WEGO cancels My Hero Academia collection after Chinese backlash over wartime references

Japanese fashion retailer WEGO has cancelled a planned clothing collection with the popular anime series My Hero Academia following fierce criticism from Chinese consumers over perceived historical references to wartime atrocities.

Controversy Over Character Name

The Tokyo-based company faced an immediate outcry on Chinese social media after announcing the exclusive My Hero Academia-themed apparel line. The backlash centred on a character named Maruta Shiga, whose name carried deeply offensive historical connotations for Chinese audiences.

The term "maruta," meaning "log" in Japanese, was the derogatory name used to refer to victims of human experimentation conducted by Imperial Japan's infamous Unit 731 during World War II. Chinese social media users further pointed out that the surname Shiga appeared to reference Kiyoshi Shiga, a scientist who has a bacterium named after him.

Broader Context

The incident highlights the enduring tensions over Japan's imperial past that continue to strain relations between the two neighbouring countries. WEGO ultimately scrapped the collaboration entirely in response to the controversy.

The episode marks another instance of a Japanese company becoming entangled in China's sensitivities surrounding wartime history, demonstrating how commercial ventures can quickly become flashpoints for deeply rooted historical grievances.

Source: South China Morning Post