An editorial published by the Chengdu Daily News is claiming that Doraemon, the popular franchise based on the manga by duo Fujiko F. Fujio, and the recent exhibitions in China that showcase it, are merely attempts by Japan to subvert Chinese culture.
In the editorial, the writer says that the exhibitions have a “sinister hidden meaning,” and that the show’s themes of respect and friendship are hypocritical, in regards to Japan’s actions. The writer even claims that the cartoon is a smokescreen to distract from the actions of the Abe administration.
However, reactions amongst Chinese readers have been mixed, at best, with some calling the writer out for maligning a popular childhood icon.
Relations between China and Japan are increasingly strained as of late, with escalating tensions arising from long-time territorial disputes over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands and increased military presence in the East China Sea, and condemnations of actions by the Abe administration that have been seen as insensitive by the Chinese.
[Via Kotaku]
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