“At the Worst Possible Time…” Just Before the Release of the “VIVANT” Movie, China Poses a “Hurdle”; TBS Says “There’s Nothing We Can Do”

Sanrio Immediately Suspends the Collaboration

It’s a state of emergency ahead of the movie’s release.

China is reacting with fierce opposition to the currently airing Sunday Theater series “VIVANT” (TBS). Ultimately, Sanrio—which had been collaborating with the drama—apologized and decided to cancel its promotional campaign.

The controversy stems from depictions of a fictional private organization in the drama called “Xinshi,” which evokes associations with a Chinese secret intelligence agency.

In Episode 19, which aired on October 4, a torture scene was shown in which members of the “Special Unit”—to which Masato Sakai (53) and others belong—were detained by Xinshi and had their right fingers severed. China took strong issue with this.

The *Global Times*, affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party’s official newspaper *People’s Daily*, stated

“slanders China and exaggerates the ‘China threat theory’”

. As is well known, Japan-China relations have cooled since the Takaichi Sanae administration took office, and it seems China is seizing this opportunity to pick a fight; however, if the situation becomes too complicated, it could escalate into an international issue.

At a regular press conference held on October 28, TBS President Masamine Ryuhō addressed the controversy, stating

“a work of entertainment based entirely on fiction,”

and added

“We have no intention of viewing any specific country as an enemy or disparaging it,”

. However, on the following day, October 29, China’s state-run broadcaster, China Central Television (CCTV), responded to the president’s press conference by stating

“What a completely meaningless excuse!”

. Japanese internet users responded with comments such as

“It’s strange to say they didn’t specify a country when the play explicitly names China,”

.

Furthermore, regarding Sanrio—which canceled its collaboration with VIVANT amid the controversy—the *Global Times* stated

“Hello Kitty should not be dancing alongside Japan’s right-wingers,”

. This is according to a sports newspaper reporter covering the entertainment industry.

“China has a population of about 1.4 billion, and even though Japan-China relations are strained, it’s a market that cannot be ignored. The fact that Sanrio immediately apologized and halted the collaboration likely has business considerations as well. Looking at past history, there have been cases where this kind of situation has escalated into a boycott of Japanese products.”

What’s causing a headache is the upcoming release of the *VIVANT* movie, which is set to be officially announced soon.

Targeting a National Hit Drama

The drama’s finale is scheduled for November 8, and the prevailing theory is that, following a special broadcast, the film will be released nationwide on December 4. It is said that the story surrounding “Xinxi” will also be featured in the movie version. In an interview with this site, a film industry insider stated,

“‘Xinshi,’ known in China as the ‘Special Unit,’ is a pivotal element in the story, and I’ve heard it will appear in the theatrical version as well. The question is how it will be portrayed. Depending on the circumstances, this could lead to even stronger criticism from China.The film is now just waiting for its release; reshoots or editing at this late stage are impossible. There’s simply nothing they can do. This controversy was completely unexpected for TBS as well, and I’m hearing voices of confusion saying, ‘It couldn’t have come at a worse time…’ Some staff members are also worried about whether this will affect the overseas expansion of other content,”

he said.

It does feel a bit off that a country which has produced countless “anti-Japan works” in the past is now point-blank targeting *VIVANT* in such a conspicuous manner…

On the other hand, those involved in the production are also acknowledging “lessons learned.” This is because while the first season, which aired from July to September 2022, unfolded in the fictional country of “Barca,” the second season began to feature settings that evoke real countries and international political situations.

“If they’d stuck with a fictional country like in Season 1, this wouldn’t have happened. Only Katsuo Fukuzawa, the ‘creator’ of *VIVANT*, knows why they changed it. The director had already decided during Season 1 that the series would conclude as a ‘trilogy’ with Season 2 and the movie, so I don’t think this was a sudden change of heart,” said a film industry insider.

From Director Fukuzawa’s perspective, it seems he now has yet another source of worry on top of the reports of workplace harassment against him. Either way, there’s no turning back now. It remains to be seen what kind of reactions will emerge after the theatrical release in December.