Japanese fans want Trump to stop using anime memes
What's the story
Japanese manga and anime enthusiasts are demanding that US President Donald Trump stop using their beloved characters in his social media posts. The call to action comes after an AI-generated video on Truth Social depicted Trump as Naruto Uzumaki, the main character of the popular anime series Naruto. This incident has sparked outrage among fans, leading to a petition with over 20,000 signatures on Change.org.
Petition details
Petition 1st launched in March
The petition, titled Protect Japanese Manga, calls for the protection of Japanese manga and anime from unauthorized use in social media posts. It was first launched in March after the White House posted a video that combined footage of US strikes on Iran with scenes from popular anime series Yu-Gi-Oh!, and Naruto. The petition has now been revived following the recent incident involving Trump's depiction as Naruto.
Fan reactions
Fans speak out against Trump's actions
Fans of the series have expressed their disappointment and frustration over Trump's actions. One fan, Matsui Qunishige, said, "If you respect the creators and those involved and have obtained their permission, I think that's fine." "Otherwise, you're just showing yourself to be someone who can't follow the rules and who disregards culture." Another fan called on the government to "speak out against this."