Japanese men charged with creating obscene AI anime character posters

Occurred: January 2025

Two men in Japan have been charged with copyright infringement for creating and selling AI-generated obscene posters featuring popular female anime characters.

What happened

The suspects, a 36-year-old office worker from Yokohama and a 40-year-old self-employed man from Hikone, used free generative AI software to alter the appearances of characters from anime series such as "Neon Genesis Evangelion" and "Yu-Gi-Oh!", emphasising their physical features.

The posters were then sold on online auction platforms.

Why it happened

The men made significant money from the scam, with Yokohama man pocketing approximately 10 million yen (USD 64,400) between October 2023 and March 2024.

Both men admitted to the allegations, stating they created and sold the posters to supplement their living expenses.

They were easily able to create the images for the posters by using a generative AI system - many of which have little or no limits on how they can be used.

What it means

The incident highlights the ongoing debate surrounding AI-generated content and copyright infringement in Japan. 

The Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs has stated that producing AI content too similar to existing works may constitute copyright infringement. 

The case also underscores the challenges faced by anime companies in combating the sale of illegal merchandise. 

System 🤖

Operator: 
Developer:  
Country: Japan
Sector: Media/entertainment/sports/arts
Purpose: Earn revenue
Technology: Generative AI; Machine learning
Issue: Copyright

Page info
Type: Incident
Published: January 2025