Their sense of ethics is severely lacking.
Across the Pacific, a quiet but firm cultural protest has taken shape: more than twenty thousand fans of Japanese manga and anime have petitioned their government to press the United States to stop borrowing beloved fictional characters — Naruto, Goku, Yugi — for political messaging without the consent of those who brought them to life. The dispute sits at the intersection of intellectual property, diplomatic courtesy, and the question of whether the rules that govern creative work apply equally to the powerful. Japan's foreign ministry has already raised the matter formally, and the petition's revival this week suggests the matter is far from settled.
- A new Truth Social image depicting Trump as the ninja Naruto Uzumaki reignited a months-old controversy, mobilizing tens of thousands of fans to demand their government act.
- The White House has repeatedly used Dragon Ball, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and Naruto imagery in posts without consulting or obtaining permission from any of the original creators or rights holders.
- Japan's foreign ministry lodged a formal complaint with the US embassy in Tokyo, and publisher Shueisha confirmed that neither copyright holders nor creator Masashi Kishimoto were ever approached.
- Fans describe the unauthorized use not merely as a legal violation but as a moral failure — a signal that the administration neither respects creative labor nor feels bound by the rules others must follow.
- With the petition growing and Japan's government weighing further action, the dispute is quietly escalating from a cultural grievance into a question with potential diplomatic weight.
Twenty thousand people have signed a petition asking Donald Trump to stop using Japanese anime characters in his social media posts without permission. The request centers on Dragon Ball, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and Naruto — works whose creators were never consulted. The controversy first erupted in March after the White House posted a video pairing footage of US military strikes on Iran with scenes from popular anime series. The official Yu-Gi-Oh! account responded bluntly: no permission had been granted, and the original creators had no involvement whatsoever.
The petition, filed on Change.org and submitted to the Japanese government, lay dormant until this week, when a new image appeared on Truth Social depicting Trump as Naruto Uzumaki, the ninja hero of one of manga's most celebrated franchises. Fans mobilized again, pledging to push their government toward stronger action. Japan's foreign ministry had already lodged a formal complaint with the US embassy in Tokyo, but the issue had not resolved.
Shueisha, Japan's largest publisher and the centenary company behind Naruto, confirmed that the copyright for the anime images belongs to the film production committee and that creator Masashi Kishimoto was not commenting. Fans speaking out framed the issue in terms of both law and ethics. One described the administration as sending a clear message — that it does not respect intellectual property, does not follow rules, and does not value culture. Another was simpler: "I truly, from the bottom of my heart, want them to stop."
Whether Shueisha or Kishimoto will pursue formal legal action remains an open question. The White House has not responded to requests for comment. For now, thousands of people across Japan are watching, and the line between cultural grievance and diplomatic friction grows thinner with each new post.
Twenty thousand people have signed their names to a petition asking Donald Trump to stop using Japanese anime characters in his social media posts. The request is straightforward: stop posting videos and images that feature Dragon Ball, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and Naruto without permission from the people who created them. What began as outrage in March has flared up again this week after an image appeared on Truth Social showing Trump depicted as Naruto Uzumaki, the ninja protagonist of one of the world's most successful manga franchises.
The petition, titled Protect Japanese Manga and filed on Change.org, was submitted to the Japanese government months ago. It emerged after the White House posted a video combining footage of US military strikes on Iran with scenes from popular anime series. The creators of these works were never consulted. No one asked permission. The official Yu-Gi-Oh! account responded at the time with a terse statement: the original creators and anime staff had no involvement whatsoever, and no permission was granted for the use of their intellectual property.
Japan's foreign ministry took the complaint seriously enough to lodge a formal request with the US embassy in Tokyo. But the issue did not go away. When the Naruto image surfaced over the weekend, fans mobilized again, reviving the petition and pledging to escalate their pressure on the Japanese government to take further action.
The fans speaking out are not casual viewers. They describe themselves as people who deeply cherish these works. One fan, Matsui Qunishige, framed the issue in terms of respect and rules. If the White House had obtained permission and worked with creators, he wrote, that would be one thing. But posting without consent sends a message: that the administration does not respect intellectual property, does not follow rules, and does not value culture. And that criticism, he suggested, will ultimately reflect on Americans themselves. Another fan, Kei Fukuyosh, was more direct: "I truly, from the bottom of my heart, want them to stop. Their sense of ethics is severely lacking."
Shueisha, Japan's largest publisher, holds the copyright to much of what the White House has been using. The company, which is celebrating its hundredth anniversary this year, originally serialized the Naruto manga from 1999 to 2014. The series about a young boy training to become a ninja has sold more than 250 million copies worldwide. Masashi Kishimoto, the creator, oversaw production of three successful Naruto anime films. A Shueisha spokesperson confirmed that the copyright for the anime images used in Trump's post belongs to the film production committee, and that Kishimoto was not commenting on the matter.
Keiichi Motohashi, another fan, raised the legal question directly: shouldn't Shueisha and Kishimoto file a complaint? The answer remains unclear. What is clear is that the White House has not sought permission, the creators have not granted it, and thousands of people across Japan are watching to see what happens next. The Guardian has asked the White House for a response to the petition but has not yet received one.
Citações Notáveis
The original creators and anime staff were not involved in any way, and no permission was given for the use of the intellectual property in question.— Official Yu-Gi-Oh! account statement
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.— Fan Matsui Qunishige
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
Why does this matter so much to these fans? It's just images on social media.
Because these characters belong to someone. They were created by artists who spent years developing them, and the stories they tell have meaning to millions of people. Using them without permission is theft, even if it's just digital.
But couldn't Trump argue he's just celebrating popular culture?
He could say that, but celebration requires consent. It's the difference between admiring someone's work and taking it without asking. The creators weren't involved. They weren't consulted. That's the violation.
Has anyone actually sued?
Not yet. But Japan's foreign ministry has already made a formal request to the US embassy. That's diplomatic pressure, which is significant. The question now is whether Shueisha or Kishimoto will take legal action.
What would that look like?
Copyright infringement claims, potentially in US courts. But there's also the question of whether a sitting president can be sued for this. That's uncharted territory.
So this could become a real international incident?
It already is one, in a way. When a government ministry gets involved, it stops being just fan complaints. It becomes a matter of state.