Anime Copyright Clash.
Japanese Petition Against Trump's Unauthorized Anime Posts Prompts Diplomatic Action.
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Key Points
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The petition text says Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a formal request to the U.S. Embassy specifically regarding the “unauthorized use of Yu-Gi-Oh!” (as quoted in reporting).
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Pokémon Company International spokeswoman Sravanthi Dev emphasized Pokémon’s neutrality, saying, “Our mission is to bring the world together, and that mission is not affiliated with any political viewpoint or agenda,” alongside condemning the imagery’s use.
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Yu-Gi-Oh! rights holders/representatives issued a denial that permissions were granted, stating: “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.”
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Earlier White House X posts described in coverage were more specific than just “military-strike footage,” combining U.S. strikes on Iran with anime clips (including Yu-Gi-Oh! and Dragon Ball) and also incorporating elements described as coming from a Nintendo video game.
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The campaign’s renewed push is tied to a clear timeline: organizers reopened the Change.org petition as an “urgent initiative” on June 9, 2026 after the latest trigger video was posted on Truth Social on June 6, 2026.
A petition demanding that U.S. President Donald Trump stop using Japanese anime characters in his social media posts has nearly reached 20,000 signatures, according to Global News. The latest flashpoint came on June 6, 2026, when Trump posted a one-minute AI-generated video on Truth Social showing himself as Naruto Uzumaki — the hero of one of Japan's most beloved manga series.
Organizers relaunched the "Protect Japanese Manga" petition on June 9 as an "urgent initiative," CNA reported. The petition has since been submitted to Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the ministry has reportedly contacted the U.S. Embassy directly over the matter.
How the Controversy Escalated From Memes to Diplomacy
The trouble started well before the Naruto video. In March 2026, the official White House X account posted a 42-second video called "Justice the American Way." It spliced U.S. military strike footage against Iran with clips from *Yu-Gi-Oh!* and *Dragon Ball*, according to The Japan Times. A separate post used the logo of Nintendo's new game *Pokémon Pokopia* for a MAGA meme.
By April 2026, the issue had moved into Japan's parliament. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told a House of Representatives committee that reproducing copyrighted works without permission was "inappropriate" — even for public institutions, Kyodo News reported. The June 6 Naruto video pushed things further, prompting the petition's urgent relaunch just three days later.
Rights Holders Deny Permission and Condemn the Imagery
Both Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! rights holders issued swift denials. Pokémon Company International spokeswoman Sravanthi Dev said: "Our mission is to bring the world together, and that mission is not affiliated with any political viewpoint or agenda," according to TIME. She confirmed no permission was given.
The Yu-Gi-Oh! production team was equally firm. They stated on their official X account: "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," as reported by Global News. Fans were especially upset given that Yu-Gi-Oh! creator Kazuki Takahashi died in 2021.
Petition Organizer Says Characters Stand for Peace, Not War
The petition was started by Nana Suzuki, a 34-year-old from Kanagawa, Japan. She argues that characters like Naruto — whose story is built around peace and breaking cycles of hatred — are being twisted by military and political messaging, according to BBC. The petition text says Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a formal request to the U.S. Embassy specifically about the "unauthorized use of Yu-Gi-Oh!"
Under the Berne Convention, which covers international copyright, authors hold "moral rights" over their work. This includes the right to object if their work is changed in a way that harms their reputation. Suzuki and other fans say pairing these characters with strike footage does exactly that, according to ecostylia.com.
White House Dismisses Concerns as Reaction Stays Mixed
The White House has not issued a formal response. Deputy Communications Director Kaelan Dorr previously dismissed similar complaints as a "double standard," pointing to past Democratic uses of pop culture — such as Hillary Clinton's "Pokémon GO to the polls" remark — according to Newsweek.
Online reaction is split. Some support the petition's copyright argument. Others view the edits as harmless satire or a clever way to reach younger voters, according to Rappler. With signatures approaching 20,000, organizers plan to use the total as leverage for lobbying Japan's Cabinet Office and Agency for Cultural Affairs — signaling this dispute is far from over.
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