UK media: US President Trump's frequent use of iconic Japanese anime characters on social media has triggered a growing wave of backlash in Japan.
The incident began in March this year, when Trump used classic anime figures such as Naruto from "Naruto," Pikachu, and characters from "Yu-Gi-Oh!" in his posts—once even portraying himself as Naruto. The official White House X account also previously shared a video montage combining footage of U.S. military airstrikes on Iran with clips from "Yu-Gi-Oh!" and "Dragon Ball."
Currently, nearly 20,000 people have signed an online petition demanding that Trump and the White House respect the copyrights of Japanese manga creators, arguing that such actions contradict the core values embodied by these characters—courage, friendship, and resilience.
The petition initiator, 34-year-old Naoko Suzuki from Kanagawa Prefecture, expressed deep sorrow, noting that the original creator of "Yu-Gi-Oh!", Kazuki Takahashi, tragically died while attempting to save someone from drowning—his spirit now being exploited for military propaganda.
The international division of Pokémon Company has publicly condemned the use, confirming that the White House never received authorization to use their characters, and emphasized that the brand has no association with any political stance.
However, a small number of netizens hold differing views, arguing that this very act is proof of Japanese anime's global reach, calling it "the best free promotion in history."
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1867629118016524/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of its author