User blog comment:Skeith9/Heroic Spirits Speculation/@comment-2181954-20150806162905/@comment-1458758-20150806171348

... Maybe because he's a pop culture icon?

People know he was made like a century ago, they're aware, it's not like anyone is going to take him seriously as some racist icon when being played as "Fu Manchu, the obvious fucking villain" He was used in the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, he was going to be used in the movie, but they couldn't get the rights. He's the inspiration for numerous villains such as Ming the Merciless, Dr. No, Dr. Zin, the Mandarin and people were okay with them.

So long as he isn't being used as obviously derogatory material like he was in the Mask of Fu Manchu, I'm pretty sure he can be played as a villainous Caster or Assassin.

Hell, if you wanted, you could call attention to the fact that he's a literary figure and have characters comment that he feels 'racisty', but that doesn't really fit the whole FSN dynamic if you ask me.