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Sanrio Ends Merchandise Partnership with Vivant Amid China Backlash

1 report, 1 independent Updated Thu 00:00
AI-generated briefing. Brind wrote this from the reports listed below. It can be wrong. Each section says how much you can rely on it, and the sources are linked so you can check.

What happened

Some supportReported by 1 outlet

Sanrio ended its merchandise partnership with Vivant on October 29, 2026. The termination followed backlash in China against the spy thriller Vivant, which was criticized for depicting Chinese agents using brutal torture tactics on a Japanese operative. Sanrio stated the collaboration was terminated because the show contained elements inconsistent with the company's core values.

From bbc.co.uk

Why it matters

Some supportBrind's analysis of the reports

The partnership ended amid a period of low China-Japan ties, which began after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made comments on Taiwan. The controversy extended to merchandise featuring Sanrio characters dressed as characters from Vivant.

From bbc.co.uk

Who's involved

  • SanrioJapanese company that ended the merchandise partnership
  • VivantPopular spy thriller TV show whose content caused the backlash

Who could feel it

Possible knock-on effects

These are possibilities Brind reasoned out, not predictions, and not advice. Most are not stated in any report.

  • SanrioSpeculative

    Sanrio might face market risk and reduced sales in China due to the partnership termination and associated controversy.

Keep exploring

The entities involved

Coverage

Newest first; wire copies grouped