Whenever there are elections in Japan, candidates put up posters with their names and slogans. One Tokyo political hopeful named Teruki Goto added cosplay, dressing up as Lelouch from Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
On the poster, his slogan reads, “I, Teruki Goto, command that you vote for me.”
ゴトー・D・テルキが命じる。
このポスター貼っといて。
愛してるぜ。 pic.twitter.com/9KxiOPAYwR— 後藤輝樹😊🙏💖 (@gototeruki) June 23, 2020
https://twitter.com/embed/status/1274569519629922304
(Note: I once interviewed Takafumi Horie, the candidate in the poster next to Goto’s.)
前回の都知事選で、唯一全部の候補者のポスターが貼ってあった場所。
新橋駅前のSL広場前にポスターを貼ってきました。#東京都知事選挙 #東京都知事選挙2020#後藤輝樹#ごとうてるき pic.twitter.com/Ja4otdEMUe— 薗田 剛(ガロイン) (@sonodatakes) June 21, 2020
We’ve seen cosplay and Japanese politics merge several times before.
This time, however, the anime company responsible for the character Goto was cosplay as didn’t exactly seem thrilled. Sunrise issued a press release stating that it had “nothing to do” with the cosplaying candidate.
Perhaps, that’s for the best! Goto seems to be a minor, stunt candidate in the Tokyo governor’s race. I’m not sure if Goto’s serious or this is some kind of performance art? Is he actually far-right or taking the piss? I really don’t know. Japanese politics do get oddball candidates, who have no chance of winning, but often seem to run as a gag.
Introducing Teruki Goto, one of the more erm…unconventional candidates in the upcoming Tokyo municipal elections. pic.twitter.com/GgLYcSxD9W
— Norman John Worthington (@HakusanLad) June 15, 2013
Wacky far-right political candidate Teruki Goto now wants to release his words of wisdom on toilet paper https://t.co/sHPicoqUVP
— William Andrews (@TokyoStages) August 19, 2016
@Durf 「GOT OTER UKI」Was the slogan on Teruki Goto's 2013 campaign poster, so this year's poster is a big impovement. pic.twitter.com/XCHJYeSaJb
— Taro Topor ♿️🇯🇵 (@taro3yen) April 21, 2015
These are posted in public!
千代田区区議会議員候補 後藤輝樹の選挙ポスターが異彩放ってる件。#選挙ポスター pic.twitter.com/v6W7pPo6pW
— Dr.GIY@ロボワン道GIY流家元 (@DrGIY) April 19, 2015
Goto has run nine times (yes, nine times) and lost. The candidate’s other campaign posters were also unusual, and Goto recently gave a campaign speech for broadcast, as all candidates do, but with several attempts to slip in the Japanese word for “penis,” which had to be bleeped out.
This isn’t new for the serial candidate: In Goto’s 2016 campaign speech, NHK also censored the word for penis, but this gesture seems to have been aired.
But after Sunrise’s latest statement denying any connection to the gubernatorial candidate, surprisingly, Goto issued an apology for his cosplay, writing, “I am sorry. I apologize for causing any trouble.”
