One might think dressing as a sheep for Halloween would be one of the least controversial choices, but it seems the internet always finds a way to surprise us. Japanese voice actress Hazuki Tanda, known for her work in BanG Dream! and D4DJ, found herself embroiled in an international controversy after posting photos of her Shaun the Sheep costume. The issue? She painted her face black to recreate the character, which several foreign users interpreted as a racist portrayal.

It all started on October 31st, when the seiyuu shared several photos on X with a simple Halloween greeting. To recreate Shaun, the protagonist of the popular British animated series, she wore a white wool-like outfit, black clothing, and dark face makeup, leaving her eye contours white.

Additionally, she posed holding a banana and some vegetables, including a leek. The post also included an image of the original character to clarify the inspiration for her costume. Initially, many Japanese fans praised the actress’s creativity and found it fun to see her transformed into the famous sheep.

However, as the photos began circulating outside Japan, reactions shifted. Several users accused Tanda of using blackface, a practice historically linked to racist portrayals of Black people. Criticisms intensified due to the banana, as this fruit has also been used in racial slurs and stereotypes.

The controversy sparked a debate among users from different countries. While some argued that painting one’s face black is inappropriate regardless of the character, others pointed out a key detail: Shaun is a sheep with a black face and legs. From this perspective, the actress was simply trying to replicate his original appearance.

Many Japanese users defended Tanda, questioning why the makeup could be automatically interpreted as a racial mockery. There were also comments from international fans who found the accusations unfair, especially since the photos clearly showed the character she was portraying.

The debate, however, has historical roots. Blackface became popular in 19th-century American shows where white performers used makeup to caricature Black people, reinforcing discriminatory stereotypes. For this reason, some users found the combination of dark makeup, cotton-like material, and a banana offensive, even if these elements had another explanation within the costume.

The controversy even reached Japanese media. In an interview published by NEWS Post Seven, Professor Fumiko Sakashita, an expert in African-American history and culture at Sophia University, explained that Tanda’s case doesn’t necessarily deserve the same criticism, as she was portraying a sheep with a black face. However, she also noted the importance of reflecting on when it’s truly necessary to alter skin color to portray a character.

So far, Hazuki Tanda has not issued an official statement about the accusations, and her original Halloween post made no reference to racial issues. What began as a post to showcase a costume turned into a discussion about cultural differences and how the same image can be interpreted in vastly different ways.

Do you think the context of dressing as Shaun the Sheep should be enough to dismiss the accusations, or do you believe Tanda could have portrayed the character differently?