‘Barbenheimer’ Memes Are Big on Social Media, and Japan Isn’t Happy About It

Posts in Japanese described the “Barbenheimer” meme as “terrible” and criticised images combining mushroom clouds and actors from the Barbie movie.

The uproar forced the Japan office of Warner Bros, the distributor of Barbie, to respond.

It’s “highly regrettable” that the US-based account for the film engaged with the “Barbenheimer” movement in an inappropriate manner, Warner Bros. Japan LLC said in a statement posted on the official Japanese account for Barbie. The company said it’s not connected with the meme or the movement, and that it is seeking “an appropriate response” from its US parent.

“Hollywood takes into consideration themes and expressions that are sensitive to certain countries,” said Takashi Uchiyama, cultural and creative studies professor at Aoyama Gakuin University. “I think there was a desire to shift the timing of the release.”

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An official from Toho-Towa Co., which usually distributes films from Universal Pictures, said Oppenheimer’s release in Japan is yet to be determined. The decision will be made by Universal Pictures, the official added.

“If Warner Bros’ American office takes this issue seriously and apologises, it will probably cause most of this backlash to die down,” said Jeffrey J. Hall, a history lecturer at Kanda University of International Studies.

“Oppenheimer is likely to receive awards and when that happens we can expect a wide release at theatres in Japan,” Hall said. “It is very common for Japanese film distributors to delay film releases up to six months or a year, and it rarely is politically motivated.”