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.
I admire the work the Red Cross does, which is why I’m disappointed that @JRCS_PR in Japan would run a campaign using the over-sexualized Uzaki-chan. There’s a time & a place for this stuff. This isn’t it. #women #metoo #kutoo pic.twitter.com/bhds7IPPTq
— Unseen Japan (@UnseenJapanSite) October 14, 2019
Let me clarify. I’m not opposed to your particular fetish. There’s an appropriate place for erotic material of all kinds.
The issue is that eroticization of women occurs EVERYWHERE – including places where it’s inappropriate. Like, you know, a fucking BLOOD DRIVE CAMPAIGN.
— Unseen Japan (@UnseenJapanSite) October 14, 2019
The sad thing is, I found this ad simply walking through Shinjuku Station on the way to have lunch w my family. That should give you pause to think about how rampant sexism is in Japanese society.
— Unseen Japan (@UnseenJapanSite) October 14, 2019
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”:
日本赤十字社 が「宇崎ちゃんは遊びたい」×献血コラボキャンペーンということでこういうポスターを貼ってるようですが、本当に無神経だと思います。なんであえてこういうイラストなのか、もう麻痺してるんでしょうけど公共空間で環境型セクハラしてるようなものですよhttps://t.co/KV5g0W8JpK https://t.co/43EpSlzHOp
— 弁護士 太田啓子 (@katepanda2) October 14, 2019
“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:
というわけで好評につきまた献血キャンペーンをやらせていただくことになりました！皆様の応援のおかげです！ありがとうございます！
行こう！献血！ https://t.co/UFh1hKvH68— 「宇崎ちゃんは遊びたい！」公式 (@uzakichan_asobi) January 24, 2020
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?