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SSSS.Gridman Posts Guidelines for Fan Works, Announces Hug Pillow Covers and Parka
posted on by Kim Morrissy
The official website for SSSS.Gridman has posted guidelines for fans to follow regarding derivative works. A rough translation of the guidelines follows:
On the use of materials
It is prohibited to copy or trace any materials from the production, such as images, videos, logos, music, scripts, and so on. This does not apply to derivative works (Illustrations, Manga, Novels, etc.) that are newly created with reference to SSSS.Gridman.
Production and distribution of derivative works
Please produce and distribute derivative works in accordance with the guideline above. However, things that infringe on public order or the rights of others are prohibited.
About doujinshi
Any doujinshi that is deemed to exceed the category of fan activities, such as production and distribution for commercial purposes, may have its sales suspended.
Regarding individual fan works
We cannot respond to inquiries about individual fan works. Please be understanding.
On October 29, popular fan artist @pjaniishimo reported taking down their Gridman fan art from pixivFANBOX, the premium version of the art site pixiv, after receiving a notice from the rights holders that they were uploading art for commercial purposes. This inspired speculation from fans that Tsuburaya Production, the original creators of Gridman, is taking a harsher stance against derivative works based on their previous actions of copyright enforcement over the Ultraman series. The FAQ on Tsuburaya Production's website states that no derivative works based on their IP are permitted without permission.
The SSSS.Gridman production committee posted their guidelines for fan works a day after announcing that body pillow covers of Rikka Takarada and Akane Shinjou are in the works. On October 25, Twitter user @amamura_m reported that fan-created body pillow covers would not be distributed due to a copyright notice they received.
The official pillow covers of Rikka Takarada and Akane Shinjou are currently available for order on Chugaionline until November 21. Akane's parka is also up for sale. The body pillow covers cost 12,960 yen each and will ship in mid-December, while the parka costs 9,936 yen and will ship in January next year.
Akira Amemiya (Inferno Cop, Ninja Slayer, earlier 2015 "Denkō Chōjin Gridman boy invent great hero" short) is directing this collaboration between the anime Studio Trigger and Tsuburaya Productions — the creator of The Ultraman franchise and the original 1993-1994 live-action tokusatsu (special-effects) series Denkō Chōjin Gridman.
The anime's official website describes the story:
You're not alone. On any day, anywhere.
Yūta Hibiki, who is a first-year high school student living in Tsutsujidai, one day wakes up to find he has lost his memories. And he meets the "Hyper Agent Gridman" on his old computer
Gridman says that Yūta has a mission he must fulfill, and Yūta sets out to find the meaning to those words and his memory loss.
Yūta's friends — Shō Utsumi, Rikka Takarada, and Akane Shinjō — would always help him and spend their days with him. But, their tranquil days are suddenly and easily crushed with the appearance of kaijū.
Source: Comic Natalie, Kai-you, and SSSS.Gridman official website
