Japan is using the iconic anime character Sailor Moon to raise awareness about STIs.
Creator Naoko Takeuchi has teamed up with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in Japan to launch the new public campaign.
The initiative is to raise awareness of diseases like HIV and syphilis among young women.
The flier, which features Sailor Moon, will be distributed with condoms at a number of locations around Japan. 60,000 educational packages are to be distributed by the ministry.
The poster also features a reworked version of Sailor Moon’s famous catchphrase. “In the name of the moon, I will punish you!” is now “If you don’t get tested, I will punish you!”.
The official press release states the campaign hopes to increase prevention, detection, and treatment of STIs.
Western audiences may also be familiar with the anime character as Sailor Moon was adapted into a TV series in the 1990s and was dubbed in a number of overseas countries including Australia and America.
Fans have reacted positively to the campaign. Facebook user Josh Hastings wrote, “I say good for them, in the name of protecting people from STIs and HIV”, whilst another fan wrote “Moon crystal power – this is an adorable way to market an important message”.
