There was the recent controversy with Bravely Default, about the skimpy outfits for Edea and Anges being changed. People are easy to forget that girls portrayed in these games, are high-schoolers. Sure we have women in bikinis for some commercials, but they are grown women. That commercial would NOT fly in the US, no way in hell. I was JUST watching brand new commercials from Japan, and if they weren't glorifying idols, there was one commercial where the buys of a local school gave a girl a refreshing drink because it make their clothes come off and they wanted the girl to drink it. For example, women rights and representation are much MUCH more center place in America. Even an M rated game like this there are boundaries that must be respected. Culturally we are at different levels with Japan. But it does, it has everything to do with it. That has nothing to do with the case at hand, or the issue of censoring clothing. What is more authentic to the creator's image WHEN bringing the image to another country? Is it adapting the material, word for literal word? Or is it editing the material so that it feels as natural to the new culture's viewer as the creator intended the material to be natural for the original viewer. However, you can sure as heck bet that an American kid will understand and share affection for a jelly filled doughnut. On top of that, the average american kid will not get the feeling of familiarity the Japanese viewer got as the creator intended. First off, rarely anyone who isn't associated with Japanese culture would have no clue why someone would eat, a ball of rice.
Now let's say Brock states he loves rice balls to the american audience. It bridges the gap, giving you something you can say "Oh I love rice balls too!" as a young Japanese child connecting to the show. So the creators of the Pokemon show, interjected that piece of food that was known to the Japanese viewer as familiar in a show that rarely goes into food and what the characters eat. It can be a common meal to a Japanese teenager. In Japan the rice ball is a snack, a treat in some cases depending on the filling. With that out of the way let's look at the rice ball.
However it's important to note that however many people you think that may be, we will always be the minority when it comes to the standard viewer, especially for shows like Pokemon. We in america or Europe may understand the rice ball if we're an otaku, or interested in Japanese culture if otaku offends anyone. It's insane, what a stupid edit, why did it have to be done? So let me break it down for you. Now humor me for a moment as I defend 4 kids' most infamous pokemon edit, calling a rice ball a doughnut. And one thing many people don't realize, is that editing something for another culture, isn't always defiling the creator's intention. There's all this talk of changing the original creators intention, without ever hearing from the original creators. However if there's one thing that gamers do notice, it's tidying up sexuality. In many games you play the edits are so small you would never notice them. In old RPGs they had to remove or alter crosses, cover up monster boobs, and what else have you. It happens in almost every form of media that's moved from one culture to another. I disagree about your slippery slope view as well. Technically they're adding content, as in clothing.