Interest
Osaka Company Trademarks 'Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen' Meme
posted on by Lynzee Loveridge
The comedian and singer Pikotarō rose to meme status last year for his strange "PPAP (Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen)" song. Even Death Note's Shinigami Ryuk performed his own version at the height of its popularity. The story gets weirder as it appears, not long after the song debuted, an unrelated company in Osaka filed to trademark the phrase "Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen" written in katakana.
Best License Company filed a trademark for "PPAP" on October 5, November 15 and November 28. Separate filings were also submitted for "Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen" in katakana on November 24 and 25 and "Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen" in romaji on November 15 and 28.
Pikotarō's label, Avex Holdings, has so far only filed to trademark "PPAP" on October 14, but not any of the song's other title variations.
The company in Osaka has previously filed trademarks for other viral content, like "STAP Saibō wa Arimasu" (There are STAP cells) and "The Democratic Party" (founded last year). The Patent Office complained in May about "some applicants who have been submitting a large number of trademark applications."
Pikotarō will perform at the famed Nippon Budōkan arena in Tokyo on March 3. The band Silent Siren (live-action anohana special's theme song) and singer LiSA (Fate/Zero, Sword Art Online theme songs) will also perform at the "Pikotarō PPAPPT in Nippon Budōkan" concert.
[Via Hachima Kikō, Livedoor News]
