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Trump's AI anime videos spark outrage among Japanese fans

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Nearly 20,000 people have signed an online petition protesting the White House's unauthorized use of Japanese anime characters in social media content.
  • The petition, titled "Protect Japanese Manga," argues that the use of characters from series like "Dragon Ball" and "Naruto" violates the creators' original intentions.
  • The White House has previously used "Yu-Gi-Oh!" content without authorization, leading to diplomatic engagement from Japan's Foreign Ministry.

A significant backlash has erupted in Japan following the U.S. White House's use of popular anime and manga characters, including an AI-generated video depicting former President Donald Trump as "Naruto" protagonist Naruto Uzumaki. Nearly 20,000 individuals have joined an online petition demanding action from the White House and Trump.

The petition, hosted on Change.org and titled "Protect Japanese Manga," protests the unauthorized use of imagery from "Dragon Ball," "Yu-Gi-Oh!," and "Naruto" on the White House's official X account. Signatories and online fans argue that these characters embody important values such as courage, friendship, and perseverance, and that Trump's appropriation of their likenesses distorts the creators' original messages.

The petition's initiators stated that the request was first submitted in March and has since been presented to the Japanese government. Previously, the White House released a video that intercut footage of U.S. military actions against Iran with content from "Yu-Gi-Oh!". According to the petition, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently lodged a complaint with the U.S. Embassy in Japan regarding the unauthorized use of "Yu-Gi-Oh!" and Nintendo game content on the White House's official X account.

Pokémon Company International has also condemned Trump's use of its imagery. In the latest incident, Trump posted an AI-generated video on his social media platform Truth Social on June 6, transforming himself into Naruto Uzumaki. This move reignited strong dissatisfaction among some fans, prompting the petition's restart on June 9.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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