Japan petition takes aim at Trump manga, anime posts
President Donald Trump talks with reporters before boarding Air Force One at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York, on Jun 9, 2026. (File photo: AP/Mark Schiefelbein)
TOKYO: Almost 20,000 people have signed an online petition in Japan to protest against US President Donald Trump and the White House using manga and anime characters in posts on social media.
In the latest example, a video on Truth Social uploaded on Saturday depicts Trump as ninja Naruto Uzumaki from "Naruto", sparking a furious reaction from some fans of the popular series.
An earlier White House post in March appeared to mix footage from US military strikes on Iran with clips from well-known movies and shows as well as from manga and anime series "Yu-Gi-Oh!".
The petition was originally started in March but was re-opened on Tuesday (Jun 9) after the new "Naruto" video as an "urgent" effort to convey the concerns of manga and anime fans to rights holders, the organisers said.
"For many years, these works have inspired audiences around the world by conveying values such as courage, friendship, and perseverance," the petition reads.
"Because of this, many fans feel concerned when images from these works appear to be used in political or military contexts that may differ from the intentions of the original creators or rights holders," it says.
