Petition directed at Trump over use of fake Japanese characters on social media – National
US President Donald Trump is facing a barrage of criticism from Japan and fans of popular anime characters and actors in this country regarding his use of social media.
Discontent among fans began months ago when they saw Trump using images of popular Japanese anime characters, including Naruto, Pikachu and Yu-Gi-Oh!, and launched a Change.org petition – now with more than 20,000 signatures – to defend the sanctity and cultural value of the image.
The request was sent to the Japanese government, according to its creators, after the White House sent a video showing images related to the US strikes in Iran with anime scenes and cuts from several other films.
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“Later, the Department of Foreign Affairs made a request to the US Embassy in Japan regarding the unauthorized use of Yu-Gi-Oh!” we read the request.
“For many years, these works have inspired audiences around the world by conveying values such as bravery, friendship, and tolerance. Because of this, many fans feel concerned when images from these works appear to be used in political or military contexts that may differ from the original creators’ or rights holders’ intentions,” it continued.
“This concern is not limited to Japan. Fans in the international community have also expressed the opinion that the context of these works and the intentions of their creators should be respected,” it added.
The official Yu-Gi-Oh! a statement at the time addressed this position, saying, “The original creators and staff of the anime were not involved in any way, and no permission was given to use the intellectual property in question.”
An image shared on Truth Social as part of an AI-generated video showed Trump as the ninja Naruto Uzumaki from the Naruto franchise, which further angered fans over the weekend and renewed the complaint on Tuesday.
Screenshot of DonaldTrump, where he is portrayed as Naruto.
Donald Trump / Social Reality
Naruto Uzumaki is the main character and namesake of a popular anime and manga series about a young ninja’s journey to become the leader of a village, created by Masashi Kishimoto.
A fan of the anime and manga franchise in particular, Nana Suzuki, told the BBC in an interview that she felt a responsibility to take action on behalf of the creators of the Manga world.
Suzuki, who started the petition, according to the British branch, said, “Kazuki Takahashi, the creator of Yu-Gi-Oh!, passed away after trying to save someone from the sea. I was very sad that his good spirit, someone who tried to save others and the message of his work, was used in a military situation, and that he is no longer alive to speak for himself.”
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