Story perspectives

23,000 Manga Fans Petition White House Over Trump Naruto Video

6/13/2026

Summary

Story summary

More than 23,000 manga fans signed a petition demanding the White House stop using anime characters after President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated video portraying himself as Naruto Uzumaki.
The petition, titled Protect Japanese Manga, was submitted to Japan’s cabinet office, foreign ministry and cultural affairs agency.
Shueisha, Naruto’s publisher, said the anime images are owned by the production committee and noted that creator Masashi Kishimoto has not commented.

History

Historical Context

The first Anime Expo launched in San Jose in July 1992, drawing about 1,750 fans and built on staff from the 1991 Anime Con. Organized by the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation, the modest start sparked a fan community that expanded to over 107,000 attendees by 2017, illustrating how early grassroots gatherings evolved into powerful cultural movements.

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Story summary

More than 23,000 manga fans signed a petition demanding the White House stop using anime characters after President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated video portraying himself as Naruto Uzumaki.
The petition, titled Protect Japanese Manga, was submitted to Japan’s cabinet office, foreign ministry and cultural affairs agency.
Shueisha, Naruto’s publisher, said the anime images are owned by the production committee and noted that creator Masashi Kishimoto has not commented.

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