Tsuburaya Production wins in a trial in the Ultraman series overseas usage rights in the United States

byPedro de Matos

California Chuo Ward District Court ruled that Tsuburaya Productions 'allegiance was fully accepted in court over Ultraman' s Ultraman series from Ultra Q to Ultraman Taro.

Notice Regarding US Litigation (Court Decision) | Tsuburaya Productions
https://www.tsuburaya-prod.co.jp/pressrelease/180424-winning_judgment/


Notice on US lawsuit (prevailing judgment)
(PDF file)https://www.tsuburaya-prod.co.jp//wp-content/uploads/20180424-winning_judgment-tsuburayaprod-pr.pdf

Speaking of the "Ultraman" series, it is known as the representative work of Tsuburaya Production, which Mr. Eiji Tsuburaya was founded. At the same time, however, the relationship of rights at the time of overseas expansion has been known as a complicated work.

In 1996, Mr. Sangenchai Sompote who is a Thai businessman and founder of Chao Productions said that "The Ultraman" series (Ultra Q ~ Ultraman 6 series until Ultra Q ~ Ultraman Taro) in the whole world other than Japan It is the place where you assert that you own the right in ", and starts with a copy of the document (contract) signed by Tsuburaya Production 3rd president, Mr. Tsuburaya, to Tsuburaya Production.

Mr. Tsuburaya died this past year / 1995, so Mr. Kazuo Tsuburaya who was succeeding the fourth president corresponded, but while checking the details, he was convinced that the document was fake and was brought into the trial . The view that the "Ultraman Tiga" which began broadcasting in 1996 was set to be a world view that is not a sequel of the old work was to prevent troubles in overseas development by trial with this Choyo there is.

According to the Tsuburaya Productions, in just one document of that shown by Mr. Sonpote, such as company name and each Title and broadcasting the number of "Tsuburaya Productions", many errors of not supposed to basics wrong if Mr. Bogo , There was no regulation concerning the license fee which should be sure if there is a license business.

Around the contract, a trial was conducted in Thailand from 1997 to 2008, and after the handwriting appraisal, Tsuburaya Production was approved of "Contract is counterfeit". Meanwhile, a trial was held in Japan from 1999 to 2004, but this case resulted in a judgment that allowed Chayo's assertion that the document was authentic. As a result, twisted conditions occurred in Thailand, "Tsuburaya Production" regardless of whether the right holder is domestic or foreign in Japan, "Tsuburaya Production in Japan and Chyoyo Production abroad" in Japan.

The trial that Tsuburaya Production announced "prevailing" was that appealed to the District Court of California Chuo Ward, Um Co., Ltd., whose rights were transferred from Chiyo in 2008, "Tsuburaya Production is infringing the rights." According to Tsuburaya Productions, Tsuburaya Production's claim that the contract is not genuine as a result of investigation analysis taking a long time to discover the vast data and communication history of Tsuburaya Productions and Choyo Productions It was said that it was recognized.

Tsuburaya Production "The above judgment fully recognizes our company's claims.This full ruling in this case is not only a long time and a detailed evidence disclosure process with enormous effort, but also a testimony of a large number of witnesses, a handwriting We believe that it is extremely reliable because it was issued after expert opinion of appraisal experts etc. Based on this judgment, we intend to further proactively expand Ultraman's work overseas Thank you for your business partners, stakeholders, Ultraman series fans, we look forward to your continued patronage, thank you for your continued support. "