Nissin, a company known for their ramen noodles, found themselves in hot water recently.
The company recently pulled their “Hungry to Win” ad featuring anime versions of tennis stars Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori. The ad, which is based on the anime The Prince of Tennis by Takeshi Konomi, features Osaka and Nishikori in an epic tennis game.
While featuring the stars in the ads make sense—Nissin sponsors both athletes and Osaka is a brand ambassador—the issue lies in how Nissin lightened Osaka’s hair and skin to make her look almost Caucasian instead of embracing her Haitian-Japanese background. Because of her portrayal as a pale-skinned athlete in the ad, fans of Osaka and the media have accused Nissin of whitewashing.
Once Nissin was called out for their alleged insensitivity, Nissin Foods spokesman Daisuke Okabayashi said the company did not mean to be disrespectful and has since pulled the ads from their website. The videos have also been removed from YouTube at the request of IMG, Osaka’s agency.
“There is no intention of whitewashing,” Okabayashi told CNN. “We accept that we are not sensitive enough and will pay more attention to diversity issues in the future.”
When asked about the issue, Osaka said, “I’ve talked to them and they’ve apologized… I don’t think they did it on purpose to be, like, whitewashing or anything, but I definitely think that next time that they try to portray me or something, I feel they should talk to me about it.”
Osaka also added that she’s “tan. That’s pretty obvious.”
This latest controversy brings up more about the debate of “otherness” in Japan, where people of different ethnicities or mixed race often face issues with acceptance. In Osaka’s case, the debate exists over whether she is Japanese, Haitian, or American, so issues of her background often overshadow her accomplishments on the tennis court.
Whether the ad was intentionally whitewashed or not, it does bring up the debate of how race defines a person. In Osaka’s case, there is a preference to be defined by her character, not her race. Even so, it’s important to portray people as they are instead of some “ideal.”
—-Joelle Halon
User Review
( votes)Related Articles
Korean leg of the iKON “Take Off” World Tour
May 6th, 2023 is a day I will likely never forget, not because it was my second day in Seoul, South Korea, but because it was my first time seeing iKON live in person in Jangchung Arena for the Korean leg of their “Take Off’ world tour, their... Read More
WeBRIDGE Makes a Positive Start in Las Vegas
On Friday, April 21, 2023, Infinite Prospects Entertainment launched its inaugural event, WeBRIDGE: Now. New. Next., at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The exhibition and music festival focuses on the growing interest... Read More
Mixed Race Celebrities with Asian Backgrounds: Part Six
We’re back with the sixth edition of our popular series! Thanks to your response, we have discovered many more celebrities to include in our database. Back in 2018, 2019, and earlier in 2022 , Kcrush published articles about biracial... Read More
We Bridge Concert Night Two – The Heroes Of We Bridge
Day two of We Bridge turned out to be the most emotional of the three-day expo. The muralists have nearly completed their creations; the food vendors unsurprisingly run out of their wares early. (If there’s one thing people are going to do... Read More
We Bridge Concert Night One – The Ladies Carried!
On the weekend of April 21, Infinite Prospects Entertainment presented their inaugural We Bridge convention, a three-day expo held at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay and MGM’s Michelob Ultra Arena. Molded in the same spirit of KCON, the We Bridge... Read More
[2023 F/W Seoul Fashion Week On-site Sketch] Genderless sensibility and high perfection heralds the era of ‘K-Fashion’
The 2023 F/W Seoul Fashion Week took place at Dongdaemun Design Plaza from March 15 to 19. This year marked the event’s 22nd anniversary, with 31 brands, including 23 Seoul-based designer brands, seven up-and-coming designer brands, and one... Read More
What’s Happening at the 2023 Busan International Short Film Festival
Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, the Busan International Short Film Festival is one of the premiere film festivals in the world. The festival which runs for one week from April 25th to May 1st, will be featuring the work of emerging and... Read More
What Ages Watch K-Dramas and Why So
K-dramas have become a global phenomenon harmonizing individuals from around the world for the common cause of bingeing on Korean literal works. Globalization and advances in technology have further spread the wave thus solidifying... Read More
Three Women in History You Should Know
March is Women’s History Month, and like last year, we’re celebrating some of the women who made waves! Anna May Wong Anna May Wong (Wong Liu Tsong, 1905-1961) was one of Hollywood’s leading ladies during her career, though her career... Read More
Best 3rd Generation K-Dramas
After the 2nd K-drama generation gained a solid footing in the international entertainment industry, Korean writers started gaining an audience for their twisted and heart-wrenching plots. The ensuing 3rd K-drama generation between 2000 and 2009... Read MoreOur Advertisers
Leave a Reply