Interest

Theater Chain: Worker Auctioned Nanoha Film Strips Without Permission

The Japanese theater chain TOHO CINEMAS reported on Friday that one of its employees held unauthorized auctions of items that were meant as gifts to repeat viewers of the Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha the Movie 2nd A's anime film. The film's producers created a reward system for moviegoers who saw the film multiple times. The rewards included strips of film from the actual reels, which a TOHO CINEMAS employee allegedly put on auction online.

Under the "repeat point campaign," a first-time film-goer receives a point card with a 2D bar code to download mobile phone art. On the second viewing, the attendee receives one of three mini shikishi boards with character art of Nanoha, Fate, or Hayate by designer Yasuhiro Okuda, as well as a message and printed autograph from the character's voice actress. On the third viewing, the attendee receives a memorial film strip from the actual reels used in the movie's screenings.

Around 5:00 p.m. on July 15, TOHO CINEMAS discovered that one of its employees put the following items on auction:

• 50 "Lyrical Nanoha Repeat Point Campaign" stamp cards
• 50 randomly distributed film strips and 15 shikishi boards with (printed) autographs

A Yahoo! Auctions Japan user named "uver0706yui0223" started an auction with 50 film strips and 15 shikishi boards on July 15 at 12:00 p.m., but the auction abruptly ended at 6:28 p.m. (The film strip pictured at right is from a separate, ongoing auction by another seller.) Pending the results of TOHO CINEMAS' internal investigation, the chain is considering severe punishment for the employee.

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha the Movie 2nd A's, the second film in the Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha franchise, opened on July 14.

[Via Yaraon!]

Update: Another auction from "uver0706yui0223" offered 50 stamp cards, already filled out so the winner can take them to a theater to redeem for 50 film strips. This auction started on July 15 at 5:16 p.m., but ended on July 16 at 1:24 p.m. with no bidders.