Sanae Takaichi, Japan's Prime Minister, quotes Attack on Titan's Eren Yeager, but she completely misses that the plot criticizes world leaders.
Sanae Takaichi is the newly elected and first female Prime Minister of Japan, although she has been heavily criticized for her conservative views on immigration, women’s rights, and other issues. In an ironic move, Takaichi quoted the popular politically driven anime, Attack on Titan, at a Saudi Arabia-led international financial conference on December 1, 2025.
Takaichi utilized anime to benefit from its popularity in Saudi Arabia. However, some world leaders wouldn’t agree that anime is all sunshine and rainbows. US President Donald Trump, in May 2025, threatened to impose 100% tariffs on movies made in “foreign land,” which would include anime movies. What’s curious is why anime is at all being brought into the picture here. Let’s dive into Takaichi’s usage of Attack on Titan.
Sanae Takaichi Missed the Point of Attack on Titan but Uses It
Attack on Titan is one of the most internationally successful anime, alongside the Big Three series consisting of One Piece, Bleach, and Naruto. It garnered attention for its nuanced storyline that mirrored real-world politics. It explores themes of war, discrimination, propaganda, freedom, and breaking the cycle of hatred. It’s not an easy watch, but a necessary one.
What Attack on Titan does best is depict how corrupt and selfish the world leaders are, and their only interest is to uphold power. It’s the one aspect of the story that cannot be up for interpretation. The worst example is the original King Fritz, who enslaved Ymir to use her power to massacre enemies and expand Eldia.
It’s a complex anime, where the message might fly over people’s heads. It meant to make you question the propaganda we’ve been fed and to overcome it. Sanae Takaichi quotes Eren Yeager while asking Saudi Arabia to invest in Japan and aid its economic growth. She ends her speech (via a report from Nippon.com) with:
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Just shut your mouths. Invest everything in me!
Eren yells this during his trial in Chapter 19 of Attack on Titan as his fate is being debated, whether he should be handed over to the Survey Corps or the Military Police Brigade. Some wanted him executed immediately and questioned his humanity.
It’s an odd quote to choose for Takaichi, especially since Eren called them out as cowards and wasn’t thinking diplomatically. However, it’s working in appealing to anime fans internationally, so perhaps every fan has missed the message of Attack on Titan.
Donald Trump’s Tariffs on Anime Movies Did Not Work in 2025
Despite the growing anti-immigration sentiments of Donald Trump and right-wing nationalists in the United States of America, anime movies are thriving. On May 5, 2025, the President announced on Truth Social that he would impose 100% tariffs on foreign movies. However, the anime movies in 2025 have been massive hits.
Our first example is Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle. Fans were excited for it since Season 4’s cliffhanger, and the wait was worth everything we witnessed, from the animation to the plot. According to The Numbers, it has now earned $730.2 million at the box office, becoming the highest-grossing international movie in the US.
In our second example, there’s Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc. The community doesn’t have the same reach as Demon Slayer, as the story can be hard to swallow, but the animation and tragic plot equally stole our hearts. It adapted the source perfectly, especially with the great performances and music. It has earned $177.2 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo).
Overall, Trump’s threats haven’t slowed down the success of anime movies. They thrive and prosper as anime grows more popular. However, it’s a double-edged sword as Sanae Takaichi uses anime’s popularity to promote her own stance, with Attack on Titan only being the beginning.
What do you think of Attack on Titan being used in such a way? Is anime becoming too popular for its own good? Let us know in the comments below!
Attack on Titan can currently be streamed on Crunchyroll.
