Toys open up a child to new worlds. In the hands of adults, the same toys can overturn old worlds and even shake up nations.

The latest edition of the video game Assassin’s Creed, Shadows, has rocked Japan. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has lambasted the game, calling it an insult to the country. More than 100,000 people have signed a petition accusing French company Ubisoft of historical inaccuracies and a lack of respect for Japan’s past and traditions.

Shadows is set in 16th-century feudal Japan, draws from historical events, and depicts the samurai. Set to hip-hop, the game shows a samurai character destroying the interior of a Shinto shrine. Shinto is Japan’s main religion. A scene shows the character firing a bow towards priests and destroying a traditional drum and an altar. Many Japanese are riled up by this disrespect to their culture, and there is talk that the game may be banned.

Just a couple of seas away, Vietnam is pulling popular Chinese-made children’s dolls from shops. It is outraged over a facial mark on one of the doll models, Town Rabbit V2, resembling Beijing’s “nine-dash line" claims in the geopolitical flashpoint South China Sea.

The Chinese Baby Three dolls became a hit among Vietnamese children and Generation Z earlier this year, until online users started flagging Town Rabbit V2’s fluffy cheeks.

Beijing uses the “nine-dash line" on maps to justify its claims over resource-rich marine territory. It does so ignoring........

© News18