Nearly 20,000 people in Japan have signed an online petition protesting against US President Donald Trump and the White House for allegedly using manga and anime characters in political social media posts.
The controversy intensified after a recent video posted on Truth Social showed Trump depicted as Naruto Uzumaki from the popular anime series Naruto, triggering backlash from fans of the franchise. Critics say the use of such iconic characters in political content is inappropriate and disrespectful to the original creators and their intent.
This is not the first instance of such criticism. Earlier in March, a White House social media post reportedly mixed footage from US military operations in Iran with clips inspired by popular movies, television shows, and anime such as Yu-Gi-Oh!, drawing similar concern from viewers.
The petition, which was initially launched in March, was reopened on Tuesday following the latest “Naruto” video, which organizers described as an urgent response to growing concerns from manga and anime fans. The petition aims to bring attention to rights holders and highlight the issue of using fictional characters in political or military messaging.
According to the petition, manga and anime works are globally appreciated for promoting values such as courage, friendship, and perseverance. However, many fans feel uncomfortable when these characters are used in contexts that conflict with the original creative vision or are associated with political messaging.
The organisers added that the campaign is intended to protect the integrity of the art form and ensure respect for intellectual property and creative intent.
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