The Autism Society Japan (ASJ) has released a formal statement calling for the cancellation of the upcoming anime adaptation of Nene Azuki’s Mii-chan and Miss Yamada. The organization argues that the series, while not explicitly labeling its protagonist as disabled, has fostered an environment where the character's name is used as a disparaging slur against children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The society emphasized that it has received numerous reports from families and siblings of autistic individuals expressing distress over the manga's content.
Central to the ASJ's critique is the editorial framing of the source material. The group highlighted a now-removed promotional video from Kodansha’s Young Magazine staff, which featured commentary suggesting the series was intended to make readers want to see the protagonist suffer. The ASJ contends that such marketing demonstrates a disregard for the dignity of vulnerable populations, effectively turning the lived experiences of those in poverty or with disabilities into a form of commercialized misery for entertainment.
Furthermore, the ASJ pointed to the risks inherent in the series' digital-first publication model. The society suggested that the lack of rigorous editorial oversight during the manga's initial run on the Magazine Pocket service allowed for the normalization of harmful tropes. They are now urging publishers to update their risk-mitigation policies for online content to prevent similar issues, particularly for debut works. The ASJ concluded that given the current production mindset, an anime adaptation is inappropriate regardless of potential age-gating or broadcast restrictions.
While the manga concluded its run with the release of its seventh volume on September 9, the anime project announced by Flag Pictures in July continues to move forward. Kodansha previously addressed public backlash regarding the series on July 27, but the studio has yet to provide an update on the project's status following the ASJ's latest intervention.
