Japanese Fashion Brand WEGO Cancels My Hero Academia Collab After September 18 Release Date Sparks Backlash
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Japanese fashion brand WEGO announced a collaboration with the anime My Hero Academia, with the release date set for September 18 — a date of profound historical significance marking the Mukden Incident in 1931, which marked the beginning of Japan's full-scale invasion of China. The timing proved disastrous for the brand, as My Hero Academia itself has been mired in controversy in China since 2020 when a villain character's name was found to reference Unit 731, the notorious Japanese biological warfare unit. Under intense pressure from Chinese netizens who flooded WEGO's social media platforms and livestream rooms with criticism, the brand's Chinese subsidiary, Shanghai Weiguo Trading Co., issued an apology on September 11 and confirmed the termination of the collaboration .
Key Points
- WEGO planned to release merchandise featuring six main characters, including T-shirts, hoodies, knitwear, and badges, with a dedicated display window at the Harajuku flagship store in Tokyo
- September 18 marks the 95th anniversary of the Mukden Incident in 1931, which triggered Japan's invasion of China and remains a deeply painful historical memory for Chinese citizens
- My Hero Academia faced boycott in China in 2020 after Chapter 259 introduced a villain named "Shiga Maruta," with "Maruta" being the derogatory term Unit 731 used for its human experimentation victims
- WEGO's Chinese subsidiary acknowledged that the Japanese parent company "failed to conduct sufficient careful verification" when planning the collaboration
- The backlash included nearly 100 critical comments left on WEGO's overseas social media posts, with the brand's livestream rooms also inundated with protest messages
Why It Matters
This incident underscores the heightened sensitivity that international brands must exercise when operating in the Chinese market, where historical grievances remain deeply resonant. The convergence of two highly sensitive elements — the September 18 date and an anime already blacklisted for its Unit 731 reference — created a perfect storm that multinational companies must learn to navigate. As Japan-China relations continue to face periodic tensions over historical issues, any commercial activity that touches upon these wounds risks severe reputational damage and consumer backlash, demonstrating that corporate social responsibility now extends to historical awareness.
This incident underscores the heightened sensitivity that international brands must exercise when operating in the Chinese market, where historical grievances remain deeply resonant. The convergence of two highly sensitive elements — the September 18 date and an anime already blacklisted for its Unit 731 reference — created a perfect storm that multinational companies must learn to navigate. As Japan-China relations continue to face periodic tensions over historical issues, any commercial activity that touches upon these wounds risks severe reputational damage and consumer backlash, demonstrating that corporate social responsibility now extends to historical awareness.