May 24 & 25, 2026

“Otaku” in various fields, such as manga, anime, and fancy goods, assembled near the Diet building on May 23 to stage an anti-war protest. This was the second event of this kind following the first held in March.

A 28-year-old woman, who participated in the protest from Kanagawa Prefecture, is a geek to an online game called “Touken Ranbu (Wild Dance of Swords in English)” and works at a manufacturing company. Criticizing the Takaichi government’s policy of lifting the ban on arms exports, she said, “I don’t want to work in a job involving making things that kill people.”

Film geek Takahashi Hiroyuki said, “I’m an ‘otaku’. I’d rather watch my favorite movies at home than participate in protests, but the current situation in Japan does not allow this.” He expressed his determination to block any attempt to turn Japan into a war-fighting nation and protect a society where geek people can enjoy their culture in peace.

A 30-year-old female protester in her 30s is a huge fan of a Japanese manga series titled, “The Prince of Tennis”. She held up a big banner that reads, “There are no blind spots in the Japanese Constitution.” This is a play on a line in the manga series. She said, “The struggle to change society is hard, so I sometimes feel like giving up. But, when I read the Prince of Tennis, I’m encouraged by the prince and his friends who never give up.”