Hatsune Miku Colorful Stage issues apology over blackface allegations

Hatsune Miku Colorful Stage has issued an apology and has since removed a video on its YouTube channel due to a blackface depiction. The video in question is “Petit SEKAI #06: Leo/need Style”, the sixth episode of the game’s Petit SEKAI animated shorts.

While the video has since been privated, you can watch a translated clip of the video from YouTuber Charlotte.

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At the 1:44 mark, the Leo/need members can be seen with a darker skin tone, with drummer Mochizuki Honami even having exaggerated lips. Further fueling the outrage is the members’ clothes, which resembles that of tribal attire.

Leo/need members from left to right: Hinomori Shiho, Hoshino Ichika, Tenma Saki and Mochizuki Honami.

The context behind this image is that the members are coming up with the visual style of the band. While they ultimately don’t go through with this idea, fans have harshly criticised Project Sekai (the Japanese name for Hatsune Miku Colorful Stage) for the blackface depiction and being racist.

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There is literally NO excuse for the Project Sekai anime to have blackface in it. I hope they get a ton of shit for this. I’m not sorry. This is just gross

— C (@kaiyerra) February 17, 2022

literally why couldn’t of project sekai put them in lion onesies or something like that without doing blackface,, genuinely how did that get approved

— NEP @ MIKU EXPO 2024 LONDON (@nepmeeks) February 17, 2022

the project sekai blackface situation is crazy because all the devs know well and have acknowledged that there’s a gigantic western following for the game so the fact that they would put leo need in blackface is so 😭😭😭

— bilatinman kio (@kzzrttt) February 17, 2022

In response to this, Hatsune Miku Colorful Stage posted an apology and has since privated the controversial video.

Regarding ぷちセカ (Petit Sekai) Ep. 6

We would like to issue a sincere apology regarding the use of an inappropriate image in the episode “Leo/need Style.”

For now, we will be taking down the episode “Leo/need Style” indefinitely. pic.twitter.com/V3XoNlkD0b

— HATSUNE MIKU: COLORFUL STAGE! (@ColorfulStageEN) February 18, 2022

For more updates related to Hatsune Miku Colorful Stage, be sure to follow the game on Twitter. If you’re curious of how the game is like, check out our first impressions of it.

Download

Hatsune Miku Colorful Stage

Publisher: Sega

Developer: SEGA

Release Date: 2021-12-07

Android, iOS

Find your true feelings! A mysterious song named “Untitled” with no melody or lyrics is passed around amongst the youth in Shibuya, Tokyo. This song unlocks access to “SEKAI” a strange place that allows everyone to discover their true emotions and their own song. Play with Hatsune Miku and her Virtual Friends, as well as an original cast of 20 characters overcoming their struggles through the power of music.