On Public Affiliations and the Harmful Side of “Cancel Culture” on Social Media
■ The Withdrawal of a Japanese Creator from Social Media
In April 2026, Syundei, the author of Go For It, Nakamura-kun!! — a series whose anime adaptation also began airing that month — deleted their social media account and disappeared from the public sphere.
Behind this situation appeared to be a wave of intense criticism and ongoing “cancel” behavior, largely driven by overseas users.
■ Labeling and Escalating Online Harassment
One of the triggers was the rapid spread of accusations labeling the creator as a “pedophile,” despite the absence of any legal basis for such claims.
As the discussion escalated, quote reposts and direct replies increasingly turned hostile, with many users directing aggressive comments toward the creator personally.
Among these posts were accounts displaying university affiliations in their profiles while simultaneously using highly confrontational language that could reasonably be interpreted as personal attacks.
■ A Spanish University Student
One account that gained attention for directly attacking the creator was @ShadowVoid55. After reviewing the user’s public posts, I observed multiple statements that could be interpreted as inflammatory or hostile toward specific cultures and foreign communities.
The profile also included a reference to the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM). Given the possibility that extreme online behavior associated with a public institutional affiliation could negatively affect the image of that institution, I decided to organize the relevant information and contact the university.
• Public use of institutional affiliation
Posting highly confrontational commentary toward specific cultures or individuals while publicly displaying a university affiliation
• Potential reputational impact
The possibility that an individual’s online conduct may affect the international image of associated institutions
■ On the Responsibility of Public Online Conduct
When people publicly display the names of their schools, universities, or workplaces on social media, their words may influence not only their own reputation, but also the image of the institutions connected to them.
In particular, directing aggressive language toward creators or cultures from other countries should be approached with greater responsibility and restraint.
Freedom of expression also carries accountability.
When collective online criticism reaches the point where a creator withdraws from public life, it is worth asking whether this outcome truly reflects the kind of “justice” people intended to pursue.
The boundary between criticism and harassment in the age of social media deserves more serious reflection.
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