2 Arrested for Modifying Figure (Repost from Sankaku Complex)
I just saw this article on Sankaku and I thought I’d repost it:
Police have arrested 2 hobbyists for the grievous crime of modifying a figure to look like another character, charging them with criminal copyright infringement.
The pair, aged 35 and 36 and involved with the operation of a Niigata toy shop, were found to have modified a figure to resemble a villain appearing in Toei’s Kamen Rider W, selling the completed figure in an Internet auction to a Tokyo man for ¥270,000.
The figure at issue was identified online:
Reportedly their work was of exquisite quality and popular with fans of the show – certainly the case considering the quality of the work on display on their homepage.
They admit the charges, explaining that “As we weren’t making mass manufactured goods but a single hand-made item, we thought they would overlook it.”
The arrests are an unhappy reminder that virtually anyone involved with doujinshi events, parody art and even cosplay is liable to be arrested should copyright holders become unhappy for some reason, *removed*, and instead decide to launch independent prosecutions for copyright infringement themselves.
Source: Sankaku Complex
To be honest I was pretty surprised they got arrested. I mean, who would have known that modifying a figure would get yourself arrested? But then again, selling the figure is a different story altogether… not that I know anything about copyright infringement, of course… for all you know I might be arrested for reposting this article! I sure hope not :S
Here’s a few other works that these guys produced:
And more
Er……. WTF????
What’s wrong with modifying this?????
And they did a very good job….
yeah they did ^^
Seriously….. If both parties are willing… Why not?
Then what about those modellers who sell painted kits?
No idea… that thought occured to me too but I wasn’t too sure about it =/
I suppose it would be okay because the modelers bought the kit therefore they bought the rights to that kit itself? unlike those china ripoffs who copy them and sell bootlegs.
Another reason which I think might be why it’s okay is because bandai encourages modifications and creativity with gunpla? this can be seen from those gunpla competitions like bakuc etc…
Back to the topic tho, if that’s the case why aren’t those who manufacture conversion kits prosecuted? I mean,from what I see, the material facts are the almost similar with the exception of one (the latter) being mass produced =/
might do a post on it if I have the time… need more research tho xD
I think they were caught because Bandai needed some victims with a high profile to provide some scare tactics… They are quite famous indeed and their work is superb. It’s unfortunate that Bandai decided to take action against them.
I’m not sure whether third party makers of conversion kits obtain licenses but it’s highly unlikely.
yeah I don’t think so either =/
yeah this can consider as doujinshi right ? this guy was the one who make me interested to SIC
yeah I think so =/
Was he even trying to sell them? Since he is, I guess he is breaking some kind of copyright rules. But it still makes no sense in my opinion, since that figure is like his own property now. He can do whatever the f**k he want with it.
yeah that’s what I think too. but if you look at it this way, if you buy an original dvd/blu-ray and you copied it and distributed it, that’s copyright infringement.
I did some light “research” and if I’m not mistaken copyright pretty much includes everything that involves using other people’s property without permission or something with very few exceptions… not too sure about that tho.
Sounds contraversial. We see completed Gundam models modded and sell back on online auctions before (e.g. the really expensive Kurenai which was a gold Strike Rouge or something IIRC). Besides, this is not mass produced so it makes the matter even stranger for us who are not so into laws. People who make conversion kit parts usually have a liscense so they can be sold legally of some sort, and doujins exist to work legally on such copyright stuff too as fan art of some sort. Well since we do not know exactly what follows after the consequences I can’t comment much more about it.
I can’t comment much either as I don’t know much about the copyright laws but I do remember a cases where fan movies/videos were removed due to copyright violations (eg. Legand of Zelda if I’m not mistaken).
What the article doesn’t specify was that – were they arrested for selling the figure or for modifying the figur or both. I think that is important because it would give us an idea as to what would constitute to copyright infringement when it comes to things like these.