Tokyo Olympics branding adds to stereotypical view of Japan — but that doesn’t make it appropriation

By Fabio Gygi, Lecturer in Anthropology, SOAS, University of London

In the weeks leading up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the BBC premiered its trailer for the games – an extravagant, 60-second romp through the recent imagery of Japan as a cute, colourful, anime and manga-inspired wonderland.

With signature music by Kenji Kawai, vocals by virtual pop idol Hatsune Miku and a maximalist aesthetic, the trailer has had a mixed reception. In social media commentary, fans were enthused, non-fans were non-plussed, and some more vinegary voices muttered about cultural stereotypes.

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