.
  • La La Land - Rated PG despite a use of the word 'f**k', which is normally forbidden below a 12A.
  • Magic in the Moonlight - Rated PG despite, quoting Irish website content descriptor, one moderate sex reference. Rated 12/12A in the UK.
  • Nebraska - Rated 12A in theaters despite a use of the word 'c**ksucker', which is normally forbidden below a 15A.
  • Red Army - Rated 12A in theaters despite a use of the word 'c**ksucker', which is normally forbidden below a 15A. Rerated 15 on DVD.
  • Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith - Formerly an exception: Rated PG despite containing moderate sci-fi bloodshed and bloody injury detail. Re-rated 12 some years later. Rated 12/12A in the UK since initial release.
  • Watership Down - Formerly an exception: Rated G despite their violence and blood; since at least 2005 it was re-rated at 12.

IMDA[]

  • As Good as It Gets - Rated PG uncut despite containing homosexual content.
  • Ben 10 Alien Force (Volume 1 Part 1) - Rated G despite being darker and more violent than previous installments of the franchise which were rated PG.
  • Bully: Scholarship Edition - Rated ADV16 despite containing gameplay involving same-sex affection.
  • Devil May Cry HD Collection - Rated General despite containing blood/gore and horror.
  • Erased - Rated PG despite containing intense action violence and bloody moments after the introduction of the PG13 rating.
  • Fantastic Four (2015) - Rated PG despite containing bloody images after the introduction of the PG13 rating.
  • Hanna - Rated PG despite containing injury/cruelty detail related violence and a homosexual scene after the introduction of the PG13 rating.
  • Mary Magdalene - Rated PG despite containing bloody and cruelty images.
  • Men In Black II - Rated PG uncut despite containing alien genital nudity.
  • The Saint - Rated PG uncut despite containing explicit hard drug use.

MPA[]

  • 1776 - Rated G despite extensive use of mild profanity. Restored Director's Cut rated PG in 2002.
  • The Adventures of Baron Munchausen - Rated PG despite a scene of female frontal nudity.
  • All the President's Men - Rated PG on appeal despite multiple uses of the word "f**k" throughout.
  • American Pie Presents: The Book of Love - Rated R despite simulated grotesque sexual scenes/behaviours.
  • As Good as It Gets - Rated PG-13 on appeal despite 3 uses of the word "f**k".
  • Beetlejuice - Was rated PG after the creation of the PG-13 rating despite Beetlejuice yelling "Nice f**kin' model!" in one scene. (Edited in some home video releases.)
  • Benny & Joon - Rated PG despite a use of the word "f**k".
  • Big - Rated PG despite a use of the word "f**k".
  • A Bridge Too Far - Rated PG despite a use of the word "f**k". (Edited in some home video releases.)
  • The Bridges of Madison County - Rated PG-13 on appeal despite a use of the word "f**k" in a sexual context, which usually results in an R.
  • Cars 2 - Rated G despite various explosions and deaths of sentient vehicles.
  • Draft Day - Rated PG-13 on appeal despite a use of the word "motherf**ker".
  • Drag Me To Hell - Rated PG-13 despite many gory scenes of horror violence.
  • The Front - Rated PG despite a use of the word "f**k".
  • Gemini Man - Like Draft Day, it was rated PG-13 despite a use of the word "motherf**ker".
  • Guilty by Suspicion - Rated PG-13 despite 9 uses of the word "f**k".
  • Gunner Palace - Holds the record for the most F-words in a PG-13 rated movie (42, 2 used sexually) due to a successful appeal arguing the realistic context of the film and the importance of its themes for young teenagers.
  • Hanky Panky - Rated PG despite a use of the word "f**k".
  • Hero - Rated PG-13 despite 11 uses of the word "f**k".
  • The Hip Hop Project - Rated PG-13 on appeal despite containing 17 F-words.
  • The Kids Are Alright - Rated PG despite a use of the word "f**k".
  • Maid to Order - Rated PG despite a use of the word "f**k".
  • The Photograph - Rated PG-13 despite the inclusion of a fairly long and detailed sex scene. Albeit with no nudity other than cleavage and silhouettes.
  • Pokémon Detective Pikachu - Rated PG despite 2 barely audible uses of "shit".
  • The Poseidon Adventure - Rated PG despite an ad-libbed use of the word "f**k".
  • Red Army - Rated PG despite a use of the word "c**ksucker".
  • The Right Stuff - Rated PG despite multiple uses of the word "f**k".
  • The Saint - Rated PG-13 despite containing graphic drug use which is normally forbidden below R.
  • Scarface: The Shame of the Nation - Rated PG despite a use of the word "f**k".
  • Scary Movie 4 - Rated PG-13 despite having a scene of an exaggerated erection and related penetration to the ground.
  • Secret Window - Rated PG-13 despite a use of the word "f**k" in a sexual context.
  • Sheena - Rated PG despite extensive female nudity.
  • Sixteen Candles - Rated PG despite a use of the word "f**k" and female frontal nudity.
  • Sneakers - Rated PG-13 despite a use of the word "motherf**ker". It's believed the MPA went easy on this film because there was nothing else to warrant a rating higher than G.
  • Spaceballs - Rated PG despite a use of the word "f**k".
  • Summer School - Rated PG-13 despite a graphic gory scene - probably because of its comical prank context.
  • Titanic - Rated PG-13 despite clear bare breast nudity, which at this point would earn most films an R.
  • We Bought A Zoo - Rated PG despite 5 uses of "shit", and 1 use each of "son of a bitch", "dick", and "asshole".
  • Yoga Hosers - Initially received an R mainly for a drawing depiction of male genitalia; re-rated PG-13 on appeal.
  • Zack and Miri Makes a Porno - Rated R on appeal despite a depiction of coprophilia.

OFLC (New Zealand)[]

  • Fifty Shades of Grey - The book was given an unrestricted M despite being more explicit than the film which obtained an R16.
  • Into the River - Initially given an unrestricted M; some time later re-rated R14; then banned on appeal and in the same year re-rated as an unrestricted M.
  • Resident Evil 3 Nemesis - Rated M despite containing horror and bloody violence; previous entries were rated R16. Rated MA 15+ in Australia.

Ontario Ratings Board[]

  • Ben 10 Omniverse (Volume 4) - Rated 18A despite not having graphic or strong content issues.
  • Blue Gender - All DVD volumes and the film received a PG despite graphic sex and violence. Rated 14A in Manitoba.
  • Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn- Rated G despite containing mild swearing, crude hand gesture, bloody moment, injury detail and fantasy violence.
  • Full Metal Alchemist: Conqueror of Shamballa - Rated PG despite gory moments and partial frontal nudity.
  • Happy Tree Friends - Volumes 1 and 2 have been rated "G" despite their gory cartoon violence. Other volumes are PG, 14A, and 18A despite the same level of content.
  • The Hunger Games - Originally rated PG (Not recommended for young children), later after backslash from parents it was re-rated 14A on appeal.

TV Parental Guidelines[]

  • Ben 10 Ultimate Alien - "The Forge of Creation" episode is rated TV-Y7-FV despite containing some mildly suggestive dialogues.
  • Dragon Ball Z - All edited dub episodes on CN Toonami were rated TV-Y7-FV despite containing, although not all, blood/violent details and some mild swearing.
  • Highwaymen Live! - Rated TV-G on PBS despite one use of "bastard" in the opening number, "Highwayman".
  • Histeria! - Rated TV-Y despite multiple uses of "damn" in "The U.S. Civil War Part II" and "hell" in "General Sherman's Campsite".
  • King of the Hill - On the episodes "High Anxiety" and "Lost in MySpace", it was given a TV-PG for Suggestive Dialogue (D) and Violence (V) by Fox, FX, and other syndicated airings. But on Adult Swim, it was rated TV-14 for drug use and suicide references.
  • Outlaw Star - Rated TV-Y7-FV on Cartoon Network's Toonami block despite some episodes of this edited version initially containing bad language (e.g., damn, son of a bitch, bastard, etc.). In later airings these were edited out.
  • Press Your Luck - The February 26, 1985 episode is rated TV-G despite one use of "f**k" and two of "sh*t".
  • Rave Master - In some episodes bleeding detail is present but all episodes were rated TV-Y7-FV in Cartoon Network - probably because the blood is black. In Sy-fy the series always carried a TV-PG-V.
  • Reboot - One episode is rated TV-Y7 despite a use of the word "f**k" in binary, and "Painted Windows" is also rated TV-Y7 despite an utterance of "damn".

Videogame Rating Council[]

  • Castlevania: Bloodlines - Rated GA despite the level of violence.
  • Mortal Kombat - The Genesis version was rated MA-13 despite the presence of gore and fatalities. This may be because the blood and gore was hidden behind a code in this release, however said code was heavily publicized and became well known. The Sega CD version (effectively the same content wise, except the gore was turned on by default) was rated MA-17, as was its sequel.
  • Splatterhouse 3 - Rated MA-13 despite the level of blood and gore present throughout.

References[]

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