The US president used popular anime characters in his social media posts

The US president shared images online. He used famous anime characters in these posts. Pikachu and Naruto appeared in the images. Many Japanese people saw these posts. They became very angry.

Anime is very important to Japanese culture. These characters belong to Japanese companies. The companies own the art and stories. Using them costs money. Artists work hard to create them.

Fans said the president did something wrong. He used the characters without asking. He did not pay the companies. This is against the law in many countries. Companies can sue people who copy their work.

Japanese people love anime very much. They watch it and collect toys. Children play with these characters. Families enjoy anime together. Anime makes money for Japan.

The president's team did not ask permission first. The companies were surprised and upset. They worried about their business. Fans posted angry messages online. They said this was disrespectful.

Many people think companies should protect their characters. Others said it was just a small mistake. The problem became a big news story. It showed how important anime is to Japan.

Inspired by reporting from BBC News.