Within the scope of the Kyoto International Manga Anime Fair 2024, The company that manages the Karasuma Line of Kyoto's trains has decided to decorate its carriages with details alluding to the anime “Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian”.an adaptation that is currently being broadcast. However, what began as a promotional action quickly triggered a wave of criticism on social media.

One user expressed his outrage with the following comment:

• «Looking from outside Japan, one of the things that seems most “abnormal” to me is this kind of thing. Can’t you stop yourself from sexualizing characters who are elementary or high school students, even if they’re fictional? And also, why put it in public spaces? There are children, women, and tourists walking by.».

This message, which condemns the eroticization of teenage characters, generated a cascade of responses. Some users were equally upset, while others defended the decoration, arguing that there was no real reason for such accusations.. Among the harshest comments are the following:

• «This is disgusting, disgusting, disgusting! All people who support this should have their human rights stripped and be put in jail immediately! Don't let these future criminals go free!».
• «It's really disgusting. Even though the characters in the story are adults, their faces look like teenagers… It's pathetic that there's only demand for girls with childish faces, how immature and pitiful can men be?».
• «This is disgusting in a public space. You need to file a complaint!».

“Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian” is a series that revolves around Alisa Mikhailovna “Alya” Kujou, a half-Russian, half-Japanese student at the prestigious Seirei Academy. The story focuses on the interaction between Alya and her partner Masachika Kuze, who, despite appearing disinterested, understands Russian perfectly, which generates a peculiar dynamic between the two characters. The work has recently gained popularity thanks to its anime adaptation, which has increased interest in its romantic story and the cultural details it introduces, particularly in relation to the Russian language.

Despite the success of the series, the controversy surrounding the train's decorations has sparked a debate about the portrayal of young characters in situations that some consider inappropriate for public spaces. However, not everyone agrees with this view. Some social media users have defended the decoration, stating that sensuality is an individual perception and that the work should not be censored for this reason:

• «Why do they bother? They're just drawings, there's no reason to make such a fuss.».
• «If this seems inappropriate to you, it's because your mind is full of distorted thoughts all the time.».
• «It's a collaboration for a cultural event, they don't force anyone to watch it, it's not a big deal».

Other users pointed out the hypocrisy of some of the criticism, arguing that anime art and culture are part of Japan's identity. and that, despite the protests, this type of collaboration remains popular among companies and fans.

The discussion continues to generate a large number of different opinions, and the railway company has not yet made an official statement on the matter. What is clear is that the controversy reflects the clash between anime culture and outside perceptions.especially with regard to the limits of what should be considered appropriate in public spaces.

Source: Yaraon!