Sanrio apologizes and ends Japanese drama tie-up over alleged historical distortion; Chinese netizens urge overseas statement
Season 2 of Japanese drama Vivant (Photo: Screenshot from CCTV News)
Sanrio, the Japanese company behind Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll and My Melody, apologized late Wednesday through its official Hello Kitty account on Sina Weibo for its collaboration with the Japanese TV drama Vivant, which sparked backlash over alleged distortion of history. The company said that it would end the collaboration and all related projects and promotional activities.
The collaboration sparked shock and fierce backlash on Chinese social media after the drama drew criticism from Chinese netizens for portraying Chinese characters as perpetrators of atrocities associated with Japan's wartime aggression.
In the statement, the company said it had recently received feedback from various parties regarding the co-branded products and apologized for the concerns caused by the partnership.
"Regarding the content associated with this collaboration, we believe it contains expressions inconsistent with the corporate philosophy of the Sanrio Group. Therefore, we have decided to terminate the collaboration and all subsequent projects and promotional activities," the statement said, adding that the company was actively handling the matter.
Sanrio said it would carefully listen to and take seriously feedback from all parties and further strengthen its review mechanisms for future collaborative projects.
However, the apology failed to satisfy some Chinese netizens, who called on the company to publish the statement on its overseas platforms as well.
"Other countries have also seen the collaboration terminated, but you'd better issue an announcement overseas, too," netizens commented.
Vivant, a spy thriller produced by Japanese broadcaster TBS, follows a fictional unofficial intelligence unit of Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF) operating around the world.
A commentary article published by Japanese media outlet Toyo Keizai noted the drama's portrayal of its antagonists, highlighting repeated scenes in which a Chinese organization subjects kidnapped SDF members to brutal torture.
Chinese media criticized the series for "packaging aggressive narratives through cognitive and information warfare." The drama distorts history by attributing such atrocities to contemporary Chinese characters, while implicitly glorifying Japan's overseas military operations and promoting an expansionist narrative, according to CCTV News.
The drama had previously drawn criticism from both Chinese and Japanese netizens. Some netizens pointed out that Japan's acts of distorting history are commonplace. "This is a familiar tactic of Japan, and vigilance must never be relaxed," one netizen wrote. "I'm quietly intrigued by the process of how content like this gets approved within the framework of commercial broadcasting," another Japanese netizen wrote.
According to official previews for Vivant, the first batch of plush toys featuring Hello Kitty, My Melody and other Sanrio characters dressed as the drama's "spy figures" was released in July. A second batch of products had also been approved for release, although details, including the launch date, product lineup and pricing, had yet to be announced.
After news of this collaboration broke, a huge number of social media users made it clear that they "cannot accept it."
The view of Sanrio Gift Gate, an officially licensed Sanrio merchandise store, in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province, on March 2, 2026. (Photo: VCG)
The controversy has drawn particular attention given the values associated with Sanrio's characters. The company's name is derived from Spanish words meaning "Holy River," expressing the hope that, just as rivers nurture civilization, the company would foster understanding rather than division among people. Hello Kitty's lack of a mouth is also commonly associated with listening and emotional connection, while the character has long been linked to friendship. It is precisely for this reason that Sanrio's "lapse" is all the more regrettable, a Chinese netizen said.
China is an important overseas market for Sanrio. In the first half of 2026, the company's revenue from the Chinese market reached 781 million yuan ($117 million), up more than 40 percent year-on-year. The group has previously expressed its ambition to develop its next breakout IP, comparable to Cinnamoroll, in the Chinese market.