Anime is quality content, but they steal real people’s names and slap it on fictional characters without proper notice

This, clearly, is no accident. I’ve also been an anime fan for a while. But the only thing keeping me from thoroughly enjoying it is the fact that I’m a real person with real-life issues, that have been slapped onto fictional characters.<br><br>My last name is very common in certain cultures, but it’s rare enough that I was surprised to see it used in two prominent shows: Attack on Titan and Demon Slayer. I was not informed of this at all. But I’m sure hundreds of people with my last name aren’t aware of this either. The shows were already well into their releases before I happened to come across them, so the fact that they’d be using a name associated with my family was sprung upon me as a surprise. <br><br>I’ve been dealing with a lot of personal issues beforehand, and seeing your name slapped onto a fictional character for millions to see is a gut-wrenching feeling that I wouldn’t wish on anyone. This is a name associated with your family and a big part of your identity that’s being broadcasted to millions without warning. <br><br>I can’t help but feel they only do this because the industry doesn’t put much value on peoples identities. As long as the shows get a lot of views and generate revenue for them, it seems they don’t really care. But they should. It can be very hurtful.