The hashtag #NoBarbenheimer has recently been trending on Japanese Twitter, sparking a widespread backlash against the official U.S. Barbie account. The controversy arose due to the account’s comments on memes that were seen as making light of the atomic bombings.
One of the offending posts featured mashups of Barbie and Oppenheimer movies, with explosions in the background and Barbie sporting a hairstyle resembling an atomic bomb mushroom cloud. The @barbiethemovie account responded positively to these posts, further escalating the anger from Japanese Twitter users. Another post showing the lead actors from the movies in front of apocalyptic flames drew the comment, “It’s going to be a summer to remember.” The U.S. account even made a playful reference to Barbie’s boyfriend, Ken, played by Ryan Gosling in the film.
Warner Bros. Japan issued an apology on Monday, which gained nearly 30 million views on Twitter. The statement called the U.S. movie account’s comments “very regrettable” and lacking consideration. It emphasized the seriousness of the situation and urged the U.S. headquarters to take appropriate measures. Later on, Warner Bros. Film Group in the U.S. issued its own apology and announced the removal of the offending tweets.
While many Japanese Twitter users appreciated the apology, they remained angry at the original posts and the comments made by the U.S. Barbie account. Some responded to the apology with their own provocative images, such as one depicting Barbie sitting on the shoulders of Osama Bin Laden in front of burning buildings, mirroring the original posts. Others expressed their frustration with the insensitivity of the Barbie film team and Hollywood in trivializing the devastating effects of the atomic bombings.
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The timing of the controversy is significant, as Barbie is scheduled for release in Japan on August 11, just days after the anniversaries of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, respectively. The association between a movie centered around a popular doll and the somber history of the bombings has garnered attention and intensified the public’s scrutiny of the film.
On the other hand, Oppenheimer, a film yet to be given a release date in Japan, is expected to be released after a respectful interval following the memorial services for the atomic bombings. While there has been speculation about the possibility of the film being banned, it is unlikely, as the Japanese government typically does not impose such restrictions.
The impact of the negative sentiment caused by the controversial posts on the performance of both Barbie and Oppenheimer in the Japanese theatrical market remains to be seen. As the world’s third-largest theatrical market, Japan’s response to these films will shed light on the lasting effects of this controversy.
In conclusion, the #NoBarbenheimer hashtag has highlighted the angry response within Japanese Twitter to the U.S. Barbie account’s comments on memes related to the atomic bombings. The subsequent apologies from Warner Bros. Japan and Warner Bros. Film Group in the U.S. have been met with mixed reactions. The release of Barbie and Oppenheimer in Japan, along with their reception by the public, will be crucial in determining the long-term impact of this controversy.
