Japanese Politician Goes Full Gundam... And It Backfires Spectacularly
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
A Japanese politician's Gundam cosplay campaign went sideways faster than a Zaku dodging a beam saber, resulting in a swift denial from the anime's production studio and raising questions about character choice.
Right, so a Japanese politician cosplaying as a Gundam character. Sounds like a laugh, yeah? Well, it seems Taro Yamamoto, leader of the Reiwa Shinsengumi party, decided to channel his inner Char Aznable (sort of) for a campaign video. He donned the iconic red suit and shades of Quattro Bajeena to promote candidate Maya Okamoto, an anime voice actress, and her platform to protect Japanese pop culture. The idea? Stand against Japan's Qualified Invoicing System, a tax thing that's apparently squeezing freelance creatives, especially animators, something fierce. (Think about it: more tax means less money for cool games and anime. Nobody wants that, right?).
The video, filmed in front of the giant Gundam statue in Tokyo, got a mixed reception. Supporters loved the quirky humor and Okamoto's pro-pop culture stance. But, oh mate, the backlash on social media was… intense. According to IGN South Africa, many commenters disapproved of using Gundam for political purposes, which, fair enough, I suppose. Some even questioned whether they had permission from Sunrise Studios, the Gundam production company (now part of Bandai Namco Filmworks).
And here’s where things get even more interesting. Sunrise Studios, bless their corporate hearts, issued an official statement saying they didn't give permission and don't endorse any candidates. Ouch. Talk about a plot twist worthy of a Gundam anime!
But here’s the real kicker: even neutral observers questioned Yamamoto's *choice* of character. Quattro Bajeena is, after all, Char Aznable's alter ego, and Char is… well, he's complicated. (Understatement of the century, I reckon.) He's an antihero, sure, but he also tries to drop an asteroid on Earth! Bit extreme for a political platform, wouldn't you say? One commenter on X (formerly Twitter) suggested Bright Noa or Amuro Ray would have been better choices. Solid point, actually. Imagine a politician cosplaying as Bright Noa screaming at everyone to get into the damn robot! That would be... something.
This isn't Sunrise's first rodeo with cosplaying politicians, either. Back in 2020, someone dressed as Lelouch from Code Geass during the Tokyo governor elections. Sunrise had to issue a similar "we have nothing to do with this" statement then, too. Sound familiar? Feels like someone didn't learn their lesson, eh?
So, what's the takeaway? Maybe stick to less morally ambiguous anime characters when trying to win votes. Or, you know, just focus on the issues. But where's the fun in that?
Tags: Gundam, Cosplay, Politics, Anime, Japan
Original article: IGN South Africa