Japanese Company Learns That, Despite Its Best Efforts, Naomi Osaka Is Not a White Anime Character

Japanese noodle company Nissin has pulled an ad egregiously whitewashing Haitian-Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka. In the animated ad, the tennis starโ€”who has proudly and repeatedly claimed both sides of her mixed-race heritageโ€”essentially had her skin bleached of all its melanin. Osakaโ€™s nose has also been narrowed, and her hair reduced to a short, wavy…

Japanese noodle company Nissin has pulled an ad egregiously whitewashing Haitian-Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka. In the animated ad, the tennis starโ€”who has proudly and repeatedly claimed both sides of her mixed-race heritageโ€”essentially had her skin bleached of all its melanin. Osakaโ€™s nose has also been narrowed, and her hair reduced to a short, wavy mop that doesnโ€™t resemble Osakaโ€™s gorgeous curly strands in the least.

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Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?

In short, we donโ€™t know what kind of nonsense this is, but itโ€™s no Naomi we know.

https://twitter.com/Locohama/status/1086538261667840000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

In a statement to the Japan Times, a Nissin spokesperson said the company โ€œnever had the intention to do what is known as โ€˜whitewashing,โ€™ but with this becoming an issue, we will pay more attention to respect for diversity in our PR activities.โ€ Nissin pulled the ads, which also featured Japanese tennis pro Kei Nishikori, from their online site on Wednesday, according to the New York Daily News.

A spokesperson said the portrayal of Osaka was in keeping with creator Takeshi Konomiโ€™s distinctive style. Konomi incorporated the depictions of the 21-year-old Osaka and Nishikori into characters from his manga and animated series The Prince of Tennis for the Nissin campaign. โ€œWe accept that we are not sensitive enough,โ€ the company spokesperson told the Guardian.

Osaka, for her part, addressed the controversy with reporters in Melbourne, Australia on Thursday. The tennis champโ€”ranked No. 4 in the world among professional women tennis playersโ€”said she spoke with Nissin about the depiction.

โ€œTheyโ€™ve apologized,โ€ Osaka said, according to the Daily News. โ€œIโ€™m tan. Itโ€™s pretty obvious.โ€

She added that while she didnโ€™t think the company meant to โ€œwhitewashโ€ her, โ€œI definitely think that the next time they try to portray me or something, I feel like they should talk to me about it.โ€

Japan has long caught flak about the way it has historically portrayed black peopleโ€”particularly black mixed-race Japanese people. This was highlighted in 2015, when Ariana Miyamoto, who is half-black, was crowned Miss Universe Japan. Miyamoto spoke frankly about the discrimination she faced in Japanโ€”and the constant accusations that she was โ€œnot Japanese enough.โ€

In a column for the Japan Times (h/t The Washington Post), American-born writer Baye McNeil highlighted the significance of Nissinโ€™s partnership with Osaka: โ€œIt isnโ€™t often that a high-profile woman of color is featured in a major Japanese ad campaign.โ€

But given a huge opportunity to push the needle forward, Nissin whiffed.

โ€œEverything that distinguishes Osaka from your typical Japanese anime character was gone, and what was left? Your typical Japanese anime character,โ€ McNeil wrote.

Perhaps most concerning is a Nissin spokespersonโ€™s claim that Osakaโ€™s agent approved the ad before the company was later asked to take it down. The spokesperson, Daisuke Okabayashi, told the Daily News that the company still supports Osaka and โ€œdid not want the flap to be a distraction,โ€ writes the paper.

Not that Osaka seems bothered. The 2018 U.S. Open champion is slated to face off in the Australian Open Womenโ€™s Final against Petra Kvitovรก.

โ€œIโ€™m just focused on [the tournament] right now. Iโ€™ve gotten to the final of a slam, and thatโ€™s sort of my main priority,โ€ Osaka said.

Put that in your Cup oโ€™ Noodles and slurp it.

Straight From The Root

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