Author Topic: Professional Cosplay Maker in Copyright Battle?  (Read 3262 times)

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Offline Rathany

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Professional Cosplay Maker in Copyright Battle?
« on: October 29, 2008, 05:42:05 pm »
Linkie: http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200810290048.html

"The 41-year-old man, who lives in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, and runs a surfboard shop, has a talent for creating superhero outfits coveted by "cosplay" enthusiasts, who dress up as their favorite characters from anime or video games.

He was slapped with a 1 million yen fine by the Nagoya District Court's Ichinomiya Branch on Oct. 15 for copyright violation, after he allegedly created and sold an imitation costume of a better-known superhero, from the popular "Juken Sentai Gekirenja (beast-fist squadron Gekiranger) TV series. The program was shown on TV Asahi until February."

Saw this on a mailing list and thought it might be interesting to some. 
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Offline nikkiolie

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Re: Professional Cosplay Maker in Copyright Battle?
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2008, 06:36:57 pm »
wow.....so cosplaying could be bad XD

Offline Hazuza

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Re: Professional Cosplay Maker in Copyright Battle?
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2008, 07:58:45 pm »
"The man was arrested on Sept. 25 on suspicion of conspiring with a 47-year-old doctor in Ichinomiya, Aichi Prefecture, to reproduce the mask, suit, boots and other costume parts of Gekirenja without consent from Toei Co., which holds the rights for the character. "

whaaaaaat D8


.... *trying to say something relative or debatable, but struck speechless*

Offline tofutakeout

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Re: Professional Cosplay Maker in Copyright Battle?
« Reply #3 on: October 29, 2008, 08:58:02 pm »
.......uh.......uh........uh......I have no idea what to say. 0_0 that's just to crazy.
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Offline Rathany

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Re: Professional Cosplay Maker in Copyright Battle?
« Reply #4 on: October 29, 2008, 09:03:21 pm »
wow.....so cosplaying could be bad XD

Well, keep in mind that this happened in Japan and involved people making money off of it. 
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Offline nikkiolie

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Re: Professional Cosplay Maker in Copyright Battle?
« Reply #5 on: October 29, 2008, 09:14:43 pm »
I guess that is true

Offline AnimeMatrix

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Re: Professional Cosplay Maker in Copyright Battle?
« Reply #6 on: October 29, 2008, 11:44:34 pm »
Wow- so cosplay *might* be a new gray area when it comes to copyright. It's true that these people were making costumes for money, but I mean, what about people who make commissioned costumes? I suppose if it's pursued any further and they start cracking down on seamstresses and tailors who people pay to make a costume for them, it'll start forcing people to make their own costume and more people will want to learn how to sew (which is a useful skill to know anyway ^_^). Perhaps maybe sewers will start charging at-cost instead at-cost+small profit (which will lead to cheaper costumes ^_^), but this gets into such sticky places.

Offline Wuntvor

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Re: Professional Cosplay Maker in Copyright Battle?
« Reply #7 on: October 30, 2008, 01:37:48 am »
Wow- so cosplay *might* be a new gray area when it comes to copyright. It's true that these people were making costumes for money, but I mean, what about people who make commissioned costumes? I suppose if it's pursued any further and they start cracking down on seamstresses and tailors who people pay to make a costume for them, it'll start forcing people to make their own costume and more people will want to learn how to sew (which is a useful skill to know anyway ^_^). Perhaps maybe sewers will start charging at-cost instead at-cost+small profit (which will lead to cheaper costumes ^_^), but this gets into such sticky places.

Sewers?  isn't that a pipe underground that smells real bad?  ???  I just love people who use that word for describing people who sew.  My mother had/has an account on E-Bay that was Simple Sewer.  I laughed so hard I thought I was going to bust something.   :D

In response to the thread.  I pretty much agree with AnimeMatrix.  I was wondering how it would effect seamstresses and tailors as well.  It seems to me, that unless you are mass producing, or selling the pattern for, a copyrighted character, it should be OK.  Making a custom costume that will only fit the customer, isn't mass production, and copying a clothing design isn't a crime, unless you try claiming that what you make is by someone else.  That could get you into trouble.  Don't go around making blue jeans and sticking a "Levis" label on them for example.

I was trying to determine if the guy actually worked for Toei or not.  The way I read it he had created a suit for himself, and was going around town performing for kids.  He then helped to make another suit that was then sold to someone else.  I guess Toei then got upset, because of how he was portraying the character they had the rights to.  Sounds more like they didn't like him cutting in on an oportunity for them to make money selling the costumes themselves, and charging for public appearances.
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Offline superjaz

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Re: Professional Cosplay Maker in Copyright Battle?
« Reply #8 on: October 31, 2008, 09:57:44 am »
yeah I mean in the course of a sewers life you get to the point where you make stuff for $$$, even if its just for a friend at cost plus a little for time

hypathetical siuation here...

say leashy asked me to make her a apron that a ranma character wears, she buys the material and gives me 20$ extra for my time

is the makers of ranma gonna ounce on me ?

i will just carry on in trade instead!!, nothing wrong with the barter system
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