While most parents don't really take a particular interest in the animated television shows that their kids are watching, one parent was apparently quite surprised when she saw a vulgar drawing of a penis in a kid's show that aired on Netflix. A screenshot of the particular scene immediately went viral, which eventually led to Netflix pulling down the particular episode of its popular children's animated show, "Maya the Bee."
Not your average Easter Egg
The mother who first spotted the drawing of a penis in one particular scene of the kid's show posted her discovery on Facebook.
She also warned other parents to be mindful of the things that their children are watching on television. The drawing of a penis, which is arguably a 100 percent a doodle of the male reproductive organ, can be seen in episode 35 of the show's first season. The phallic figure can be spotted drawn into the side of a log around the five-minute mark.
This show is on @netflix its called maya the Bee this episode is S1E35 around 5:14 mins in they have a #dick on the log wall pic.twitter.com/lb5bK88Ex5
— Ariel Wray (@ArielWray) September 15, 2017
Not to blame
"Maya the Bee" was first released in 2012 by Studio 100 Animation and was based on a German children's book published in 1912. The original story was initially adopted into a silent movie in 1924 and then into an anime television series, titled "Maya the Honey Bee," in 1975.
Studio 100 Animation later followed up their 2012 television series with a full-length feature film in 2014.
According to a report from Entertainment Weekly, the show itself isn't a Netflix original, which means that the company is likely not to be blamed for the content. However, it still begs the question of how anyone at Netflix had allowed the particular episode to air.
While Netflix has already pulled the episode from the air, it still hasn't provided a response to the numerous complaints it has received since the images were discovered. Studio 100 Animation has also not yet issued a statement regarding the discovery.
Definitely intentional
The episode's title, "King Willi," may be indicative of the possibility that animators may have been having a bit of fun by inserting the drawing of the penis within the episode.
However, unlike the other jokingly placed images left by other animators within children's shows and movies, the one placed on "Maya the Bee" really doesn't leave much to the imagination. A number of parents have already expressed their concerns online and called the stunt as something that was done in bad taste. Others, on the other hand, have suggested that it could all have been an innocent mistake. Whatever the case may be, Netflix will likely have the particular episode edited and then have it brought back on the air.