Growing backlash in Japan over Trump's use of anime characters

Japanese manga and anime fans are urging Donald Trump to cease using their favorite characters in his social media posts. Approximately 20,000 people have signed a Change.org petition titled "Protect Japanese Manga," protesting the White House's unauthorized use of imagery from series like Dragon Ball, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and Naruto. The petition, initially created in March, was revived after an image depicting Trump as the Naruto character Sasuke was posted on Truth Social. Fans express concern over the lack of permission and potential copyright infringement, with the Yu-Gi-Oh! account previously stating creators were not involved and no permission was granted. The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs had previously requested the US embassy in Japan address the unauthorized use of intellectual property.

Nearly 20,000 people in Japan have signed an online petition protesting the use of manga and anime characters by US President Donald Trump and the White House on social media. A recent example, a video on Truth Social, depicted Trump as the anime character Naruto Uzumaki, causing a strong negative reaction from fans of the series. This clip is part of an AI-generated music video for a song titled "Thank You, President Trump." The video aims to portray Trump as globally admired by placing him in various scenarios, including alongside anime characters and in historical or fantastical settings. Trump has previously utilized AI-generated content to enhance his public image.