A playful social media trend blending the worlds of Oppenheimer and Barbie has ignited a firestorm in Japan
The social media meme blending two American movies, “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie,” has ignited a firestorm of controversy. The blend of these seemingly unrelated films, playfully dubbed “Barbenheimer,” has evoked deep offense among Japanese users, who view it as a disregard for their nation’s painful history.
The Background
Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” chronicling the life of American scientist Robert J Oppenheimer, known as the “father of the atomic bomb,” has drawn global criticism for centering the story of its protagonist while downplaying the human cost of the devastating atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. The consequences of these bombings are still felt today, with the loss of hundreds of thousands of Japanese civilians.
The Meme That Sparked Outrage
A social media meme, “Barbenheimer,” creatively combining “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie,” gained traction on social platforms, raising concerns about historical sensitivities. The lightheartedness of the Barbie movie, juxtaposed with a biopic about the inventor of the atomic bomb, deeply offended many Japanese users, considering the upcoming anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings.
US Barbie Account’s Involvement
The controversy escalated when the official US Barbie movie account joined in with the “Barbenheimer” trend, posting, “It’s going to be a summer to remember.” This was perceived as a disregard for Japan’s painful history and the solemnity of the upcoming memorials.
Warner Bros.’ Apology
Amidst the mounting backlash, Warner Bros. Japan issued an apology for the “extremely regrettable” participation of the US Barbie account in the meme. The studio acknowledged the insensitivity of the engagement and extended a sincere apology.
Setbacks for “Barbie” in Japan
The controversy surrounding “Barbenheimer” further affected the Japanese opening of “Barbie.” A voice actor spoke out against the grassroots marketing movement, and the US ambassador faced criticism for promoting the film online.
As the “#NoBarbenheimer” hashtag gained momentum, it underscored the importance of considering historical sensitivities when promoting and releasing films, particularly those related to events of immense historical significance.
Why is Barbenhiemer not working in Japan? Here’s Why:
Japan’s Connection to “Oppenheimer”:
Oppenheimer known in US history textbooks as the “father of the atomic bomb”., starring Cillian Murphy, follows the story of American scientist Robert Oppenheimer, who invented the atomic bomb and successfully tested it in 1945.
Oppenheimer’s creation led to the dropping of two atomic bombs in the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, marking the end of the Second World War and the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Japanese civilians.
Nolan’s film has already met backlash globally for centering Oppenheimer’s story over thhuman cost of the bombs – the consequences of which are felt to this day. One review wrote: “[Oppenheimer fills] the drama at such length with the torment of genius-functionary Oppenheimer at the expense of showing the Japanese experience and the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.” Public figures have also denounced the film for underplaying its horror.
The Social Media Trend “Barbenheimer” :
A social media meme dubbed “Barbenheimer,” blending the US movies Oppenheimer and Barbie, has sparked outrage in Japan ahead of the anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear bombings. Despite not being outright banned in Japan, the release date of Oppenheimer, a biopic of the bomb’s inventor, has not been confirmed. Warner Bros. The controversy highlights the need to consider historical sensitivities when promoting and releasing films. Many attribute the trend as a big factor in both films’ box office success.
But, why has it been criticized?
The social media campaign was not created by either Warner Bros or Universal, but the official Barbie movie Twitter account has joined in with it. The double feature of American movies, playfully dubbed “Barbenheimer,” has ignited a firestorm on social media in Japan – the only nation to have endured nuclear attacks in history. The meme, which cleverly blends Oppenheimer, a biopic about the atomic bomb’s inventor, with Barbie, a light-hearted comedy about the iconic fashion doll, gained traction on X (formerly Twitter). However, Japanese users were deeply offended by the juxtaposition and the apparent insensitivity surrounding the upcoming anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings on August 6 and 9, respectively.
As the “#NoBarbenheimer” hashtag gained momentum, tensions escalated when the official US Barbie film account posted: “It’s going to be a summer to remember.” This spurred further outrage among Japanese users who saw it as a disregard for their nation’s painful history.
In a statement on Monday (31 July), the Japanese Barbie movie account posted a Warner Bros. Japan’s statement criticizing the “extremely regrettable” participation from the US Barbie account. Warner Bros issued an apology later the same day, writing: “Warner Brothers regrets its recent insensitive social media engagement. The studio offers a sincere apology.” All tweets referring to Barbenheimer have also been deleted from the US Barbie movie account.
In the latest news, The Japan opening of “Barbie” was dealt additional setbacks after a voice actor spoke out against a controversial grassroots marketing movement for the hit film and the U.S. ambassador caught flack for promoting the film online.
Fans were not amused in Japan, which in the coming days will mark the memorials of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 78 years ago.
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