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KanColle Developer Wins Defamation Lawsuit
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
The individual participated in an event for creators to publish dōjin (self-published) derivative works for KanColle in August 2020, where he wore a mask that impersonated Tanaka, and sold sex toys that portrayed characters from the franchise. The Tokyo District Court's judgement also prohibited further manufacture and distribution of the mask containing Tanaka's likeness, as well as the destruction of all files and materials used in the making of the mask. The official Twitter account for C2 first mentioned possible legal action against the individual in a tweet after the event in August 2020.
C2 co-developed the original KanColle web browser game with Kadokawa Games, and debuted it on the DMM service in 2013. The game is set in a world where humanity has lost control of the seas. The threat that has taken over the seas is the Abyssal fleet. The only ones who can counter this threat are Kan-Musu (Fleet Girls), girls who possess the spirit of naval vessels from days gone by. The game and its characters have enjoyed massive popularity, spawning many games inspired by it. The franchise was at one point the most popular franchise for dōjin circles in Comiket, and as of the latest Comiket, is still the fifth most popular franchise.
The first 12-episode TV anime series premiered in January 2015 and Crunchyroll streamed the series as it aired in Japan. Funimation released the series on DVD and Blu-ray Disc with English subtitles and an English dub in June 2017. The Kantai Collection -KanColle- film opened in Japan in November 2016, and earned 560 million yen (about US$5 million) by March 2017.
KanColle: Itsuka Ano Umi de (Kan Colle Season 2: Let's Meet at Sea), the second season of the KanColle anime, premiered in Japan in November 2022, and aired its finale on Saturday. Crunchyroll streamed the series as it aired.
Source: Courts in Japan via Hachima Kikō
Disclosure: Kadokawa World Entertainment (KWE), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, is the majority owner of Anime News Network, LLC. One or more of the companies mentioned in this article are part of the Kadokawa Group of Companies.
