Japan lost the lawsuit.

Ultraman’s copyright dispute has continued to stir up waves since the film “Steel Dragon: Goodbye Ultraman” was released in July 2017. This time, after the film received the Long Label from the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television , rushing to put pressure on theaters before the movie is released.

It is reported that after learning that the film "Steel Dragon: Ultraman Goodbye" applied for a screening license from the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, Tsuburaya contacted the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television to claim that the film was infringing, and the State Administration contacted the founder of Blue Arc Animation, Film director Wang Wei communicated the matter, confirmed that there was no infringement and granted a film screening license.

In fact, when Tsuburaya first claimed that the film infringed upon copyright infringement, Lan Arc issued a statement in response:

1. The final trial of China’s Supreme Court (and the second trial of the High Court) both ruled against Japan’s Tsuburaya. ;

2. China’s Supreme Court determined that Japan’s Tsuburaya has lost the exclusive right to use Ultraman’s overseas copyright and trademark rights;

3. Tsuburaya publicly refused to acknowledge this ruling, and in China There are a large number of Ultraman commercial activities in China and they refuse to hand over the trademark rights. Our company will take necessary legal action against this;

4. Our company has obtained legal authorization from UM Company this time.

On September 15, 2017, film director Wang Wei also responded domineeringly in his personal capacity: "Japanese Tsuburaya is lying! Lying! Lying!" and listed the original English version of the "1976 Contract" The content, the content of the final ruling of the Supreme Court of China, and China's Copyright Law clearly reiterated that Lan Arc has the right to produce Ultraman movies, and expressed his disdain for Japan's Tsuburaya for confusing the public.

Extended information

With nine heads, eight-pack abs, and long legs, the Chinese version of Ultraman is really coming. Recently, the 3D movie "Steel Dragon: Goodbye Ultraman" jointly produced by Lanqi Culture, LeTV Pictures, and Blue Arc Animation held a press conference in Beijing to officially announce that the film will be released during the National Day.

However, as early as this year’s Shanghai Film Festival, after the Chinese film crew revealed that they would perform Ultraman, Japan Tsuburaya Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Japan Tsuburaya) announced that Japan Tsuburaya will be the director of all Ultraman films. As the producer and copyright owner of the series, the company has not granted any authorization for the Chinese version of Ultraman.

In this regard, the Chinese film studio insisted that it had obtained legal authorization from UM Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as UM Company) and published the relevant authorization certificate.

Ultraman has long been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people as a classic Japanese anime. This has caused the Chinese version of Ultraman to encounter the suspicion of "copycat" as soon as it was released. But in fact, although Ultraman was first created and launched in Japan, his copyright situation outside Japan is very complicated.

Japan, Thailand and China have all had Ultraman copyright disputes that lasted for many years. In China, the copyright disputes between Japan's Tsuburaya and Thai people Simbote, Thai company Caiyao Copyright Co., Ltd., as well as China's Guangzhou Book Buying Center Co., Ltd. and Shanghai Audio and Video Publishing House, have been resolved by the first instance, second instance and retrial by the Supreme People's Court. The ruling received widespread attention from the industry and was selected as one of the top ten intellectual property cases in Chinese courts in 2013.

Reference materials: People's Daily Online - "Ultraman Goodbye" blue arc-haired lawyer's letter: absolutely no infringement

Reference materials: People's Daily Online - What's the reason for the recurrence of Ultraman copyright disputes? ?