Sanrio Cuts Ties With Spy Drama Over China Backlash

Sanrio earned 781 million yuan from the Chinese market in the first half of this year, a rise of more than 40 percent compared to the same period last year. That revenue figure underscores why the Tokyo-based company acted quickly when Chinese state media and social users criticized its commercial partnership with the Japanese television series Vivant.

The company announced the end of the association on the Chinese platform Weibo. Sanrio stated that the show contained elements inconsistent with its core values. The decision followed a wave of criticism directed at the second season of the spy thriller, which is produced by the broadcaster TBS and stars Masato Sakai. The first season, set in a fictional central Asian country, aired without major controversy.

The dispute centered on the portrayal of Chinese agents in the new season. Chinese state media objected to scenes featuring ruthless violence used to torture members of a secret unit within Japan's self-defence forces. In the episode broadcast on 4 October, a Chinese agent cut off the fingers of a Japanese intelligence officer and stabbed him in the abdomen. The state-run tabloid Global Times argued that these acts bore striking similarities to torture inflicted by Japanese troops on Chinese nationals during the second world war.

Global Times claimed the drama distorted truth by attributing historical atrocities to modern Chinese characters. The timing of the release coincides with strained diplomatic relations between Beijing and Tokyo. In November last year, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told members of parliament that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could lead to the deployment of Japan's self-defence forces if the conflict posed an existential threat to Japan.

Takaichi added her own voice to the story earlier this month. She said she had recorded episodes of Vivant and hoped to watch them over the year-end and new year holidays. The company said it takes the feedback regarding the incident very seriously. Sanrio noted that it uses its characters to convey values of care and connection. It said it will strengthen review processes for all future collaborative projects.

The characters My Melody and Cinnamoroll appeared on Vivant-themed merchandise. The move by Sanrio follows a similar incident involving the French footballer Kylian Mbappé. He was dropped by several Chinese brands after jokingly calling Mao Zedong a dictator. The Real Madrid forward later apologized for his ill-judged remarks.