The Aporia · Japan’s WEGO fashion brand is latest firm to feel force of Chinese consumer backlash

Japanese fashion brand WEGO cancelled a collaboration with the popular anime and manga series My Hero Academia due to backlash from Chinese consumers on social media. The controversy arose because one of the character's names, Maruta Shiga, was seen by some as referencing wartime atrocities, specifically human experiments conducted during World War II. This incident highlights ongoing tensions between China and Japan related to historical grievances.

Written by AI on 2026-09-13, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

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WEGO, a Japanese fashion brand based in Tokyo, recently cancelled plans for a collaboration with My Hero Academia, a popular anime and manga franchise, due to an angry backlash from Chinese consumers on social media. The controversy arose after WEGO announced it would release My Hero Academia-themed clothing featuring the character Maruta Shiga. Some Chinese netizens perceived Maruta’s name as referencing wartime atrocities committed by Japanese forces, specifically experiments conducted during World War II and a scientist linked to human experimentation. This incident highlights ongoing tensions between China and Japan over historical grievances.

Written for “Chinese Consumer Backlash” on 2026-11-04, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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WEGO scrapped a collaboration with an anime and manga franchise that triggered controversy with a perceived reference to wartime atrocities Japanese fashion brand WEGO has scrapped a plan to launch a new range in collaboration with the hit anime and manga franchise My Hero Academia after it triggered an angry backlash from Chinese consumers.

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-13

🔮 The Tokyo-based company triggered an outcry on Chinese social media after announcing it would release an exclusive range of My Hero Academia-themed clothing.

2026-09-13 · South China Morning Post

Japan’s WEGO fashion brand is latest firm to feel force of Chinese consumer backlash · assertive framing

Japan’s WEGO fashion brand is latest firm to feel force of Chinese consumer backlash asserted

brand → feel → backlash

it → scrap → consumers

The Tokyo-based company triggered an outcry on Chinese social media after announcing it would release an exclusive range of My Hero Academia-themed clothing. asserted

it → base → clothing

The character’s name, Maruta Shiga, added fuel to the fire, because maruta (or log) was a derisive name given to the subjects of the unit’s human experiments. asserted

maruta → add → experiments

Some social media users also suggested that the surname Shiga was a reference to the scientist Kiyoshi Shiga, who has a bacterium named after him. uncertain

who → suggest → him

The furore underscores the persistent grass-roots acrimony over Japan’s imperial history that continues to sour relations between the two countries. asserted

that → underscore → countries

Japan’s WEGO fashion brand is latest firm to feel force of Chinese consumer backlash

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