Japanese Red Cross Promotes New Uzaki-Chan Campaign, Defying Previous Social Media Outrage

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Jan 28, 2020

The Japanese Red Cross has announced a new promotional blood donation campaign featuring the titular character of Uzaki-chan wa Asobitai! in an apparent backtrack from their previous disassociation with the character due to a handful of outraged and vocal social media users.

Last year, the Japanese Red Cross ran a promotional campaign across Japan which featured the busty Uzaki-chan, in an official collaboration with the manga in an effort to receive increased blood donations.

The campaign was soon thrust into the controversial spotlight after Unseen Japan, a Japanese news and culture site, criticized the image as “over-sexualized” and cited the image as a reason for the “#MeToo” movement and the need to fight the “sexism” of Japanese society.

Japanese Red Cross Promotes New Uzaki-Chan Campaign, Defying Previous Social Media Outrage

The original, outrage inducing campaign poster as produced by the Japanese Red Cross, featuring artwork of Uzaki Hana from the cover of the series’ third tankobon.

The controversy grew exponentially after Unseen Japan contacted Japanese lawyer, feminist, and known opponent of ecchi imagery Keiko Ōta, who equated the existence of the campaign’s poster to “background sexual harassment”:

“Red Cross Japan has put up this Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! poster to promote its blood donation campaign. I think it’s really insensitive. Why did they have to go with this kind of illustration? I’m densensitized to it, but in a public space it’s like background sexual harassment.”

After continued outrage, mostly from Western Twitter users, the Japanese Red Cross eventually pulled the campaign, arriving for their blood donation drive at the recent Comiket 97 (C97) in unimpressive, almost non-descript buses.

According to a Japanese source, the removal of the Uzaki-Chan campaign actually resulted in significantly less blood donations.

In a a surprising yet welcome turn of events, the Japanese Red Cross recently announced in a tweet from the official Uzaki-chan twitter account, as translated by SoraNews24, that due to the popularity of their first campaign, they would be going forward with the second half of their collaboration, hosting a new February blood drive campaign featuring Uzaki Hana which will see donors awarded with an exclusive clear file featuring the busty college student:

It reads:

“All righty, because of how popular the first one was, Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out is being allowed to be part of another blood donation campaign! This is thanks to all of your support! Thank you!

OK! Let’s go give blood!”

Furthermore, the popularity of the first campaign has resulted in additional donation locations, in addition to the one in Tokyo, being opened in multiple prefectures, according to a translation provided by Nyannet:

“Uzaki wants to play!” X Blood donation collaboration campaign!

～ From February 1 to February 29 ～

Uzai! cute! But Uzai! We will carry out the second part of a slapstick comedy with Uzakawa junior “Uzaki-chan wants to play!” X Blood Donation Collaboration Campaign.

<Campaign content>

At the blood donation room reception, you will be offered to participate in the blood donation campaign, and a special clear file will be presented to those who donate 400 ml blood or component blood donation.

<Place of implementation>

Blood donation rooms in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Gunma, Tochigi, and Ibaraki prefectures

* The memorabilia will end as soon as it is gone. Please note.

* Participants aged 16 and women aged 16 to 17 will receive a souvenir with a 200mL blood donation.

* Please refer to here for the location and reception hours of each blood donation room.

https://www.bs.jrc.or.jp/ktks/bbc/2017/08/post-48.html“

YouTuber Hero Hei commented on the reversal:

What do you make of the reversal?

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