Danica Davidson
July 2, 2021 
When anime character ambassador for the Tokyo Olympics Sailor Moon cheered on Japanese athletes and the Olympics recently, it generally didn’t go over well with fans. Fans who didn’t like it typically either felt Sailor Moon was being partisan or that it’s too dangerous to have the Olympics in Tokyo this month.
Sailor Moon is not the only anime character ambassador for the Tokyo Olympics who has gotten this kind of pushback for statements about the upcoming Games. Astro Boy (Mighty Atom in Japanese) is another anime character ambassador, and Rumiko Tezuka (head of Tezuka Productions and Osamu’s daughter) gave a statement about this.
“The contract for the character cheering squad was signed after the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics were decided, at a time when nobody could have imagined the threat of coronavirus,” she explained. “At the time, everyone was looking forward to the Games. Right now, the situation has made it so that there are divided opinions regarding whether to continue holding them, but from a business perspective, Atom is participating in the cheering squad as part of the role he was given.”
She reiterated how these characters can’t break out of their contracts and they’re all in the same boat. “All of the characters who have been contracted to participate in the cheering squad are in the same position, not just Atom. They will do the job they have been given: Cheer for the competing athletes. Please don’t involve them in your debates about whether the Games should go ahead.”
Source: ANN
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, and its sequel, Manga Art for Intermediates, with professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
