Growing Backlash Over Trump's Anime Use
Friday, 2026/06/12148 words2 minutes682 reads
A growing backlash is emerging in Japan over President Donald Trump's use of popular anime and manga characters on social media. Since March, fans have noticed Trump posting images of iconic Japanese characters including Naruto, Pikachu, and Yu-Gi-Oh!, and even depicting himself as these characters.
Nearly 20,000 people have signed an online petition arguing that Trump does not share the values these characters represent. The petition states that using them for political purposes could violate the creators' rights. Fans believe these characters convey important messages about courage, friendship, and perseverance to global audiences.
The controversy intensified when Trump shared a video on Truth Social showing himself as Naruto Uzumaki, a young ninja who dreams of becoming a village leader. Pokémon Company International has condemned Trump's use of its imagery, stating they were not involved in creating or distributing the content and did not grant permission for its use.
