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Touhou Project Creator Restricts Commercial Works, Anime (Updated)

"Team Shanghai Alice," the creator of the Touhou Project dōjin (self-published) game series, posted revised 2011 guidelines for the use of copyrighted Touhou Project materials on Monday. The creator (who is also known as ZUN) asked those who wish to make commercial goods based on Touhou Project to request permission.

He asked that the applicants exercise "discretion" in regards to commercial goods with sexual connotations (such as dakimakura or hugging pillows with sexual connotations). He later clarified that the guideline on sexual content applied only to commercial goods, and said that he does not think that the existing noncommercial dōjin contents have been problematic so far.

He then specifically restricted the development of commercial anime projects. He added that the new restriction applies to "cel animation"; the restriction did not apply to works created with 3D software or to illustrations and special effects.

The creator also placed restrictions on the sale of works — both dōjin and commercial — on the XBox Live Indie Games marketplace for the XBox 360 console, Apple's App Store for the iPhone and other iOS devices, and Android Market for phones and other devices. Another restriction applies to sales through overseas downloads and other channels that go beyond traditional means of releasing dōjin works. Finally he restricted "overly sexual depictions and defamation against certain individuals, groups, or races that are determined to go against common decency."

The anime studio ufotable announced last September that it was producing an anime project with the ANIMATE store chain's mascot character and the Touhou Project game characters. At the time, the Touhou Project creator said that he was not involved and that he did not know the details about it. Dōjin circles had previously sold anime with Touhou Project characters at the Comic Market (Comiket) convention.

Update: The creator said on Tuesday that although he has been asked this many times before, there is no official anime production so far. He added that he has no plans for one either.