Sanrio ends spy drama deal after Chinese backlash over torture scene
Developing story first seen 1 hour ago
New reporting adds that the backlash against Sanrio follows Chinese brands dropping footballer Kylian Mbappé over a joking remark about Mao Zedong. Sanrio has apologised and ended its commercial association with the Japanese spy drama *Vivant*, after Chinese state media and social media users condemned its portrayal of Chinese agents. The dispute matters because China is a major market for Sanrio, amid strained relations between Beijing and Tokyo.
The criticism focused on an episode in which a Chinese agent cuts off a Japanese intelligence officer’s fingers and stabs him. Chinese media said the scene echoed torture inflicted on Chinese civilians by Japanese troops during the second world war, and accused the drama of smearing China. Sanrio said the show contained elements inconsistent with its values and promised stronger reviews of future collaborations; it earned 781 million yuan, about $117 million, in China in the first half of the year, up more than 40% year on year.
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In short
- Sanrio ends its *Vivant* tie-up after criticism in China.
- The row centres on a scene depicting torture by Chinese agents.
- China brought Sanrio 781 million yuan in first-half revenue.
How this story developed
- 38 minutes ago New reporting linked the backlash to Chinese brands dropping footballer Kylian Mbappé after he joked about Mao Zedong, and highlighted Sanrio’s exposure: it earned 781 million yuan, about $117 million, in China in the first half of the year, up more than 40 per cent year on year.
- 43 minutes ago Sanrio apologised and ended its commercial association with Japanese spy drama Vivant after Chinese state media and social media users accused an episode depicting a Chinese agent torturing a Japanese officer of smearing China; the dispute comes as relations between Beijing and Tokyo remain strained and China remains a major market for the company.
Where outlets differ
Left-leaning outlets 1
Only here: sanrio, ends, deal, chinese, torture
Centre outlets 1
Only here: hello, kitty, maker, cuts, ties
Every side used: drama, backlash
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The case for
Chinese viewers and officials can reasonably argue that the torture scene invokes a history of severe wartime suffering and, by casting a Chinese agent as the perpetrator, risks reinforcing hostility towards Chinese people. Sanrio may also regard ending the deal as a way to uphold its stated values and respond to concerns in a major market.
The case against
Others can argue that a fictional spy drama should be judged as storytelling, and that depicting one violent character does not amount to smearing a nation or its people. They may see Sanrio’s withdrawal after state media and online pressure as an undue response that risks narrowing artistic expression and commercial decisions.
Explained simply
Sanrio is a Japanese company known for characters such as Hello Kitty, and it earns a significant share of its income in China. It had a commercial association with *Vivant*, a Japanese spy drama involving Japanese and Chinese agents.
The dispute centres on a torture scene in which a Chinese agent harms a Japanese intelligence officer. Some Chinese viewers and state media connected the scene to abuses by Japanese troops in China during the second world war, a painful part of the countries’ history. The row comes amid strained relations between Beijing and Tokyo and other recent backlash in China against brands linked to remarks about the country.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Hello Kitty company cuts ties with Japanese spy show after China outcry”.