Sanrio ends Vivant merchandise deal after backlash in China
Sanrio has ended its merchandise partnership with the Japanese spy drama Vivant and apologised after the collaboration drew criticism in China. The reaction reflects heightened sensitivity around portrayals of Chinese people amid strained China-Japan relations, and has prompted Sanrio to say it will strengthen its checks on future partnerships.
The criticism focused on the drama’s second season, which depicts Chinese agents torturing a Japanese spy; Chinese state media said the scenes resembled abuses by Japanese troops and distorted history. Sanrio characters including Hello Kitty, My Melody and Cinnamoroll appeared in merchandise dressed as figures from the show. Vivant’s broadcaster says the story is fictional and was not intended to disparage any country.
In short
- Sanrio ended its Vivant merchandise partnership after criticism in China.
- The backlash centred on the drama’s portrayal of Chinese agents.
- Sanrio says it will strengthen checks on future collaborations.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Sanrio was entitled to end the deal once it became clear that the collaboration was causing offence in China. The imagery linked beloved characters to a drama scene that Chinese viewers and state media saw as echoing painful history, and a company operating across borders has reason to take that concern seriously and review its partnerships.
The case against
The drama’s broadcaster says the story is fictional and was not intended to disparage any country, so ending the deal may appear to treat a fictional portrayal as an unacceptable national slight. Critics of the decision could argue that commercial pressure should not determine which stories or characters can be associated, particularly when the work is not presented as historical fact.
Explained simply
Sanrio is the Japanese company behind characters such as Hello Kitty, My Melody and Cinnamoroll. It sometimes licenses them for products made with other brands or entertainment programmes. Vivant is a Japanese television spy drama whose second season features Chinese agents holding and torturing a Japanese spy.
The scenes prompted criticism in China, where state media said they evoked abuses by Japanese troops and distorted history. The broadcaster says the drama is fictional and was not intended to disparage any country. The response reflects sensitivities around how Chinese people and Japan’s wartime history are portrayed, amid strained relations between the two countries.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by BBC World as “Hello Kitty maker cuts ties with Japanese spy drama after China backlash”.