Forum - View topicNEWS: Ultraman Film Opens in China Without Japanese Rights Holder's Approval
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Greboruri
Posts: 390 Location: QBN, NSW, Australia |
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So this is tied to the ongoing dispute between Tsuburaya and Chaiyo Productions in Thailand?
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Primus
 Posts: 2831 Location: Toronto |
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Yes. BlueArc is a legitimate animation studio. Their TV show, Kibaoh Battle Blade, was picked up by Saban Brands and launched on Netflix over the summer. The first Dragon Force film actually got released in Japan. |
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Kadmos1
 Posts: 13626 Location: In Phoenix but has an 85308 ZIP |
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Let's not forget that China has a lot of communism, so this type of situation seems like something one would expect.
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BodaciousSpacePirate
 Subscriber Posts: 3019 |
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China has very strict copyright laws, but a not-so-stellar track record of getting corporations to comply with the laws, which has much more to do with uncooperative local governments than "communism". |
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TheOtakuX
 Posts: 344 Location: Wooster, Ohio |
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I actually kinda wanna see this movie.
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Afezeria
 Posts: 817 Location: Malaysia, Kuantan. |
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The parties at China sure like to make problem where there's none. It ain't gonna do their already strenuous relationship any good.
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Shar Aznabull
 Posts: 236 |
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Ah, good old Chaiyo making a mess of things again
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Hiroki not Takuya
 Posts: 2706 |
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I find this one interesting as indicative of the extent of the modern Chinese public's dislike for things Japanese because of WWII and the desire to portray China as powerful relative to Japan. Lest this sounds like an exaggeration, a 20-something Chinese friend of mine refused to let his young son watch Ultraman because of a belief that the show had a subtle pro-Japanese/anti-Chinese message.
Now, I can't believe someone tried to assert Chinese copyright laws are anything other than laughable because the government has demonstrated time and again that they have no intention to enforce them. They only exist as a ruse to "prove" that they are in strict compliance with International law in order to nullify the arguments of international companies to the contrary. I'm willing to bet the production company went ahead with the release knowing they were in direct violation so they could get a "war chest" of money to block the inevitable legal action. |
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Primus
Posts: 2831 Location: Toronto |
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This is a far more complicated situation than the typical "China don't care" copyright violations. Chinese courts have held up Chaiyo's contract, giving them ownership over the original Ultraman shows, as valid. This is technically an officially licensed Ultraman film ... just not by Tsuburaya.
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GeorgeC
Posts: 795 |
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It's not just Chinese courts. (Actually I never read that myself...) The Japanese high court (their Supreme Court) ruled that the original wording for the contract between the Tsuburaya and Chaiyo was vague or words to that extent. It definitely should have been worded better than it was and they ruled that Chaiyo had international rights to the first few Ultraman TV shows. Something like this happened with the original SDF Macross, too, between Tatsunoko and Studio Nue. Studio Nue couldn't finish Macross on its own so they contracted with Tatsunoko as a production company. There was a vaguely worded note giving Tatsunoko the INTERNATIONAL distribution rights to SDF Macross in exchange for funding and production support. That's how Macross was incorporated as part of Robotech AFTER HG realized there wasn't enough footage to syndicate the show in the US -- they needed 65 episodes but had only 36 which is why Mospeada and Southern Cross was melded into the storyline as they were. HG was Tatsunoko's licensee for the footage for years. Now, years later, it looks like HG is losing its license to the footage for good (or at least until someone coughs up the money to relicensed the footage -- which I predict will happen) but that's a separate issue. Companies that WANT to license the original SDF Macross still have to deal with Tatsunoko for THAT series. The other Macross shows and ALL the feature films DO NOT belong to Tatsunoko let alone HG. They're Big West/Studio Nue property. Big West just doesn't want to deal with Western companies as long as the situation with the original show exists but they have been approached (most famously AnimEigo which wanted to licensed Macross: DYRL in the mid-1990s as well as the original SDF Macross series) and for at least a while Macross II and Macross Plus WERE sold in the West. LA Hero/US Renditions had the licenses to Macross II and Macross Plus before their rights were bought out by Manga Entertainment. |
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SWAnimefan
Posts: 634 |
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If this is due to poor contract work, then Japan needs to hire better lawyers in writing these contracts.
Needless to say, China once again showing the extents they will go for their propaganda. Instead of fighting it, they are buying it. Just boggles the mind people hate the USA because of them being "evil imperialists", yet China walks all over everyone, because they are the new Mr. Big. Companies need to learn to be more cautious with their own properties. |
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AkaRed
 Posts: 411 |
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A Chinese movie propaganda making Ultraman a vilain good job china filling exactly where Shinzo Abe need.
That's why Japan got a rise in nationalism in recent year and that's why they Shinzo Abe will win to have Japan finally a real army. |
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Aresef
Posts: 918 Location: MD |
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The Chaiyo saga is so infuriating and insane. Sompote Saengduenchai has no legitimate claim to Ultraman, yet the Thai court bought a forgery and a fairy tale.
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Primus
Posts: 2831 Location: Toronto |
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This has grossed just under $6 million so far: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/intl/?id=_fDRAGONFORCESOLON01&country=CH&wk=2017W40&id=_fDRAGONFORCESOLON01&p=.htm
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Zin5ki
 Posts: 6680 Location: London, UK |
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In a somewhat perverse way, it would be intriguing to see what any such actions would amount to, if anything. |
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